Battle of Ponza (1552)

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Battle of Ponza
Part of the
Ottoman-Habsburg wars and the Italian War of 1551–1559

An Ottoman galley.
Date5 August 1552
Location
Off Ponza, present-day Italy
Result Franco-Ottoman victory
Belligerents
 Republic of Genoa Ottoman Empire
 Kingdom of France
Commanders and leaders
Republic of Genoa Andrea Doria
Gabriel de Luetz d'Aramon
Strength
Republic of Genoa 40 galleys 100 galleys
Kingdom of France 3 galleys
Casualties and losses
7 galleys captured

The Battle of Ponza (1552) was a naval battle that occurred near the Italian island of Ponza. The battle was fought between a Franco-Ottoman fleet under Dragut and a Genoese fleet commanded by Andrea Doria.[1] The Genoese were defeated and lost seven galleys captured. The battle made it easier for the Ottoman fleet to raid the coasts of Sicily, Sardinia, and Italy for the next three years.

Opposing fleets

The Ottoman fleet consisted of 100 galleys which had been sent by

Gabriel de Luetz d'Aramon, who accompanied the Ottomans from Istanbul in their raids along the coast of Calabria in Southern Italy, capturing the city of Reggio.[3]

The Genoese fleet consisted of 40 galleys under the command of Andrea Doria.[4] Twenty of the galleys in the Genoese fleet belonged personally to Doria, six to an Antonio Doria and two to the House of Grimaldi of Monaco.[5]

Battle

The battle between the fleets took place on 5 August 1552 between the islands of Ponza and Terracina on the Italian mainland. The Ottomans captured seven of the Geonoese galleys which were full of troops.[1]

Aftermath

After the battle, the Franco-Ottoman fleet entered

Baron de la Garde, ready for major naval operations the following year, including the, later failed, Invasion of Corsica
in 1553. In 1560 the nephew of Doria, Giovanni Andrea Doria, led another attempt to thwart Dragut at the Battle of Djerba, but was defeated and Dragut continued his raiding of the Northern Mediterranean shores until his death five years later.[6]

Gabriel de Luetz d'Aramon accompanied the fleet of Dragut
with 3 galleys in the Battle of Ponza.

See also

Notes