Battle of Ponza (1552) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Ponza |
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| Part of the Ottoman-Habsburg wars and the Italian War of 1551–1559 | |||||||
 An Ottoman galley. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Republic of Genoa |
.svg){kind=small} Ottoman Empire Kingdom of France |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Andrea Doria |
Dragut Gabriel de Luetz d'Aramon |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 40 galleys |
100 galleys 3 galleys |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 7 galleys captured | |||||||
The Battle of Ponza in 1552 was a big sea fight near the Italian island of Ponza. It happened between a powerful fleet from France and the Ottoman Empire, led by a famous admiral named Dragut. They fought against a fleet from Genoa, commanded by Andrea Doria. The Genoese fleet lost the battle, and seven of their ships were captured. This victory helped the Ottoman fleet attack the coasts of Sicily, Sardinia, and Italy more easily for the next three years.
Contents
Who Fought in the Battle?
The Ottoman and French Fleets
The Ottoman fleet was very large, with 100 galleys. These ships were sent by Suleiman the Magnificent, the powerful ruler of the Ottoman Empire. He sent them to the western part of the Mediterranean Sea. This happened because Henry II, the King of France, was fighting against Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor. This war was called the Italian War of 1551-59.
Three French galleys joined the Ottoman fleet. They were led by the French ambassador, Gabriel de Luetz d'Aramon. He traveled with the Ottoman ships all the way from Istanbul. Together, they raided the coast of Calabria in Southern Italy. They even captured the city of Reggio.
The Genoese Fleet
The Genoese fleet had 40 galleys. These ships were commanded by Andrea Doria, a famous admiral from Genoa. Twenty of these galleys belonged to Doria himself. Six more belonged to a relative, Antonio Doria. Two other ships were from the House of Grimaldi of Monaco.
The Battle Day
The battle happened on August 5, 1552. It took place in the sea between the island of Ponza and the Italian mainland, near Terracina. During the fight, the Ottoman forces managed to capture seven of the Genoese galleys. These captured ships were full of soldiers.
What Happened After the Battle?
After their victory, the combined French and Ottoman fleet sailed to Majorca. They arrived there on August 13, 1552. The French wanted the Ottoman fleet to go even further west. But the Ottomans did not agree. Maybe their commander had other plans, or perhaps it was because they were still fighting a war with Persia.
The victory at Ponza was important for the Ottomans. It made it much easier for them to attack the coasts of Sicily, Sardinia, and Italy. They continued these raids for the next three years.
After the battle, the Ottoman fleet spent the winter in Chios. There, they met up with a French fleet led by Baron de la Garde. They were getting ready for more big naval operations the next year. One of these was the invasion of Corsica in 1553, which did not succeed.
Years later, in 1560, Andrea Doria's nephew, Giovanni Andrea Doria, tried to stop Dragut again. This happened at the Battle of Djerba. But Giovanni Andrea Doria was also defeated. Dragut continued to raid the northern Mediterranean coasts until he died five years later.
Images for kids
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Gabriel de Luetz d'Aramon accompanied the fleet of Dragut with 3 galleys in the Battle of Ponza.
See also
- Franco-Ottoman alliance
- List of Ottoman sieges and landings
