Battle of the Dardanelles (1656)

The Action of 26 June 1656 took place on 26 and 27 June 1656 inside the Dardanelles Strait. The battle was a clear victory for Venice and the Knights of Malta over the Ottoman Empire, although their commander, Lorenzo Marcello, was killed on the first day.

Preface

Marcello reached the Dardanelles Strait on 23 May 1656 with 13 sailing ships, 6 galleasses and 24 galleys as well as some more vessels under Pietro Bembo. On 11 June 7 Maltese galleys under Gregorio Caraffa arrived, making a total of 29 sailing ships, 7 galleasses and 31 galleys. The Venetians were stationed just below The Narrows. Forts were on either side of The Narrows.

On 23 June the Turks, under Kenan Pasha, appeared in the Strait with 28 sailing ships, 9 galleasses and 61 galleys. On 24 June Turkish land batteries tried to drive the Venetians off but failed.

Battle

In the morning of 26 June the wind was from the north, and the Turks made good progress, the Venetian galleys being unable to assist their sailing ships. Then the wind backed, turning to the SE, trapping the Turks against the Asian side of the Strait just below The Narrows, and a mêlée ensued, the result of which was never in doubt. Kenan Pasha got back past The Narrows with 14 galleys but the rest were either captured, sunk or burnt. "Sultan"/"San Marco" was the most advanced Venetian ship and did the most to prevent the Turkish retreat, but she ran aground under the Turkish guns and was abandoned.

Aftermath

Marcello had been killed, but his death kept a secret from all but his second, Barbaro Badoer.

Some small-scale fighting happened the next day, and at the end of it, the Turks had lost 4 large sailing ships, 2 pinks, 5 galleasses and 13 galleys captured, and 22 sailing ships, 4 galleasses and 34 galleys sunk or burnt. Only 2 Turkish sailing ships and 14 galleys escaped. Of the captured ships, Malta received 2 galleasses, 8 galleys and 1 "super galley" (or galleass?). The Venetians lost 3 sailing ships burnt and their casualties were 207 killed, 260 wounded and 94 missing. Maltese casualties were 40 killed and 100 or more wounded.

hips involved

Allies

Venice (Lorenzo Marcello, with Pietro Bembo)

*"Fregata Contarini"
*"Tomaso Francesco"
*"Principessa grande"
*"Tre Re"
*"Croce d'Oro"
*"Principessa piccola"
*"Gallo d'Oro"
*"Sacrificio d'Abram"
*"Aquila Coronata" ("Kronede Arend")
*"Profeta Samuel"
*"Arma di Nassau" - Burnt
*"Lionessa"
*"Arma di Lech"
*"Leon Negro"
*"Madonna del Carmine"
*"Santa Caterina"
*"Profeta Elia"
*"San Bartolamio"
*"Fama Volante"
*"Ercole"
*"Rosa Bianca"
*"Speranza" (or "San Nicola")
*"Principe di Colognia"
*"San Pietro" (hired Dutch) - Burnt
*"Sultana"/"San Marco" (ex-Turkish) - Aground, abandoned and burnt
*"Santa Margarita"
*"Paramor"
*"?"
*"?"
*7 galleasses
*24 galleys

Malta (Gregorio Caraffa)

*7 galleys

Ottoman Empire (Kenan Pasha)

*4 large sailing ships - Captured
*24 other sailing ships - 22 sunk/burnt
*2 pinks - Captured
*9 galleasses - 5 captured, 4 sunk/burnt
*61 galleys - 13 captured, 34 sunk/burnt

References

*"Naval wars in the Levant 1559-1853" - R. C. Anderson ISBN 1-57898-538-2