Battle of Cape Corvo | |||||||
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Part of the Ottoman–Habsburg wars | |||||||
Battle between Spanish and Ottoman galleys. Oil on canvas attributed to Cornelis de Wael. | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Spain | Ottoman Empire | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Ottavio d'Aragona | Sinari Pasha (POW) | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
8 galleys[1] | 10 galleys[2] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
6 killed, 30 wounded[3] |
7 galleys captured, 400 killed, 600 prisoners, 1,200 slaves freed[3] |
The Battle of Cape Corvo was a naval engagement of the Ottoman–Habsburg wars fought as part of the struggle for the control of the Mediterranean. It took place in August 1613 near the island of Samos when a Spanish squadron from Sicily, under Admiral Ottavio d'Aragona, engaged an Ottoman fleet led by Sinari Pasha. The Spanish were victorious and captured seven galleys and about 600 prisoners, among them the Bey of Alexandria and another 60 important Ottoman nobles. Cape Corvo was the first major victory of the Spanish fleets under Pedro Téllez-Girón, 3rd Duke of Osuna, the Spanish Viceroy of Sicily, as well as the greatest Spanish victory over the Ottoman Empire since the Battle of Lepanto.[4]