Battle of Girolata

Battle of Girolata
Part of the Ottoman–Habsburg wars
Corsica shown in red
Date 15 June 1540 Location Gulf of Girolata, near Osani (Corsica) Result Spanish-Genoese victory
Belligerents
Spanish Empire  Republic of Genoa	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Giannettino Doria Berenguer de Requesens	Dragut (POW)
Strength
21 galleys[1]	11 galleys
Casualties and losses
Minor	11 galleys captured, 1,200 prisoners, 1,200 galley slaves freed[1][2]

The Battle of Girolata was a naval action fought between Genoese, Spanish, and Ottoman ships on 15 June 1540 in the Gulf of Girolata, on the west coast of the island of Corsica, amidst the war between Charles V of Spain and Suleiman the Magnificent. A Spanish squadron of 21 galleys led by the Genoese Gianettino Doria and the Spaniard Berenguer de Requesens surprised an Ottoman squadron of 11 galleys, anchored at Girolata, led by the Ottoman admiral Dragut, whom the commander of the Ottoman Navy, Hayreddin Barbarossa, had committed to raid the Italian coast after his victories in the Adriatic Sea the year before. As the crews of the Ottoman warships were ashore, distributing the booty from recent raids, the Spanish-Genoese fleet easily overtook them, taking all 11 Ottoman galleys and making 1,200 prisoners, among them Dragut, who was carried to Genoa and put, together with his captains, to row in Andrea Doria's galleys.