The battle of Lepanto, 1572

A diagram/map of the battle orders of the Ottoman fleet, commanded by Admiral Uluj-Ali (Uluç Ali Reis 1519-21 June 1587) confronted by the navy of the Holy League, commanded by Admiral Marc’Antonio II Colonna, Duke of Tagliacozzo and Duke and Prince of Paliano 1535-1 August 1584) and Don John of Austria (24 february 1547-1 October 1578) off the east coast of Cerigo (Kythera) on 7 August. Fourth Ottoman-Venetian War (1570-1573).

There is no indication of orientation; no land is shown. The coat of arms of Pope Gregory XIII (held office 13 May 1572-10 April 1585) is engraved, top left.

The Christian fleet, under Colonna, had left Corfu on 20 July, headed for Gomenizza from where Colonna sent two galleys to Cerigo, in the direction of Negroponte where the Turks had their magazines, to collect information on the newly restored Turkish fleet which had been rebuilt in the winter following the Battle of Lepanto. Don John had written to say that he was coming to join them and requested Colonna to wait for him at Corfu. On 28 July, the two galleys returned to Gomenizza with no useful information. On 29th July, as stated in the title of this map, the Christian fleet, not waiting for Don Juan’s arrival, left Gomenizza moving south to Cephalonia (Kefalonia Island 38°15ʹ00ʺN 20°35ʹ00ʺE where they were reinforced by 12 galleys and two galliots from Candia (Iráklion; mentioned in the title) giving, according to Setton, a total of 145 galleys, 6 galleasses, 25 galliots and 22 ships (‘navi’). This order of battle shows the 22 ships and six galleasses, but only 109 galleys and 20 galliots.

The fleet reached the island of Zante (Zákinthos) on 2 August and arrived at the island of Cerigo on 4 August. Here, they learned that the Turks had preceded them, taking on water on the eastern side of the island at S. Niccolò. The Turks were just forty miles away at Monemvasia (Peloponnese 36°41ʹ16ʺN 23°03ʹ21ʺE). The Turkish fleet was now approaching Cape Malea (the promontory at the tip of the south-eastern prong of Morea). Colonna moved out of the Bay of S. Niccolò on the eastern coast of Cerigo and directed that the Christian fleet be drawn up in battle order, shown in this map. The two fleets engaged in action off the east coast Cerigo, between the islands of Servi (Elafonisi) and Dragonera on 7 August. After inderterminate action lasting all day, the Turks retreated. The Christian fleet then retired to Zante and, on 20 August, the galleys and galleasses moved up to Cephalonia on their way to meet Don Juan who had arrived at Corfu on 9 August. On 31 August, the whole of the Christian fleet arrived back at Gomenizza before going back to Corfu.

The only confrontation between the Christian and Turkish fleets in the period mentioned in the title of this map occurred on the 7th August off Cerigo and, therefore, it is reasonable to presume that this map shows that action.

The first state of this map was published by Lafreri and the Heirs of Antonio Baldo in 1572, an example of which is in the Newberry Library (Call Number: Novacco 4F 110 (PrCt)). The catalogue entry makes clear that the names of Lafreri and Baldo’s heirs both appear on the map, together with the date 1572 [MDXXII]. The words ‘Romae ex Antonii Lafreri formis’ appear on the map (the position is not given). It is probable that this imprint has been erased, except for the date and possibly the word ‘formis, and that ‘G.R.’ has been substituted after 1572 in place of, or near to the former position of, Lafreri’s name.

The initials ‘G.R.’ with the word ‘formis’ are identified by Nägler (vol.III, no.313, p.93) as belonging to Giovanni Battista Rossi (de Rubeis), an engraver and dealer who flourished, he states, at the end of the sixteenth century on the Piazza Novona [in Rome]. It is probable that Nägler has confused Giovanni Battista (1601-78) with his uncle, Giuseppe the Elder (1560-1639). If this is right, then the initials ‘G.R.’ are unlikely to have been engraved in 1572 because Giuseppe the Elder would have been only twelve years old. If they do refer to Giovanni Battista, then the date of execution is likely to have been after 1617 in which year he entered an apprenticeship with his uncle, Giuseppe the Elder. The De Rossi family eventually acquired many of Lafreri’s plates after they had passed through earlier hands such as those of Claudio Duchetti (Lafreri’s nephew) and then Pietro de Nobili (in 1584) and others. Giuseppe De Rossi the Elder had also acquired some plates of Philippe Thomassin. While it is possible that the initials ‘G.R.’ belong to someone else, the fact that Giuseppe the Elder did acquire some of Thomassin’s plates, including, perhaps, the plates from which the design on the verso of this map/naval order of battle was printed, suggests that the identification of G.R. with Giuseppe the Elder is safe. See also RCIN 721066.b.

The sequence of states for this map/naval order of battle would therefore appear to be: 1) Lafreri and Baldo’s Heirs; 2) Pietro de Nobili; 3) Giuseppe De Rossi.