the Last Battle of Galleys: How Christendom Won at Lepanto, 1571

On October 7, 1571, two vast galley fleets met off Greece's coast-the largest naval battle in centuries, where Christian oarsmen rowed under a hail of arquebus fire to shatter Ottoman dominance in the Mediterranean. This was the last great clash of oar-driven warships, a brutal boarding action that decided the fate of Europe.This edition sets itself apart with 4 original tactical diagrams and maps tracing each phase of the engagement, from initial formation to the furious melee. Order-of-battle tables identify every squadron and flagship, while anecdotes, sourced directly to ancient historians like Fernández de Córdoba and Contarini, bring the commanders and common sailors to life.For readers of narrative military history who want the strategic stakes, the bloody reality, and a clear understanding of how the battle was won.