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Battle of Lepanto

Posted on 10/07/2004 9:47:44 AM PDT by omega4412

Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Lepanto, October 7, 1571, in which a Christian navy under Don John of Austria defeated the Turks.

Commemorated in G K Chesterton's poem Lepanto. An excerpt...as Don John approaches, Mohammed ("Mahound") speaking to his demons...

"But a noise is in the mountains, in the mountains, and I know
The voice that shook our palaces—four hundred years ago:
It is he that saith not 'Kismet'; it is he that knows not Fate;
It is Richard, it is Raymond, it is Godfrey at the gate!
It is he whose loss is laughter when he counts the wager worth..."

Fans of the poem might like the book "Lepanto by G K Chesterton," edited by Dale Ahlquist, on the historical and literary background of the poem. Ahlquist writes,

"So the problem with the poem is that it is a defense of the Catholic Church, of the Crusades, and of war: three things not generally looked kindly upon in today's English literature classes. Of course, neither are rhyme and meter. The only 20th century poetry that is permitted to be studied is that which clashes with everything: with the ear, with history, and with common sense."

More on the history


TOPICS: Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: battleoflepantyhose; battleofmypantshaha; battleofmypantsoh; islam; worldwariv
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To: omega4412
Also a tip of the hat to Battle of Lepanto veteran, Miguel de Cervantes.
21 posted on 10/07/2004 10:21:47 AM PDT by DeFault User
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To: omega4412

For battle details, a book with many maps and illustrations that I liked was:

Lepanto 1571, The greatest naval battle of the Renaissance: Angus Konstam. Pub: Osprey

The battle also merited a chapter of the Victor Davis Hanson book "Carnage and Culture".


22 posted on 10/07/2004 10:28:13 AM PDT by Willgamer (Rex Lex or Lex Rex?)
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To: omega4412

The Battle of Lepanto (1571)
Paolo Veronese

23 posted on 10/07/2004 10:29:28 AM PDT by B-Chan (Catholic. Monarchist. Texan. Any questions?)
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To: Drawsing
I thought I only remembered stuff like that.
(I don't have time for you!)
24 posted on 10/07/2004 10:30:07 AM PDT by oyez (¡Qué viva la revolución de Reagan!)
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To: Aetius

The Song of Roland is another one that has pretty much disappeared from literature classes, for the same reason. These poems show just how long this battle has gone on. Time to end it once and for all.


25 posted on 10/07/2004 10:31:54 AM PDT by KellyAdmirer
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To: KC_Conspirator

It is now, but it wasn't then. Then it was a part of the Holy Roman Empire, ruled by the Catholic Hapsburgs. The Empire had several ports on the Mediterranean. Lepanto was one of the two huge, significant battles that stopped the advance of Islam into Europe. The other was the battle of Vienna about a century later, where the Turkish (Islamic) siege of Vienna was broken.


26 posted on 10/07/2004 10:35:08 AM PDT by libstripper
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To: ladyrustic

Actually it was the Dale Ahlquist-edited book I bought, and read the poem & commentary. I'll try to get to Carnage & Culture sometime soon though.


27 posted on 10/07/2004 10:44:28 AM PDT by nina0113
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To: DeFault User

"Also a tip of the hat to Battle of Lepanto veteran, Miguel de Cervantes."



"El Manco de Lepanto." Cervantes lost the use of his left arm in the Battle of Lepanto; thank God it wasn't his right arm, or we may have never gotten Don Quixote.


28 posted on 10/07/2004 10:53:15 AM PDT by AuH2ORepublican (Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice, moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.)
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To: omega4412

Thanks.. BUMP


29 posted on 10/07/2004 11:04:45 AM PDT by skinkinthegrass (Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get you :)
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To: B-Chan
I think that naval battle is regarded as the swansong of the ram-equipped, oar-powered galley. The galley's had cannons, but they generally fired straight forward because the sides were fully consumed with oars.

After this battle, the sail powered galleon with broadside-firing cannon became the gold standard of naval power.

30 posted on 10/07/2004 11:07:40 AM PDT by Tallguy (If the Kerry campaign implodes any further, they'll reach the point of "singularity" by election day)
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To: omega4412
What would surprise pretty much any well-educated person who is even aware that such a battle took place, is the number of famous "recognizable" names who participated in this battle and the larger war.

I won't spoil it for anyone...

31 posted on 10/07/2004 11:10:15 AM PDT by Publius6961 (I, also, don't do diplomacy.)
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To: LS
Well, my students have to write a paper on it because we use "Carnage and Culture" as our textbook!

You will get a bill for emergency services that resulted from my fainting!
Pray tell... what public school might this be?

yes, I am being sarcastic...

32 posted on 10/07/2004 11:13:01 AM PDT by Publius6961 (I, also, don't do diplomacy.)
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To: nina0113

I have that book! It is really good!


33 posted on 10/07/2004 11:14:53 AM PDT by Pyro7480 (Sub tuum praesidium confugimus, sancta Dei Genitrix.... sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper...)
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To: Aetius

It isn't taught in school. Bump for later read.


34 posted on 10/07/2004 11:20:44 AM PDT by IrishCatholic (No local communist or socialist party chapter? Join the Democrats, it's the same thing.)
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To: Publius6961

You caught me! I teach at a PRIVATE Catholic school, the University of Dayton.


35 posted on 10/07/2004 11:42:42 AM PDT by LS
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To: Tallguy

Regarding the galley, a Christian edge at Lepanto was 70 of a prototype ship called the galleas which was an attempt to put galleon firepower on a galley.

Over the long run, the galleas, like the clipper ship, was a doomed concept.


36 posted on 10/07/2004 12:20:34 PM PDT by Sam the Sham
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To: omega4412

Returning soon..I hope.


37 posted on 10/07/2004 1:46:25 PM PDT by BayouCoyote (The 1st victim of islam is the person who practices it.)
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To: Sam the Sham

If I'm not mistake the Galleyas (sp?) was pretty much a galley with raised fighting platforms at the fo'csle & poop decks. Works fine for light guns & marines, but not for heavier guns that were on the horizon. Plus that must have made an oar powered vessel very unmanagable in the wind.


38 posted on 10/07/2004 3:14:00 PM PDT by Tallguy (If the Kerry campaign implodes any further, they'll reach the point of "singularity" by election day)
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To: Tallguy

That is why I likened it to the clipper ship as a technological peak. It was the peak in terms of putting firepower on a galley. But of course ocean going vessels got bigger and stronger and there is a fixed maximum in terms of what can be rowed.


39 posted on 10/08/2004 10:45:59 AM PDT by Sam the Sham
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To: LS
I was hoping it was a high school. Actually, not too long ago, this would have been latter grade school material.
Better late than never however. Good luck with your superior curriculum.
40 posted on 10/09/2004 1:36:28 AM PDT by Publius6961 (I, also, don't do diplomacy.)
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