In the late 1500’s the Muslims almost took over the whole world. It is my opinion that God did not want that to happen. How he prevented it is one of the most interesting periods in world history. If you would like to know how it all happend, here is the story:
The Story
In 1571, Lala Kara Mustafa Pasha surrounded the Christians in Famagusta, Cyprus, the last stronghold of Western Europe in the Eastern Mediterranean. He promised the defenders of Cyprus that if they surrendered, they would be allowed to leave.
Lala Kara Mustafa Pasha broke his promise. He flayed alive Venetian commander, Marco Antonio Bragadin, and ordered the execution of all 6,000 Christian prisoners. The beautiful St. Nicholas Church was turned into the Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque. The Church of Saints Peter and Paul was converted into the Sinan Pasha Mosque. After this, the Sultan planned on attacking Rome, and from there conquer the rest of western Europe.
The Sultan’s threat was taken seriously, as centuries earlier, in 846 AD, Rome was attacked by 11,000 Muslim pirates. They sacked the city, looted the old St. Peter’s basilica, and the church St. Paul Outside the Wall, and desecrated the graves of both St. Peter and St. Paul.
So, in 1571 after conquering Cyprus, with the Sultan again threatening Rome, Pope Pius V used all his influence to get the Christian states of Spain, Naples, Sicily, Venice, Genoa, Sardinia, Savoy, Urbino, Papal States, Germans, and Croatians to assemble into the Holy League.
On October 7, 1571, the largest and most decisive sea battle on the Mediterranean took place — the Battle of Lepanto off the western coast of Greece. The Holy League insisted that their fleet be led by the 24-year-old son of King Charles V of Spain – Don John of Austria.
Don John of Austria led the 212 ships with nearly 68,000 soldiers and sailors of the Holy League. A danger for soldiers fighting at sea, was that if they fell overboard, their armor would cause them to immediately sink.
Ali Pasha led the Muslim Ottoman Turks, consisting of 82,000 soldiers and sailors on 251 ships powered by thousands of Christian galley slaves rowing under the decks. This was the last major battle with rowing vessels.
As the sun rose on the day of battle, the Holy League found itself at a great disadvantage, having to row against a strong wind. Don John led his men on deck in a prayer, then suddenly the wind changed 180 degrees to favor the Holy League.
The Holy League’s ships collided into Ali Pasha’s ships. Fierce fighting went on for hours. Don John sailed his flagship Real crashing into Ali Pasha’s ship. Ali Pasha was soon killed, his vessel’s crescent flag was lowered and his head was hung high in its place. This caused Ottoman warriors to lose heart.
The Ottomans lost 200 of their 230 ships. Some 12,000 Christian galley slaves were released from under the decks. Had the Ottomans not been defeated, they would have invaded Italy and possibly conquered Europe.
Hilaire Belloc wrote in The Great Heresies (1938): “The last great Turkish organization working now from the conquered capital of Constantinople, proposed to cross the Adriatic, to attack Italy by sea and ultimately to recover all that had been lost in the Western Mediterranean. There was one critical moment when it looked as though the scheme would succeed. A huge Mohammedan armada fought at the mouth of the Gulf of Corinth against the Christian fleet at Lepanto. The Christians won that naval action and the Western Mediterranean was saved. But it was a very close thing, and the name of Lepanto should remain in the minds of all men with a sense of history as one of the half dozen great names in the history of the Christian world.”
So, it was not God’s plan for the Muslims to conquor Europe and control the whole world. Otherwise there would not have been a New England and the American Colonies.
Epilogue: However, years later the Muslims started raiding American ships in the Mediterranean. President Teddy Roosevelt was one tough dude and did not countenance that. He sent the U.S. Marines there to extinguish the Muslim threat for good. Thus, in the United States Marine Corpse Fight Song that is why the words: “We fought our Countrie’s battles on the shores of Tripoli.” are included.
And if you saw the historically accurate, and my favorite movie, “The Wind and The Lion”; Teddy Roosavelt wanted to liberate Mrs. Pedecaris who was captured and being held by the Berber Chief, Raisulie The Magnificent. Teddy sent a contingent of United States Marines. They marched to their beating drums in full-dress uniform and formed up in front of the Pasha’s palace with their guns ready; and on command they mowed down every last one of those Muslim Guards. So, Mrs. Pedecaris was immediately set free. And President Roosevelt sat down alone in front of his huge mounted grizzly bear and read the letter to him from the Raisuli: “The Raisuli: To Theodore Roosevelt — You are like the Wind and I like the Lion. You form the Tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the Ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear.“
Ron
True Texan Tales 