“Four things were recognized as immensely useful for the Christians: the Venetian galleasses, the tactic of firing before the enemy artillery, the belief their enemies held about the terrain, and the arquebusiers.”

In his assessment, Count of Biccari, Ferrante Caracciolo, placed the use of the Venetian galleasses at the top of the reasons behind the Holy League’s victory at Lepanto.

Historical sources reveal that the six galleasses commanded by Francesco Duodo, who had been entrusted with this duty in 1570 by the Venetian Great Council, were equipped with 12 culverins and cannons of 50 to 60 pounds, along with 89 other heavy pieces up to 30 pounds, plus 58 lighter guns to complete their arsenal. All testimonies confirm that the Ottomans did not attempt to board these galleasses, which appeared “like castles at sea, unconquerable by human force.” Instead, they tried to sail past them to reach the rest of the Christian fleet. Yet, before they could even approach the enemy line, they were caught under the devastating fire of the Venetian ships.

The Ottoman commanders, seemingly puzzled by these new types of vessels, likely mistook them for harmless merchant ships.

The galleasses’ cannon fire wreaked havoc among the Ottomans. For many soldiers, the last images they saw were flashes and smoke before they fell, sometimes without even hearing the thunder of the guns.

The dense Ottoman formation provided easy targets for the projectiles, shattering both wood and flesh. Duodo had landed a crushing blow, bringing the Ottomans to their knees.

The Ottoman fleet had not been prepared for the overwhelming power of Venetian artillery. They had relied instead on their own firepower, which was designed for close combat and boarding maneuvers against Christian galleys.

Confronted with heavy artillery capable of “lifting a galley from the water,” their carefully planned tactics collapsed, leaving their ships crowded together and unable to maneuver.

The galleasses held another decisive advantage: their cannons, positioned at the bow, stern, and “mid-galley,” could be reloaded and fired repeatedly. Ottoman galleys came under constant attack, even from behind.

Dozens upon dozens of Turks were mowed down and torn apart; masts shook and fell into the sea; water rushed into shattered hulls. The balance of the battle shifted irreversibly in favor of the Christians, thanks to the devastating firepower of the six galleasses of the Serenissima.