2008-09-29 Very thorough

A very thorough account of the battle of Lepanto, covering the economic and political origins and consequences, as well as a detailed account of the course of the battle itself.

Capponi makes a good case for reconsidering the battle's significance, arguing that it really was a decisive event in preventing further expansion of the Ottoman empire in the Mediterranean, despite the way many historians have lately portrayed it.

Ocasionally, the book did start to get a little dry, but even then it was thorough. The descriptions of the main characters involved on both sides is good, and the account of the battle itself is quite gripping. The political and diplomatic manoeuvering of the unstable alliance of Venetians, Spanish, Italians and the Pope is interesting, as is the political infighting in the Sultan's court in Constantinople.

His account of the actual events of the battle itself is quite different in many factual respects to Roger Crowley's in 'Empires of the Sea'. Also, Capponi goes into far more detail of the ships, tactics and events of the day. On top of the military and political drama, you get a good sense of the human tragedy involved as well. A very thorough history, readable, yet arguing a strong case for his point of view.