Editing Battle of Preveza (section)

==Background==
In 1537, commanding a large Ottoman fleet, [[Hayreddin Barbarossa]] captured a number of [[Aegean Sea|Aegean]] and [[Ionian Sea|Ionian]] islands belonging to the [[Republic of Venice]], namely [[Syros]], [[Aegina]], [[Ios (Island)|Ios]], [[Paros]], [[Tinos]], [[Karpathos]], [[Kasos]], and [[Naxos Island|Naxos]], thus annexing the [[Duchy of Naxos]] to the [[Ottoman Empire]]. He then unsuccessfully besieged the Venetian stronghold of [[Corfu]] and ravaged the Spanish-held [[Calabria]]n coast in southern [[Italy]].<ref>Crowley (2008) pp. 67–69</ref>

In the face of this threat, Pope [[Paul III]] in February 1538 assembled a [[Holy League (1538)|’’Holy League’’]], comprising the [[Papacy|Papal States]], [[Spain|Habsburg Spain]], the [[Republic of Genoa]], the [[Republic of Venice]], and the [[Knights Hospitaller|Knights of Malta]], to confront Ottoman fleet under Barbarossa.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WtokDQAAQBAJ&q=the+Knights+of+Malta%2C+to+confront+Barbarossa.&pg=PA100|title=Art of Renaissance Venice, 1400–1600|last=Partridge|first=Loren|date=2015|publisher=Univ of California Press|isbn=9780520281790|language=en}}</ref> [[Andrea Doria]], the [[Republic of Genoa|Genoese]] admiral in the service of Emperor [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]] was in overall command. The Papal fleet under Admiral [[:it:Marco Grimani|Marco Grimani]], [[Patriarch of Aquileia]] and the Venetian fleet under [[Vincenzo Cappello]] arrived first. Andrea Doria joined them with the Spanish-Genoese fleet on 22 September 1538.

Prior to Doria's arrival, Grimani attempted to land troops near the Fortress of [[Preveza]], but he retreated to Corfu after suffering a number of casualties in the ensuing encounter with Ottoman forces under [[Murat Reis the Older|Murat Reis]]. The Holy League assembled its fleet near the island of [[Corfu]]. Barbarossa was still at the island of [[Kos]] in the [[Aegean Sea]] at that time, but he soon arrived at Preveza with the rest of the Ottoman fleet, after capturing the island of [[Kefalonia]] on the way. [[Sinan Reis]], one of his lieutenants, suggested landing troops at [[Actium]] on the [[Gulf of Arta]] near [[Preveza]], an idea that Barbarossa initially opposed, but which later proved to be important in securing the Ottoman victory.