siege siege engagement ottoman struggle control mediterranean took place july walled town present day montenegro conquered elements spanish year failed campaign ottoman_empire waters walled town besieged land sea powerful ottoman army offered honorable surrender defenders terms rejected spanish commanding officer captains knew fleet defeated battle relieve siege army suffered heavy losses resistance men eventually fell ottoman hands spanish defenders including killed loss town ended christian attempt regain control courage displayed praised admired europe subject numerous poems songs background main danger christianity europe expansion ottoman_empire armies sultan magnificent stopped vienna mediterranean christian offensive attempted eliminate danger great turkish fleet strong captured port ottoman admiral waters ottoman admiral required return constantinople appointed commander great fleet conduct campaign possessions seas captured islands ios besieged italian cities fortress province looted frightened loss possessions ruin trade conducted vigorous campaign creation holy league recover lost territories expel ottomans sea february pope succeeded creating league united austria allied fleet campaign supposed consist auxiliary ships army infantry cavalry army infantry gathered command fleet given nominally commanding officers papal venetian fleets respectively twice ships commander army sicily differences commanders fleet diminished effectiveness experienced opponent like seen fought fleet provided support land forces landed coast captured town small town strategic fortress venetian possessions area known venice claimed ownership city refused beginning end town garrisoned approximately men main force spanish veteran soldiers numbering men experienced named formed flags companies belonging dissolved year mutiny lack pay captains charge flags garrison included light cavalry soldiers small contingent greek soldiers knights artillery pieces managed gunners captain chaplain named remained traders appointed bishop town reason garrison large size projected great offensive heart ottoman_empire fate troops fortress depended entirely support fleet defeated capture short time venice withdrew accepting agreement ottomans venetian ships allied fleet chance defeat ottoman fleet commanded time supported experienced officer siege maneuvers sultan magnificent ordered fleet winter months ready battle spring infantry soldiers embarked aboard warships reinforce troops according orders received army numbering ships fighting men aboard blockade sea forces ottoman governor bosnia persian named fortress land command soldiers peaceful months prior siege improve defenses town repairing walls building new fortifications event lack available means plan town supposed function captain sent spain instructions help sent sicily captain vain imperial received news situation given fleet sent message recommending surrender june sent block entrance vessels reached june disembarked thousand soldiers aim finding water capturing spanish soldiers local civilians gain information spanish warned enemy presence dispatched companies captain cavalry attack fierce fight ottoman landing party forced embark returned afternoon beaten person waiting new attempt captains soldiers ottomans killed battle captured remainder escaped ships july arrived main force immediately began land troops artillery waiting arrival came army days later ottoman pioneers spent days digging trenches building heavy siege guns carried aboard fleet troops fields facilitate maneuvers bombarded sea pieces previously embarked aboard spanish undertook sorties siege works raids inflicted casualties favorite captains sortie spanish force men surprised units attempting storm walls killing leaving field corpses informed setback severely officers losses ottoman elite corps difficult replace gave orders forbidding skirmishes avoid repeat defeat great assault july army ready begin general assault artillery prepared break walls enjoying vast numerical superiority spanish garrison completely isolated unable receive support supplies offered honorable surrender spanish men granted safe passage italy soldiers retaining weapons flags added offer incentive giving soldier demand abandonment artillery gunpowder squad captain company managed return naples write version events years later recorded answer given consulted captains captains officers decided preferred die service god majesty great assault city launched shortly lasted day costly lives ottomans employed infantry artillery time assault bombard resulting heavy casualties ottomans friendly fire spanish defending night spanish improved defenses gaps opened walls attack resumed morning remained soldiers encouraging mortally wounded attacked perimeter ottoman soldiers killed bloody assault spanish suffered killed number men died wounds probably large encouraged successful defense spanish soldiers decided conduct surprise raid ottoman camp approval morning men took unprepared surprise places assault stopped panic spread ottomans troops broke ran including fled camp breaking tents including admiral personal guard feared safety lord ignoring protests took standard sultan following days artillery concentrated fire fort upper town thought key point fortifications proposed capture remaining cannons meantime continued firing fragile walls town august ordered assault ruins fort completely shattered casemates ruined major point defense reinforced garrison removed wounded preceding days assault began dawn battle lasted day captain distinguished fight leading defenders great courage nightfall remnants spanish garrison retreated walls town wounded leaving ruined castle hands day costly lives spanish officers defending castle corporal survived remainder killed battle survivors ottomans captured found immediately brought encouraged admiral continue assaults reporting spanish suffered heavy casualties lacked gunpowder shot injured exhausted ottoman capture august new attack launched walls report spanish sure soon capture took action cavalry ordered join general assault despite overwhelming numerical superiority ottoman troops spanish defense successful tower wall fell day ordered prepare destroy tower attempt failed unexpected burst gunpowder killed soldiers working dawn following day heavy ruined remaining pieces artillery gunpowder fight sustained swords knives wounded spanish soldiers forced arms help defend walls dying men remained hospital surprisingly surviving spanish managed repel assault definitive attack took place morning horseback wounded face arrows continued encourage men demolished heavy gunfire ruins walls ordered spanish survivors retreat idea consisted defending castle lower city civilian population taken refuge withdrawal perfect order discipline men found doors castle walled arrival offered rope raise walls refused responded god wants saved companions lost joined lead stand surrounded ottoman army spanish soldiers fought able fight end day ottoman hands aftermath ottoman units killed assault according rumor turkish losses amounted dead spanish troops survived wounded prisoners captain learning offered freedom place army admiral greatly admired actions battle successfully defended sinking venetian ottoman warships refused accept beheaded spur admiral half prisoners slaughtered satisfy ottoman soldiers angry great losses suffered capturing city survivors taken slaves constantinople managed escape prison years later sailed port despite failure retain fortress defense sung numerous contemporaneous poets praised spanish soldiers participated unequal engagement compared mythological classical history heroes considered immortal magnitude feat enemies siege ended failed campaign power ottoman_empire began negotiations attract imperial ranks vain turned efforts great expedition destroy ottoman sea power expedition known journey ended disaster storm scattered fleet army having suffered heavy losses truce magnificent signed remained ottoman hands years recovered war venetian captain general sea alliance won great victory turks near town fortress venetian rule
Siege of Castelnuovo