THE EXPEDITION TO LEPANTO.
The Sultan Bayezid Khan, contemplating an expedition in order to subdue the districts of the Morea and Enabekht (Lepanto), began about this time to build large ships. He appointed Davud Pasha, then a capudan, his serasker (commander-in-chief). He built two immense kokas, the length of each being seventy cubits and the breadth thirty cubits. The masts were of several trees joined together, and in the middle measured four cubits in circumference. The maintop was capable of holding forty men in armour, who might thence discharge their arrows and muskets. The builders and other labourers employed were servants of the Sultan; and the building materials being all the productions of the Ottoman empire, were valued at twenty thousand florins. According to the statements of several respectable historians, the builder of these vessels was one
Iani, who having seen ship-building at Venice, had there learned the art. These vessels had two decks, the one like that of a galleon, and the other like that of a mavuna (trireme); and on the side of each of these, according to custom, were two port-holes, in which immense guns were placed. Along the upper deck was a netting, under which on both sides were four-and-twenty oars, each pulled by nine men. The sterns were like those of a galleon, and from them boats were suspended. Each of these ships contained two thousand soldiers and sailors. The command of the one was given to Kemal Reis, and that of the other to Brak Reis. The whole fleet consisted of three hundred vessels of various sorts; and these being filled with the most intrepid warriors, were sent towards Enabekht. The illustrious Emperor also, about the end of the month Sheval, in the year 904, (A.D. 1498,) leaving Constantinople, proceeded to Adrianople, and sent Mustaffa Pasha, the begler-beg of Roumelia, to besiege Enabekht. When the pasha arrived at this place, the infidel who had charge of it sent out a message to say he was ordered not to give up the garrison until the Moslem fleet had entered the gulf of Lepanto. Upon this Mustaffa Pasha turned aside into the country to wait the arrival of the fleet, which by contrary winds had been kept at sea for three months. At last, when they touched on the shores of the Morea, another contrary gale arose, and with difficulty they made into the harbour of an island opposite Motone, in which they remained twenty days. After this they began to be pressed by the failure of their provisions and water: when they attempted to go on shore the infidels prevented them, and on the other side they were continually harassed by the enemy’s ships. At last the beg of the Morea, Khalil Pasha, made known their situation by sending a courier to the Sultan Bayezid Khan, who at that time had arrived at the plain of Chatalaja, in the vicinity of Enabekht. The Sultan immediately issued orders that Hersek Oghli Ahmed Pasha with the Anatolian forces should enter the Morea and render assistance to the fleet. Ahmed Pasha accordingly set out with haste, but before he reached Motone they had left the harbour, and were on their way to Navarin. The pasha soon after joined the vessels at Helomej.
The royal fleet having passed Navarin and arrived at Brak island, were again met by the abject infidels, who sailed directly against them. On a former occasion the enemy had been much annoyed by Kemal Reis, and now the enmity in their breasts was without bounds. The beg of Jeni-sheher, Kemal Beg, being on board the vessel of Brak Reis, they supposed it to be that of Kemal Reis, attacked it furiously, and many on both sides fell into the whirlpool of destruction. Two kokas, each containing a thousand men, and a trireme and barge with five hundred men, succeeded in placing the vessel of Brak Reis in the centre; but in this position, the two smaller vessels not being able to sustain the fire of Brak Reis, they both sunk, and most of the infidels on board were drowned; a few were however taken up by hooks into the other boats and made prisoners. The two kokas then bore down on Brak Reis, and the engagement being extended, Brak Reis threw burning pitch into them, and thus burnt up the rascals with their ships. But all his exertions to detach his own vessel were fruitless, and at last that also caught fire. Kemal Beg, Brak Reis, and Kara Hassan, with about five hundred brave men, perished by this catastrophe. The other heroes who fell into the sea were taken up into boats, by which means about seven hundred were saved. The two kokas were also burnt, and of those that were swimming, besides the drowned and burnt, seven hundred of the enemy were killed. A galleon which had come to their assistance was also taken, and the infidels on board were made prisoners. The island near which this engagement took place was hence called Brak-atasi (the island of Brak).
After this, one hundred and fifty Venetian vessels having shut up the entrance of the gulf of Lepanto, and cannons being placed at the mouth of it, the commanders stood prepared for an engagement. The Moslem ships then came up, and in attempting to enter the gulf received the enemy’s fire. Here also a fierce engagement took place, and several brave men fell. At last the Divine Ruler favoured the armies of Islamism, so that they completely destroyed the enemy’s fleet. In short, in the neighbourhood of Motone, after they had left the harbour, at the island of Brak, and on their entering the gulf of Lepanto, they had sharp battles with the enemy. At length they passed the strait, and proceeded towards Lepanto, notwithstanding the great number of cannons and ships, and although the current was against them. When they reached the fortress the heroes went out to blockade it; but the besieged, according to their former promise, sent out the keys to Mustaffa Pasha, and in the following year evacuated it. The capture of the fortress being reported to his majesty, Ahmed Pasha left his ship, and the royal fleet was ordered to winter in the liman of Amar Beg, near Kirma. His majesty then returned to Adrianople.