Battle of Cape Corvo The Battle of Cape Corvo was a naval engagement of the Ottoman - Habsburg struggle for the control of the Mediterranean . It was fought on August 1613 near the island of Samos between the Spanish squadron of Sicily under Admiral Ottavio d ' Aragona and an Ottoman fleet led by Sinari Pasha . The Spanish were victorious and captured 7 galley s and about 600 prisoners , among them the Bey of Alexandria and another 60 important Ottoman nobles . Cape Corvo was the first major victory of the Spanish fleets under Pedro Téllez - Girón , 3rd Duke of Osuna , as Spanish Viceroy of Sicily , as well as the greatest Spanish victory over the Ottoman Empire since Lepanto . Background . When Pedro Téllez - Girón , 3rd Duke of Osuna , was appointed Viceroy of Sicily in 1610 , his main goal after the elimination of the widespread banditry of the island became the reconstruction of its naval forces . At his arrival , the Spanish squadron of Sicily had no galley capable to sail , and the fear among the population of an Ottoman attack was great . By July 1612 , 8 galley s and several sailing vessels had been built following Osuna ' s instructions , those latter to transport tasks . Osuna trusted the command of this small force to the Palermitan Ottavio d ' Aragona , his favourite naval commander . D ' Aragona carried out some raids in Ottoman territory , attacking by surprise La Goulette and Cherchell . Don Antonio Pimentel burnt seven saling ships led by an English renegade in the port of Tunis that same year The major engagement , as well as Osuna ' s biggest victory of 1612 , was the rejection in August of a huge Ottoman fleet which tried to capture Messina . 2 galleys and 3 galliot s were captured , and a prize coming from Cartagena was recovered . The Ottoman landing parties , isolated from his ships , surrendered to the Spanish cavalry or attempted to escape inland . In mid - 1613 d ' Aragona landed 200 musketeer s , 50 arquebusier s and 100 pikemen in Chicheri , where they stormed and demolished an Ottoman castle with the death of over 800 Turks . At his return , Osuna ordered him to prepare a campaign to face the Ottoman fleet in its own waters . The Viceroy had been warned of the departure of a large fleet from Constantinople , and although his informs did not notice the preparation of any attack against the island , he preferred to make sure of it . D ' Aragona ' s galleys were reinforced each one with 100 musketeers , besides 50 spontoon s , 20 buckler s and 150 chuzos in case of it was necessary free the rowers to help the galley ' s soldiers to fight the Ottomans . Osuna ' s flagship , meanwhile , was reinforced with 160 musketeers and 7 cannon s . According to the informs of the Viceroy , the Ottoman fleet was composed of 12 galleys under Mahomet Pasha , lieutenant of Nasauf Pasha , who remained in Constantinople discussing with Sultan Ahmed I issues concerning to the war with Persia . Battle . Ottavio d ' Aragona set sail to the Aegean Sea waters in command of his 8 galleys . South of Samos , the Spanish Admiral was informed by Greek fishermen of the presence of 10 Ottoman galleys under Sinari Pasha in that waters . The squadron crossed the Mycale Strait thanks to the help of an able Greek and made appearance off Cape Corvo , where the Ottoman fleet was anchored : 5 galleys in vanguard , 2 disposed to the battle , and 3 in rear - guard . D ' Aragona , having been warned of the presence of Sinari Pasha ' s vessels by a felucca previously detached ahead his fleet , ordered the attack , and followed by his squadron , approached the Ottoman formation and rammed its flagship . After three hours of combat , Sinari Pasha surrendered his galley , being imitated by his vice - flagship and 5 other galleys . The 3 remaining managed to escape . About 400 Ottoman soldiers and sailors were killed , and another 600 captured . Among the most signaled prisoners were Sinari Pasha , who died of sadness shortly after , and Mahamet , Bey of Alexandria and son of Müezzinzade Ali Pasha , who had commanded the Ottoman fleet at the Battle of Lepanto . Moreover , 1 , 200 Christian galley slaves were freed . The casualties on the Spanish side had been low and consisted of 6 men killed and 30 wounded . They soon returned to Sicily with his 7 prizes , which were incorporated to their fleet at their arrival at Messina . Another prize was taken during the cruise : a brigantine crewed by 17 Turks . The whole fleet was , however , about to be lost in a storm off Cape Solanto , 10 leagues of Messina . Thanks to the help of about 70 barges , all the ships managed to enter the port . Aftermath . On 27 September Osuna organized in Palermo a triumphal procession in honour to Ottavio d ' Aragona . The Spanish Viceroy , d ' Aragona , Cardinal Doria , the captains and knights of the galleys , the freed slaves , the 600 Ottoman prisoners and the 900 soldiers which had participated in the battle , marched through the streets of the city ; Osuna ' s pennant and the captured flags opening the march . The recovery of the Sicilian squadron continued the following years , achieving its most important victories at the battles of Cape Celidonia and Ragusa under Francisco de Rivera y Medina , one of Spain ' s most able naval commanders of the time .