Battle of Matapan The naval Battle of Matapan took place on 19 July 1717 off the Cape Matapan , on the coast of the Mani Peninsula in southern Greece , between the combined naval forces of Venice , Portugal , the Papal States and Malta and the Ottoman fleet , under Kapudan Pasha Eğribozlu İbrahim . Events . Diedo ' s 24 sailing ships met up with Pisani ' s 24 galleys and Maltese leader Belle Fontaine ' s 9 Portuguese - Maltese ships near Cape Matapan on 2 July . After trying separately to find an advantageous position with respect to the Ottomans for several weeks , occasionally having to land to find water , the Allied force went to Marathonisi , near the top of the Gulf of Matapan , to water . They had tried to make it to Sapienza but winds were against them and they took the risk of being caught in the gulf . Despite having the galleys tow the sailing ships south , there were not enough galleys , and the Ottoman fleet , with 30 sailing ships , and 4 galleys , were seen to the south , at the west side of the bay entrance , on 19 July . With a light wind from the SSE , this meant that they had the advantage . Diedo , unable to sail to the west of the Ottoman fleet , decided to sail slowly east , across the bay . The fleet was in 4 divisions : Diedo was in the Van , which was led by his 2nd in command , Correr . The 3rd or Rear Division was commanded by Dolfin . The 4th or Allied Division was commanded by Belle Fontaine . Ibrahim with 6 ships attacked the Rear Division at about 6am , while the rest of his fleet went ahead and attacked the Van and Center . At about 12pm the fleets were approaching the east side of the bay , and shortly after the leading ships turned , the wind turned from the SE , putting the leading Venetian ships to windward of some of the Ottoman fleet for the first time . Taking advantage of this , Diedo attacked them and the tough battle continued . At about 3pm the Ottoman fleet retired , sailing for the Cervi - Cerigo passage , while the Allies sailed for Cape Matapan . Neither side wished to continue the fight . As a result of the battle , Venetian attempt to recapture Morea was decisively foiled and the Ottoman reconquest of the peninsula was confirmed . Each Allied state gave their own ships complete credit for any achievements . Some of these accounts are almost totally unreliable due to a variety of reasons — for example , their inclusion of forces which were not actually present for the battle . Ships involved . Christian Allies . Van Division . " Madonna dell ' Arsenal " 70 < br > " Costanza Guerriera " 78 < br > " Trionfo " 70 ( Admiral Diedo ) < br > " Leone Trionfante " 80 < br > " San Francesco " 54 < br > " Aquila Valiera " 76 < br > " Fenice " 56 < br > " San Andrea " 56 < br > " Gloria Veneta " 70 Center and Rear Divisions . " San Lorenzo Giustinian " 70 < br > " San Pietro Apostolo " 54 < br > " Aquiletta " 54 < br > " Terror " 88 < br > " Nettuno " 50 < br > " Fede Guerriera " 56 < br > " Fenice " 56 < br > " Corona " 80 < br > " Madonna della Salute " 76 ( Admiral Correr ) < br > " San Pio V " 70 < br > " Sacra Lega " 54 < br > " Valor Coronato " 54 < br > " Rosa " 56 < br > " São Lourenço " 58 ( Portuguese ) < br > " Columba d ' Oro " 78 < br > " Grand Alessandro " 74 ( Rear - Admiral Dolfin ) Allied Division . ( 6 Portuguese , 2 Maltese , 1 Venetian ) < br > " San Raimondo " 46 ( Maltese ) < br > " Fortuna Guerriera " 70 ( Venetian ) < br > " Rainha dos Anjos " 56 < br > " Nossa Senhora das Necessidades " 66 < br > " Santa Catarina " 56 ( Chevalier de Bellefontaine - Maltese ) < br > " Nossa Senhora do Pilar " 84 < br > " Santa Rosa " 66 < br > " Nossa Senhora da Conceição " 80 ( General - Admiral Lopo Furtado de Mendoça ) < br > " Nossa Senhora da Assunção " 66 Auxiliaries . " Captain Trivisan " ( fireship ) - Scuttled < br > " Madonna del Rosario " ( hospital ship ) - Sunk Galleys . 13 Venetian < br > 5 Maltese < br > 4 Papal < br > 2 Tuscan Ships of the Line . " Kebir Üç Ambarlı " ( The Great Three Decker ) 114 ( Flagship of Ibrahim Pasha ) < br > " Ejder Başlı " ( The Dragon ) 70 < br > " Çifte Ceylan Kıçlı " ( The Two Gazelles ) 70 < br > " Yaldızlı Hurma " ( The Gilded Date ) 70 < br > " Şadırvan Kıçlı " ( The Sprinkling Fountain ) 66 < br > " Siyah At Başlı " ( The Black Horse ) 66 < br > " Beyaz At Başlı " ( The White Horse ) 66 < br > " Kula At Başlı " ( The Grey Horse ) 66 < br > " Büyük Gül Başlı " ( The Great Rose ) 66 < br > " Yılan Başlı " ( The Snake ) 34 ( unique ship with 2x372 pdr " üç kantar " monster guns firing marble balls ) < br > " Ifrit Başlı " ( The Demon ) 62 < br > " Küçük Gül Başlı " ( The Little Rose ) 60 < br > " Çifte Teber Kıçlı " ( Two Halberds ) 58 < br > " Yıldız Bagçeli " ( The Star Garden ) 58 < br > " Zülfikâr Kıçlı " ( The Two Pointed Sword ) 56 < br > " Akçaşehir " ( Town of Akçaşehir ) 56 guns < br > " Servi Bagçeli " ( The Cypress Garden ) 54 < br > " Ay Bagçeli " ( The Moon Garden ) 54 < br > " Yeşil Kuşaklı " ( Green Belted ) 54 < br > " Sarı Kuşaklı " ( Yellow Belted ) 54 < br > " Kırmızı Kuşaklı " ( Red Belted ) 52 < br > " Al At Başlı " ( The Red Horse ) 52 < br > " Yaldızlı Nar Kıçlı " ( The Gilded Pomegranate ) 52 Caravellas . " Mavi Arslan Başlı " ( The Blue Lion ) 44 < br > " Siyah Arslan Başlı " ( The Black Lion ) 44 < br > " Taç Başlı " ( The Crown ) 44 < br > " Güneş Kıçlı " ( The Sun ) 44 < br > " Kuş Bagçeli Karavele " ( The Bird Garden Caravella ) 44 < br > " Yıldız Kıçlı " ( The Star ) 40 < br > " Mavi Kıçlı Karavele " ( The Blue Caravella ) 38 < br >