Action of 8 July 1716 This indecisive naval battle took place on 8 July 1716 during a Turkish attempt to capture the island of Corfu ( Kerkyra ) , off the west coast of mainland Greece . Background . War had been declared between Turkey and Venice on 9 December 1714 , although it wasn ' t until June 1715 that a Turkish fleet left the Dardanelles Strait . Soon Venice had been forced out of almost all of the Morea . In 1716 , the Turks goal was the capture of the western Greek island of Corfu . This island forms a horseshoe shape , with the two ends close to the Greek mainland , and forms a bay with two narrow entrances . On the island , midway between the two entrances , is the town also called Corfu . Because of the prevailing winds it is difficult for sailing fleets to sail into this bay from the south . The Turkish fleet , under Kapudan Pasha Canum Hoca left the Dardanelles Strait in May 1716 and made its way around the Morea and up the west coast . Meanwhile , Venetian commander Andrea Cornaro had sailed south from Corfu to Sapienza with his sailing fleet , leaving the galley fleet behind , under Andrea Pisani . As the Turks approached he withdrew northward to Zante ( Zakinthos ) , where he was met by Pisani and the galleys . After a search for the Turks , he realised on 27 June that they had sailed past him further out to sea , and he proceeded back to Corfu , sailing up the western side of the island so as to use the northern entrance . Pisani was already in the bay with 2 galleass es and 13 galleys . The Turkish fleet had already rounded the island and was anchored across the northern channel , between the island and the mainland . Pisani withdrew his vessels under the guns of the fortress , and later , on 5 July , he withdrew his vessels through the southern channel . On 8 July the Turks began landing troops from the mainland across to the north of the island . Meanwhile , Cornaro had reached Otranto , in southern Italy on 7 July , where he learned of the Turks presence at Corfu . He crossed to the Albanian coast with his 27 ships and sailed south , sailing through the northern channel and attacking the Turkish fleet , which was anchored off the town , at 1pm on 8 July . Battle . The Turks had perhaps 62 vessels total , of which about 50 were proper warships . These included 1 96 - gun battleship , 12 battleships of up to 84 guns , and 10 African ships of 50 guns . The rest had 54 guns . The African ships stayed where they were , close to the island , but the Turks weighed anchor and sailed north , Canum Hoca in the van attacking the Venetian van , under Cornaro , then the rear , under Flangini . Cornaro turned to assist , then the Venetians turned to stay ahead of the wind , and attempted to launch a fireship attack , which failed when the Turkish galleys towed their sailing ships out of action . The action lasted between about 2 . 30pm and 7pm when approaching darkness and lack of wind stopped the battle . The Venetian fleet sailed south and anchored in a line just north of the town , with the Turks slightly to the north . No ships on either side were lost . Venetian casualties were 116 and 250 wounded . This battle , although itself indecisive , showed that the Turkish sailing fleet could be faced , if not necessarily beaten , even if in superior numbers . Aftermath . On 10 July , the Turks resumed crossing troops to the island , and for the next 6 weeks the fleets largely sat idle even while battle raged continuously on land between the Turks and the troops protecting the town . Pisani sailed up the west coast of the island , returning with the new battleship " Leone Trionfante " 80 , two troopships containing 1 , 500 troops and a cargo ship containing food . On 21 July the Maltese reinforcement of four battleships , five galleys and two small craft arrived , and on 31 July 4 Papal , five Spanish , three Tuscan and two Genoan galleys and four hired Papal battleships arrived . There was some attempt to attack , but this was not carried out largely due to lack of wind , and all that was done was to use galleys to support an assault from the town on 18 / 19 August . This failed , and there was a Turkish counter - assault . On 21 August , six Spanish battleships , under the Marquis de Mari , arrived , and on the same day the Turkish cavalry re - embarked . On 25 August the Turks sailed to the northern channel , leaving on 26 August .