The Battle of Karpathos was a naval engagement that took place in July 1498 in the Aegean Sea, between the islands of Karpathos and Crete. The Ottoman fleet, commanded by the admiral Kemal Reis, defeated the fleet of the Knights Hospitaller (based in Rhodes) under the command of Nicolas Centurione.
Date: July 1498 Location: Between Karpathos and Crete, Aegean Sea Result: Ottoman victory
Background
During the reign of Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II, an active maritime policy was pursued. After the death of Cem Sultan, Bayezid accelerated naval preparations, particularly against Venice. Kemal Reis was summoned to Istanbul in 1495 and allocated a significant budget to build a large fleet. In 1498, Kemal Reis was assigned to transport the revenues of the foundations of the Haremeyn (Mecca and Medina) from Anatolia to Alexandria by sea, as the land route was considered unsafe. The Ottoman fleet, consisting of 13 vessels (5 galleys and 6 fustas), reached Egypt at the beginning of June 1498 via the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean. During the voyage, the Ottomans were harassed by the Knights Hospitaller off the coast of Crete, but Kemal Reis initially avoided a major confrontation to protect the valuable cargo.
The Battle
On the return voyage in July 1498, the Ottoman fleet was again harassed by the Knights Hospitaller. This time, Kemal Reis formed a battle formation and attacked the Rhodian (Knights Hospitaller) fleet under Nicolas Centurione (referred to as "Sunturluoğlu" in Ottoman sources). The Ottoman navy sank the flagship of the Knights, captured Centurione, and seized five Rhodian ships. Ottoman casualties were reported as light.
Aftermath
Kemal Reis made a triumphant return to Istanbul with the five captured Rhodian ships and a large number of prisoners, presenting them to Sultan Bayezid II. The victory demonstrated the growing naval power of the Ottoman Empire in the eastern Mediterranean during this period.
