Battle of the Dardanelles (1655)

The Battle of the Dardanelles in 1655 was a naval engagement fought between the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire as part of the Fifth Ottoman–Venetian War (1645–1669), also known as the Cretan War. It was one of several naval battles fought near the Dardanelles strait during this conflict, as the Venetians attempted to blockade the straits and prevent Ottoman reinforcements and supplies from reaching Crete.

The Venetian fleet, under the command of Lorenzo Marcello, sought to intercept the Ottoman fleet which was attempting to break the Venetian blockade. While details about the specific size and composition of each fleet vary depending on the source, it is generally accepted that the Ottoman fleet was numerically superior.

The battle itself was fiercely contested, characterized by close-quarters fighting between the ships. Venetian tactics and seamanship, often considered superior at the time, were pitted against the larger Ottoman fleet. Despite their numerical disadvantage, the Venetians inflicted significant damage on the Ottoman fleet, though without decisively breaking the blockade attempt.

The outcome of the battle is often described as tactically inconclusive. While the Venetians achieved a limited victory by inflicting casualties and damage, the Ottoman fleet was able to continue its efforts to resupply Crete, albeit with losses. The Fifth Ottoman-Venetian War continued for many years after the 1655 engagement. Further battles near the Dardanelles and elsewhere were required before the war concluded with Venice ceding Crete to the Ottoman Empire.