Battle of Paphos

In the year 1609, several Christian fleets from Malta, Tuscany, or Savoy were cruising in the eastern Mediterranean. The Maltese knights were raiding eastern cities such as Mitylene and Ayaz near Alexandretta and capturing Ottoman ships, achieving successful attacks. News of these attacks reached the Ottoman Kapudan Pasha, Damat Halil Pasha.^[1] The Kapudan pasha was not able to chase them because the Grand Vizier had ordered three galleys to fetch the emir Yusuf al-Sayfa, governor of Tripoli in Syria, who had again submitted to the Ottomans after a rebellion. Other ships had been ordered by the Grand Vizier to ferry the troops over the Bosphorus for the year's land campaign. Thus it was only in July 1609 that Halil Pasha was able to sail with 50 galleys.^[2]

The Ottomans sailed to meet the Christian fleet. Near the Cypriot city of Paphos, they met the Maltese.^[3][4] The Maltese flotilla consisted of 4^[5][6] or 10 ships,^[7][8] commanded by a French knight named Fressinet. The Maltese ships consisted of a large galleon called Galeona Rossa. The Ottomans called the ship Kara-djèhennem, meaning Black Inferno.^[9] The ship consisted of 80-90 guns. Since the ship was heavily defended, the Ottomans began firing at it for the whole day until they managed to neutralize it. Achieving this, the Ottomans, led by Murat Reis the Elder, began boarding the ship. A fierce battle ensued, during which both sides sustained heavy losses. Both Murad and Fressinet died during the battle. Nevertheless, the Ottomans successfully managed to capture the ship.^[10][11] Maltese casualties are varied. Out of 4 ships, only one managed to escape.^[12][13] Other sources mention that six ships out of 10 were captured. The victors also captured 160 cannons and 2,000 rifles.^[14][15]

After the battle, Halil Pasha anchored at Famagusta. Here, Murat Reis succumbed to his injuries shortly after the fleet anchored, and subsequently buried in his birthplace of Rhodes. Chasing Tuscan and Maltese corsairs on his way to Istanbul, Halil Pasha arrived the Bosphorus again on the 25th of November, 1609. The fleet fired a massive artillery salute using both Ottoman guns and those taken from the Galeona Rossa. Sultan Ahmed I personally visited the captured ships to inspect the prizes, and Halil Pasha was rewarded with the prestigious rank of Vizier for his decisive triumph.^[16] The prizes he captured inclued 5 galleons, 6 tartanes, 4 galleys, and 540 captives, some of whom were Maltese Knights.^[17]