Originally posted by Byzantine Emperor
Wasn't Ottoman naval power waning by 1570 as well as Venetian? |
Venice had been in decline since 1499-1500, with their defeat at the hands of the Ottomans at Zonchio and Lepanto (1st Battle). They were able to hang on mainly because of their superior military technology (ships, guns, etc) and self-serving diplomacy.
I wouldn't say that the Ottomans were in decline in 1570, but they certainly were immediately after Lepanto. The new fleet they built the following year was far inferior to the previous one (i.e., it was made of green wood), and they were NEVER able to replace all the skilled manpower (captains, pilots, sailors, free oarsmen, naval archers, etc) that was lost on Oct 7, 1571. Their navy was simply never the same after that.