Crescent and Cross: The Battle of Lepanto 1571

By Hugh Bicheno

Here is the first major history in decades – and the first-ever original study in English – of an epic encounter between the Christian and Islamic worlds.

In 1571, at Lepanto, in the gulf between mainland Greece and the Peloponnese, the fleets of the Ottoman Empire and the Holy League clashed in the final great battle between oared fighting ships. This outstanding military event marked a significant turning point in history, and one that still resonates powerfully today. It is a must read for anyone interested in naval history, or why Christianity and Islam seem perpetually at war.

Hugh Bicheno graduated from Cambridge and later joined the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). He is now a political risk analyst and an historian of conflict.