Today in 1572 Pope Gregory XIII ordered a commemoration both for the defeat of the Ottoman Turks at the Battle of Lepanto in October 1571, and the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre in France over the summer of 1572. The Pope viewed the Huguenots as heretics, and so any time a heretic was rooted out, and stopped from spreading their heresy, it was a time for rejoicing. It should be noted that it wasn’t just the Catholics who felt this way. Any time either side felt they had a monopoly on the truth, they wanted to ensure that others were punished for teaching otherwise.
The Battle of Lepanto was an interesting chapter in the relationship between the English and the rest of Europe - even though Catholic Europe was the main side fighting against the Turks - who had been taking galley slaves and raiding the coasts of Italy and Spain for a long time - the fact that they were knocking on the door of Eastern Europe through Hungary, and thus coming from both the south and the east, meant that all of Christian Europe was bound together in attempting to stop them. In this instance Protestant English ships fought with the Catholic Spanish. Though Elizabeth was always a bit wary, and would continue building a trading relationship with the Turks through the rest of her reign.
That’s your Tudor Minute for today. Remember you can dive deeper into life in 16th century England through the Renaissance English History Podcast at englandcast.com where there are episodes on Lepanto and the relationship with the Ottomans.
Links:
Episode 096: The Siege of Rhodes
Episode 098: Malta and Lepanto
Episode 099: Elizabeth and the Sultan