Imagine hundreds of wooden ships crashing into each other on the open sea. On October 7, 1571, one of the largest sea battles in history took place near Greece. It was called the Battle of Lepanto. On one side was the Holy League, an alliance of European countries including Spain, Venice, and the Papal States. On the other side was the Ottoman Empire, a powerful empire that controlled much of the eastern Mediterranean. The Ottomans had been expanding for centuries. European leaders feared they would take control of the entire sea. The battle involved over four hundred galleys, which were long ships powered by rowers. Roughly eighty thousand men fought that day. The Holy League won a decisive victory. They destroyed or captured most of the Ottoman fleet. The victory was celebrated across Europe. Church bells rang in cities from Rome to Madrid. The battle did not end the Ottoman Empire. But it stopped their expansion across the sea. It also showed that working together, even countries that often disagreed, could achieve something great.