The battle of Lepanto taught us that when you kick major muslim butt in a navel battle they run home with their tail between their legs and STFU for a good long while.
Gettin' to be that time again.
BTW that's "naval"
It teaches nothing of the kind.
The next year the Turks had rebuilt a fleet of more than 250 ships and continued to dominate the eastern Med. They took the battle to the enemy, raiding Sicily and southern Italy.
The year after that they took Tunis from the Spanish.
In 1576 they assisted in the conquest of Fez, far to the west. Shortly, they controlled (sort of) the entire southern coast of the Med, and held it for almost three centuries.
In 1627 Ottoman corsairs took the Isle of Lundy in the Bristol Channel of England, and held it as a base for five years. They raided for slaves and loot as far as Norway and Iceland.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lepanto#Aftermath
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman_Navy
Lepanto was a great victory. But it certainly didn't end the Muslim or Turkish naval threat.
Here's my point. Lots of Americans believe in the notion that bullies are always cowards. Hit them once and they run away. Problem is that it just isn't true. Many bullies are brave, stubborn and effective fighters.
Unfortunately.