The Ottoman Sultan and the Venetian Doge: The Floating Fortress Siege

The Epic Battle for Candia

In the 17th century, the Ottoman Empire, a vast and unstoppable force, sought to extend its reach deeper into Europe. On one fateful island—Crete—a battle would rage for over two decades. This wasn’t just any siege; it was one of the longest in history. The Siege of Candia, which stretched from 1648 to 1669, pitted the mighty Ottoman Empire against the Republic of Venice, represented by the Venetian Doge. Candia (modern-day Heraklion) was Venice's jewel in the eastern Mediterranean, a stronghold of wealth and power.

Two empires—two wills—locked in a war that seemed endless.
But what makes this siege legendary is the sheer determination of both sides and the remarkable strategies used, turning the seas into a chessboard of military moves.

The Ottoman Siege Begins

Sultan Ibrahim I of the Ottomans launched an ambitious campaign to seize Crete in 1645, with Candia as the ultimate prize. It took the Ottomans three years to capture most of the island, but Candia, a city fortified like a floating fortress, proved a tougher nut to crack. The Venetians built towering walls and employed every defensive trick they could think of. The Ottoman forces, numbering up to 60,000, laid siege, but for years their relentless attacks were repelled.

By the mid-1650s, what started as a conventional siege became a waiting game. The Venetians held their city with fierce loyalty, aided by the might of the sea and periodic reinforcements from Europe. However, the Ottomans were equally relentless, constructing complex trenches, tunnels, and walls of their own to cut off supplies.

The Ingenious Engineering Feats

As the siege dragged on, both sides turned to engineers and architects to outsmart the other. The Venetians employed legendary engineers like Francesco Morosini, who designed a series of hidden passages, underground bastions, and counter-mines to sabotage Ottoman tunneling operations. Every time the Ottomans attempted to tunnel under the walls to plant explosives, they would often find themselves in a Venetian-built counter-tunnel, leading to brutal underground skirmishes.

The Venetians also developed a secret weapon: a type of fortified warship known as the 'galea bastarda,' which patrolled the coastlines and broke Ottoman blockades, bringing vital supplies into the city.

A Game of Diplomacy and Betrayal

But the battle for Candia wasn’t just about firepower. Venice sought help from European monarchies, especially France. A relief force from Louis XIV, 'The Sun King,' arrived in 1668, temporarily boosting Venetian morale. Yet, internal politics, mistrust, and the fact that Venetian leaders underestimated their Ottoman adversaries doomed their efforts. On the Ottoman side, internal conflict also arose—various factions within the empire clashed on how to handle this protracted campaign, particularly after the death of Sultan Ibrahim.

Eventually, despite their best efforts, Venice realized it could not withstand the sheer military power of the Ottoman Empire forever. After 21 long years, the Venetians, under Doge Domenico Contarini, entered into negotiations. On September 27, 1669, the Venetian commander Morosini agreed to surrender Candia in exchange for favorable terms.

The Aftermath: A Shifting Balance of Power

The fall of Candia marked the last major Venetian stronghold in the Eastern Mediterranean, but Venice retained key trading rights in the region. For the Ottoman Empire, it was a hard-fought victory that showed their capacity to endure, even if the cost had been enormous.

While Candia itself fell, the Venetian spirit lived on. Venice would continue to wield influence in global trade, but this marked the beginning of its slow decline as a Mediterranean power. The siege stands as a testament to the endurance of two empires, the brilliance of military engineering, and the unpredictable outcomes of war.