Lepanto - the under-appreciated valor of 16th century Christendom

Book Review: Lepanto by G. K. Chesterton, Ed by Dale Ahlquist (Ignatius Press, 2004).

Lepanto, penned by Chesterton in 1911, provides a poetic interpretation of a battle that occurred in October, 1571, in 143 lines.  The significance of the battle of Lepanto: if the Turks had won, they would surely have invaded Rome and Venice, and Europe would have been dominated by Islamic rulers. Chesterton depicts various remote players, such as the Sultan, the Pope, the Prophet of Islam, each in their respective chambers, all while the heroic Don John is leading the charge to victory.

I initially found the poem obscure and confusing. Most of the book is devoted to explaining the context and the references that Chesterton made. I had never heard of this particular battle, which perhaps speaks to the narrowness of the world history I was taught in High School. Over the years I have learned about battles of Constantinople, Tours, Vienna,  Granada, and now Lepanto. The full scope of the Islamic Empire - its rapid expansion by military conquest, politicization into kingdoms and bureaucracies, ossification, and decay - all these were seldom or never touched on. They were certainly never presented as a unified story of the centuries-long struggle between Christendom and Islam on the geopolitical stage. [Bernard Lewis is sadly omitted from most history courses.]

The heart of Lepanto is an unlikely hero, Don John, the bastard son of King Philip, and half-brother to Philip II of Spain, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Pope Pius V appointed Don John (at age 24) admiral over the combined European fleet to confront and defeat the larger Turkish fleet being assembled at Lepanto (at the entrance to the Gulf of Corinth) for the Turkish invasion of Europe. 

Essays by Brandon Rogers and Melvin Kriesel summarize the background and the battle itself. A piece by William Cinfici describes the aftermath spanning the centuries from the 16th to the 21st. Dale Ahlquist helps us interpret the poem (imagery, allusions, references) and appreciate the poetic artistry. Finally, two related essays by G.K. Chesterton provide insight into his perspective: a 1911 short essay linking the true story of Don John to legend and faith; and a much longer essay from 1931 on the implications if Don John had married Mary Queen of Scots. That was reportedly his intention, but he died suddenly before they even met in person. The latter essay delves into the intertwined threads of religion, wars, and royalty in 16th century Europe. 

The overall conclusion I drew from the entire book is this: In 16th century Europe, between the splintering of Christendom due to the Reformation and rival political and royal establishments, it was only by the grace of God working through an unlikely vessel that Islamic conquest of Europe was halted.