Commencing in 1332 the numerous Holy Leagues were a new manifestation of the

Crusading movement The First Crusade inspired the crusading movement, which became an important part of late medieval western culture. The movement influenced the Church, politics, the economy, society and created a distinct ideology that described, regulated, ...

in the form of temporary alliances between interested

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

powers. Successful campaigns included the capture of Smyrna in 1344, at the

Battle of Lepanto The Battle of Lepanto was a naval engagement that took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of Catholic states (comprising Spain and its Italian territories, several independent Italian states, and the Soverei ...

in 1571 and the recovery of the

Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...

between 1684 and 1697. According to Arnaud Blin, "the Holy Leagues retained both the spirit and the language of the Crusades" while in practical terms being quite different. The initiative for a holy league often came from a secular power, not the pope, but papal involvement was inevitable if it was to have the same spiritual benefits to participants as a crusade. Several factors encouraged the transition away from supranational crusades to state alliances, including the rise of the

great powers A great power is a sovereign state that is recognized as having the ability and expertise to exert its influence on a global scale. Great powers characteristically possess military and economic strength, as well as diplomatic and soft power in ...

in Europe and the unification of the Muslim enemy in the form of the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

Holy Leagues

* Holy League (1332), an alliance of Christian states (including the Orthodox Byzantine Empire) raised to combat the naval threat of Turkish beyliks in the Eastern Mediterranean *

Holy League (1495) Commencing in 1332 the numerous Holy Leagues were a new manifestation of the Crusading movement in the form of temporary alliances between interested Christian powers. Successful campaigns included the capture of Smyrna in 1344, at the Battle of ...

or League of Venice, an alliance of several opponents of French hegemony in Italy *

Holy League (1511) The War of the League of Cambrai, sometimes known as the War of the Holy League and several other names, was fought from February 1508 to December 1516 as part of the Italian Wars of 1494–1559. The main participants of the war, who foug ...

, a Papal-Venetian-Spanish-Imperial-English alliance against France * Holy League (1526), or League of Cognac, formed by France, the papacy, England, Venice and Milan against Emperor Charles V * Holy League (1535), a short-lived alliance of Catholic states *

Holy League (1538) The Holy League of 1538 was a short-lived alliance of Christian states arranged by Pope Paul III at the urging of the Republic of Venice. In 1537 the Ottoman admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa, Pasha of Algiers, had captured the Venetian stronghold o ...

, a short-lived alliance of Catholic states against the Ottoman Empire *

Holy League (1571) The Holy League ( la, Liga Sancta, es, Liga Santa, it, Lega Santa) of 1571 was arranged by Pope Pius V and included the major Catholic powers of southern Europe (Iberian Peninsula and Italian Peninsula), specifically the Spanish Empire as wel ...

, an alliance of major Catholic maritime states which defeated the Ottomans in the Battle of Lepanto *

Holy League (1594) The Holy League established in 1594 by Pope Clement VIII was a military alliance of predominantly Christian European countries (Holy League) aimed against the Ottoman Empire during the Long War (1591–1606). The aim of this alliance was to driv ...

, a military alliance of Christian countries against the Ottoman Empire *

Holy League (1684) The Holy League (Latin: Sacra Ligua) of 1684 was a coalition of European nations formed during the Great Turkish War. Born out of the Treaty of Warsaw, it was founded as a means to prevent further Ottoman expansion into Europe. This consolida ...

, composed of the Holy Roman Empire, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Venice and Russia against the Ottoman Empire *

Holy League (1717) The Holy League of 1717 was one of many coalitions organised by the Papal States to deal with the Ottoman threat. This last one comprised Portugal, the Republic of Venice and Malta. Background Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, several H ...

, an alliance of the Papal States, Portugal, Venice and Malta against the Ottoman Empire

References

Bibliography

* * {{refend Crusades 14th-century military alliances 15th-century military alliances 16th-century military alliances 18th-century military alliances Holy Leagues

Holy Leagues

See also

References

Bibliography