Another important naval battle took place here. In 1537 the Ottoman fleet under the command of Hayreddin Barbarossa sailed throughout the Aegean and the Ionian Sea and conquered islands and castles belonging to the other arrogant mistress of the seas, Venice. The western world is upset and the Pope organizes an allied fleet under the command of Andrea Doria, an admiral of the Republic of Genoa. On 28 September 1538 the two fleets attacked each other off Preveza. After a series of maneuvers and clashes the Ottomans prevail. The following morning, despite the favorable winds, Andrea Doria abandons the battlefield with the Spanish and Genoese fleets, ignoring the pleas of his allies. Barbarossa watches him depart as he strokes his red beard. He is satisfied; soon the flags of his ships will spread across the Mediterranean.