Giovanni Andrea Doria (1539–1606), also known as Gianandrea Doria, was an Italian admiral from Genoa.

Giovanni Andrea Doria
Portrait of Giovanni Andrea Doria ca. 1863
Nickname(s)"Gianandrea" Doria
Born1539
Died1606 (aged 66-67)
AllegianceRepublic of Genoa
RankAdmiral
CommandsGenoese Fleet
Battles / wars
Giovanni Andrea Doria

Biography

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Doria was born to a noble family of the Republic of Genoa. He was the son of Giannettino Doria, of the Doria family, who died when Doria was 6 years old. He would be selected by his great-uncle Andrea Doria to command the family's galleys.[1][2]

He became the Admiral of the Genoese Fleet in 1555 and commanded the combined Christian fleet of the Holy League at the Battle of Djerba in 1560, which was won by the Ottoman Turks under the command of Piyale Pasha.[3] He barely escaped with his life as his troops suffered a crushing defeat, the stress and shame supposedly caused the older Andrea Doria to die.[1][4]

He also participated in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, commanding the right wing of the Christian coalition force known as the Holy League.[5][6][7] During the battle he allowed a gap to be formed in the Holy League's battle line which was exploited by Occhiali.[7][8] Many historians have criticized Doria for opening the line, some going so far as to describe it as an act of cowardice.[9][10] The battle was ultimately won by the Holy League, and signaled the first defeat of the Ottoman Turks at sea since Preveza.[5] Doria would go on to write reports attempting to justify his actions at the battle.[10]

Using the momentum from the Battle of Lepanto, Don John and Doria would go on to capture Tunis in 1573.[11]

Doria also led an expedition against the Barbary states in 1601.[citation needed]

Doria was a knight commander of the Order of Santiago. He was also the Marquis of Tursi and 6th (or 2nd) Prince of Melfi (both titles inherited from his relation and adoptive father, the famed Genoese admiral Andrea Doria).[4][12][13]

Marriages and children

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He married firstly in 1558 with Zenobia del Carretto (1540–1590) and had:

He married secondly and secretly in 1590 with Baroness Katharina of Lysfelt and Harem (1564–1606), natural and legitimate daughter of Eric II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

Sources

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  1. ^ a b Allen, Bruce Ware (2015-10-22). The Great Siege of Malta: The Epic Battle between the Ottoman Empire and the Knights of St. John. University Press of New England. ISBN 978-1-61168-843-6.
  2. ^ Beeching, Jack (1983). The Galleys at Lepanto: Jack Beeching. Scribner. ISBN 978-0-684-17918-6.
  3. ^ Keegan, John; Wheatcroft, Andrew (2014-05-12). Who's Who in Military History: From 1453 to the Present Day. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-136-41416-9.
  4. ^ a b Dandelet, Thomas James; Marino, John A.; Rome, American Academy in (2007). Spain in Italy: Politics, Society, and Religion 1500-1700. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-15429-2.
  5. ^ a b Hanson, Victor Davis (2007-12-18). Carnage and Culture: Landmark Battles in the Rise to Western Power. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-307-42518-8.
  6. ^ Fregosi, Paul (2009-12-04). Jihad in the West: Muslim Conquests from the 7th to the 21st Centuries. Prometheus Books. ISBN 978-1-61592-189-8.
  7. ^ a b Ybarra, Thomas Russell (October 5, 2007) [1931]. Cervantes. University of California: A. & C. Boni.
  8. ^ Grima, Joseph F. (October 14, 2018). "Malta and the Battle of Lepanto – October 7, 1571". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2020-10-30.
  9. ^ Ward, A. W.; Prothero, G. W.; Leathes, Stanley, eds. (January 1905). The Cambridge Modern History: The Wars of Religion. Vol. 3. London: The Macmillan Company.
  10. ^ a b Gennarelli, Achille; Mazio, Paolo (October 31, 2014) [1844]. Il Saggiatore, giornale Romano di storia, letteratura, belle arti, filologia e varieta ; diretto e compilato da Achille Gennarelli e Paolo Mazio (in Italian). Austrian National Library: Tipografia della Minerva.
  11. ^ Morris, T. A. (2002-09-11). Europe and England in the Sixteenth Century. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-74819-8.
  12. ^ Page, Jutta-Annette; Doménech, Ignasi; Dongen, Alexandra Gaba-Van (2004). Beyond Venice: Glass in Venetian Style, 1500-1750. Hudson Hills. ISBN 978-0-87290-157-5.
  13. ^ Keblusek, Marika; Noldus, Badeloch Vera (2011-05-10). Double Agents: Cultural and Political Brokerage in Early Modern Europe. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-20269-6.