"
Drunkard and weakling as he was, Selim had his ambitions. He wished to
signalise his reign by some great conquest, such as had added lustre to the
rule of his father; and in consequence he laid claim to the island of
Cyprus, then belonging to Venice, The Venetians, having strengthened the
fortifications of the island and fitted out their navy, sought alliances in
Europe to curb the pretensions of the Porte. In this they found support,
instant and generous, from the Pope Pius V. Of this great ecclesiastic
Prescott says: "He was one of those Pontiffs who seemed to have been called
forth by the exigencies of the time to uphold the pillars of Catholicism as
they were yet trembling under the assaults of Luther."
The Pope, Philip II. of Spain, and Venice formed what was known as the
"Holy League," and, having formed it, immediately began to quarrel among
themselves as to what its functions were to be. The Venetians wished all
its efforts to be directed to safeguarding Cyprus, while Philip and his
viceroys were anxious to attack the Sea-wolves on the coast of Africa in
their strongholds. After much squabbling, an agreement was come to. The
principal items of this were, that the Pope should pay one-sixth of the
expenses, Venice two-sixths, and Spain three-sixths; that each party should
appoint its own Commander-in-Chief, and that Don John of Austria should be
in supreme command of the whole forces assembled.
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