Greece's victory secured dominance over the Aegean Sea by permanently confining the Ottoman fleet within the Dardanelles for the remainder of the First Balkan War.
Key Facts
- Date
- 18 January 1913 (O.S. 5 January 1913)
- Conflict
- First Balkan War
- Result
- Greek victory
- Ottoman attempt number
- Second and final attempt to break blockade
- Final naval battle
- Last naval engagement of the First Balkan War
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the First Balkan War, Greece imposed a naval blockade on the Dardanelles, cutting Ottoman access to the Aegean Sea. The Ottoman Empire made repeated efforts to break this blockade and reassert naval supremacy in the Aegean, leading to a second attempted sortie in January 1913.
On 18 January 1913, the Greek and Ottoman fleets clashed near the island of Lemnos. This engagement was the second and final Ottoman attempt to break the Greek blockade of the Dardanelles, and resulted in a clear Greek naval victory that repulsed the Ottoman fleet.
The defeated Ottoman Navy retreated into the Dardanelles and did not venture out again for the remainder of the war. This outcome cemented Greek naval dominance over the Aegean Sea and secured Greek control over the Aegean islands, shaping the postwar territorial settlement.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent