A Genoese surprise attack on a Venetian convoy during the War of Saint Sabas, capturing goods worth 100,000 Genoese liras.
Key Facts
- Date
- 14 August 1264
- Location
- Near Saseno Island, off Albania's coast
- Cargo value captured
- 100,000 Genoese liras
- Genoese commander
- Simone Grillo
- Venetian convoy commander
- Michele Duaro
- Venetian fleet commander (deceived)
- Andrea Barozzi
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Since 1256, Genoa had suffered repeated defeats against the Venetian navy in the War of Saint Sabas and shifted strategy to raiding Venetian trade convoys. Genoese commander Simone Grillo spread false rumours of sailing east to the Levant, luring Venetian admiral Andrea Barozzi away with his larger fleet, while Grillo positioned his squadron at Malta to intercept unguarded merchant shipping.
With Barozzi's protective fleet drawn away, Grillo's highly manoeuvrable Genoese galleys intercepted the outbound Venetian merchant convoy near Saseno Island on 14 August 1264. Convoy commander Michele Duaro was caught entirely off guard. Most of the slow merchant vessels were captured or sunk; Duaro's crews retreated to the large cargo ship Roccafortis while the rest of the convoy was abandoned.
The Genoese seized trade goods valued at 100,000 Genoese liras, inflicting significant economic damage on Venice. Venice recovered and destroyed the Genoese fleet two years later. By 1270, both republics concluded a truce that formally ended the War of Saint Sabas.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Simone Grillo.
Side B
1 belligerent
Michele Duaro, Andrea Barozzi.