Atlas of Battles

naval engagement, notable, medieval

Battle of the Straits

Battle of the Straits was a naval engagement fought in AD 965 at Strait of Messina, in what is now Italy. Its exact site is not recorded; the atlas places it at Strait of Messina. It was part of the Arab–Byzantine wars, which ran from AD 629 to 1050. The recorded result: Fatimid victory.

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Map depicting the Byzantine-Muslim naval conflicts from its beginnings in the mid-7th century to ca. 1050.
Map depicting the Byzantine-Muslim naval conflicts from its beginnings in the mid-7th century to ca. 1050.. Cplakidas, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
FoughtAD 965
WhereStrait of Messina, Italy38.246N, 15.633E, placed at the location, approximate
OutcomeFatimid victory
BelligerentsByzantine EmpireagainstFatimid Caliphate; Kalbid Emirate of Sicily
Casualties and lossesHeavy, 1,000 prisonersandUnknown
Part ofArab–Byzantine warsAD 629 to 1050

Where it sits in the Arab–Byzantine wars

Battle of Mu'tah, AD 629Siege of Germanicia, AD 638Battle of Caesarea, AD 654Battle of the Masts, AD 655Siege of Constantinople, AD 674Cilician Campaign of Constantine IV, AD 684Caucasian Campaigns of Leontius, AD 686Battle of Sebastopolis, AD 692Battle of Marash, AD 694Heraclius' Syrian Campaign, AD 698Battle of Sis, AD 704Siege of Tyana, AD 707Battle of Amorium, AD 708Siege of Constantinople, AD 717Battle of Adrianópolis, AD 718Umayyad invasions of Asia Minor, AD 720Siege of Nicaea, AD 727Battle of Akroinon, AD 732Battle of Akroinon, AD 740Umayyad invasion of Asia Minor, AD 741Battle of Keramaia, AD 746Battle of Melas River, AD 759Siege of Kamacha, AD 766Battle of Syca, AD 771Siege of Ancyra, AD 776Germanikeia Campaign, AD 778Abbasid invasion of Asia Minor, AD 779Abbasid invasion of Asia Minor, AD 780Battle of Caesarea, AD 781Abbasid invasion of Asia Minor, AD 782Battle of Kopidnadon, AD 788Battle of Gulf of Attaleia, AD 790Capture of Thebasa, AD 793Battle of Anusan, AD 795Abbasid invasion of Asia Minor, AD 798Battle of Krasos, AD 804Abbasid invasion of Asia Minor, AD 806Battle of the Cilician Gates, AD 807Battle of Ancyra, AD 825Battle of Charsianon, AD 831Abbasid invasion of Asia Minor, AD 831Capture of Loulon, AD 832Siege of Arsamosata, AD 837Battle of Anzen, AD 838Sack of Amorium, AD 838Abū Sa'īd's invasions of Asia Minor, AD 839Battle of Taranto, AD 840Battle of Sansego, AD 842Battle of Mauropotamos, AD 844Sack of Damietta, AD 853Siege of Samosata, AD 859Battle of Chonarion, AD 860Capture of Farurriyah, AD 862Battle of Lalakaon, AD 863Siege of Ragusa, AD 866Battle of Bathys Ryax, AD 872Battle of Kardia, AD 872Battle of the Gulf of Corinth, AD 873Thughur Campaign of Basil I, AD 873Battle of the Cilician Gates, AD 878Battle of Podandus, AD 878Germanikeia Campaign, AD 879Battle of Cephalonia, AD 880Battle of Stelai, AD 880Siege of Euripos, AD 880Campaign of Melitene, AD 882Battle of Chrysoboullon, AD 883Sack of Thessalonica, AD 904Siege of Dvin, AD 927Battle of Charpete, AD 938John Kourkouas' Mesopotamian campaign, AD 942Battle of Germanikeia, AD 949Battle of Bouqa, AD 949Siege of Theodosiopolis, AD 949Battle of the Lycus, AD 950Battle of Darb al-Kankarun, AD 950Battle of Gerace, AD 952Battle of Marash, AD 953Siege of Hadath, AD 955Battle of Arghana, AD 956Battle of Raban, AD 958Siege of Naples, AD 958Battle of Andrassos, AD 960Sack of Aleppo, AD 962Siege of Rometta, AD 963Battle of the Straits, AD 965Siege of Antioch, AD 968Siege of Antioch, AD 970Battle of Alexandretta, AD 971Battle of Amida, AD 972Syrian campaigns of John Tzimiskes, AD 974Syrian Campaigns of Bardas Phokas the Younger, AD 981Siege of Aleppo, AD 994Battle of the Orontes, AD 994Battle of Apamea, AD 998Siege of Tripoli, AD 999Battle of Azaz, 1030Sieges of Berkri, 1034Capture of Palermo, 1036Siege of Edessa, 1036Capture of Messina, 1038Battle of Rometta, 1038Battle of Dranginai, 1040Siege of Messina, 1041Laodikeia Campaign, 1050Siege of Medina, 1053Siege of Manbij, 1075AD 6291075Battle of the Straits, AD 965
107 placed engagements of the Arab–Byzantine wars in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

DateAD 965 (year precision)
PlaceStrait of Messina, Italy
38.246N, 15.633E
KindNaval engagement, medieval
Casualties and lossesHeavy, 1,000 prisonersUnknown
Commanders
  • Niketas Abalantes
  • Ahmad ibn al-Hasan al-Kalbi
Battle of the StraitsBattle of the StraitsBattle of the Strait of MessinaBattle of NaulochusBattle of MessanaBattle of MesseneSiege of MessinaBattle of MessanaBattle of MesseneCataniaSiracusaCatanzaroCrotoneVibo Valentia100 km38.246N, 15.633E
Placed at Strait of Messina; the exact site is not recorded. with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Battle of the Straits is one of 186 engagements of the 10th century in the atlas and one of 1,038 in present-day Italy.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q87402517, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of the Straits, revision 1370602423, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.