Updated September 23, 2021 43.5K votes 9.4K voters 425.3K views
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Vote up the most heinously incompetent admirals in history.
For as long as humans have sailed the seas, battles have been waged on water. Whether fought with oars and ramming or sails and cannons, the outcomes of these battles have sometimes changed the course of human history. Like any battlefield, oceans have seen both great and terrible commanders.
Disregarding orders, failing to press advantages, and not understanding supply lines are among the worst mistakes a commanding officer can make, and they happen in every war. From Roman ships fighting in the Mediterranean to modern aircraft carriers, a keen commander is essential for keeping a battle from falling apart. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work out that way. Read on and vote up the guys you think deserve the most infamy.
Pierre-Charles Villeneuve was a French admiral during the Napoleonic Wars. He's often credited with Napoleon's failed 1805 invasion of England, during which he failed to meet allied forces in the English Channel.
Instead, he attacked the fleet of British commander Lord Nelson and was completely defeated. He returned to France and took his own life.
Though a feared Roman commander in many land battles, Mark Antony made critical mistakes at sea against fellow Roman Octavian in the Battle of Actium. After Octavian gained the upper hand early, Antony's lover Cleopatra fled the battle and Antony followed her.
The remaining Roman ships promptly surrendered to Octavian, who cornered and defeated Antony and Cleopatra in Egypt a year later.
Ali Pasha was an Ottoman admiral famous for the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, fought against a European fleet. Pasha's fleet was larger, but not as well disciplined.
Instead of taking a command position during the battle, Pasha rammed the enemy commander's ship and engaged in close-quarters combat. The Europeans broke through the middle of the Ottoman formation and won the battle.
