On October 7, 1571, the most important sea battle in history was
fought near the mouth of what is today called the Gulf of
Patras, then the Gulf of Lepanto. On one side were the war
galleys of the Holy League and on the other, those of the
Ottoman Turks, rowed by tens of thousands of Christian galley
slaves. Although the battle decided the future of Europe, few
Europeans, and even fewer European Americans, know the story,
much less how close Western Europe came to suffering an Islamic
conquest. On October 7, 1911, English poet and theologian G.K.
Chesterton honored the battle with what is perhaps the greatest
ballad of the 20th century. He wrote this extraordinary poem
while the postman impatiently waited for the copy. It was
instantly popular and remained so for years. The ballad by the
great GKC is no less inspiring today and is more timely than
ever, as the West faces the growing threat of Islam. In the new
3-CD set, Lepanto: The Battle That Saved The West, Christopher
Check, Executive Vice President of th