Imperial Mamluk naval campaign (Premysloides Dynasty)

Prelude
As most of Mongolian Navy was in Persian Gulf, or had very weak presence on Egyptian and local coasts, most of naval warfare was assigned to Imperial Navy, where supreme admiral Philantropenos again proved as one of most competent and talented captain and naval commander.

Imperial-Mamluk Naval War is name of whole campaign since March 1260 until Early 1264.

Imperial Forces
Empire sent whole Black Sea Fleet, Aegean Fleet and Adriatic Fleet to support Philantropenos and at end, it had 225 ships of various types, mostly galleys, but only fraction of them were equiped with artillery and most of those with artillery were assigned to defend Ascalon.

Mamluk Forces
Mamluk Fleet was very strong, as it absorbed also Ayyubid and Abbasid Fleets. Unified islamic flotilla had 100 galleys, 45 dromons of defected imperial pirates, 89 hulks and 84 support kondurs. Aside of this, Mamluk Fleet had 85,000 sailors, oarsmen and soldiers, most of them well equiped and experienced, just like command of Mamluk Fleet. Mamluk Fleet was commanded by John de lo Cavo, Genoese pirate and mercenary.

Imperial Tactic
Imperial tactic and strategy was based on raids, guerilla-like attacks and avoiding direct confrontation with much stronger and larger Mamluk Fleet. Cyprus, Levantine, Ascalon and Tyre ambushes initiated with help of spies, corrupted Mamluk officers and diplomats, are best examples. Alexandrian Ambush, however, ended very tragic for Imperial Navy as not only Mamluks retreated before ambush could be effectivelly executed, but Imperial Fleet sent to do ambush was destroyed by storm.

"Battle of Acre" in December 1262 was first large confrontation between 87 imperial ships and 114 mamluk ships. Imperial Forces were defeated and forced to harsh retreat to Antioch. Only 41 imperial ships remained intact, while Mamluk Fleet lost only 14 ships.

After surprising "Melora Raid" committe by Mamluk Fleet, Imperial Fleet permanently retreated and only remained to support Ascalon defense.

Mamluk Tactic
Until Alexandrian Ambush, Mamluk Fleet had very poor strategical and tactical operational thinking over whole course of war. After Alexandria, John de lo Cavo was finally able to use Imperial tools against Empire itself and lured Imperial Fleet in Battle of Acre, where he destroyed most of participating Imperial Navy by various traps and decisive and swift strikes on fleet flanks.

In June 1263, de lo Cavo was able to effective disable Imperial Fleet from war by so-called Melora Raid inspired by previous Imperial tactic. De lo Cavo sent his fastest and best equiped ship to westward, passed around southern Sardinia and raided in Tyrrhenian Sea, where they initiated numerous raids against merchant fleets, local ports, enslaving imperial population and destroyed Imperial Province of Liguria and Sardinia. About 20 port cities were destroyed or razed, Imperial power over Sardinia weakened and Empire lost about half of profits from local trade.

Despite all objections from Hulegu Khan and Emperor Romanos, Philantropenos ordered general retreat of Imperial Fleet and forming defense line to prevent any other similar raids and focused only on supplying and support of Ascalon defenders.

Aftermath
While Mamluks are considered as winners of Naval War, this victory had only very little impact on war, especially as Mamluks were not able to permanently prevent all supplying of Ascalon from sea. Victory of Mamluks, however, led to changes in Imperial naval tactic and strategy, reinforcing fleet and equipping all ships with artillery and cannons.

However, Mamluk Fleet was finally destroyed by Portugals, who suffered from disruption of trade with Roman Empire. Portugal Fleet was under command of Urraca Alfonsino, daughter of Portugese noble and naval commander who trained all his child, include girls, to live on sea and fight in Royal Fleet. Urraca became famouse by brilliant flank attack on gathered Mamluk Fleet and destruction of Mamluks Navy.