Third War of Italian Independence: Ironclads Clash at Lissa

July 20, 1866 - The Italian and Austrian fleets clash at the Battle of Lissa. In the wake of the Prussian victory at Königgrätz on July 3, 1866, the commander of the Italian fleet, Count Carlo di Persano was ordered to capture Austrian territory along the Dalmatian coast which could be exchanged during peace negotiations. Steaming off Lissa, Persano elected to attack the island on July 18. Alerted to the Italian presence, Admiral Wilhelm von Tegetthoff rushed to the scene with the Austrian fleet. Arriving on July 20, Tegetthoff attacked the larger Italian fleet and was able to force a melee-style battle. The fight that ensued was the first large battle between two fleets of ironclads. In the battle, Tegetthoff's flagship, Erzherzog Ferdinand Max, played a key role and sunk two Italian ironclads. Beaten, Persano withdrew his ships and returned to port. While Austria was ultimately defeated by the Prussians, Tegetthoff's actions ensured that the Dalmatian coast remained in Austrian hands.