In Suleyman's period the Ottoman navigation had improved with Barabaros' victories and his great knowledge and experience on the seawars. The Ottomans were dominating the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Islands. The Ottoman authority and extension in the seas agitated the Europeans. Moreover, the campaigns in Austria and Hungary were gloriously continuing. The Europeans decided to organise a Naval Crusade under the command of Admiral Andrea Doria and Venetian, Geneose, Malta, Portuguese and Spanish marines had been organised.

Crusade Navy was composed of 602 ships and the Ottoman Navy had only 122 ships. Two navies came across on the Gulf of Preveze on 27th September 1538. The Ottoman Navy commanded by Barbaros Hayreddin won a victory. As a result of this war the Mediterranean Sea had turned out to be a Turkish lake.