Don John, Santa Cruz, and authority by consent

The command included Álvaro de Bazán, Marcantonio Colonna, Sebastiano Venier, Agostino Barbarigo, and Giovanni Andrea Doria among other powerful figures. Several were experienced enough to command fleets in their own right, and their family names later appeared on Italian warships. Don John possessed the status and connections to lead while also being expendable enough to absorb blame if the expedition failed. His formal title did not erase the leverage held by the principal Spanish and Venetian contingents. Keeping those blocs aligned mattered more than an organization chart because the withdrawal of either would make battle impossible.