The place-name Lissa already carried naval-history baggage before the ironclad battle of 1866. In 1811, three British frigates and a post ship faced six Franco-Italian frigates supported by schooners, a xebec, and gunboats. The smaller British squadron won, giving the later Italian defeat an uncomfortable namesake from the Napoleonic Wars. This brief comparison helps viewers distinguish the two Battles of Lissa while placing the island in a longer history of contested Adriatic sea power.
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The earlier Battle of Lissa was a frigate victory
The 1811 action near Lissa ended with a smaller British squadron defeating a larger Franco-Italian force.