The immediate incident was a Maltese raid rather than a Venetian attack. The Knights of Malta seized an Ottoman convoy carrying politically important passengers, then called at a harbour on Venetian Crete. The raiders killed the Kadi of Cairo and enslaved hundreds of people before landing some captives and sailors in the colony. Venice denied collusion, but Ottoman figures already seeking war turned the local raid into a strategic accusation against the power that owned the nearest useful port.
Notable Point · 8:41-12:24
A Maltese convoy raid becomes the pretext for war
The Knights of Malta's attack on an Ottoman convoy gave advocates of war a pretext to accuse Venice after the raiders called at Venetian Crete.