The situation was starkly clear: the Serene Doge, though ostensibly an ally of Abdullah, was unwilling to proactively assist in his diplomatic mission. Instead, he expected Abdullah to independently resolve the complexities of Venetian politics. Common wisdom holds that for diplomats to achieve half of their objectives, the military must secure the other half. Yet, Abdullah was acutely aware of his navy's past failures and its current inability to challenge Venetian supremacy at sea.