Part 15: The Order of St. John of Jerusalem

May 18,  1565,  the fleet is sighted approaching the island of Malta.   Against this massive army, stood the 700 knights Hospitallers and 8000 soldiers.  The  Knights prepared themselves in their fortifications. A star shaped fort named St. Elmo was built on the northerly point controlling the bay to the north as well as the entrance to the Grand Harbor.  Grand Harbor itself was like small fjord  with two small peninsulas extending into it from the south. The western most peninsula was known as Senglea, a fortified town, at the base of this  peninsula was Fort St. Michael  and the eastern peninsula was the fortified town of Birgu, at the tip of the eastern peninsula was Fort St. Angelo, separated by a waterway from Birgu.   High ground was situated above all of the positions held by the Knights. To the west, was the fortified city of Mdina the old capital of the island.