Monthly Archives: March 2011

The final straw that broke the Turkish back, on  September 6th, the long anticipated relief force from Sicily, led by  Don Garcia arrived in northeastern bay of the island, it was not the 16,000 promised  actually around 8,000., but  the … Continue reading →

The end of St. Elmo  came with the arrival of Turkish reinforcements from Africa.  New cannon batteries were placed  to enfilade the fort, but even with these changes it was not until June 21st after a heavy bombardment, the Turks … Continue reading →

Literally, like some American Western, it was the cavalry to the rescue. Unknown to the defenders, from the old fort at Medina,  the fort that Mustapha arrogantly had bypassed,  the cavalry unit of the Order sallied forth and raided the … Continue reading →

On August 18th Egyptian miners tunneled under the walls of Birgu, exploded a mine and a large section of the main wall collapsed.  Immediately the Turks swept forward into this undefended position.   The defenders were in shock and hesitated.  At … Continue reading →

Mustapha  thought the time had come to make his surprise move,   ordered the  Janissaries in their ships forward to attack the point of Senglea.  Unknown to the Turks at the very foot of Fort St. Anglo on the opposite side … Continue reading →

His plan was to send one force by water at the northwest side of the Senglea where ships could be run up onto the shore, a second force against  the landward wall and a third force, his  ace up his … Continue reading →

Turkish morale no doubt suffered, but Mustapha, as he walked through the ruins of St. Elmo, ordered what we would now consider psychological terrorism.  He had the bodies of the Knights decapitated, “then nailed (the bodies) to improvised wooded crosses … Continue reading →

The landing of the Turkish army on May 18th was not resisted,  spies and merchant men had warned the Grand Master La Valette that Suliman’s fleet and army was descending on Malta. The Turkish army advanced from its landing site … Continue reading →

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 … Continue reading →