The Great Siege of Malta (Maltese: L-Assedju l-Kbir) occurred in 1565 when the Ottoman Empire attempted to conquer the island of Malta, then held by the Knights Hospitaller. The siege lasted nearly four months, from 18 May to 8 September 1565.
In the Siege of Malta (May–September 1565), the Knights Hospitaller successfully defended the island from an Ottoman Empire invasion, halting the Ottomans’ advance into the western Mediterranean.
Voltaire once said “Nothing is better known than the siege of Malta.” Indeed, the result of the Ottoman attack on Malta in 1565 is one of the great turning points in European history. The Ottomans were at the height of their power when they decided to attack Malta.
In 1551, Turgut and the Ottoman admiral Sinan decided to take Malta and invaded the island with a force of about 10,000 men. After only a few days, however, Turgut broke off the siege and moved to the neighboring island of Gozo, where he bombarded the citadel for several days.
At dawn on 18 May 1565, an invasion, which became known as the Siege of Malta, began when a fleet of Ottoman ships arrived at the island and docked at Marsaxlokk harbour. It was the job of the Knights of Malta, led by Jean Parisot de Valette, to protect the island from the Ottoman Empire.
A Turning Point For Europe: The Siege of Malta 1565 - History Hit
Explore the Siege of Malta (1565), a pivotal clash between the Knights Hospitaller and the Ottoman Empire, examining its military, political, and economic.
The Siege of Malta (1565) and the Ottoman Expansion in the ...