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The small rocky island of Malta played an important role in the Mediterranean in the 16th century. The control over him sought to establish the Turks, but in that they were actively prevented by the Maltese knights. They attacked Turkish ships, freed slaves and slaves who were a valuable commodity for the Ottoman Empire.
The last straw was the capture of one of the captains of the order in 1564 four large Muslim ships. One of these ships was loaded with gold, amber, pearls and other jewels, the second was carrying 150 slaves and belonged to no one but to the l & # 39; 39, eunuch of the harem of the ruler of the Ottoman Empire, Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent
. but also his many concubines of the harem, for which the captured ship wore decorations, cosmetics, luxurious outfits and other valuables. Punishing the infidels demanded everything: slavers to the Sultan's wives
Suleiman badembles the army
The Turks began building the fleet in 1563, collecting in parallel supplies and equipment for the military expedition . Until 1564, when the armada was built, the Turks were inactive – because the galleys did not have enough slaves, traders inflated the prices of sturdy slaves who could be managed with heavy oars.
There were no other practical car parks for such a fleet on the island, and Marsaxlokk Bay, where they landed on the island Turks, was too small. To badault the fort, the Turks came to all the rules of military science, having built all the necessary for the siege. From May 31, Turkish artillery bombed the Maltese fortifications with hundreds of carrots. Meanwhile, the Turks managed to burn and loot all the surrounding villages.
The badaults followed one after the other: the Turks, with their enormous numerical superiority, hoped to capture the fort quickly, but each time fell back under the rain of powder and rifle. The defenders were incredibly difficult – after every badault they needed to repair the fortifications, there was almost no time to rest.
At night on the boats, the Maltese went to the fort and took the wounded, but the Turks finally blocked the defenders of the fort. The Ottomans tried to exhaust them, attacking again and again.
On June 23, on the eve of St. John, the boss of the order, the Ottoman army began the final attack on what was left of the fort. At that time, the Maltese had gunpowder, so they had to defend themselves with exceptionally cold weapons.
The defenders did not stay more than 60, and almost all were injured. Those who were injured in the legs, tied themselves to the chairs and fought seated. Enraged by the losses of the Sultan – at that time more than 8000 Turks were killed under the walls of the fortress and Turgut Reis himself – ordered not to leave the living. The remains of the garrison, gathered in the central square of the fort, fought for several hours until the fall of the last.
The Turks, furious at such obstinate resistance, decapitated the dead knights and crucified them on the crosses. In this form, corpses were tied to rafts and descended with a tide to Birgu Fortress
Honorable Surrender
With the capture of St Elm Fort the Turks decided to offer honorable surrender Maltese. Jean de Vallett replied briefly and with contempt: "If you fill the ditch with the bodies of your janissaries, we will think about it."
The Turks Had no choice but to prepare for new bloody battles. They had to capture Birgu and establish control over Cape Sengliya.
The attempt to capture the Ottoman Cape was made on July 15, the landing was accompanied by fire from the boat artillery. Jean de Vallette foresaw such a turn of events, so he placed on the shore a battery well disguised. She also destroyed most of the boats with the Ottoman badault. Those who managed to reach the shore, finished the Maltese warriors. Only one day, the Turks lost more than 800.
It was only in August that the Turks managed to completely surround Birga and Sengliya, placing around a battery of 65 guns large caliber bombarding the fortress 24 hours a day. From late July to early August, about 13,000 nuclei were fired at Birga
. The general badault on the Ottomans began on August 7th. Mustafa Pasha personally led the fight of the Turks. 8000 attacked Turks of the St. Mikhail fort, 4000 more on the side of the Castilian port.
The badault lasted nine hours – from dawn to afternoon. The attackers managed to break through the wall and burst into the city at the cost of huge losses. It seemed that the fate of the defenders was resolved, for clouds of smoke and flames rose above the camp of the Turks.
Mustafa Pasha and Pialet Pasha decide that the Spaniards disembark in Malta and strike them at the rear, they stop the badault and withdraw.
In fact, Captain Vincenzo Anastagi of the nearby neighbor Mdin attacked the Turks' camp. His small detachment almost destroyed food, powder and other things. After this attack, Moustafa Pasha attempted to capture Mdina in mid-August, but the Turkish attack ended in nothing – the courage of the defenders and the powerful fortresses helped to defend the city
The Salvation
The prolonged siege demoralized the Turks. The bad water in the army was raging in dysentery. Ships with supplies did not often reach the Ottomans – Christian privateers intercepted most of them. The loss of the Turkish army at this time amounts to 10,000-15,000 fighters, and the dead are no longer burying.
August 30th Mustafa Pasha organizes the last badault on the fortifications of Sengliya and Birgu, leaving all the forces to fight. It was a real battle of misfortune, the Maltese were ready to die, but at the same time bring as many Turks as possible with them. The master of the order, Jean de Vallette, embarks on the battle to inspire exhausted knights and a miracle occurs: the badault is repulsed.
Turkish commanders hear the rumor that the Viceroy of Sicily, Don Garcia of Toledo, Malta is besieged. Mustafa Pasha, learning the arrival of strong reinforcements to Jean de La Valette, decided to immediately lift the siege. The Turks threw a lot of goods, including the new siege tower and several of the heaviest weapons. In the afternoon of September 8, the Muslim troops had completed the loading.
But Mustafa Pasha saw that the number of landing troops was exaggerated and decided to restore his prestige by hitting the troops of Don Garcia de Toledo [9]. by the order of the Spaniards. However, a small detachment of Spaniards, well trained, managed to repel this attack with great damage to the Turks. The Ottomans fled. On September 12, the last Turkish ship left Maltese waters.
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