Warmatrix

Map of the Siege of Malta by Ignazio Danti

The Siege of Malta in 1565 CE was a turning point in the struggle between the Ottoman empire, Spain and Venice over control of the Mediterranean. It was a severe, though not decisive setback for the Turks.
In the early 15th century CE, sultan Suleiman expanded Ottoman influence in the Mediterranean by capturing Rhodos from the Knights Hospitaller after a long siege. He also accepted submission from the Barbary pirates Oruç and Hizir (later called Hayrettin Barbarossa), gaining control over western north Africa at a stroke. This brought him into conflict with the two major christian naval powers in the Mediterranean: Spain and Venice. For several decades muslims and christians fought each other in a war of raiding and counter-raiding, where the Ottomans got the upper hand. When the Hospitaller knight Romegas briefly struck back by capturing a ship that carried the nurse of Suleiman's daughter, the sultan decided to attack the last stronghold of the Knights Hospitaller: Malta. This was far more than personal revenge, as Malta was the linchpin of the Mediterranean and everybody was expecting an attack sooner or later.
In March 1565 CE a massive fleet sailed forth from Kostantiniyye / Constantinople. Almost 1/3 of the yearly budget of the state was spent on a vast logistical operation that encompassed 131 galleys, 7 galliots, 4 galleasses and about 200 small transport ships, 6,000 Janissaries, 13,000 spahis and other troops, 10,000 support personnel, 62 guns, 130,000 cannonballs, 2,000 tuns of gunpowder, weapons, tools, food and tents. This army was further reinforced by another 10,000 men during the siege. The expedition was commanded by Mustafa Pasha, Piyale Pasha and Dragut, who were frequently at odds with each other.
On Malta, defenses were not complete. Only 500 of the 600 knights, recalled from all over Europe, had arrived on the island in time. They were supported by 2,100 Spanish and Italian mercenaries, 500 galley slaves and 3,000 native Maltese. The fortifications, constructed in 1552 CE, were inadequate; especially the small fort of St. Elmo on Mount Sciberras was vulnerable. Nonetheless they proved to be of crucial importance during the siege. In the weeks before the attack, the defenders strengthened them and emptied the countryside of anything that could be of use to the invaders.
After 8 weeks of sailing, the Turks landed on 18 May, eventually anchoring in the bay of Marsaxlokk. On request from Piyale, they set about attacking St. Elmo, to secure Marsamxett harbor for the fleet. The fort was defended by 750 men. Heavy guns and snipers poured gunfire in ceaselessly and the Turks tried to build land bridges to reach the walls. An important ravelin was taken after one week, but several assaults on the fort failed. The Ottomans then moved to cut off the supply lines to the fort from Birgu and Senglea, the towns on the opposite side of the Grand Harbor, from which reinforcements had been sent several times. After three more weeks, a last attack on the 70 - 100 remaining defenders succeeded. The Ottomans had spent 18,000 cannon shots and lost 6,000 men, half of them janissaries, plus their commander Dragut; the christians 1,500. The former were so antagonized that they massacred all survivors in the fort; in response the Hospitallers killed all Turkish prisoners in the town.
The Ottomans set up their artillery on Mount Sciberras and started bombarding Birgu and Senglea. The gunfire was so loud that it could be heard in Sicily. They dragged ships overland to the Grand Harbor for an amphibious assault. In response the defenders created a pontoon bridge between Birgu and Senglea and studded the coast with underwater stakes. A first attack in July nearly succeeded, however an important squadron ran into a gun battery and was obliterated. The attack on the towns failed with a total loss of 4,000 men.
The Ottomans proceeded to shoot with their artillery, using both precision bombardments and random shelling to crack christian morale. They also dug trenches and mines from the eastern land side, which was very difficult because of the rocky soil. Siege towers were constructed but destroyed by cannon fire. The situation in the towns was desperate, yet the Turks also suffered in the summer heat, from malaria and other diseases. A second assault in August nearly broke the defense, but a lucky counterattack by cavalry stationed at Mdina on the center of the island caused panic among the Ottomans and made the attempt collapse.
At the beginning of September the first rains arrived, together with the relief fleet from Sicily under Don Garcia, which had been held back by the ever-cautious Spanish king Philip for weeks and then delayed by storms too. The fleet landed an army of 8,000 men and then quickly hurried off, afraid of confrontation with the Turkish fleet. The Ottomans lifted the siege and started to retreat, but resolved to make one final attack on the relief force. This failed and they were scattered. During the entire siege, the Turks had lost about 15,000 men, the knights 1/2 of their number. The toll on the auxiliaries was much higher: of the 8,000 original defenders, only 600 were still able to fight.
The christians won a narrow victory and could have lost at several critical points during the siege. If the Turks had bypassed St. Elmo and attacked from the east the first time, they might have succeeded. Though Malta had given the mighty Ottoman empire a very bloody nose, Turkish power was not broken. Seven years later, at Lepanto, the balance started to even.