The siege of Malta was a crucial moment in the long struggle between Islam and Christendom for do mination of the Mediterranean. The Knights of St John were a survival from the medieval world but they had been driven out of their base on Rhodes after a great onslaught by the Turks in 1522. Now, forty-three years later, the Turkish ruler, Suleyman the Magnificent, was determined to finish them off and sent out a huge armada, carrying the pick of his army. Against this powerful force, the Knights could only raise a handful of men and mercenaries, and had to depend on fortifications which bore no comparison to the massive walls and ditches on Rhodes. Francisco Balbi di Correggio was a humble soldier of fortune who enlisted under the charismatic command of the Grand Master of the Order, Jean de la Valette. The extraordinary drama that unfolded in the summer of 1565 is told in his own words, giving equal credit to the courage and leadership of the Knights and the grim determination of the ordinary people of Malta.

Contents
   Introduction
   The Author to the Reader
   I The Sultan Suleiman prepares his expedition against the island of Malta
   II Grand Master La Valette looks to the defence of the Island
   III The Turkish armada reaches Malta and their forces are landed on the Island
   IV The enemy lay siege to St Elmo and Dragut joins the Turkish fleet
   V Despite continual bombardments St Elmo continues to hold out
   VI A general assault is beaten off and Dragut is killed
   VII St Elmo is stormed but the first relief force is landed
   VIII Mustapha plans to attack St Michael from the sea and Don Francisco de
     Sanoguera is killed
   IX The never-ending bombardment of St Michael continues and there is no sign of
     further relief
   X Further attacks are beaten off but a Spanish soldier deserts
   XI The bravery of the Grand Master. Our cavalry attack the Turkish base camp
   Further attacks are made on St Michael and Castile but news is received that a
     relief force is on its way
   XIII Although the Turkish attacks continue our relief force reaches the Island
   XIV The Turkish forces are routed and the island of Malta is again free
   Glossary
 

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Interesting facts
The Order of the Knights of St John was a foreign legion of militant Christians sworn to eternal war against the Moslem. The Knights’ presence on Malta proved an obstacle to the Ottoman Empire’s designs of European conquest.

After they had been driven from their base on Rhodes, the Knights were given Malta by King Charles V of Spain, in return for an annual payment of a falcon.

Though their garrison on Malta was small, the Knights proved an effective force; by making full use of the island’s strategic location they frequently disrupted the Turks’ trade routes, much to the fury of the Sultan Suleyman.

Excerpts

A wonderfully vivid account of the commencement of the major attack on St Elmo, and the Turkish preparations that went before it:

Saturday, 16 June. The general assault began at dawn. So great was the noise, the shouting, the beating of drums, and the clamour of innumerable Turkish instruments, that it seemed like the end of the world. Throughout the night preceding the assault the Turks had been assembled on the high ground near the fort, shouting at the top of their voices, as is their custom when praying. Two hours before dawn their priests absolved them of their sins, exhorting them to fight well and to die for their false faith. We knew this because we could hear first one man singing for a time, then all the army responding in unison. They kept this up until the sun rose, which was the signal for their attack. The men of St Elmo were ready to meet them.

At the appointed hour the general assault began. It was concentrated, determined, and ferocious, but was met with an equal courage and determination by the defenders. In fact, the courage and tenacity of the garrison was greater than that of the enemy.
Page 81, Chapter VI: A GENERAL ASSAULT IS BEATEN OFF AND DRAGUT IS KILLED.

Di Correggio describes the Turk’s unending bombardment and how it weakens the Maltese defences while covering the advances of the besieging troops:

Tuesday, 17 July. There was a heavy general bombardment, and we were kept busy repairing the defences. Since the battery sited at the Mandra kept up its frontal bombardment of St Michael, some of our guns were put out of action abd part of the battlements collapsed into the ditch. Marshal Robles accordingly had our guns of boards backed by earth, and behind it a stone wall shaped like a half moon. This was as tall as a man, ten feet thick, and pierced with plenty of loopholes. All of this work took place under very heavy fire.

The enemy now began building a bridge on five spans, designed to cross the ditch of St Michael, in front of the post which had been commanded by Hasdrubal de Medici. He had been killed, and his place was now taken by the Florentine knight, Martello. The sentries on this post saw what was happening, and Martello had a sally-port made ready so that, when the time was ripe, they could rush out to destroy the bridge.

Wednesday, 18 July. Already the five spans of the bridge were in position, so Commander Parisot, a nephew of the Grand Master, wanting to distinguish himself, went out with a number of soldiers to try to destroy it. The men who went out with him, as well as our sentries who watched him from above, maintained that instead of going out stealthily he made a great deal of noise. The result was that the Turks leapt up from their trenches and, when they saw what our men were doing, opened a heavy arquebus fire. Now Commander Parisot was dressed in rich armour inlaid with gold, which marked him out as someone of importance, so the Turks concentrated their fire on him. He was killed immediately, and the men who had gone out with him retreated from the ditch without having achieved anything.
Pages 119-120, Chapter IX: THE NEVER-ENDING BOMBARDMENT OF ST MICHAEL CONTINUES AND THERE IS NO SIGN OF FURTHER RELIEF