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The Great Siege of Malta's (1565) impact on world history
Posted on 1/15/22 at 10:06 am
Posted on 1/15/22 at 10:06 am
Any resident OT historians care to speculate what wouldve happened if things had gone differently? Drinking coffee right now and just finished a book on the entire siege this week.
Background for the uninformed:
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. It is thought that the Knights had just 6,100 members (around 500 Knights and 5,600 other soldiers largely recruited from the Maltese population and other armies from Spain and Greece) compared to the 48,000 strong Ottoman Armada.
The successful defense of Malta by the Knights Hospitaller shattered the Ottomans’ reputation of invincibility and halted their advance into the western Mediterranean.
Controlled by the Knights Hospitaller since their expulsion from Rhodes, Malta was the key to Christian defenses against Ottoman expansion in the Mediterranean. The Maltese knights had expected an attack since the Ottoman naval victory at the Battle of Djerba in 1560. The Ottomans took five years to launch their attack; the delay gave the Knights Hospitaller the opportunity to strengthen their fortifications and Christian Europe time to rebuild its fleets.
Apparently the Maltese natives fought like maniacs because the Ottomans had been taking them into slavery for years. At one point the Ottomans were trying to hack down a palisade on the beach shore and the Maltese swam out with knives in their mouths and massacred them
Losses: Knight Hospitaller, 3,000 of 6,000; Ottoman, 20,000 of 40,000.
Malta location for those who don't understand why it was a key island.
this thread was not brought to you by the tourism board for Malta unfortunately, just a bored OTer sipping coffee before LSU basketball tips off
Background for the uninformed:
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. It is thought that the Knights had just 6,100 members (around 500 Knights and 5,600 other soldiers largely recruited from the Maltese population and other armies from Spain and Greece) compared to the 48,000 strong Ottoman Armada.
The successful defense of Malta by the Knights Hospitaller shattered the Ottomans’ reputation of invincibility and halted their advance into the western Mediterranean.
Controlled by the Knights Hospitaller since their expulsion from Rhodes, Malta was the key to Christian defenses against Ottoman expansion in the Mediterranean. The Maltese knights had expected an attack since the Ottoman naval victory at the Battle of Djerba in 1560. The Ottomans took five years to launch their attack; the delay gave the Knights Hospitaller the opportunity to strengthen their fortifications and Christian Europe time to rebuild its fleets.
Apparently the Maltese natives fought like maniacs because the Ottomans had been taking them into slavery for years. At one point the Ottomans were trying to hack down a palisade on the beach shore and the Maltese swam out with knives in their mouths and massacred them
Losses: Knight Hospitaller, 3,000 of 6,000; Ottoman, 20,000 of 40,000.
Malta location for those who don't understand why it was a key island.
this thread was not brought to you by the tourism board for Malta unfortunately, just a bored OTer sipping coffee before LSU basketball tips off
This post was edited on 1/15/22 at 11:08 am
14
Posted on 1/15/22 at 10:13 am to sgallo3
I wonder if they celebrated at the Malta shop?
Da-dum-tishhh
Da-dum-tishhh
Posted on 1/15/22 at 10:24 am to sgallo3
Remember, Islam means peace.
Posted on 1/15/22 at 10:24 am to Kcrad
quote:
Remember, Islam means peace.
peace*
*and death to the infidels
Posted on 1/15/22 at 10:27 am to sgallo3
What do you call a stripper in Malta?
A Malteaser
A Malteaser
Posted on 1/15/22 at 10:39 am to sgallo3
quote:
just finished a book on the entire siege this week.
The Religion by Tim Willocks?
Posted on 1/15/22 at 10:40 am to sgallo3
What sort of weapons were used then? Early cannon/muskets?
Posted on 1/15/22 at 10:45 am to sgallo3
The reason why Malta was so important was that it was the mid-point of the Mediterranean, so having Malta as a supply base allowed short-range galleys the opportunity to project power into that middle. So it was important for a time.
As galleys got larger and started adding cannons and more people after the Battle of Lepanto, their range grew even shorter. Power projection then became the role of the sailing ships of the North Atlantic. Their greater range made bases like Malta less important, and areas like the Mediterranean itself became less important as the power shifted to the North Atlantic states of Europe.
So long story short… losing Malta would have given the Turks a key strategic foothold that would have been important for a short while, but the entire area declined in importance by the early 17th century.
As galleys got larger and started adding cannons and more people after the Battle of Lepanto, their range grew even shorter. Power projection then became the role of the sailing ships of the North Atlantic. Their greater range made bases like Malta less important, and areas like the Mediterranean itself became less important as the power shifted to the North Atlantic states of Europe.
So long story short… losing Malta would have given the Turks a key strategic foothold that would have been important for a short while, but the entire area declined in importance by the early 17th century.
Posted on 1/15/22 at 11:01 am to lurker124
quote:
What sort of weapons were used then? Early cannon/muskets?
Janissaries had hand cannons
Arquebus were used as well.
the ottomans actually had some "snipers"
quote:
The Religion by Tim Willocks?
it was free on Audible Plus
This post was edited on 1/15/22 at 11:04 am
Posted on 1/15/22 at 11:02 am to SpqrTiger
quote:
so having Malta as a supply base allowed short-range galleys the opportunity to project power into that middle
that does make a lot of sense
quote:
losing Malta would have given the Turks a key strategic foothold that would have been important for a short while, but the entire area declined in importance by the early 17th century.
so I guess it wouldve depended on how they wouldve used that advantage over the next 150 years. may have impacted Spain's influence in the new world if their Mediterranean coast was being pushed in
This post was edited on 1/15/22 at 11:10 am
Posted on 1/15/22 at 11:09 am to sgallo3
Pretty fascinating siege. Definitely took the luster off the Turks.
What’s crazy is that the Knights Hospitaller were basically pirates at that point. Yet they still legit held out in an amphibious campaign, militarily.
What’s crazy is that the Knights Hospitaller were basically pirates at that point. Yet they still legit held out in an amphibious campaign, militarily.
Posted on 1/15/22 at 11:14 am to sgallo3
quote:
Any resident OT historians care to speculate what wouldve happened if things had gone differently?
We'd all be speaking Arabic
Posted on 1/15/22 at 11:17 am to Swoopin
quote:
What’s crazy is that the Knights Hospitaller were basically pirates at that point. Yet they still legit held out in an amphibious campaign, militarily.
the book attributed it mostly to their amazing leadership. apparently he was a real hardass but he convinced the Knights at Saint Elmo to sacrifice themselves (literally fighting til the last man died) to hold out long enough that they were able to buy enough time for the other 2 forts
Posted on 1/15/22 at 11:19 am to sgallo3
Have yourself an upvote for a random but important historical post.
And “Boot Up” for tPear’s minions.
And “Boot Up” for tPear’s minions.
Posted on 1/15/22 at 11:31 am to soccerfüt
quote:
Have yourself an upvote for a random but important historical post.
It aint much but it's honest work haha
Headed to sportsbook so i can catch back to back LSU basketball then Joe Burreaux (nfl) playoff debut
Posted on 1/15/22 at 12:12 pm to sgallo3
I won’t speculate on what would have happened differently if they had won in Malta but I do think a much more history changing lose for the Ottomans occurred in 1683 at Vienna, Austria. If they would have taken Vienna they could have come even further west into Europe.
Posted on 1/15/22 at 12:22 pm to lsu1919
quote:
I do think a much more history changing lose for the Ottomans occurred in 1683 at Vienna,
The sausages probably would've been smaller
Posted on 1/15/22 at 12:22 pm to sgallo3
There's bad-arse, and then there's this:
quote:
...the Maltese swam out with knives in their mouths and massacred them
Posted on 1/15/22 at 12:26 pm to sgallo3
I stayed in Malta for a week as a foreign exchange student. That’s all I got. Swam in the blue lagoon
Posted on 1/16/22 at 7:51 am to Who_Dat_Tiger
u mustve went early for it not to be flooded with tourists
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