The Siege of Malta, 1565: Translated from the Spanish Edition of 1568 (First Person Singular) [Paperback]

Francisco Balbi di Correggio (Author), Ernle Bradford (Translator)

Book Description

Series: First Person Singular | Publication Date: May 19, 2005

This is the history of one of the great battles of the world, written by a private soldier who was an eye-witness. The siege of Malta was a crucial moment in the long struggle between Islam and Christendom for domination of the Mediterranean, fought out by unequal forces on the small island which commands the sea-routes at the centre of that sea. The Knights of St John were a survival from the medieval world, the largest of the surviving crusading orders, and they had been driven out of their base on Rhodes in the eastern Mediterranean after a great onslaught by the Turks in 1522. Now, forty-three years later, the Turkish ruler, Suleyman the Magnificent, who had been the victor at Rhodes, was determined to finish them off. He sent out a huge armada, carrying the pick of his army, under two commanders. Against this powerful force, the Knights could only raise a handful of men and mercenaries, and had to depend on the fortifications they had raised in the thirty-five years since they first came to Malta, 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 after the first appearance of the Turkish fleet 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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

An extremely welcome reprint...of a seminal work on the subject and the prime reference source for all those who have written about the 1565 siege. An extremely readable account. --Casemate

Will serve as a useful primary source for undergraduates and as well as for scholars. --Sixteenth Century Journal

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Boydell Press (May 19, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843831406
• ISBN-13: 978-1843831402
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #905,809 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #31 in Books > History > Europe > Malta

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing affordable primary source of one of the world's greatest battles, June 26, 2009

By 

P. Johnson (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Siege of Malta, 1565: Translated from the Spanish Edition of 1568 (First Person Singular) (Paperback)

The defense of Malta in 1565 is every bit as impresive as Thermopylae, and in this book it is the recodred journal of a Spanish gunner that was in one of the fortresses on the tiny island that defeated Sulieman's best troops for over 3 months. Like any primamry source, there is much to be consdred for it's accuracy, but it has a great deal of valuable information and where else can you get a 440+ year old eye witnes account of an amazing battle for under $20?

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Source., October 24, 2011

By 

Nathan R Goree - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Siege of Malta, 1565: Translated from the Spanish Edition of 1568 (First Person Singular) (Paperback)

This is a great source for first-hand information on the Siege of Malta. I am getting a great deal of useful information from it already.