Marcus Bull, a history professor and author of 'The Great Siege of Malta,' unfolds the gripping tale of the 1565 siege where the outnumbered Knights Hospitaller faced the formidable Ottoman Empire led by Suleiman the Magnificent. He illustrates the strategic significance of Malta and the relentless defense put up by Grand Master Jean de Valette. With discussions on the brutal tactics, disease's impact on the Ottoman forces, and the fine line between victory and defeat, Bull captures the resilience that ultimately turned the tide of the conflict.
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insights INSIGHT
Ottoman Threat to Western Europe
The Ottoman Empire's threat to Western Europe was exaggerated.
The siege of Malta was likely a targeted vendetta, not a step in a grand conquest.
insights INSIGHT
Knights of St. John
The Knights of St. John were a Catholic military order with a dual role.
They cared for the sick and also engaged in holy wars.
insights INSIGHT
Suleiman's Motivation
Suleiman's attack on Malta was likely an attempt to eliminate a persistent nuisance.
The Knights of St. John disrupted Ottoman shipping and pilgrimage routes.
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This book provides a comprehensive and nuanced account of the Great Siege of Malta in 1565. Marcus Bull draws on a wide range of eyewitness stories and primary sources to offer a vivid sense of the period's technologies, values, and assumptions. The siege is placed within a broader global context, highlighting the strategic and political interests of both the Ottomans and the European powers. Bull challenges traditional Eurocentric views by incorporating Ottoman testimonies and emphasizing the complex motives and consequences of the siege. The book also explores the global implications of the event, linking it to other significant historical developments of the mid-16th century[1][3][4].
This is the story of Suleiman the Magnificent's attempt to conquer Malta, the headquarters of a Catholic military order that had become a thorn in his side. They were known as the Knights Hospitaller, and the siege to come would pit Grand Master Jean de Valette and his force of outnumbered defenders against an elite Ottoman army.
For this, we're joined by Marcus Bull, author of 'The Great Siege of Malta'. Marcus takes us through this tale of siege warfare and explains how luck as much as skill helped the defenders to hold out long enough for the siege to be broken.
Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Matthew Peaty.
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