The Great Siege of Malta: Knights Hospitaller vs the Ottoman Empire
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2022
- The mid-16th century was a rough time to be living in the Mediterranean, to say the least. Especially if you lived in a coastal city, you would have definitely seen your fair share of conquest, battles, and the usual, violent ransacking. And most of this could be traced back to a single source: The Ottoman Empire, ruled at the time by Suleiman the Magnificent, a man whose younger portrait you’re unlikely to forget thanks to his absolutely epic headwear.
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As a maltese man I want to thank you Simon from my heart for covering the Great Siege of Malta. It brings me a tear of joy that such an event is spoken about.
The 1st Great Siege of malta
You should go listen to the "War and conquest podcast" Neil does a great job describing the different ideologies of the two sides and depicting the details we may or may not know.
in this part of the world every country from west is bragging about some random ass battle 500 years ago.
Bro, i am obsessed with this story. I use the great Seige of malta to help people i coach in life. When they feel like there is no hope i teach them about this story and it gives them hope. Your ancestors where legendary
@AnatolianHittite The irony in your comment, considering your actual username is about a group of people who existed from around 1650 BC to 1190 BC💀 so don't talk about battles from a half millennia ago. But go ahead and make your username about a civilization that hasn't existed for well over 3,000 years👌🏻👌🏻
This is one of those pivotal, history-changing battles. Where one who seemed invincible gets defeated and completely changes the power dynamics of the period.
Kinda like the Siege of Vienna.... Defenders just need to hold the Ottomans long enough for a coalition to be formed and attack from Behind.
@@williamalfonso1373 the Christian kingdoms should've done that during the Siege of Constantinople! Had the Ottomans been checked back in 1453, they wouldn't even reach Vienna! And the Turks could never get Rhodes, Cyprus and other European territories
@@armandotalampas4800 the Europeans screwed themselves there. They F'ed up Constantinople in the 4th crusade. They had not recovered 200 years later
@@armandotalampas4800 Constantinople was just an inconvientant wrong type of christian state. The Catholics really couldn't of cared less about them.
Another one is happening as we speak in Ukraine.
This siege is the one battle every Maltese person is taught about since the day we are born. It is the ultimate underdog story and it makes me so proud to see it covered. This siege was pivotal because it caused the Knights to reconsider staying on the island and to consider it home rather than a miserable temporary base whilst longing for Rhodes. It also led to a gradual turning point regarding the expansion of the Ottoman empire, although the battle of Lepanto was the definitive final nail in the coffin. Centuries later, Christian empires started trading with the Ottomans, leading to a decrease in the importance of the Knights, who were primarily concerned with being anti-Ottoman, leading to the decline of the Knights and the eventual take-over of Malta by Napoleonic forces in 1798.
The knights took in young boys.. say no more
As a Maltese person. Thank you. ❤
If AoE 3 taught me anything it’s this epic quote during the first level “we are the knights of St.John, we do not surrender”
Based
Based? Please explain what that means. Are you trying to say “biased”?
@@glenn6583 no based. Grounded and real.
It’s been a term for at least 10 years now grandpa
well, some of them did surrender. Read a book about the Siege.
I was in the Maltese islands only a few weeks ago and saw the fortresses and the grand harbour where this carnage took place. The ottomans had no chance. Truly remarkable; I recommend everyone to go and see this fortress island - truly a unique place to see
The impressive fortresses of today are from a couple of centuries ago, in 1565 they were much more modest the Turks had a good chance to take Malta but the heroics of the defenders, the reinforcements arrived just in time and also plain bad luck.
The two commanders at Fort St Elmo had been so badly wounded that they couldn't stand, so they had chairs brought to the breaches in the walls and their swords placed across their laps before the final assault took the fort.
This entire siege is filled to the brim with acts of valor and depravity on both sides.
😊
Thank you, Simon & team. i am Maltase, and highly appreciate this. Our little Island has a very diverse history, since we are in the centre, and the island has numerus natural ports, we have been invaded by basically everyone, thou not everyone succeeded. We even have buildings older than Stone henge.😁
What's with the tunnels under the ground? Aren't they so vast that they haven't even been properly mapped in their entirety? Who built them, how, when and why? No one is sure when they were built, by whom, how it was done as it must have been quite advanced technology for what we are told regarding ancient peoples, or what their purpose was, as I heard, is that true or partially? Also wasn't there a school trip there and they got lost or something and some people died I'm not sure
@@J3diMindTrix from my limited knowledge all i can say is that, yes there are tunnels and passageways under all the fortified cities. These where extended and used as shelters in WW2 air raids(we took reaaaaally heavy shelling from both italians and germans).there was even a control room dug in valletta where the attack on italy was orchestrated out of(operation husky). Tunnels where dug all around malta for the same purpose. There are also water reservoirs under some towns dating back 100s of years. I do not know about the school outing, but there was a case where such a reservoir ruptured during a raid and leaked water in to a near by shelter, drowning many. If im not mistaken this was in Luqa. There is also a system of tunnels for fresh water.
I would LOVE to see you now cover Fortress Malta when it stood up to the Nazis against all odds and NEVER surrendered. That island is a very special place. As a British person I feel bound in love and respect for the place, it's people and it's astonishing history. Reasonable folks can learn so much from that land. If you have never visited it then you should go. It is a gateway to the ages and the future. It is beautiful. I hope it keeps alive the spirit of the Knights and is never conquered. It is a beacon and an outpost and a boundary. Go learn there and feel alive and know why.
I concur! My Nunu (Grandfather) told me of this time growing up under the bombing raids and the waits for the conveys to make it to the island. He told me of the church that took a direct hit from a bomb, instead of exploding it slid to a stop on the floor. When he emigrated to Australia he brought a brass shell casing from an anti air gun station he used to visit, he was always thankful and full of praise for the English. He also recounted to myself a lot of the history and historical battles that Malta has endured including the one covered by Simon here. Great idea!
After his major role in the Battle of Britain ,New Zealander Sir Keith Park commanded the defense of Malta .Knighted in 1942 for his role in the defense of Malta, Park was promoted to air marshal and appointed commander-in-chief of British air forces in the Middle East in January 1944. A year later he assumed command of Allied air forces in South-East Asia
My grandparents are from Malta always happy to hear some history of that little island in the middle of the Med
Thanks for this from Malta :)
Finally!!! Thank you Simon from the bottom of my Maltese heart!!
Just a few correction as a maltese person. Jean de valette was actually called Grand Master jean claude de la valette. The town named after him was actually planned by him with an architect from the time. The small port town was actually a small fishing town (im from there) and the name was birgu which is one of the oldest town in the country. After the siege, they nicknamed the town victoriosa meaning victorious. But the rest of the vid is well detailed.
Also most maltese ppl still hate the knights of saint john/hospitalier due to the harsh treatment the population was given cause they never wanted to be situated on this barren island at the time.
Correction to the correction : The small fishing town that they landed on was Marsaxlokk.
@@jake3826 i was refering to the town they were fighting not landed.
Agreed, @Kurt Camilleri. He founded Valetta, and was eventually buried there, alongside his English aide, Sir Oliver Starkey.
Grand Master (Magister Magnus)Jean Parisot de Valette .......45000 ottomans(20K - 25K of which mercenaries) vs 6000 christians
0:10 - Chapter 1 - The sea on fire
3:10 - Chapter 2 - Desperate times
5:40 - Chapter 3 - The siege begins
11:55 - Chapter 4 - Fiercest fighting
17:00 - Chapter 5 - The defenders of europe
thanks
I do not recommend drinking a shot every time Simon says "Knights Hospillater" instead of "Knights Hospitaller" :-)
Appreciate your warning, brother!
Malta gets such little attention. Thank you Simon!!
It is certainly famous though. I would love to go there someday!😊
Simon, one of my "favorite" battles from the Ottoman period. Studied this from both sides. LaVallette might have been old, but that was one plucky fellow. The Ottomans were excellent brave soldiers especially the Janissaries. Fanatical for the Sultan they were, St. Elmo and bad luck doomed the expedition. Very interesting situation and forces. Course, the Knights wouldn't have such a battle if the Maltese hadn't done all the heavy lifting. ie. Building and rebuilding the defenses, not to forget pitching in on the walls. To paraphrase Churchill, never had so few owed so much to so many. Cheers.
Interesting insights. This was a very interesting episode!
I mean, the population of the island would have been slaughtered. Every last man woman and child. If they hadn't fought they'd all have died for nothing.
@@thelordofcringe Absolutely. The casualties for the Maltese proves their valor and value. 7000+ total, both civilian and militia. The bitch is the Knights treated the Maltese terribly. And that may be an understatement.
The Janissaries were children stolen from Christian families & brainwashed into fanatic terrorism against their true countrymen. One of the most barbaric acts in human history. One never truly punished.
@@talisikid1618 Nope!
It's good
Pagan christian swines should be used in this way!!
White skinned pagans!!!!
Idea for a (probably fatal) drinking game: take a shot every time Simon mispronounces “Knights Hospitaller”
The first time I thought I misheard. The second time I laughed and got ready to have fun trying to spot every time
For those who don't know Malta is literally a the most historically diverse island in the Mediterranean
Basically beld by every nearly everyone
Muslims
Christians
Romans
Greeks
Phoenicians
Egyptians
Arabs
Italians
Tunisians
Egyptians never came to us. We were already under the romans.
Everyone came through our island yes...it's a perfect rest stop, we have a diverse population even today. But, from your list, we were never under the rule of:
Egyptians
Italians
Tunisians.
like i said, we mixed with everyone for sure, but not under their rule.
@@leedemarco5661 we were under arabs and muslims prior the nornans
@@leedemarco5661 the aghlabids were a Tunisian Arab dynasty under the banner of the Fatima caliphate in egypt which controlled most of the islands in southern Mediterranean and all of north africa
The aghlabid tunisians conquered Sicily and held it for around a century and before that
The first 3 caliphates controlled much of the islands in the Mediterranean especially the andalusians in spain
@@kurtcami my bad 😅 fixed it/ and thank you
The story of my childhood, always hearing this story
Knights Hospitallers always fought to the death and never surrendered and the ottomans were terrified of them
Once again covering a conflict I've never heard of!! Love all your channels, thank you Simon and team!
Glad you enjoyed!
@@jbagga3 !!! Please do a video on current wars in middle east or something like Iraq invasion 2003 !!!
@@andyyang3029 thanks for the suggestion!
I'd only known thr name of this battle, so thank you, Simon & team! Similar to someone else who commented, this battle greatly changed the future of Europe and the world. Had the Ottomans been able to win this, there's no telling how different things would be now.
You should really do The Battle of COP Keating. The most recent Medal of Honor Recipients were in that battle and it’s really good way to look at how higher ranked soldiers can make really bad mistakes but how foot soldiers can still hold off a significantly larger force.
Thank you for giving a platform about a battle me and my fellow countrymen still pride ourselves on!
This is no doubt one of my favorite battles in history and it is many times overlooked and also underrated!! Long Live the West!!
0:31 - Interesting Turban, like an onion!
Never herd of this battle, I especially love those you present most of us aren't familiar with 👍
Glad you liked this one!
Next video should be on the battle of Lapanto.
Sweet thanks from the rocky mountains of Idaho
Make video about Battle of Preveza 🦈
last time I was this early, Malta was still under the knights
LOL
"The Religion" is a (an?) historical fiction set during the Siege of Malta. It's super good. Highly recommend. Awesome mix of story and historical accuracy.
My favourite book. Unbelievably brutal and as a huge historical fiction fan i can honestly say nothing has captured the blood, shit and sweat so profoundly on the page. Highly recommended.
Of course. For most of the Europeans, and I am one too, Ottoman empire will always be an arch enemy, even from my country there are records confirmed by both sides of Jannisaries stabing babies with swords spears etc. But on the other side the advancement Europe got because they had to interact with them one way or the other was crucial also they practically revived Constantinopole which was a dying city before it was conquered a brought a certain renneisance
Fortress Malta. Never surrender !
love Sultan Onionhead, he's my favourite
Another excellent episode. Thankyou Warographics team.
Viva Malta!
Fantastic History Coverage & introducing
thank you Simon for covering Malta. I always appreciate when one takes interest in the rich history of my small country
i would be a knights hospitaller supporter, as a roman catholic, pity they couldn't defeat the ottomans.
Please do a video on battle of Lepanto
The wonderful thing about islands, you can't sink them very easily.
Well explained, thank you.
Big thank you for making this video, directly from Malta ❤. Amazingly scripted and shot, a pleasure to watch
Simon and team, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for a deep delve in the subject. As a Malteser I appreciate this episode and the research behind it. Thanks for another exquisite episode :)
Thankyou Simon . Regards from Malta 🇲🇹
The successful defence of Malta was truly a mirecle.
great video
Excellent video! A lot of new info on the Ottomans for me!
I love Malta. Amazing place to visit.
I wanted to be buried on Malta.
I watch this video from Malta, although a Scot myself, i love these islands and have become a second home to me over the course of my life. I love learning the history of the island and always learn something new whenever i look into something. Incredible video.
Big love to Scotland 🏴 I am half Maltese and as a youngster was always looked after by Scottish lads and lasses in the summer . I know many Scotish love the islands and are well loved .
I love most of your channels, but this one is my absolute favorite.
Brain Blaze isn't? Cool 😎
Thank you for the informative video about the Great Siege of 1565. Just a few remarks on this though . St. Angelo was already there but was called Castrum Maris before the Knights were given the islands. When they finally arrived, they stayed at the same castle renamed it to St. Angelo and upgraded it with proper defenses needed for that time.
The Knights made this their primary fortification and substantially reinforced and remodeled it, including the cutting of the dry ditch to make it a moat and the D'Homedes Bastion built by 1536. By 1547, a large cavalier designed by Antonio Ferramolino was built behind the D'Homedes Bastion, and De Guirial Battery was built at the tip of the fort by sea level to protect the entrance to Dockyard Creek.
Also the marking on the painting in 7:58 is wrong. St. Elmo is the fort on the left ( the Star shaped fort) not the one marked with the white arrow , as that one is Fort St. Angelo.
Again thank you for this informative video.
Please do a video on the Siege of Vienna!
Cool fact, the "Order of the Knights of Malta" is still an existing order with legal rights similar to a country. It is the only "Sovereign non-national entity" recognized by the United Nations today. It has its own embassy and passports for their head quarters in Italy. It has about 500 members and can declare war or make treaties with other countries.
Great video Simon, thank you 😊
How about a piece on the Battle of Lepanto? It's not a battle considered politically correct today but (if properly presented), this can be shown to be another pivotal battle in Western history...... Please?
Great video, I'd suggest a video about the rebellion of the Sicilian vespers of 1282
Love that canon salute from the right good Knights.
Please do a video on Suleiman the magnificent on Biographics
Why?
The most recent population estimate I could find for Malta is 500,000. Judging solely from the comments on this video, a sizable percentage of them watched it.
Can you do a video on the shortest war in history the anglo-zimbabwe war which lasted 38 minutes
This would make a great movie.
I am just reading a book on the battle of Lepanto which he mentions at the end. Good timing and very interesting.
The Knights Hospitaller, must have felt like I do, every time I here him pronounce it “Knights Hospillater” 😂
The first time I'd learned about the Seige of Malta was from part one in the story campaign of Age of Empires III.
Yeah I’m definitely gonna trust the guys who know how to shoot the cannons
This movie would be great.
I am visiting Malta next week, can't wait to visit the tomb of John De (La) Valet and pay my respects.
Epic!!
Maltese Knights with grand master de la Valletta crushed the hordes of ottomans
ottomans showed too much mercy
Do Lepanto next?
You should do the Battle of the Chosin (Changjin) Reservoir
Being a history nerd how I had never heard of this grand battle is good & bad. Bad that I had not heard of this battle yet good that Wargrapics gave me the opportunity to learn of this battle. Thanks
Little known fact: Suleiman the Magnificent kept a boom-box in his large hat and before attacking an enemy, as well as after a victory, would play the song "I'm The Magnificent" by rap artist 'Special Ed.'
😄😉😁😎
...and if you believe that, I've got a bridge located in Brooklyn that I'd like to sell you.
It's already been sold!!!
Read a book or audio book called The Great Seige of Malta. So good
The Balkans are like: “Hey, we could use some of that comradeship over here!”
Hi from France. « Jean de Valette », Valette is pronounced like « cassette » . Excellent video
Please visit Micahistory 2, it would mean a lot!
May God bless Malta and its heroic people!
Cover Malta and the Maltese during WW2 please!
Small correction, nothing major, It's Jezn de la Vallette.
I think you should consider putting the date range of the subject in the title
My favorite moment in history
There’s also a legend that Dragut was shot by a Genoese sniper: true it was the Spanish viceroy who sent the last relief force, but both that and the so called “Piccolo soccorso” were made of italians from Sicily, Piedmont, Genoa, Tuscany... some would even include Malta as an italian people, thanks to her great historical ties with Italy. This could truly be seen as a war of Italians and Maltese against the Ottoman Empire, and is undoubtfully a great step in the history of Europe.
No, the relief force and the piccolo soccorso were mostly Spanish soldiers garrisoned in Sicily. There were a few hundred Italian and Spanish professional soldiers in Malta, what is ignored in this video, even if they made up most of the garrison of St Elmo, where the battle was decided.
The Maltese Falcon? Here's looking at you ... Simon.
Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don’t. And believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said it would be easy, just that it would be worth it
Again with the same comment? How’s about this: live is too short to read the same old nonsense over and over again. And once more, nothing happens for a reason.
My Maltese ancestry is smiling through the screen. 👏
Has Sabaton written a song about The Seige of Malta?
Can you do Armenia next ?
Honestly how tf do u build 2 new forts in 6 months in 1551 like holy shit these Mfs are better then our local municipalities lol
I read an article in a monthly magazine years ago about this battle..and how the Spanish showed up at the last moment to save the day(like the old trope of the calvary showing up to save the day in US folklore)..but then reading serious western historians lamenting the fact that Europe wasn't conqured by Islam.One was a overview of the naval battle of Lepanto..and the other was the author of Penguins revised history of the world saying that it was a shame that Europe had remained Christian.I try to keep my religious and political views to myself..but i like eating Paska and Babalki twice a year...
*Please make a video on the Iran Iraq war*
Thanks for the suggestion, this is a great idea!
@@jbagga3 you should do the some of the mongol conquests . Mongol conquest of the kwharezmian shah or maybe when they captured china. It’s brutal and interesting
@@cd5433 this sounds great, I thought about it a while ago but never got around to it
@@jbagga3 my last recommendation would be the taiping rebellion with some sources saying up to 70 million dead ! Thanks for responding . I love your scripts
@@cd5433 thank you so much, always happy to hear viewer suggestions :)
New rule . Whenever Simon says “right?” After a question . The answer is always no .
This is a nice and clear - albeit somewhat hastily presented - synopsis of an epic siege that took place in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, over 450 years ago.
Obviously, there are other presentations and writings (of varying quality) that cover this same subject more extensively and in more detail.
My only real point of critique, relating to this presentation, is the way the name of the Grand Master, at that time, is being butchered in writing and then, in this case 'done one over' in pronouncing it.
First of all, his true surname was not 'de Valette', even though, according to some 'pundits,' he might have preferred being called that way...
His name was Jean 'Parisot' de LaValette, a descendant of an old noble family.
To the best of my knowledge, there does/did not exist any noble family by the name of 'de Valette'.
I find it quite baffling and slightly disturbing that this great historic figure gets his name so carelessly botched up, time and time again.
Second, the pronunciation of this, obviously French name, should be easily pronounced correctly, certainly by a learned Englishman who speaks his mother tongue so very eloquently.
Up next;Belleau Woods
It's Jean Parisot de Valette. He is not parking your car. Valet... OMG
My country malta❤ 🇲🇹
There's also a local legend that states they hung pig carcass over am important road in the North of malta to prevent the ottomans from going through it
Bullshit, the Ottoman army had thousands of Christian soldiers, of which 7000 Romanians.
Hate to double dip, allegedly, but I'm watching this for the 2nd time in 2 days. Can't smash the like button again, but a comment as a sacrifice to the Algorithm. All hail the Algorithm! Cheers.
FOR GOD AND COUNTRY!!!⚔️🗡⚔️