The Ottoman Conundrum at Saint Elmo

In mid-June 1565, the Ottoman Empire’s campaign to capture the island of Malta reached a critical juncture. The fortified outpost of Saint Elmo, though battered and besieged, continued to defy the massive invading force. On June 17, the Ottoman commanders, led by Mustafa Pasha, convened in his tent to reassess their strategy. The meeting was tense; despite weeks of bombardment and repeated assaults, the small fortress held firm. The experienced corsair and military advisor Turgut Reis, known for his strategic insight, identified a crucial flaw in their operations: the failure to sever the maritime supply line between Saint Elmo and the neighboring town of Birgu. This oversight had allowed the defenders to receive reinforcements, ammunition, and provisions, prolonging the siege.

Recognizing this error, the Ottomans immediately began digging a new trench along the shoreline, aiming to reach the point where boats from Birgu typically landed. Simultaneously, they intensified their artillery barrage, particularly targeting the so-called “Knight’s Tower,” a key defensive structure. The increased pressure made the fall of Saint Elmo seem imminent. In Birgu, Grand Master Jean Parisot de Valette received reports of these developments with a mix of dread and grim satisfaction; he reportedly thanked God that the Ottomans had only now moved to cut the supply line, as it might have been disastrous if implemented earlier. Valette, pragmatic and resolute, declined an offer from twelve knights who volunteered to reinforce Saint Elmo, judging it a futile sacrifice. Instead, he dispatched two ships with desperate pleas for aid to Don García de Toledo, Viceroy of Sicily, and Pope Pius IV. One vessel was captured by the Ottomans, but the encrypted message it carried frustrated Mustafa Pasha, as no renegade Christian in his ranks could decipher it. Meanwhile, fortifications in Birgu and Senglea were strengthened in anticipation of the coming onslaught.

A Fateful Accident and Its Aftermath

June 18 brought a moment of unexpected—and for the Christians, providential—turn of events. While inspecting a battery position within the newly dug trench, Ottoman commanders, including Turgut Reis and the army’s supply chief Soli Agha, gathered around a cannon that was being adjusted for better targeting. Accounts vary, but the most plausible narrative describes a series of miscalibrations: the cannon’s elevation was initially too high, and after Turgut ordered it lowered, a test shot still overshot the mark. A third adjustment made the angle too low, causing the cannonball to strike the trench wall instead of soaring toward its target. The impact shattered the projectile, sending deadly fragments flying across the battery. One piece struck Turgut Reis below the ear, while another killed Soli Agha instantly.

Turgut, though protected somewhat by his turban, suffered a severe head wound. He collapsed, bleeding profusely and unable to speak, his tongue lolling from his mouth. Mustafa Pasha, displaying quick thinking amid the chaos, ordered Turgut’s body covered and secretly transported to his own tent to prevent a collapse in morale among the troops. However, news of the accident spread rapidly, and soon Christian defectors relayed the information to Birgu. Turgut lingered near death, unconscious and unable to contribute his expertise to the siege—a significant blow to Ottoman leadership.

Intensifying Pressure and Diminishing Hope

In the days that followed, the Ottomans maintained their relentless assault. On June 19, concentrated artillery fire breached one of Saint Elmo’s bastions, creating a gap large enough for soldiers to scale the walls with ladders. The defenders, trapped and exposed, had limited means to repair the damage. Venturing outside to gather materials meant certain death from Ottoman sharpshooters. Instead, they resorted to stuffing the gap with blankets and old sails, huddling behind what remained of the parapets for protection.

That night, a massive explosion shook the harbor: an accident at a gunpowder workshop in Birgu. Ottoman troops cheered, interpreting it as a sign of Christian disarray. To counter this psychological boost, Valette ordered a dozen cannon shots fired toward the Ottoman positions, but for the men in Saint Elmo, the explosion was yet another demoralizing setback. By June 20, the Ottomans had completed a new battery overlooking the harbor, effectively blocking Christian vessels from navigating even under cover of darkness. The previous day, a final attempt to reach Saint Elmo by boat had ended in tragedy; one crewmember was decapitated by cannon fire en route, and another was killed by an arquebus shot during the return journey. The message from the fortress commander, Miranda, was unequivocal: sending more men to certain death was inhumane. Henceforth, only Maltese swimmers could attempt the dangerous nighttime crossings, and Valette reluctantly accepted that no further aid could be sent.

Faith and Desperation on Christ’s Feast Day

June 21 marked the Feast of Corpus Christi, a major celebration in the Christian liturgical calendar. Despite the dire circumstances, the defenders in Birgu observed the day with solemnity. Balbi, a chronicler of the siege, noted in his diary that Grand Master Valette led a procession through the town, though the route had to be carefully planned to avoid Ottoman artillery fire. This act of devotion underscored the resilience and faith that sustained the Knights of St. John throughout the ordeal.

Inside Saint Elmo, conditions were increasingly desperate. A dozen elite Ottoman snipers had taken up positions on high ground near the Knight’s Tower, raining down fire into the heart of the fortress. Even the drill ground was now exposed to enemy shots. Yet the defenders persisted in their efforts to set fire to the fascines filling the ditches. In a bold—perhaps reckless—act, an Italian knight named Pedro de Forli strapped a primitive flamethrower to his back and was lowered by rope from the walls in an attempt to destroy a menacing Ottoman bridge. The attempt failed, as the bridge was thickly covered with earth for protection. Whether de Forli survived is unknown, lost to the fog of war. All the while, Ottoman cannonade continued unabated, shaking the very foundations of Saint Elmo.

The Strategic and Human Dimensions of the Siege

The week of June 17–23, 1565, exemplifies the brutal realities of early modern siege warfare. The Ottoman Empire, at the height of its power, had committed a vast army and fleet to subduing Malta, a key strategic objective in its contest with Christian Europe for control of the Mediterranean. The Knights Hospitaller, though vastly outnumbered, leveraged their fortifications, naval skills, and unwavering determination to resist. The events of this week highlight the importance of logistics, leadership, and morale in shaping military outcomes. Turgut Reis’s injury was not merely a personal tragedy but a strategic loss for the Ottomans, removing one of their most capable commanders at a crucial moment.

For the defenders, the struggle was as much psychological as physical. The encryption of Valette’s plea for aid, the observed religious rites, and the continued resistance in the face of overwhelming odds all speak to the cohesion and identity of the Knights and their Maltese allies. The failure to fully cut the supply line earlier, and the accidental injury of Turgut, underscore the role of chance and error in historical events.

Legacy of the Siege

The siege of Malta did not end in June 1565; Saint Elmo would fall days later, on June 23, with nearly all its defenders killed. However, the prolonged resistance there bought precious time for Birgu and Senglea, enabling them to hold out until reinforcements arrived in September. The eventual Ottoman withdrawal marked a significant victory for Christian forces, celebrated across Europe as a turning point in the struggle against Ottoman expansion.

The broader historical context reveals the siege as part of the larger contest between the Habsburg and Ottoman empires, with Malta serving as a bulwark for Christian naval power. The Knights’ success bolstered their prestige and ensured their continued role in Mediterranean affairs for centuries. Modern historians often cite the siege as an example of how determination, leadership, and fortification can offset numerical inferiority.

In cultural memory, the Great Siege of Malta has been romanticized in literature and art, but the week detailed here reminds us of the human cost: the lives lost, the decisions made under duress, and the accidental twists that shape history. It stands as a testament to resilience in the face of overwhelming odds, a story that continues to resonate as an example of courage and strategic tenacity.