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Valette and Envoy
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Valette and Envoy
La Valette, Grand Master of the Hospitallers, shows the Turkish envoy a ditch and says thats the only part of Malta the besiegers will obtain. Below, view of Malta
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Media ID 4350867
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10188424
1565 Besiegers Ditch Envoy Hospitallers Malta Master Obtain Valette
EDITORS COMMENTS
In this evocative historical print, we witness a pivotal moment in the defense of Malta during the Great Siege of 1565. The Grand Master of the Order of St. John, Jean Parisot de la Valette, stands resolutely before a Turkish envoy, gesturing towards a shallow ditch. The scene unfolds against the backdrop of the Maltese archipelago, with the fortified city of Birgu and the natural harbor of Marsamxett visible in the foreground. The Turkish envoy, sent by the Ottoman Sultan Selim II, had arrived at Malta's shores with an ultimatum: surrender the island to the Ottoman Empire or face a full-scale invasion. La Valette, a seasoned military leader, had been preparing for this moment since the Ottoman fleet, led by the formidable admiral Piyale Pasha, had laid siege to the island in July 1565. Despite the odds against them, the Knights Hospitaller, under the command of La Valette, had managed to hold their ground against the Ottoman forces. The Grand Master, aware of the importance of maintaining morale within his ranks, decided to meet the Turkish envoy in person to deliver a defiant message. As depicted in the print, La Valette points to the ditch, which marked the boundary of the fortified city, and declares that this would be the only part of Malta the besiegers would obtain. The bold statement was a testament to the Knights' unwavering determination to defend their territory and their faith. The Great Siege of Malta, which lasted until November 1565, ultimately ended in a decisive victory for the Knights Hospitaller. The Ottoman forces, weakened by disease and lack of supplies, were forced to withdraw, leaving the island in the hands of the Knights. This pivotal event marked a turning point in the history of the Mediterranean and solidified Malta's reputation as a bastion of European power in the face of the Ottoman Empire.
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