Knights of Malta, 1523-1798 | Page 3

Levant from an independent Power to a tolerated ally. The growth
of the Ottoman sea power had been alarming enough, but it became a
distinct menace to the Christian Powers of the Mediterranean when the
Corsair chiefs of the North African coast became Turkish vassals. All
the African coast from Morocco to Suez, the coast of Asia Minor, and
the European coast from the Bosphorus to Albania (with the exception
of a few islands), were in Turkish hands. From 1475, with the conquest
of the Crimea, the Black Sea had become a Turkish lake, and under
Solyman the Magnificent the Turks had become masters of Aden and
the Red Sea, with a strong influence along the Arabian and Persian
coasts.
Malta, then as always, was of supreme strategic importance for the
domination of the Mediterranean. It lay right in the centre of the narrow
channel connecting the Eastern and Western Mediterranean, and, in the
hands of such a small but splendidly efficient band of sailors as the
Knights Hospitallers, was sure to become a source of vexation to the
mighty Turkish Empire. Though not so convenient as Rhodes for
attacking Turkish merchant shipping, yet it had one advantage, in that it
lay close to Christian shores and could easily be succoured in the hour
of need. A small, highly defensible island, strengthened by all the
resources of engineering, it could, and did, become one of the most
invulnerable fortresses in the world, and of the utmost importance for
the control of the Mediterranean.
Charles V., therefore, made a splendid bargain when he handed over
the neglected island to the Order of St. John, even had the gift been
unconditional. The Knights rendered him valuable service by sharing in
the several expeditions the Spaniards undertook to the African coast.
Barbarossa, by the capture of Tunis from the old Hafside dynasty in
1534, threatened the important channel between Sicily and Africa,
which it was essential for Charles V. to keep open. In the next year,
therefore, the Emperor attacked the town and conquered it without

much difficulty. The victory was unfortunately stained by the inhuman
excesses of the Imperial troops, and Charles's hold on Tunis was very
short-lived. In 1541 came the miserable fiasco of the Spanish
expedition to Algiers. Here, also, the Knights behaved with their usual
bravery; but Charles's disregard of the advice of his Admiral, Andrea
Doria, resulted in the failure of the whole expedition. In these and other
expeditions the Knights took part: some--like the attack in 1550 on
Mehedia[2]--were successful, others--like the siege of the Isle of Jerbah
in 1559--ended in disaster.
Such was the importance of Malta when the Knights took over the
island in 1530. The first need was to put it into a state of defence. On
the northeast of the island was the promontory of Mount Sceberras,
flanked by the two fine harbours, the Marsa Muscetto and what was
later known as the Grand Harbour.[3] The eastern side of the Grand
Harbour was broken by three prominent peninsulas, later occupied by
Fort Ricasoli, Fort St. Angelo, and Fort St. Michael. The only
fortification in 1530 was the Fort of St. Angelo, with a few guns and
very weak walls. The intention of the Knights, even from the beginning,
was to make the main peninsula, Mount Sceberras, the seat of their
"Convent"; but as that would mean the leveling of the whole
promontory, a task of enormous expense and difficulty, and as
immediate defence was necessary, they decided to occupy the
Peninsula of St. Angelo for the present. Wedged between St. Angelo
and the mainland there was a small town, "Il Borgo": this, for the
present, the Knights made their headquarters, drawing a line of
entrenchments across the neck of the promontory to guard it from the
neighboring heights.
When it became certain that Malta was to be its permanent home--for
L'Isle Adam had at first cherished hopes of recapturing Rhodes--the
Order proceeded to take further measures for its security. Both St.
Angelo and Il Borgo were strengthened with ramparts and artillery, and
the fortifications of the Città Notabile, the main town in the centre of
the island, were improved. In 1552 a commission of three Knights with
Leo Strozzi, the Prior of Capua, at its head--one of the most daring
Corsairs of the day--made a report of the fortifications of the island.

They recommended strengthening Il Borgo and St. Angelo, and pointed
out that the whole promontory was commanded by St. Julian, the
southernmost of the three projections into the Grand Harbour. Further,
as it was necessary to command the entrances both of Marsa Muscetto
and of the Grand Harbour, the tip, at least, of Mount Sceberras should
be occupied, as the finances of the Order would not allow of anything
further being done. These