Ottoman-Habsburg Wars (1521-1791)
Images from eight wars fought between 1570 and 1718
The Siege of Malta, 1565 (Malta, independent political entity) 35°55ʹ00ʺN 14°26ʹ00ʺEPlate VII: the arrival of relief forces at Birgu
published 1582Etching and engraving; printed on paper; mounted on paper (Mount Type A); gilt edges left, bottom and right | 31.7 x 44.7 cm (image, neatline and sheet) | RCIN 721033.g
A view looking west towards towards the old city of Mdina, on the night of 5 July 1565.
The first relief force of 600 soldiers was brought to Malta in four galleys by Signor Don Giovanni di Cardona, disembarking at Pietra Negra on 29th June. They waited at Mdina, the old city, for six days and were then brought, as shown in this view, by night, to Mount Salvador where Captain Romegas and Captain Fantone were waiting for them with some boats and immediately took them across to Birgu.
See RCIN 721033.a for further information and literature and further reading.
Matteo Perez d'Aleccio (1547-1616) (publisher) [bottom left, above text and neatline:] IN ROMA·APPRESSO·MATTEO PEREZ DE ALLECCIO [the second ‘C’ is engraved within the first] and [in the sea, bottom centre:] ·MDLXXXII·
Subject(s)
Army-Ottoman EmpireWatermark: Shield with three chevrons above a wolf in circle, a crown above [see Woodward 223]
Condition: mount slightly creased; some brown discolouration; surface dirt
31.7 x 44.7 cm (image, neatline and sheet)
cropped (platemark)
41.0 x 54.8 cm (mount)
Printed title:
IL SOCCORSO PICCOLO AL BORGO DI NOTTE ADI·V·DI LVGLIO·[top]
Printed title:
QVESTO PRIMO SOCCORSO DI •600• [a line is engraved above the figures] SOLDATI SMONTO ALLA PIETRA NEGRA ADI•29•DI GIVGNO ... [along bottom, below neatline]
Printed title:
FOGLIO•SETTIMO [bottom left]
Additional text:
[top left, in a panel, a list of names of knights who took part in the relief:] LI CAVAGLIERI DI MALTA [the ‘T’ and ‘A’ are combined] CHE VENEROCO [a line is engraved above the ‘NE’ and second ‘O’] IL / PRIMO SOCCORSO. [bottom right, in a cartouche, the names of Italian, German and English soldiers.]
Annotations:
George III heading: Malta
Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [bottom right, black pencil, erased:] I/37g
George III catalogue entry:
Malta Ritratti della Guerra e dell’ Assedio et Assalti dati alla Isola di Malta dall’ Armata Turchesca l’anno 1565: da Matteo Perez di Allecio, 1582. 15 foglie.
Subject(s)
Malta, independent political entity (35°55ʹ00ʺN 14°26ʹ00ʺE)
Bibliographic reference(s)
M. McDonald, The Print Collection of Cassiano dal Pozzo. Part II, Architecture, Topography and Military Maps, 3 vols, London 2019, cat. no. 2672
Page revisions
25 May 2024
Current version