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 XIII: the flight of the Ottoman forces
published 1582Etching and engraving; printed on paper; mounted on paper (Mount Type A); gilt edges left, bottom and right | 32.2 x 45.0 cm (image, neatline and sheet) | RCIN 721033.n
A high oblique view looking north-east (G[reco]; mariner’s compass rose) showing the retreat of the Turkish fleet from Malta on the 13th September 1565.
The text relates that on the 9th September, a grenadier who had defected to the Turks informed the Pasha that there were no more than 6,000 Christians remaining, with very few supplies and that Don Garcia, intending to attack the Turks by land and sea had returned to Sicily to fetch the rest of the army which was waiting there. On hearing this, the Pasha immediately ordered his troops to burn their camps, and for water to be taken on to the ships as quickly as possible, and the guns all to be embarked. Then, thinking that he would be eternally dishonoured if he left without showing his face to the enemy, the Pasha determined to meet the Christian army hand to hand. He disembarked his best troops and the ships were ordered to wait in St Paul’s Bay. The Grand Master, being informed of the Pasha’s plan, sent word to the relief force, informing them that Mustapha Pasha was coming with 16,000 men to do battle with them. On the morning of the 11th of September the entire fleet left Marsamuscetto while the Pasha and his men marched towards Mdina, burning everything as they went. The Grand Master, seeing this, ordered Captain Romegas to go and re-occupy St Elmo and set up the standard of the ‘Most Holy White Cross’, which can be seen in this view.
See RCIN 721033.a for further information and literature and further reading.
Matteo Perez d'Aleccio (1547-1616) (publisher) [bottom centre, above neatline:] IN ROMA·APPRESSO·MA / TTHEO PEPEZ [sic] D'ALLECIO·
Subject(s)
Navy-Ottoman EmpireWatermark: Three-runged ladder in shield; six-pointed star above [see Woodward nos 243-254]
Condition: bottom left corner of mount cut off; small piece torn from top edge of mount
32.2 x 45.0 cm (image, neatline and sheet)
cropped (platemark)
41.3 x 54.9 cm (mount)
Printed title:
LA FVGA E PARTENZA DELL' ARMATA TVRCHESCA ADI · XIII · DI SETTEMBRE · MDLXV ·[top]
Printed title:
L'ARMATA DEL TVRCO DOPO L'ESSERE FVGGITA [THE ‘T’ AND ‘A’ ARE COMBINED] ... [along bottom, below neatline]
Printed title:
FOGLIO· DECIMO TERZO·[bottom right]
Additional text:
[top right, in a cartouche:] Allj ·9·di Settembre fuggi un Granatino ... [in a scroll, below cartouche, left:] La mattina allj ·11· [a line is engraved above the number] di Settembre tutta la Armata ... [in a second scroll, below the first:] Il Bassa se n'andaua tuttaina ... [in a panel, bottom left:] Dopo la Rotta il Bassa' desperato affatto ...
Annotations:
George III heading: Malta
Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [bottom right, black pencil:] I/37m [sic].
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. 2678
Page revisions
25 May 2024
Current version
