Osprey Trade Editions : Malta 1565 : Last Battle of the Crusades

The epic siege of the island fortress of the Knights Hospitaller by the huge Turkish Army of the Emperor Suliman is one of the most compelling stories in the history of the western world. The Turks amassed an army of 30,000 men, which doubled as the siege dragged on. The knights facing them totalled 500, along with 4,000 Maltese levies and 4,500 other troops. Tim Pickles describes how despite constant pounding by the massive Turkish guns and heavy casualties, the Knights managed to hold out. The siege lasted from the end of May until September, when a Spanish army relieved the island. In scenes of brutal combat, the Turks lost over 24,000 men as they were consistently repulsed from the fortress walls. Both sides accepted no quarter: at one point the Turks nailed the decapitated bodies of their enemies to crosses and let them float over to the Christian side, while in return Malta's defenders executed their Turkish prisoners and fired their heads from cannon. This campaign also witnessed many acts of individual bravery in the face of overwhelming odds, and these are brought to life in the six specially commissioned battlescene plates. Tim Pickles' account of the siege is extremely interesting and readable and accompanied by illustrations by Christa Hook.