The Project Gutenberg EBook of Knights of Malta, 1523-1798, by R. Cohen
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Title: Knights of Malta, 1523-1798
Author: R. Cohen
Release Date: April 15, 2004 [EBook #12034]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KNIGHTS OF MALTA, 1523-1798 ***
Produced by Julie Barkley, Bill Hershey and PG Distributed Proofreaders
KNIGHTS OF MALTA
1523-1798
BY R. COHEN LATE SCHOLAR OF WADHAM COLLEGE, OXFORD
1920
THE LOTHIAN PRIZE ESSAY FOR 1920 (UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD)
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
SETTLEMENT AT MALTA, 1523-1565
Departure from Rhodes--Residence in Italy--Settlement in
Malta, 1530--Condition of the Mediterranean--The
corsairs--Turkey--Fortification of Malta--Loss of English
"Langue"--Enterprises of the Order--Solyman decides to attack Malta
CHAPTER II
THE SIEGE OF MALTA, 1565
Preparations--Size of opposing forces--Siege of St. Elmo--Arrival of
Dragut--Capture of St. Elmo, June 23--Death of Dragut--Siege of main
fortresses--Great losses on both sides--Arrival of reinforcements from
Sicily--Turks evacuate island
CHAPTER III
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE ORDER OF ST. JOHN
Classes in the Order--Langues--Chapter-General--Councils--Grand
Master--Bishop of Malta--Finances--Justice--Criminal Council--Court of
Egard--The Hospital
CHAPTER IV
THE DECLINE, 1565-1789
Decadence of Turkey--Knights become anachronism--Valetta
built--Fortifying the island--Disturbances in the Order--Quarrels
with different Powers--Treatment of the Maltese--Buildings in
Valetta--Papal interference--Naval operations--Independence of the
Order
CHAPTER V
THE FALL, 1789-1798
Attacks on the Order during the French Revolution--French
estates confiscated--Poverty of the Order--Tsar Paul I.--French
schemes--Napoleon appears off Malta--Condition of the island--Its
capture--Dispersion of the Order
APPENDIX I.
APPENDIX II.
BOOKS CONSULTED
NOTE ON THE AUTHORITIES
KNIGHTS OF MALTA
CHAPTER I
SETTLEMENT AT MALTA 1523-1565.
On January 1, 1523, a fleet of fifty vessels put out from the harbour
at Rhodes for an unknown destination in the West. On b
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