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This is the first of eight paintings constituting a near-contemporary record of the Siege of Malta between 18th May and 11th September 1565. The canvases bear the cipher of Charles I on the reverse indicating that they were once in his collection. The set as a whole is a version of the larger series still in place in the Council Chamber of the Grand Master's Palace in Valletta. The advance of the powerful Ottoman Turks into Eastern Europe threatened the West. In the spring of 1565 Suleiman I, the Sultan of Turkey, decided to attack and destroy the Knights of St John at Malta, the sole survivors of the medieval crusading orders, before invading Italy and Western Europe. The ensuing four-month siege is one of the great military epics of history. The outnumbered Knights resisted the superior enemy, and the Turks eventually retreated after thousands of their troops were killed.
Title
The Siege of Malta: Arrival of the Turkish Fleet, 20 May 1565
Date
late 16th C
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
H 134.5 x W 203.2 cm
Accession number
BHC0252
Work type
Painting
National Maritime Museum
Romney Road, Greenwich, London, Greater London SE10 9NF England
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The Siege of Malta: Capture of St Elmo, 23 June 1565 National Maritime Museum -
The Siege of Malta: Arrival of the Turkish Fleet, 20 May 1565 National Maritime Museum -
The Siege of Malta: Siege and Bombardment of Saint Elmo, 27 May 1565 National Maritime Museum -
The Siege of Malta: Siege and Bombardment of St Michael, 28 June 1565 National Maritime Museum -
The Siege of Malta: Attack on the Post of the Castilian Knights, 21 August 1565 National Maritime Museum -
The Siege of Malta: Valetta, 13 September 1565 National Maritime Museum -
The Siege of Malta: Flight of the Turks, 13 September 1565 National Maritime Museum - 1 more