As part of a period of expansion in the Mediterranean, the powerful Ottoman Empire under Sultan Suleiman I (r. 1520-66) waged an epic siege on the island of Malta, guarded by a small force of Hospitaller knights and troops. With superior numbers, the Ottomans used their heavy cannons and siege towers, but were repulsed timeContinue reading “The Siege of Malta, 1565”
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Mamluks, Egypt, c.1500
The mamluks were among the most professional soldiers in the Medieval world, with their origins going back to the 8th century. Largely recruited from Turkish peoples, they were the property of their masters as ‘slaves’, but because of their status as the military elite, they were well-treated and could rise to prominent positions. Following theirContinue reading “Mamluks, Egypt, c.1500”
