malta under the rule of the order of st john

• when the order of St John took over the Maltese islands in 1530, it took up residence in Birgu
• only fortified town in 1530


  old capital city of Mdina
• the order was a seafaring power so it could not establish its headquarters in Mdina as it was too far away from the harbours which were important to the knights as a base for their fleet of ships
• what was Birgu in 1530?


  In 1530, Birgu was not a fortified town. It was a harbour-side maritime suburb inhabited mostly by people who made a living by the sea, these would've included pirates, sailors, fishermen and merchants who traded with other countries
• what stood at the tip of Birgu?

  An old castle, possibly built during the arab ruling, which the local inhabitants referred to as the castrum maris (or castle by the sea)
• What did the knights do shortly after taking residence in Birgu?

  They strengthened the castrum maris by transforming it into a strong fortress and re-naming it fort st Angelo
• What was the purpose of Fort St Angelo?

  To defend birgu as well as the entrance to the grand harbour
• What did the knights do during their first years in Malta?

  they built defensive walls around birgu
• what did the knights leave behind in 1571 when they moved to valletta?

  a good number of buildings in Birgu
• The church of St Lawrence:

  • built on the site of a smaller church which was also dedicated to St Lawrence
  • served as the order's first conventual church from 1530 to 1571
  • The present parish church of St Lawrence was designed by maltese architect Lorenzo gafa in the late 17th Century
• The Auberge of France

  • built in 1533
  • housed the knights of the French langue until the order moved to Valletta where a bigger auberge de France was built
• The auberge of Anglettere

  • built in 1534 and housed the knights of the langue of England
  • a new Auberge of Anglettere did not get built in Valletta because the langue of England ceased to exist because England had just become protestant by the time the knights moved to Valletta
• The Inquisitor's Court and Palace

  • the palace was built during the reign of Grandmaster la Cassiere (1572-1581)
  • Monsignor Pietro Dusina arrived in Malta as the first inquisitor in 1574 and took residence in the palace
  • the palace also housed the Inquisition tribunal (court) and prison cells
  • The main courtyard of this building was built by the order in gothic style, similar to its buildings in Rhodes
• With the arrival of the Knights, the Grand Master took full control, acting like a prince, while the Mdina nobles lost their power. In 1560, a Maltese named Mattew Callus sent a petition to the King of Spain against the autocratic rule of Grand Master de Valette but was arrested and hanged for treason. Despite this, life for common Maltese continued unchanged, facing raids by Berber corsairs. In 1551, Corsair Dragut attempted to attack Mdina but attacked Gozo Castle instead.
• preparations for the great siege of 1565

  • Jean de Valette was selected grandmaster as the successor of La Sengle. In 1562. he started receiving secret messages from Christian spies in Constantinople that the Ottoman Empire was planning a large-scale attack on Malta
• Forts St Angelo, St Elmo and St Michael


  • Strengthened
  • Defensive walls around Birgu and Senglea strengthened
• Deny Turkish ships entry into the creek between Birgu and Senglea


  An iron chain was placed under the surface of the water
• Send reinforcements, weapons and provisions between Birgu and Senglea


  A pontoon bridge was constructed between the two towns
• Secure safety and avoid burden on defenders


  Old and sick Maltese transported to Sicily
• Train defenders


  1. Dejma militia re-trained

  2. All able-bodied Maltese men trained in use of arms
• De Valette asked Christian rulers of Europe

  Send soldiers, weapons, ammunition, food and medicines to assist in siege against Turks
• King Philip II of Spain promised de Valette a fleet of ships with Spanish soldiers to assist the Knights during the siege
• Defenders of Malta


  • 700 knights
  • 9,000 Maltese, Spanish, Italian and Sicilian soldiers