Il-Konsegwenzi tal-Assedju l-Kbir tal-1565The Consequences of the Great Siege of 1565

Eżatt wara l-Assedju l-Kavallieri ħadu d-deċiżjoni finali li jibqgħu Malta u jibnu belt ġdida

fuq l-Għolja Sciberras.

Immediately after the Siege the Knights finally decided to stay permanently in Malta and

build a new city on Mt Sciberras. 2

Il-mewt ta’ Dragut waqt il-ħbit fuq Sant’Jiermu sewa lit-Torok it-telfa tal-uniku

mexxej li kien aktarx irebbaħhom l-assedju.

The death of Dragut during the attack on St Elmo cost the Turks the loss the

leader that could have won them the siege. 3

L-Assedju wera l-abbilità fit-taqbid u fit-tmexxija tal-Grand Mastru De Valette. Il-Kappella ta’ Sant’Anna kien il-post fejn hu u l-Kavallieri kienu jisimgħu il-Quddies u mnejn kien jagħti l-ordnijiet waqt l-assedju.

The Siege demonstrated the leadership and military skills of Grand Master De Valette. St Anne Chapel in Fort St Angelo was the place where he and the Knights used to hear Mass and issue orders during the siege. 4

Wara l-Assedju l-Ordni bena mill-ġdid Fort Sant’Jiermu peress li din kienet

saret ħerba wara xahar ta’ bumbardament kontinwu mit-Torok.

After the Siege, the Order rebuilt Fort St Elmo which was almost in ruins

during a month of continuous bombarbment by the Turks.5

Il-fortifikazzjonijiet tal-Birgu u l-Isla kellhom jitranġaw u jissaħħu minħabba

l-biża’ li t-Torok jerġgħu jattakkaw fis-sena ta’ wara.

The Birgu and Senglea fortifications had to be repaired and strengthened for

fear of another Turkish attack in the following year. 6

Fix-xhur ta’ wara l-Assedju, il-bini tal-Belt Valletta ngħata prijorità bit-tqegħid tal-ewwel

ġebla f’Marzu 1566.

The building of Valletta was given top priority with laying of the first foundation stone

in March 1566. 7

F’temp ta’ ftit għexieren ta’ snin, il-Belt Valletta saret vetrina tal-kobor tal-Ordni

li baqa’ mmarkat bħala ‘żmien id-deheb’ fl-istorja tal-Ordni ta’ San Ġwann.

Within a few decades, Valletta became the showcase of the Order’s grandeur

and marked the ‘golden age’ of the Order.8

Il-Port il-Kbir sar ċentru għall-kummerċ, it-tbaħħir u l-corso fil-Mediterran.

The Grand Harbour became a centre for trade, shipping and corsairing in the

Mediterranean.9

Il-Kavallieri u l-Maltin tawha

għall-corso li maż-żmien kiber

f’industrija li kienet iġġib flus u

ilsiera għall-Ordni u tipprovdi

impjiegi għall-Maltin.

The Knights and the Maltese

resorted to corsairing which

soon became a thriving industry

that brought money and slaves

for the Order and provided jobs

for the Maltese.

10

Il-biża’ ta’ assedju ieħor mit-Torok ġiegħel lill-Kavallieri jibnu aktar fortifikazzjonijiet

madwar il-portijiet ewlenin. Forti Tigné kienet l-aħħar waħda li nbniet bejn l-1761 u l-1795.

The fear of another Turkish siege made the Knights build more fortifications around the

main harbours. The last fort to be built was Fort Tigné between 1761-1795.11

Fid-daħla bejn il-Birgu u l-Isla kienet żviluppata t-tarzna għat-tiswija tal-flotta

tal-Ordni li kienet tikkonsisti f’galeri u vaxxelli.

The creek between Birgu and Senglea developed into an arsenal (or dockyard)

for the repair and maintenance of the Order’s fleet made up of galleys and

ships-of-the line.12

Wieħed għadu jista’

jara partijiet mill-

armatura li De

Valette kien juża

fl-Assedju:

Il-korazza fl-Armerija

tal-Palazz;

Ix-xabla u l-kappell

fl-Oratorju tal-Knisja

Parrokkjali ta’ San

Lawrenz, il-Birgu.

Parts of De Valette’s Great Siege armour can still be seen:

The breastplate at the Palace Armour;

The sword and hat at Oratory St Lawrence Parish Church at Birgu. 13

Fl-Armerija tal-Palazz

hemm eżebiti armaturi

awtentiċi ta’ Kavallieri u

suldati oħra Insara li

ġġieldu fl-Assedju.

The Palace Armoury

contains authentic

armour wore by the

Knights and other

Christian warriors who

fought in the Siege.

14

Elmi tat-tip ‘morion’ ta’ nofs is-seklu 16. Xellug (Taljan); Tan-nofs (Spanjol);

Lemin: elmu Franċiż tat-tip ‘Bourgonet’ (c.1560).

Morion helmets of the mid-16th century. Left (Italian)’ Middle (Spanish); Right: a

French Bourgonet (c.1560).

.

15

Fl-Armerija hemm ukoll għadd ta’ kanuni li t-Torok kien ħallew warajhom meta telqu bl-

għaġġla mill-gżira fis-7 ta’ Settembru 1565.

The Armoury houses also a number of cannons which the Turks left behind them in their

haste to leave the island on 7th September 1565.16

Insibu armi u armaturi li t-Torok ħallew warajhom meta waqqfu l-Assedju.

More weapons and armour which the Turks left in Malta when they stopped the siege.

17

Il-Monument tal-Assedju l-Kbir

fil-Belt Valletta ta’ Antonio Sciortino,

kien inawgurat fl-1927.

Il-figuri jirrappreżentaw il-Fidi

(xellug), il-Kuraġġ (fin-nofs) u

ċ-Ċiviltà (lemin).

The Great Siege Monument in

Valletta by Antonio Sciortino was

inaugurated in 1927.

The figures represent Faith (left),

Fortitude or Valor (centre) and

Civilsation (right).

18

X’tgħallimt dwar il-Konsegwenzi tal-Assedju l-Kbir

1. Għaliex il-bini tal-Belt Valletta kienet urġenti għall-Kavallieri wara l-Assedju? (1)

2. Għaliex il-mewt ta’ Dragut kellu impatt kbir fuq l-Assedju l-Kbir? (2)

3. X’ikkonferma l-Assedju l-Kbir dwar il-ħiliet tal-Gran Mastru de Valette? (2)

4. X’kellu jagħmel l-Ordni biex ikun żgur li Malta tkun tiflaħ għal assedju ieħor f’każ li

t-Torok jerġgħu jattakkaw? Wieġeb minn slides 4 u 5. (2)

5. X’tifhem bil-frażi ‘ fis-seklu 17 l-Ordni f’Malta kienet għaddejja minn ‘żmien tad-deheb’.

Semmi żewġ eżempji mill-istorja biex issaħħaħ l-argument tiegħek. (4)

6. Liema kienu t-tliet funzjonijiet li kien jaqdi l-Port il-Kbir fi żmien il-Kavallieri. Wieġeb

minn slide 9. (3)

7. Għaliex il-corso kien meħtieġ kemm għall-Kavallieri kif ukoll għall-Maltin? Wieġeb

minn slide 10. (2)

8. X’għamlu l-Kavallieri matul iż-żmien li għamlu f’Malta wara l-Assedju sabiex jilqgħu

għal kull attakk li setgħu jagħmlu t-Torok? Wieġeb minn slide 11. (2)

9. X’industrija kibret fid-daħla ta’ bejn il-Birgu u l-Isla u għaliex din kienet meħtieġa

għall-Ordni? Wieġeb minn slide 12. (2)

(Total: 20 marka)

19History Department, Curriculum Centre Annexe, DLAP (MEDE) 2020.

Review and assessment on the Consequences of the Great Siege

1. Why was it urgent for the Knights to built Valletta after the Siege? (1)

2. How did the death of Dragut impact on the outcome of the Great Siege? (2)

3. What did the Great Siege confirm about the abilities of Grand Master de Valette? (2)

4. What did the Order do to ensure that Malta would be able to withstand another

Turkish siege in the future? Use slides 4 and 5 to help you answer. (2)

5. What do you mean by the phrase ‘in the 17th century the Order in Malta was passing

through a ‘golden age’. Mention two examples from history to prove your point. (4)

6. Which were the three functions of the Grand Harbour during the Knights’ period.

Answer from slide 9. (3)

7. Why was the corso a necessary business both for the Knights and the Maltese?

Answer from slide 10. (2)

8. What did the Knights do during their post-Siege years in Malta to defend the islands

from another Turkish attack? Answer from slide 11. (2)

9. Name the industry that sprang up in the creek between Birgu and Senglea and why

was it necessary for the Order. Use slide 12 to answer. (2)

10. (Total: 20 marks)

20History Department, Curriculum Centre Annexe, DLAP (MEDE) 2020.