Siege Of Rhodes Research Paper

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The Siege of Rhodes, part of the long standing Ottoman Wars, was fought over the course of several months commencing on July 26, 1522 and last until the succession of fighting on December 22 and final withdrawal of Christian troops on January 1, 1523. The conflict involved the second attempt and long term besieging by the Ottoman Empire upon the Island fortifications of Rhodes, which at the time were controlled by the Christian alliance of the Knights Hospitaller and the Republic of Venice lead by Philippe Villiers de L'Isle-Adam (1464-1534). The goal of the Ottoman attack was to rid the region of Christian influence and reassert Turkish authority in the Eastern Mediterranean along an important trade route. The result of the assault was the Ottoman annexation of Rhodes which demonstrated Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent's (1494-1566) strength and ensured the …show more content…

Despite receiving only a few responses, given the size of the Turkish naval fleet and army, the defenders at Rhodes had sufficient time to make preparations which included the chaining and protection of the main harbour as well as the removal of potential supplies from around the settlement on the island. On July 28 1522, Suleiman's naval forces, several hundred strong, blockaded the Island and began a canon and mortar barrage of Rhodes which was soon after followed with the landing of their troops which comprised between one and two hundred thousand soldiers. By comparison, the Knights of Rhodes were composed of an army which was between six and eight thousand strong. In the fall of 1522, following several months of sustained bombardment, Suleiman's army began assaulting Rhodes and strove to undermine the fortification's walls with

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