J.C.1549, The furrender of Africa caufed much inquietude & 1550. & 957. tians re Heg. 956, to the emperor of the Weft. This prince forefaw that it would be easier than ever for Dragut to make depredations on the coafts of Naples and Sicily. The knights of Saint John of Jerufalem, mafters of Tripoli, were as much interested as the emperor in driving out fuch an important neighbour. The galleys of Malta and thofe of the Church joined the fleet commanded by Andrew Doria, to lay fiege to it. These united forces proceeded towards the coast of Africa. The place furrendered to the Chriftians, and the knights of Malta had the principal fhare in the The Chrif. glory of it. Solyman faw with grief the emtake Afri- peror of the Weft mafter of the principal ports of Africa. He had a garrifon in the fortrefs" of Goletta, and Tripoli belonged to the knights of Malta, his allies and feudatories. Africa was a place ftill more important than the two first. There was reafon to fear the Chriftians would penetrate into Egypt, and from thence into Paleftine. The valour of the knights of Malta, especially their profeffion, recalled that ancient spirit of crufades, which, three centuries before, hod done fo much mischief to the Chriftians and Muffulmen. The latter were afraid of feeing them revived in a time when the Europeans knew better how to fight, and their armies were better disciplined. The fiege of Tripoli was refolved on in the divan of Conftantinople. In this af ca. fembly Heg. 958. the fiege of Tripoli. fembly the knights of Malta were reprefented to J.C. 1551. the fultan, as pirates of whom it was highly re- The Turks quifite to destroy all the haunts; but this prince prepare for believed these reputed pirates to be fubjects of Charles V. because they had marched in Africa under the command of his generals, and all the placés which they poffeffed had belonged to the emperor of the Weft. Accordingly, Solyman made, a fcruple of attackingga monarch with whom he was in alliance, without having complained of some violation of treaty. He fent therefore to the court of Charles V. not an ambaffador, but a chiau, which is a kind of herald, to fummon that prince to reftore him the places which he had taken on the coaft of Africa. Charles V. replied, that all thofe towns belonged to the kingdom of Tunis, which was tributary to the crown of Caftile; that his generals had retaken them from Dragut, whom he regarded as a pirate, and not as the admiral of the grand feignior. In confequence of this anfwer, the fucceffor of Barbaroffa was raised to the dignity of fangiac, in order that his being in the service of the Porte might be lefs doubtful. He received orders to prepare all his corfairs for an expedition against the knights of Malta, whilft a confiderable fleet was arming in the port of Conftantinople, which Sinan bashaw was to command,with the affiftance of Dragut's advice. Though the Order of Malta was not subject to the emperor of the West, Heg. 958. J.C.1551. Weft, as Solyman had always believed it, the grand mafter, John Domedès, a Spaniard by birth, and a thorough Austrian in his heart, profeffed a blind fubmiffion to Charles V. his ancient mafter. At the time when the Infidels were menacing the Order with all their maritime forces, Domedès fent the galleys of Malta to reinforce the Neapolitan fleet, which guarded the gulf of Venice, whilst Doria was gone to conduct Philip II. into Spain with the galleys of his father the emperor. In vain did the knights oppose in the council this diffipation of the forces. fo neceffary to them: Domedès conftantly denied that the preparations of the Turks threatened the poffeffions of his Order. He pretended to have received fecret intelligence, and that this great armament of Solyman's was intended to affift France against Charles V. Thus, by the credit and authority of the grand mafter of Malta, the port of the ifland was left defencelefs, and the Order deprived of the liberty of fending fuccours to the place where a powerful enemy was preparing to attack them. Domedès fent to Tripoli, only two hundred Calabrians, which were at that time at Malta; he placed at their head thirty knights, all young men whose irregularities had caufed them to be fhut up in the prifons of the Order. This was all the fuccours which the reprefentations of several great officers of the Order could obtain for Tripoli. There were Heg. 958. were at that time in the place, only fome old J.C. 1551 infirm knights, whom the falubrity of the air had drawn thither, and who commanded natives that were Muffulmen, and confequently but little attached to their masters. The grand mafter repeated fo often that the preparations of the Turks were not intended for either Malta or Tripoli, that they began to believe him, and the knights refumed their tranquility, when all of a fudden they perceived the Ottoman fleet making towards the island. It was composed of a hundred and twelve galleys, carrying twelve thousand janiffaries, thirty pinks, and several transports. Sinan bafhaw, who commanded it, was ordered to un. dertake nothing of confequence but by the advice of Dragut his lieutenant. His inftructions were The Turks to lay fiege to Tripoli, and to endeavour, by the make an way, to take the ifle of Malta. The fleet had a ful attempt favorable wind, and foon arrived in the port called Marfamufcet, which is feparated from the great port only by a neck of land, on which is a very steep rock. All the natives were instantly seized with terror; and, fpite of the valour of the knights, the ifle of Malta, which the grand mafter Domedès had obftinately refused to provide with provisions and troops, would most probably have been the prey of the Turks who landed there, but for the ftratagem of a knight, the receiver for the Order, who refided at Meffina. The unfuccefs on Malta. J.C. 1581. T The Turks, ready to begin the fiege, took, in the evening, a fmall bark, which feemed to want to land fecretly on the coaft; but care had been taken to let it be perceived. The master affected as if he would throw fome papers into the fea: he fucceeded, as he wifhed, for these papers, being perceived, were feized in his hands, and carried immediately to Sinan bafhaw, who found in them a letter from the receiver of Messina addreffed to the grand mafter. It contained in fubftance, that Andrew Doria was just arrived from Spain and then in the port; that he had dispatched brigantines to all the other ports of the island, to Naples and to Genoa, to order back to him all the galleys and veffels that were in a fituation to keep the fea, with the troops necessary to arm them; and that he would oblige the Turks to raise the siege immediately. This fuppofed intelligence had all the effect which the inventor of the trick had expected. Sinan bafhaw affembled the council, read this letter to the chiefs, and represented, that, if Doria should come and attack his fleet whilft the troops were on fhore employed in the fiege, the Turks would undoubtedly have the disadvantage, and would mifs the fiege of Tripoli, the fole object of their embarcation. Dragut, who at first had advised the fiege of Malta, no longer prefumed to oppose the will of the bafhaw. The Turks decamped, and directed their courfe towards Tripoli. We have |