J.C. 1478. pay the Turks, procured the Venetians the li →berty of trading on the Pont Euxine and in all J.C. 1480. the fultan's dominions. Mahomet confented to this peace the more readily, as he was always thinking of the conqueft of Rhodes. He filently prepared for that expedition, and covered it even with a falfity. On the occafion of the peace with Venice, he fent a chiau to propose a lasting peace to the council of the Order of St. John. The grand mafter, Aubuffon, as fage as courageous, had his eyes open on all the Turk's proceedings. Some fpies, dearly paid, informed him of every thing that paffed in the divan, and he knew the defigns of the Turkish monarch, as well as those who had his confidence. However, he feigned to liften to Mahomet's propofals; he confented even to a truce of three months, under the fpecious pretext of fettling the conditions of peace; but, in reality, in order to have the fea open during that time, that the convoked knights might land in fafety in the island. They prefently arrived from all parts of Christendom, bringing with them a numerous and brilliant nobility whom the love of glory drew to Rhodes. Aubuffon, viscount Monteil, the brother of the grand mafter, was of the number. This grand mafter had just been invested with the fovereign authority, which belongs to all the Order of St. John, of which he is only the chief and the representative. Heg. 885. representative. This fort of dictatorship, as J.C. 1480. Vertot calls it, was at that time neceffary, on account of the concert and celerity with which it was requifite that every thing fhould be tranfacted in fuch delicate circumftances. The knights unanimously solicited Aubuffon, to confer the command of the troops, after himself, on viscount Monteil his brother. On the news, which foon spread, that the Turks were ready to put to fea, the grand mafter ordered all the environs of Rhodes to be laid waste, the pleasure houses and farms to be demolished, the vineyards to be burnt, the granaries to be emptied, and all the fruit trees to be cut down, in order that the Turks, on their debarking, might find neither retreat, nor lodging, nor subfiftence. Meanwhile they advanced under the command of the bafhaw Mischa Paleologus, a Greek renegade, of the family of the laft emperors of Conftantinople. The love of riches and dignities had made him turn Mahometan; he had fhewn, before Mahomet, the most inveterate hatred against those of his ancient religion, and had folicited the honor of commanding at the fiege of Rhodes. The fultan, who began to love repose, had put in his place this apoftate, fuppofing him a greater enemy of the Christians than any of his fubjects. The armament intended against Rhodes confifted of a hundred and fixty high built veffels (without counting the galliots, Heg. 885. 1.C. 1480. galliots, fhallops, and transport boats), and a hundred thousand land forces. All these troops did not proceed at the fame J.C. 1481. Heg. 886. time towards the menaced ifland. The bafhaw Paleologus was as impatient as Mahomet to begin the operations. In the middle of the winter, he conducted fome veffels loaded with janiffaries, to attempt a defcent on the coast of Rhodes, whilft the main body of the fleet and army was to go and attend the chief in the port of Phifco in Lycia. This firft enterprise was unfuccessful. Thofe, who advanced into the country, found only parties of foldiers, inftead of the booty which they had expected. They were not more fortunate in the fmall ifle of Tilo, which belonged alfo to the knights; they found it equally well guarded and defolated. Siege of After having loft a month, and fifteen hundred men, in the defcent, they regained the port of Phifco. The bashaw, taught by misfortune, waited for a more favorable feason. He did not arrive before Rhodes at the head of his whole army, 'till the 23d of May. The capital of the island, which bears its name, Rhodes. is fituated by the fea fide, on the declivity of a fmall hill, which, at that time, was covered with orange trees, pomegranates, and all forts of vineyards. This place was furrounded by a double wall, and fortified at equal distances with large towers. A rampart fupported these walls and towers, of the towers, and they were defended by a large deep J.C. 1481. Heg. 886. ditch. Rhodes had two ports, one of which ferved for the galleys; a tower, named fort St. Situation Helme, defended it. The large veffels occu- town. pied the other port, on each fide of which there are two small gulfs, the one on the north, the other on the fouth. That on the north was fecured by a mole advanced into the sea, on which was constructed a fortress, called fort St. Nicholas, which will be often mentioned in the account of this fiege. The other gulf, exposed to the fouth, was defended by a fortrefs lefs confiderable than fort St. Nicholas. Two miles from the town is a little hill, called mount St. Stephen. 1 Such was the fituation of Rhodes, when the bafhaw Mischa Paleologus attempted its conqueft. The valour of the knights did not hinder the debarking of this numerous army. The veffels approached the places leaft fortified, notwithstanding the resistance, and without, for this time, much blood fhed. The Ottoman army marched in tolerable good order to take poffeffion of mount St. Stephen, from whence the bashaw fummoned the grand master, who did not condefcend to make him a reply. Paleologus began the fiege with the attack of fort St. Ni- fort Saint cholas, both by land and sea, hoping if he could get poffeffion of that poft, to be foon master of the grand port. A formidable artillery was made ufe of both in the attack and defence. The Attack of Nicholas. walls J.C.1481. walls were presently injured. Viscount Monteil Heg. 886. and the grand mafter himself, seeing all the importance of this post, had shut themselves up in it with feveral volunteers, The Turks foon attempted to ftorm the fort; the galleys and light veffels advanced in the night as far as the mole; and the janiffaries landed with loud acclamations, without being intimidated by the fire from the batteries, which played all at the fame time. They prefented themselves, ladder in hand, to the efcalade. It was firft neceffary to clamber up an enormous heap of stones that the cannon had beaten down. They mounted, fword in hand. The grand mafter himself defended the breach, at the head of his knights. He overturned their ladders, threw down quantities of boiling oil, and rolled enormous ftones on the affailants. -wards the breach, The Turks darted hooks to fastened to cords which they held, in order to catch the arms or clothes of the knights, and pull them to the ground. Aubuffon, intent on his poft, fought as the youngeft of his officers. His helmet was carried away by a sharp piece of ftone, without doing him any mischief. He took a foldier's hat, and remained on the breach, 'till the terrible fire from the befieged at length leffened the ardour of the janiffaries. They retreated to their veffels, leaving a number of dead behind. But the bashaw was not difcouraged by this bad fuccefs. |