The Knights takeover of Rhodes: How Rhodes Became a Crusader State
November 3, 2024
The Last Stand: The Siege of Rhodes in 1522
November 13, 2024Table of Contents
Introduction
In the spring of 1480, the eastern Mediterranean trembled. The mighty Ottoman Empire, under Sultan Mehmed II—the conqueror of Constantinople—set its sights on the fortified island of Rhodes.
For decades, the island had stood as a thorn in the side of Ottoman expansion, a Christian stronghold ruled by the Knights of Saint John.
With a fleet of ships and an army numbering close to 100,000 men, the Ottomans prepared to storm the walls. The Siege of Rhodes in 1480 was not just a military campaign; it was a moment that would determine the fate of East-West relations for generations.
The defenders—a few thousand Knights and Rhodian inhabitants—faced overwhelming odds. Yet within the walls of the medieval city, faith, strategy, and sheer resolve collided with the might of an empire. The siege would last months, test every stone of the city’s defenses, and become a defining chapter in Rhodes’s medieval history.
A Fortress Under Threat
Rhodes had long been a crucial outpost for Western Christendom. Positioned between Europe and the Levant, it controlled sea routes and offered a staging point for crusaders. For the Ottomans, it represented not only a military threat but also a symbolic challenge.
In 1480, Mehmed II dispatched a massive expedition led by Mesih Pasha, a former Christian who had converted to Islam and risen through the Ottoman ranks.By late May, Ottoman forces landed on the island and encircled the city. Their target: the fortified capital built by the Knights.
The Siege of Rhodes in 1480 had begun in earnest. Siege artillery pounded the city walls, while engineers worked day and night to undermine the bastions. The aim was clear—breach the defenses, slaughter the garrison, and claim Rhodes as a jewel in the Ottoman crown.
The Fury of the Siege of Rhodes in 1480
The primary focus of the attack was the Tower and bastion of Saint Catherine on the eastern wall, which faced the Ottoman camp. Day after day, cannonballs struck its fortifications, and soldiers launched wave after wave of assaults. The defenders held fast, but the pressure was relentless.
In mid-July, the Ottomans launched their fiercest attack yet. They broke through a section of the wall, forcing the Knights into hand-to-hand combat to retake the breach. Despite superior numbers, the attackers were repelled. Even as Ottoman miners detonated explosive charges beneath the walls, the defenders responded with countermines, collapsing tunnels and burying intruders alive.
The Siege of Rhodes in 1480 was a brutal affair—mud, blood, disease, and death defined the summer months. Supplies ran low, morale dipped, and the cost in human lives climbed daily.
Faith, Fire, and Resistance
Yet the city did not fall. Grand Master Pierre d’Aubusson led from the front, suffering multiple wounds in battle. His leadership, combined with unwavering resistance from the local population, kept the defenders fighting.
Tales of divine intervention circulated—visions of saints, protection by the Virgin of Phileremos, and miraculous recoveries inspired those behind the walls. Women and children carried ammunition and food, tended to the wounded, and helped extinguish fires set by Ottoman bombardments.
The unity of purpose inside Rhodes contrasted sharply with the frustrations of the invaders. After months of siege with no victory in sight and increasing losses, the Ottoman army began to retreat. On August 17, the siege was lifted.
Conclusion
The Siege of Rhodes in 1480 was one of the most significant military episodes in the island’s long history. Though outnumbered and outgunned, the defenders achieved what many thought impossible: they repelled the mightiest empire of their time. But the cost was enormous, and the memory of the siege lingered in the stones and hearts of Rhodians.
This victory delayed Ottoman conquest by four decades. When they returned in 1522, the outcome would be different. Yet the events of 1480 cemented Rhodes’s place as a bastion of resistance and as a symbol of faith and fortitude against overwhelming force.
The above article is based on the book ‘Ρόδος’ authored by Theofanis Bogiannos. The article is published with his permission.
