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| http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GrandHarbourValletta1801.jpg |
For hundreds of years, Malta stood against the enemies of Christ's Church. The Great Siege of Malta occurred in 1565, when the Catholics overcame the Muslims.
It was a miracle that the battle was won. This graph shows the sides.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Malta_(1565)
| The Knights Hospitaller | The Ottomans |
|---|---|
| 500 Knights Hospitaller | 6,000 Spahis (cavalry) |
| 400 Spanish soldiers | 500 Spahis from Karamania |
| 800 Italian soldiers | 6,000 Janissaries |
| 500 soldiers from the galleys (Spanish Empire) | 400 adventurers from Mytheline |
| 200 Greek and Sicilian soldiers | 2,500 Spahis from Rouania |
| 100 soldiers of the garrison of Fort St. Elmo | 3,500 adventurers from Rouania |
| 100 servants of the knights | 4,000 "religious servants" |
| 500 galley slaves | 6,000 other volunteers |
| 3,000 soldiers drawn from the Maltese population | Various corsairs from Tripoli and Algiers |
| Total: 6,100 | Total: 28,500 from the East, 48,000 in all |
