Play Audiobook Sample
The Great Siege: Malta 1565 Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(4.02) - 171 listener ratings
Quick Stats About this Audiobook
Total Audiobook Chapters:
Longest Chapter Length:
Shortest Chapter Length:
Average Chapter Length:
Audiobooks by this Author:
Publisher Description
Suleiman the Magnificent, sultan of the Ottoman Empire and the most powerful ruler in the world, was determined to conquer Europe. Only one thing stood in his way: a dot of an island in the Mediterranean called Malta, which was occupied by the Knights of Saint John, the cream of the warriors of the Holy Roman Empire. A clash of civilizations was shaping up, the likes of which had not been seen since Persia invaded Greece. Determined to capture Malta and use its port to launch operations against Europe, Suleiman sent an armada and an overwhelming army. A few thousand defenders in Fort Saint Elmo fought to the last man, enduring cruel hardships. When the Turks captured the fort, they took no prisoners and mutilated the defenders' bodies. Grand Master La Vallette of the Knights reciprocated by decapitating his Turkish prisoners and using their heads to cannonade the enemy. Then the battle for Malta began in earnest: no quarter asked, none given.
The Great Siege is not merely a gripping tale of brutality, courage, and tenacity but the saga of two mighty civilizations struggling for domination of the known world.
Download and start listening now!
"A great book. History as it should be told, with detail and passion. If you enjoy books like "Blackhawk Down" then this won't disappoint. Worth a read for the St Elmo's fort last stand alone. Epic in scale, and as the blurb on the back says, crying out for a movie to be made."
— Old-Barbarossa (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
-
“A superior, readable treatment of an important but little-discussed epic from the Renaissance past…An astonishing tale.”
— Kirkus Reviews
The Great Siege Listener Reviews
-
—
Stan Breedlove, 7/31/2021
-
" You think war is hell now? Read this and be glad you weren't in the Sultan's army, or one of the Knights of Malta. Truly an amazing story, and grim. Highly recommended! "
— J, 12/28/2013 -
" This was excellently done and explained the siege so even non-military people could understand all that transpired. It was well written and a good history lesson. "
— Jlnpeacock, 12/19/2013 -
" Has to be read now I am Malta! A very gripping read. "
— Sarah, 12/11/2013 -
" I am an atheist and disapprove of religious organizations, especially military ones. However, the Knights of St John may have saved Europe. It is difficult for me to comprehend how very nearly Europe became Turkish territory. "
— Brian, 11/13/2013 -
" A very readable account of how the Knights of St John of Jerusalem held out against a vastly superior force of Ottoman Turks, said at the time to be the greatest siege. My main frustration lies in the one-sidedness of the treatment, very much a good vs evil narrative. "
— Debra, 8/19/2013 -
" Really surprised me. Thrilling story! "
— Nick, 8/13/2013 -
" Loved this great story of the Renaissance battles over Malta and the Mediterranean. "
— Sheralyn, 7/5/2013 -
" Fast-paced, detailed, exciting: loved it. "
— Nora, 4/10/2013 -
" I liked it a lot. The story of grit, determination, and not jus a little heroism, when people still believed there were things worth fighting for. "
— Franz, 2/7/2013
About Ernle Bradford
Ernle Bradford (1922–1986) was a prominent British historian specializing in the Mediterranean world and naval history. He served in the Royal Navy for the duration of World War II and later traveled throughout the Mediterranean, living for a while on Malta. He was a BBC broadcaster and magazine editor, as well as the author of many acclaimed books, including biographies on Cleopatra, Hannibal, and Caesar.
About Simon Vance
Simon Vance (a.k.a. Robert Whitfield) is an award-winning actor and narrator. He has earned more than fifty Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration thirteen times. He was named Booklist’s very first Voice of Choice in 2008 and has been named an AudioFile Golden Voice as well as an AudioFile Best Voice of 2009. He has narrated more than eight hundred audiobooks over almost thirty years, beginning when he was a radio newsreader for the BBC in London. He is also an actor who has appeared on both stage and television.