Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Chivalry,
several of the Knights of St . John were slam . -Further succours were now sent , and the war waged for some time . At last the king was ransomed for 20 , 000 gold florins , the chief part being advanced from the treasury of the Hospital , and peace was made . The Sultan now renewed the friendly intercourse that had previously existed with the Knights , hut small confidence was placed in his
overtures , for the Grand Master was secretly informed that it was only for the purpose of lulling the Knights into a belief of security , and then the Moslems would suddenly , with a mighty fleet , make a descent on Ehodes . A summons was dispatched to every eommandery in Europe that they should each send twenty-five Knights to reinforce the Grand Oommandery . A prompt reply was given ,
and soon came numbers of Knights , with stores and munitions of war in abundance . ; This preparation for resistance awed the Sultan , and he suspended his threatened invasion . The Grand Master ' s latter days were spent in quietude , and he was by his judicious retrenchments enabled not only to build a magnificent infirmary , but at his death , which occurred in 1437 , beaueath to the nubile but at his deathwhich occurred in 1437 bequeath to the public
, , treasury a large sum . John de Lastic was next elected , and he soon received intimation that the Egyptian Sultan was preparing an armament against Ehodes . The Knights were ready for action both by sea andland when the Moslem expedition , consisting of a numerous fleet and army , appeared off the island in September , 1440 . The fleet of the Order , commanded by the Marshal , encountered the
enemy , and after two days' conflict , with great loss on both sides , the Egyptians sailed to Cyprus , and there laid waste the oommandery of the Order . In 1444 , the Egyptians , with a force of near 20 , 000 , landed on the island and invested the city . All we know of the heroic defence is , that after a vigorous siege of forty days , the Moslem abandoned the enterprise , having lost the greater part of his army . The successful result of the bold defence of Ehodes ,
inspired the nobility of Europe with a chivalrous determination to enter the Order . But in 1450 , Mohammed II ., succeeded his father , Amurath II ., as Emperor of the Turks , and intimation was given that he was preparing for the conquest of Constantinople . A rupture soon took place , and after some desultory warfare , Mohammed , at the head of
250 , 000 men , was before the city . A siege of six weeks , ended by the city of Constantinople , falling by assault . The historian says of this event , " The city of seven names , seven hills and seven towers , was taken from the seventh of the Palsoologi , by the seventh Sultan of the Ottoman line . "
Ere six months had passed , Mohammed turned his eyes on Ehodes , the only Christian fortress remaining in the East : he first demanded from the Knights an acknowledgment of his supremacy , and also a yearly tribute of 2 , 000 ducats . The answer he received was , that the Knights would maintain their liberty and independence ; and they vigorously prepared for resisting any attack . The Grand Master died just at this period , and James de Milly , the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Chivalry,
several of the Knights of St . John were slam . -Further succours were now sent , and the war waged for some time . At last the king was ransomed for 20 , 000 gold florins , the chief part being advanced from the treasury of the Hospital , and peace was made . The Sultan now renewed the friendly intercourse that had previously existed with the Knights , hut small confidence was placed in his
overtures , for the Grand Master was secretly informed that it was only for the purpose of lulling the Knights into a belief of security , and then the Moslems would suddenly , with a mighty fleet , make a descent on Ehodes . A summons was dispatched to every eommandery in Europe that they should each send twenty-five Knights to reinforce the Grand Oommandery . A prompt reply was given ,
and soon came numbers of Knights , with stores and munitions of war in abundance . ; This preparation for resistance awed the Sultan , and he suspended his threatened invasion . The Grand Master ' s latter days were spent in quietude , and he was by his judicious retrenchments enabled not only to build a magnificent infirmary , but at his death , which occurred in 1437 , beaueath to the nubile but at his deathwhich occurred in 1437 bequeath to the public
, , treasury a large sum . John de Lastic was next elected , and he soon received intimation that the Egyptian Sultan was preparing an armament against Ehodes . The Knights were ready for action both by sea andland when the Moslem expedition , consisting of a numerous fleet and army , appeared off the island in September , 1440 . The fleet of the Order , commanded by the Marshal , encountered the
enemy , and after two days' conflict , with great loss on both sides , the Egyptians sailed to Cyprus , and there laid waste the oommandery of the Order . In 1444 , the Egyptians , with a force of near 20 , 000 , landed on the island and invested the city . All we know of the heroic defence is , that after a vigorous siege of forty days , the Moslem abandoned the enterprise , having lost the greater part of his army . The successful result of the bold defence of Ehodes ,
inspired the nobility of Europe with a chivalrous determination to enter the Order . But in 1450 , Mohammed II ., succeeded his father , Amurath II ., as Emperor of the Turks , and intimation was given that he was preparing for the conquest of Constantinople . A rupture soon took place , and after some desultory warfare , Mohammed , at the head of
250 , 000 men , was before the city . A siege of six weeks , ended by the city of Constantinople , falling by assault . The historian says of this event , " The city of seven names , seven hills and seven towers , was taken from the seventh of the Palsoologi , by the seventh Sultan of the Ottoman line . "
Ere six months had passed , Mohammed turned his eyes on Ehodes , the only Christian fortress remaining in the East : he first demanded from the Knights an acknowledgment of his supremacy , and also a yearly tribute of 2 , 000 ducats . The answer he received was , that the Knights would maintain their liberty and independence ; and they vigorously prepared for resisting any attack . The Grand Master died just at this period , and James de Milly , the