Ottoman Siege of Rhodes (1480)
- When
- 1480
- Where
- Gulf of Trianda; Rhodes
- Episodes
- 2
In 1480, the Ottoman Empire launched a major siege against the Knights Hospitaller on Rhodes. Despite a large fleet and army, the Ottomans failed to capture the island and withdrew in August. Sultan Mehmed II's death in 1481 prevented an immediate renewed attack.
Episodes
- Ottoman Arrival
Ottoman fleet and army arrive before Rhodes in May 1480.
- Ottoman Withdrawal
Ottoman fleet abandons the attempt to capture Rhodes in August 1480.
Background and detail
Strategic Context. The Knights Hospitaller had been based in Rhodes since 1310, serving as a sovereign Catholic military order. Following the Ottoman capture of Constantinople in 1453, Sultan Mehmed II viewed the Knights as a priority target, leading to the 1480 campaign.
The Siege. An Ottoman fleet of 160 ships and an army of 70,000 men arrived before Rhodes in May 1480. The small Knights Hospitaller garrison successfully withstood the assault, forcing the Ottoman fleet to abandon the attempt to capture the island by August.
People involved
- Mehmed II · Ottoman Sultan
- Knights Hospitaller · Defenders of Rhodes
- Mesih Pasha · Commander of Ottoman Army
Sources
- Siege of Rhodes (1480) Wikipedia
- Knights Hospitaller Wikipedia
- Mehmed II Wikipedia
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