The Siege of Malta, 1565: Translated from the Spanish edition of 1568 (First Person Singular)

This is a first hand account of the siege of Malta in 1565 , one of the most heroic battles ever fought and won facing overwhelming odds.The author took part , albeit as a foot soldier , in the siege is this a very good translation from Spanish. The book was written a few years after the battle and contains mainly first hand impressions of the siege without too much political debate of the latter editions.The paperback edition is not great and perhaps it will be better to invest a bit more for the hardback edition. The graphics from the forts help to understand the individual actions.If one compares this book to Tim Pickles's ( published by osprey ) the latter as much better maps and is superbly illustrated but the former will help the reader to understand in great detail the dramatic actions that took place during the siege.5 stars ( for Francisco Balbi )

Very few books have been written in English about the Siege of Malta. This translation of Balbi's first hand account is a must for anyone who has ever visited Malta and fallen for the place ( as I have!). Its an amazing story and an excellent job by Bradford in translating it into an easy read.

An excellent narration of one of the greatest sieges of history. The story of how a small determined band of Christians defied and defeated a vastly superior Ottoman army. Truth is stranger than fiction.

I have read the book before and bought this one for a friend. It did inspire me to travel to Malta to visit most places mentioned in the book.

Well translated and thereful told

The Great Siege is one of history's major epics. The narative is Bradford's translation and comes out quite like his own writing style. But the detail is king and this book is a great companion to the Bradford's own. If you've lived in Malta for a while, you've had time to absorb the scenario even though much of the stonework has subsequently been replaced after WW II bomb damage. A really good book!

Just what I wanted

Everything as expected, Excellent choice, great purchase.

Écrit par un participant. Une leçon de leadership hors du commun, un peu comme l’est l’Anabase de Xénophon. Une des grandes batailles mondiales aux enjeux existentiels. Précède de huit ans la victoire des Occidentaux sur les Ottomans.

Amazingly readable for a nearly 500 year old book. Read after reading The Great Surge of Malta 1565 (a very good book) and this book compliments it well. This is a great story, read if you really want to know what great leadership looks like, very historically important event.

This is an outstanding book. A fine view of the clash of cultures. Very good details about the events that saved Europe from Moslem invaders. Christian defeats one after another until the final battles. A very accurate and balanced discussion on the events and forces involved. Not for the weak of heart as there are some details about the barbaric nature of this Siege. Fortunately the west was saved through these heroic defenders. If you have not read this book you are uninformed about the period and the siege it details.

I bought this for my sister who was recently diagnosed with Dementia. She loves to read and I figured I would buy her books that would interest her and to make her happy. Since we are Maltese and have traveled to Malta it would make her happy.She loved it and I will be sending her books to read every month to make her happy again.

In 1565 Sulieman the Magnificent sent 40,000 men to lay siege to the tiny island of Malta and its small garrison of 500 knights and a few thousand men-at-arms. Malta was the home to the Knights Hospitallers, the order of Christian warrior-monks who had been fighting against the forces of Islam since the Crusades. This is a first person account of the siege of Malta in 1565 by a Spanish arqubusier who served with the Knights of St. John during the siege. Excellent primary source history and a thrilling story. A must read for serious students of history.