Conquest of Rhodes

The island of Rhodes was conquered 499 years ago, in 1522. The management of the navy, consisting of 300 wars and 400 transport ships, was given to the famous admiral Kurdoğlu Muslihiddin Reis, who was raised alongside Barbaros Hayreddin Pasha. Mustafa Pasha, who took action from Istanbul with the navy on June 4, 1522, came to Rhodes on June 24. On the other hand, Kanunî Sultan Süleyman took action with the Kapıkulu and provincial soldiers on June 16 from Istanbul. Located in the southwest of Anatolia, Rhodes Island was first taken from the Byzantines in 672, during the Umayyads. The island passed to the Byzantines again in 680. The Hospitalier knights, who were later expelled from Akka, settled here (1291). It became the strongest outpost of Christians. It was used as a base during the Crusades to Anatolia and Egypt. Although many campaigns were organized for the conquest, it was not successful. Although the conquest was approached during the reign of Fatih Sultan Mehmed Han, it was not successful (1480). The fall of Cem Sultan to the Knights of Rhodes made them even more horrible. With the conquest of Egypt by Yavuz Sultan Selim Han, who took the throne after Bayezid Han, the importance of Rhodes increased. It was now an absolute necessity to ensure the full safety of the sea routes from Anatolia to Egypt. Yavuz Selim Han ordered the preparations to be started for this purpose. The conquest of Rhodes was left to his son Kanunî Sultan Süleyman Hana because his life did not die.

CONQUERED RHODES

After conquering Belgrade, Kanuni decided to conquer Rhodes by taking advantage of Europeans to deal with their internal affairs. Learning of this intention of Kanuni, the head of the knights, Vilye D Lil Adam, made preparations, gathered the knights and made a stock of food. Second Vizier Mustafa Pasha was appointed as the curator of the expedition. The management of the navy, consisting of 300 wars and 400 transport ships, was given to the famous admiral Kurdoğlu Muslihiddin Reis, who was raised alongside Barbaros Hayreddin Pasha. Mustafa Pasha, who took action from Istanbul with the navy on June 4, 1522, came to Rhodes on June 24. On the other hand, Kanunî Sultan Süleyman took action with the Kapıkulu and provincial soldiers on June 16 from Istanbul.

LARGE PROTECTION BALLS PLACED AROUND RHODES

When Mustafa Pasha came to Rhodes, he met with ship captains and Kurdoğlu Muslihiddin Reis and landed soldiers from Öküzburnu after placing guard ships at the required places of the harbor against the European ships that might come to the aid of the island. Metrises were dug around the city of Rhodes and large siege cannons were placed. Kanunî went to Marmaris via Kütahya and from there to Rhodes by ships (28 July). The castle began to be beaten on the first day of August, after the offer of surrender was rejected by the knights. The whole month of August was spent with mutual cannon fire and again opening mutual sewers. With the cannon fire opened, although significant damage was done to the castle, this destruction was quickly overcome by the enemy. The sewers that Turkish sewers constantly dug under the bastions of Rhodes encountered the corresponding sewers of Gariele Martinengo, the most famous engineer in Europe, who came to the aid of the knights, and there were terrible struggles under the ground. Meanwhile, on September 4, the news of the capture of Ileki Island by Kara Mahmud Reis came. Kahraman Reis himself was martyred while fighting in the front lines, but the island was captured. On September 6, Incirli Island, located in the northwest of Rhodes, surrendered.

VICTORY FLAG FOUNDED

Ahmed Pasha became a serdar instead of Mustafa Pasha, who was appointed as Beylerbeyler of Egypt. These days, the southern part of the English Bastion of the Castle of Rhodes was successfully blown up by a Turkish sewer. The artillery general of the knights and the realm of the Master (the head of the Knights of Rhodes) were also among the dead. In an offensive on the 12th of September, five victory flags were planted on this sign. In the general attack on September 24, Janissary Agha, Bali Aga, entered the Spanish Sign and planted the Turkish flag on the top of the sign, but no results were obtained. By 10 December, the castle was thoroughly worn down by violent cannon balls, sewers and frequent attacks. In a general attack on December 18, the knights were forced to retreat behind the fortifications and ditches in the city and, as they understood the impossibility of resisting, they agreed to surrender the castle (December 20, 1522). Delivery terms include; the knights take their weapons other than goods and cannons and leave Rhodes within ten days; During these days, the fortifications in the city were secured by 4 thousand janissaries and the main forces were waiting at a distance of two kilometers. After the evacuation of the castle, the knights got on the ships of the Master and went. Together with the Castle of Rhodes, all of the Twelve Islands and Bodrum, which belonged to the knights, were left to the Ottoman Empire. After this conquest, which cost the Ottoman Empire more than 20 thousand martyrs, Kanuni Sultan Suleyman Han entered the city on December 29 and toured the castle. On Friday, January 2, he performed the Friday prayer in Saint Jean Church, which was converted into a mosque. He listened to the sermon that was recited to his name. On the same day, he left the island and went to Marmaris.