Faction - Knights of Rhodes

**Crusaderblood** · October 25, 2012, 09:02 AM

Have some interesting images and info about some of the Order's artillery pieces in both Rhodes and Malta. Shall upload as soon as I find time to scan.

**Bladelok** · October 25, 2012, 10:52 AM

Don't bother with arty pieces in Malta, I have plenty in my books and I can leave my house right now, go to the fortifications on foot and take my own pictures xD plus the artillery pieces in Malta are either 16th - 18th century pieces or British pieces, you aren't going to find Medieval artillery in Malta trust me. But I'm very much interested in seeing the artillery on Rhodes

**VINC.XXIII** · October 30, 2012, 05:58 AM

My french book about Hospitallers mention the help of Charles Quint to Knights by giving of powder(to resist against pirates and soon), and architectural works on fortifications from this period(16th). But Hospitallers did have small pieces of artillery, from their galleys they disposed of all the stuff than other italians in a period close to the starting date of Tsardoms(about 1380 I means). This consisted by ballistas of all sizes, AND small and movable artillery pieces with vise-jaws which allowed to fix this stuff on the board of the ship or the top of a wall.
Sure there were not Gross Berthas and suitable architecture in Rhodes, but thats no means thats Hospitallers didn't have artillery.

**Bladelok** · October 31, 2012, 02:06 AM

Originally Posted by Giacomo Colonna

Sure there were not Gross Berthas and suitable architecture in Rhodes, but thats no means thats Hospitallers didn't have artillery.

Never said there wasn't artillery in Rhodes, Caoursin clearly depicts medieval cannons in the 1480 siege illustrations. I'm just saying that you won't find medieval artillery in Malta, not Rhodes. When the Knights arrived in Malta in 1530, they set up HQ in the "Castrum Maris" The medieval fort that existed in the Grand Harbour before the Knights upgraded it and named it St.Angelo. There they only found a "mezzo cannone petriero", two "falconetti" and a few bombards. Needless to say that back then when a cannon went obsolete they didn't really see the point in keeping it in a museum, especially when they had such a small number of them.

**druzhina345** · November 17, 2012, 07:16 PM

I see you have some pictures from a 16th century manuscript copy of Caoursin's work. Here is a printed 15th century version.Knights of St. John & Ottomans of the 1480 siege of Rhodes in William Caoursin's Obsidionis Rhodiae Urbis Descriptio, Ulm 1496 edition.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: