Siege of Rhodes (1522)

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Siege of Rhodes
Part of the Ottoman wars in Europe
Gun-wielding Ottoman Janissaries and defending Knights of Saint John at the siege of Rhodes, miniature from Süleymannâme
Date 26 June – 22 December 1522 Location Rhodes Result Ottoman victory
Belligerents
Ottoman Empire	Knights Hospitaller  Republic of Venice
Commanders and leaders
Suleiman the Magnificent Çoban Mustafa Pasha Kurtoğlu Muslihiddin Reis	Philippe Villiers de L'Isle-Adam
Strength
180,000[1]–100,000 men[2] 400 ships[2] 72 guns and mortars[1]	6,703 men (703 Knights Hospitallers of St. John, including men from Spain, France, Germany, Italy, England, and Portugal)[1]
Casualties and losses
60,000 dead[1] Christian claims: 114,000 dead[1] (50,000 from disease & 64,000 from battle)	5,020 dead[1][note 1]

The siege of Rhodes of 1522 was the second and ultimately successful attempt by the Ottoman Empire to expel the Knights of Rhodes from their island stronghold and thereby secure Ottoman control of the Eastern Mediterranean. The first siege in 1480 had been unsuccessful. Despite very strong defenses, the walls were demolished over the course of six months by Turkish artillery and mines.

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