Observe the Battles of the 1565 Great Siege of Malta Captured in the Camocio Maps
The Camocio Maps belong to a four-part map series depicting the Great Siege of Malta of 1565, portraying the battle in real time.
Four-map collage of the Great Siege of Malta of 1565 (1565) by Giovanni Francesco CamocioUNESCO Memory of the World
What Are These Siege Maps by G. F. Camocio?
They are copper engravings making up a series of four maps consecutively showing the critical stages of the Great Siege of Malta which lasted from May to September 1565. They acted as effective news bulletins that were rapidly circulated to all of Christian Europe in order to provide updates on the various developments of the Siege.
State 1 (16th century) by Giovanni Francesco CamocioUNESCO Memory of the World
Map Scene: State 1
It shows the various placements of the Turkish camps, troops and fleet as well as the Catholic fleet anchored in the Syracuse harbor, except for some vessels that are sailing in the Sicilian Channel. This map represents the large-scale sea assault on the town of Senglea in mid-July 1565.
State 2 (16th century) by Giovanni Francesco CamocioUNESCO Memory of the World
Map Scene: State 2
It shows the various placements of the Turkish forces on the territory of Malta and leaving the Catholic fleet from Sicily.
Four-map collage of the Great Siege of Malta of 1565 (1565) by Giovanni Francesco CamocioUNESCO Memory of the World
How Did Camocio’s Great Siege Maps Come Together?
Belonging to Heritage Malta, map-states 1, 3 and 4 were reconnected with map-state 2 when it was discovered in 2014 at the Geography Department of the Charles University of Prague. This significant find completed the 4-state series and collectively filled one of the many lacunae in the visual chronicle of the famous Great Siege of Malta of 1565.
State 3 (16th century)UNESCO Memory of the World
Map Scene: State 3
This map visually reports the end of the Great Siege marked by the arrival of the Gran Soccorso (the Great Relief of the Catholic forces).
State 4 (16th century) by Giovanni Francesco CamocioUNESCO Memory of the World
Map Scene: State 4
The final defeat and exodus of the Turkish armies - September 1565. Consequently, the 4 Camocio Great Siege Maps, which illustrate the decisive change in favor of the Order of St John's, are concrete evidence. They put Malta on the broader political map due to the key role it played in determining the course of Europe's history in the 16th century.
Methods of Warfare (1565) by Giovanni Francesco CamocioUNESCO Memory of the World
Methods of Warfare
These maps reveal methods of warfare, defense and military strategy. Some members of the militaries are immersed in battle, on land, and at sea, gunners operate cannon and man guns, and carriers of powder transport barrels from the powder magazine to the artillerymen.
State 2 (16th century) by Giovanni Francesco CamocioUNESCO Memory of the World
Maltese Archipelago: A Strategic Location
As the Maltese Islands had a strategic location in the Mediterranean Sea, the Ottoman Turks attempted to conquer Malta with a view to establishing a base where they could expand further into the Western part of the Mediterranean and eventually Europe. This is why Catholic eyes were so riveted on the progress of the Great Siege.
State 1 (16th century) by Giovanni Francesco CamocioUNESCO Memory of the World
Rapid Dissemination of News of the Great Siege
The speed the schizzi (sketched in the heat of battle to capture the state of war affairs) were translated into prints for dissemination was vital, as was the smooth efficiency of transportation of such news maps to all the Christian Heads-of-State in Continental Europe.
Trumpeter on horseback with cartouche, Detail from State 4 of the Camocio Map Series (1565) by Giovanni Francesco CamocioUNESCO Memory of the World
Malta Bulwark of Catholic Faith
The end result of the Great Siege of 1565, between the Knights of the Order of St John and the Ottoman Turks, determined the fate of the Mediterranean and all European Christian capitals. This gained Malta the status of fidei propugnaculum (the bulwark of Faith) after it was forever etched in military history as having obstructed Ottoman Turkish plans to spread Islam into Europe.
State 4 (16th century) by Giovanni Francesco CamocioUNESCO Memory of the World
The Great Siege of Malta and Cartography
The Great Siege of Malta of 1565 is considered to be the most represented military happening in 16th-century cartography. These maps are evidence of unprecedented and remarkable technical progress in Renaissance cartographic printmaking. This had a lasting impact on the printmaking techniques that enabled even faster dissemination of future war conflicts.
Visual overview of Camocio Maps (16th century)UNESCO Memory of the World
Great Siege of Malta 1565
Great Siege of Malta 1565 animation (2016)UNESCO Memory of the World
Animation created for an exhibition to commemorate the 450th Anniversary of the Great Siege of Malta 1565. It shows the final stages of the Siege impacted by the arrival of Christian reinforcements and the Ottoman Turkish retreat.
Presentation on the Great Siege of Malta 1565 (2018-04-05) by Heritage MaltaUNESCO Memory of the World
