Podcasts · The Story of Malta: The Fortress Island of the Mediterranean — Fexingo History
The Knights' Galleys: Slaves, Sailors, and Silver
· 11 min · S4 E189
Episode The Knights' Galleys: Slaves, Sailors, and Silver
In this episode of The Story of Malta, Lucas and Luna explore the galleys of the Knights of St. John — the warships that protected the island and the brutal system that powered them. From the Capitano delle Gaglere, who commanded the fleet, to the enslaved rowers chained to their oars, we uncover the economics of the corso, the buonavoglia who rowed for pay, and the forzati condemned to a life at sea. We trace a single galley from its construction in the dockyards to its role in the Battle of Lepanto, where the Knights fought alongside the Holy League. Along the way, we meet Uluç Ali, the corsair who became an Ottoman admiral, and consider the fine line between slave and sailor. The episode also touches on the plague that periodically swept the galleys, and how the Sacre Infermeria treated the sick and wounded. This is a story of desperation, discipline, and survival — and the silver that made it all possible. Finally, Lucas and Luna reflect on the moral complexity of the Knights' maritime empire, asking what it meant for Malta's identity as a fortress island.
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