Podcasts · The Story of Malta: The Fortress Island of the Mediterranean — Fexingo History
The Cittadella's Long Shadow: Gozo's Other Siege
· 6:27 · S5 E210
Episode The Cittadella's Long Shadow: Gozo's Other Siege
In 1551, the Ottoman corsair Dragut swept across Gozo, smaller neighbor of Malta, and dragged almost the entire population into slavery. This episode tells the story of the island's Cittadella — the ancient citadel that became the last refuge for thousands. We trace its origins from Phoenician and Roman times, through the medieval 'Gran Castello', to the desperate summer days when Gozo's governor, Galatian de Sesse, faced a choice between surrender and annihilation. We hear how the island's medieval walls crumbled under Ottoman cannon, how the Knights' Grand Master Juan de Homedes failed to send aid, and how the enslaved Gozitans were sold in the slave markets of Tripoli, their return decades later shaping Gozo's identity. Drawing on contemporary accounts, oral tradition, and archaeological evidence, Lucas and Luna uncover a siege that, though overshadowed by the Great Siege of 1565, left a deeper scar on the Maltese islands. A story of courage, betrayal, and the long shadow of captivity.
#Gozo #Cittadella #Dragut #1551Siege #KnightsOfStJohn #OttomanEmpire #MedievalMalta #Slavery #GalatianDeSesse #JuanDeHomedes #MalteseHistory #Mediterranean #FortressIsland #IslandSiege #History #FexingoHistory #MedievalWarfare #Corsair
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Transcript
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