# The Knights' Galleys and the Corso

An episode of [The Story of Malta: The Fortress Island of the Mediterranean — Fexingo History](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1895465859), 17 Aug 2026, 9:13.

Audio: https://audio.fexingo.com/history/the-story-of-malta/episode-0203.mp3

In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive into the world of the Knights of St. John's naval power, focusing on the galleys that patrolled the Mediterranean. They explore the brutal reality of the corso—the Knights' sanctioned piracy against Muslim shipping—and the lives of the men who rowed these vessels, from volunteers to slaves. Along the way, they discuss the Battle of Lepanto, the role of the Capitano delle Gaglere, and the complex legacy of this holy war at sea. The conversation reveals how the galleys funded the Order, defended Malta, and shaped the island's history. #KnightsOfStJohn #Galleys #Corso #MediterraneanHistory #BattleOfLepanto #CapitanoDelleGaglere #Slavery #NavalHistory #Malta #HolyWar #UluçAli #SuleimanTheMagnificent #NavalTactics #16thCentury #Piracy #GrandHarbour #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

## Transcript

Lucas: So we've talked a lot about the Great Siege and the knights as fortress-builders, but there's another side to their power that we haven't really unpacked yet — their navy. And specifically, the galleys that made them a force to be reckoned with across the Mediterranean.
Luna: I thought the knights were mostly about defense, hunkering down behind those walls.
Lucas: That's the image, sure. But the Order of St. John was also a naval power, and their galleys were the instruments of something called the corso. It's a term they used for their sanctioned raids on Muslim shipping — essentially, piracy with a papal blessing. The knights saw it as a holy war, a continuation of the Crusades, but it was also a lucrative business that funded their operations on Malta.
Lucas: The corso was the lifeblood of the Order. Without the prize money from captured ships and cargo, and without the slaves who rowed the galleys, the knights would have struggled to maintain their fortifications and hospitals. It was a state-sponsored enterprise, carefully regulated and taxed.
Luna: So the galleys were like floating businesses.
Lucas: Exactly. And at the heart of it all was the Capitano delle Gaglere, the captain general of the galleys. He was one of the most powerful officers in the Order, responsible for commanding the fleet and leading the raids. It was a role that brought both glory and wealth. But it wasn't just about plunder — the galleys also protected Malta's shores and escorted merchant ships.
Lucas: Now, let's talk about the galleys themselves. These were long, slender warships powered by sails and oars — specifically, by men chained to benches. A typical galley had around 150 to 200 rowers, and they were a mix of different types. There were the buonavoglia, who were volunteers, paid a small wage, and could even earn a share of the prizes. Then there were the forzati, convicts sentenced to row as punishment. And finally, the worst off — the slaves, many of them Muslims captured in the corso.
Luna: That sounds brutal. What was life like for those rowers?
Lucas: It was horrific. They were chained to their benches, often for months at a time, eating poor food, sleeping where they sat, and subjected to the whip to keep them rowing in rhythm. Disease was rampant, and death rates were high. But there was a strange hierarchy on board. The buonavoglia, for instance, had some rights — they could own property and even move around the ship a bit. The slaves had nothing.
Lucas: And the rowers weren't just muscle. In battle, the galley's tactic was to ram the enemy, then board. The rowers' speed and agility were crucial. So the knights invested heavily in training and maintaining their crews, even importing experienced rowers from other Mediterranean ports.
Luna: So they were essentially war machines with humans as fuel.
Lucas: You could say that. And the corso itself was a complex dance of aggression and reprisal. The knights would raid the North African coast, seize ships and cargo, capture people to sell or ransom. The Ottomans and Barbary pirates did the same to Christian shipping. It was a cycle of violence that defined the Mediterranean for centuries.
Lucas: One of the most famous encounters came in 1571, at the Battle of Lepanto. This was the great naval clash between the Holy League — a coalition that included the knights' galleys — and the Ottoman fleet. It was a decisive victory for the Christians, and the knights played a significant role, even though they lost a number of galleys. The battle cemented their reputation as fierce fighters.
Luna: Lepanto always comes up—it seems like a turning point.
Lucas: It was, in many ways. But it also showed the limits of the galleys' power. The Ottomans rebuilt quickly, and the war dragged on. The knights continued their corso, but the glory days were fading. By the late 16th century, the galleys were becoming less effective as warfare shifted toward sailing ships with heavy cannons.
Lucas: And yet, the corso left a lasting imprint on Malta. The island's economy was tied to it. The slave market in Valletta was a bustling place. And some of the grand palaces and fortifications were funded by the spoils of these raids. The knights' naval power also kept the Ottomans at bay, which was probably their most important contribution to European security.
Luna: It's a complicated legacy — part holy war, part organized crime, part national defense.
Lucas: That's a perfect way to put it. And that complexity is something we try to do justice to on this show. It's the kind of story where the lines between hero and villain blur. Speaking of which — if you've been enjoying these deep dives into Mediterranean history, and you want to help keep the show going ad-free, you can support us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a simple way to show you value what we do, and it makes a real difference.
Luna: Yeah, it's a great community. Every bit helps.
Lucas: Now, where were we? Right — the corso also shaped the geography of Malta. The Grand Harbour was the base for the galleys, and the towns around it — Birgu, Senglea, and later Valletta — grew up around the naval infrastructure. You can still see remnants of that maritime character today.
Lucas: But there's a darker side to the story that we should touch on: the fate of the captives. Thousands of Muslims were enslaved on Malta, and they were often put to hard labor in the shipyards or on the fortifications. There are records of their suffering, and it's a part of Maltese history that's often glossed over.
Luna: Did any of them manage to escape or rebel?
Lucas: There were occasional uprisings, but they were brutally suppressed. There are stories of slaves who converted to Christianity and were freed — that was a path to manumission, though not easy. And some were ransomed by their families or by the Ottoman state. It was a brutal business.
Lucas: There's also the figure of Uluç Ali, a renegade who became an Ottoman admiral. He had been captured by the knights and forced to row in their galleys. He later converted back to Islam and rose to high rank, leading Ottoman forces against the knights. His story shows how fluid identity could be in that world.
Luna: That's incredible — from slave to admiral.
Lucas: It's one of those stories that feels almost fictional. But it's a reminder that the corso wasn't just an abstract policy — it had real, personal consequences. The knights made enemies along the entire North African coast, and those enemies were often just as ruthless.
Lucas: Let me tell you about one particular raid that shows how the corso worked in practice. In 1546, a squadron of knights' galleys intercepted a large Ottoman convoy near the coast of Sicily. After a fierce battle, they captured several ships with valuable cargo and dozens of prisoners. The prizes were brought back to Malta, and the cargo was sold at auction, with a share going to the Order's treasury and to the crew. It was a textbook example of a profitable cruise.
Luna: So it was like a military operation, but also a commercial venture.
Lucas: Exactly. And the rules were strict. The Order had regulations about how prizes were to be assessed and divided, to prevent cheating. The Capitano delle Gaglere was responsible for enforcing these rules, and there were even legal disputes over shares. It was a business, but also a sacred mission in the eyes of the knights.
Lucas: All of this is to say that the knights' navy was not just a side detail — it was central to their identity and survival. Without the galleys, they might have been just another monastic order. Instead, they became a maritime power whose influence reached across the sea.
Luna: It really changes how I see the knights. I always thought of them as defenders, but they were also aggressors.
Lucas: And that dual nature is what makes them so fascinating. They were defenders of Christendom, but they were also raiders and slaveholders. They built magnificent hospitals, but they also profited from the suffering of others. It's a paradox that we have to hold in mind when we think about Malta's history.
Lucas: As we look at the remnants of their naval power — the arsenals, the fortifications, the grand harbour itself — it's worth remembering the thousands of anonymous rowers who made it all possible. Their labor, and their pain, are part of the story too.
Luna: Thanks for bringing that into the light.
Lucas: Thanks for listening. And if you ever find yourself in Valletta, take a moment to look out over the Grand Harbour and imagine the galleys coming in, their decks crowded with captives and cargo. It's a powerful image that stays with you.

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