# The Maltese Navy: Knights of St. John at Sea

An episode of [The Story of Malta: The Fortress Island of the Mediterranean — Fexingo History](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1895465859), 20 Jul 2026, 6:50.

Audio: https://audio.fexingo.com/history/the-story-of-malta/episode-0168.mp3

Before Malta became a British naval base, the Knights of St. John ruled the waves with their own fleet of galleys. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Order's maritime power: the Arsenal in Birgu, the role of the Captain General of the Galleys, and the famous battle of Lepanto where Maltese galleys fought alongside the Holy League. They uncover the daily life of rowers—both free men and slaves—and how the corso (privateering) funded the island's defenses. Learn about the 'Squadra' system that organized crews, the strategic use of Fort Saint Elmo's signal guns, and how the Knights' ships kept Malta supplied and secure for centuries. A look at the floating fortress that protected the Fortress Island. #KnightsOfStJohn #MalteseNavy #Galleys #Birgu #Arsenal #CaptainGeneral #Lepanto #Corso #Privateering #SlaveRowers #FortSaintElmo #Squadra #Hospitaller #MediterraneanHistory #NavalHistory #MalteseHistory #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

## Transcript

Lucas: So we've talked a lot about the Knights as fortress builders, as rulers, even as corsairs. But one thing we haven't really dug into is how they operated at sea. The Order of St. John was, at its heart, a naval power.
Luna: Wait, I thought they were a religious order? Hospitaliers, caring for pilgrims?
Lucas: Originally, yes. But by the time they reached Malta, their mission had shifted. They were a military order, sworn to fight 'the infidel' — and the best way to do that was by sea. Their fleet of galleys became the backbone of their power. In fact, the position of Captain General of the Galleys was one of the most prestigious in the Order.
Lucas: The main base for their navy was in Birgu, in the Grand Harbour. They had a massive Arsenal there, right next to Fort Saint Angelo. That's where they built and repaired their galleys. And these weren't just any ships — a typical Maltese galley was about 40 metres long, powered by both sails and oars. The oars were pulled by a mix of free men, convicts, and slaves.
Luna: Slaves rowing the Knights' ships — that's a dark underbelly we've touched on before.
Lucas: Absolutely. The corso, the privateering system we've discussed, provided a steady stream of captured Muslims and others who ended up chained to the oars. But here's a detail that surprises people: the free rowers, called buonavoglie, were volunteers who signed on for pay and a share of the plunder. They could even rise through the ranks. So the rowing bench was a real mix of social classes.
Lucas: The galley crews were organised into what they called the Squadra — basically a squadron of four to six galleys that operated together. Each Squadra had its own commander, and they'd patrol the shipping lanes around Malta, looking for Muslim merchant ships or Barbary corsairs. If they spotted a prize, they'd signal using flags or cannon shots from Fort Saint Elmo, which overlooked the harbour entrance.
Luna: So Fort Saint Elmo wasn't just a defensive fort — it was a naval control tower.
Lucas: Exactly. The fort had a signal station that could relay messages across the island. If a lookout spotted a suspicious sail, they'd fire a gun, and the galleys in harbour would scramble to intercept. That quick response was crucial for protecting Maltese waters. And it paid off — the Knights captured hundreds of ships over the centuries, filling their treasury and funding the island's defences.
Lucas: The most famous action involving Maltese galleys was the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. The Knights contributed three galleys to the Holy League fleet that defeated the Ottoman navy. Their commander was Fra' Pietro Giustiniani, the Captain General of the Galleys at the time. According to contemporary accounts, the Maltese galleys fought with such ferocity that they helped break the Ottoman line.
Luna: I've heard Lepanto was the last big galley battle. Is that right?
Lucas: It was the last major engagement where oar-powered galleys decided the outcome. After that, sailing ships with cannons took over. But the Knights kept their galleys for another two centuries, using them for patrols and the corso. They were well-suited to the calm Mediterranean waters where wind could be unreliable. It wasn't until the 18th century that they started building larger ships of the line.
Lucas: Life aboard a galley was brutal. The rowers sat on benches, three to five men per oar, chained in place. They'd row for hours in the heat, eating a simple diet of biscuit, cheese, and water. Slave rowers were often branded on the forehead to mark them as property of the Order. But despite the harsh conditions, the galley was a remarkably efficient warship — fast, manoeuvrable, and able to operate close to shore.
Luna: Did the Knights ever lose galleys? I mean, they weren't invincible.
Lucas: Oh, definitely. In 1565, during the Great Siege, the Ottomans captured a Maltese galley called the Santa Maria. And in 1613, a storm wrecked two galleys off the coast of Sicily. But the Order always rebuilt. The Arsenal in Birgu was constantly busy, with shipwrights from Genoa and Venice brought in to teach new techniques. The Knights understood that their survival depended on controlling the sea around their island.
Lucas: And that naval tradition left a lasting mark on Malta. When the British took over in 1800, they found a population already accustomed to maritime life. The Grand Harbour became the Royal Navy's Mediterranean base, and Maltese sailors served on British warships for generations. In a way, the Knights' navy was the direct predecessor of the British Mediterranean Fleet.
Luna: It's amazing how one small island built such a powerful naval force. You know, it reminds me of something —
Lucas: Go on.
Luna: Just that shows like this don't happen by accident. We spend hours digging into archives to bring these stories to life. And I know a lot of listeners appreciate that.
Lucas: Yeah, and honestly, the only reason we can keep doing this without running ads is that some of you chip in a couple of dollars a month. It genuinely makes a difference — covers hosting, research materials, a little coffee to fuel late-night writing sessions.
Luna: If you've gotten something out of these episodes, consider supporting at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Every bit helps.
Lucas: Anyway, back to the galleys. One more thing I find fascinating: the Knights' navy didn't just fight — it also served as a diplomatic tool. They'd lend galleys to allied powers, like Spain or the Papal States, in exchange for favours. And they'd use their fleet to transport pilgrims to the Holy Land, maintaining that original hospitaller mission.
Luna: So the same ships that raided Muslim merchants also carried Christian pilgrims. That's a strange duality.
Lucas: It is. But the Knights were always a contradiction — warrior monks, pirate princes, healers and killers. Their navy embodied all of that. It was a floating symbol of their power and their purpose. And for over two centuries, it made Malta a name to be feared on the Mediterranean.
Luna: I'm glad we finally covered this. I'll never look at the Grand Harbour the same way again.
Lucas: Next time, maybe we'll talk about the ships themselves in more detail — how they were built, how they sailed, what life was like for the men who commanded them. But for now, let's leave it there.

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