FALL OF RHODES, 1522

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Classical period of the Ottoman Empire c. 1300-1600
Circumscribing the life and times of Suleiman the Magnificent 1481-1598
Life Span of Suleiman the Magnificent 1494-1566
Reign of Suleiman the Magnificent 1520-1566


This animation is designed to give a rough idea, only, of spatial pattern over time.
Run your mouse over the map; click when the pointer becomes a hand to hear associated sounds.
  Background music is a sample from the Ottoman Army Band Mehter, http://www.ottomansouvenir.com/Music/Mehter_Army_Band.htm


  • Naval forces leave Istanbul, on the west side of the Bosphorus.  From the shipyards of the Golden Horn, they gather strength in the Sea of Marmara, hidden behind the Dardanelles.  Link to a map showing water features at a more local scale.  Troops on land gather at Usukudar, on the east side of the Bosphorus, march to near Eskisehir where they are joined by other locals, and then on to Marmaris to meet up with the naval forces.  The purple spider lines at locales along the way represent the infusion of resources, be they soldiers, camels, horses, barley, or other.  Different sources estimate vastly different numbers for the Ottoman Army and for provisioning point locations:  the locations above are therefore deliberately abstract but do show spatial pattern and temporal spacing---possibly suggestive of added research directions.  The purple spiders fade as the army moves away from the added resource point:  floods along the way might cause camels to break legs; delays might use up food supplies more quickly than anticipated.  Independent, however, of such incidents, mere distance from a supply point means a reduction in that initial infusion.  Hence the need for another provisioning point.  The pattern of the Ottoman Army in keeping a source of fresh supplies is quite clear:  conquer near, then a bit farther.  Use previously conquered locales as provisioning points to extend Ottoman control into farther reaches. 
  • The animated map above was made from reading material in Andre Clot, Suleiman the Magnificent, Saqi Books, London, 2005.  To learn more about this Conquest and the events that took place around it, follow the many links below.  The link provided here offers a starting point to this complex topic.  The next link offers reference to an enduring literary image:  "The Maltese Falcon."
  • Links to sites describing the action, references, and bibliographic material: