The last stand
by Ray Agius
Original - Sold
Price
Not Specified
Dimensions
22.000 x 30.000 inches
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Title
The last stand
Artist
Ray Agius
Medium
Painting - Watercolour On Cold-pressed 300 Gsm Watercolour Paper
Description
The Last Stand
Saturday June 23 marked the eve of the feast of St John the Baptist, the name-saint and protector of the Knights. They had succeeded in resisting the Ottoman army�s onslaught at Fort St Elmo for an entire month, yet it was obvious to all that they could not possibly hold out any longer.
The day before, the Turks had finally managed to seal off the fort and isolate the defenders from the larger and better-protected forts of St Angelo and St Michael across the Grand Harbour. Nonetheless, the soldiers within Fort St Elmo had fought bravely with all they had. Somehow, that day they endured for six hours until the Turks were obliged to retire for the night, leaving more than a thousand of their comrades dead and twice as many wounded.
But the situation in St Elmo on Saturday was desperate. Most of the defenders had been killed, and the remaining hundred survivors were scarred and wounded. There was little more they could do.
At the crack of dawn on the 23rd, Mustapha Pasha unleashed his troops again. Although low on munitions and few in numbers, the defenders fought, holding back the enemy for four hours, but eventually the Turks overran the ramparts. Some of the defenders attempted to surrender, but the Turks cut off their heads. Most of the remaining men were killed in battle; a few were captured by corsairs and hidden for ransom and a handful rushed to the shore and swam to the safety of Birgu across the harbour.
St Elmo had finally fallen.
Uploaded
April 30th, 2015
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