The Death of Sanoguera

by Ray Agius

Original - Sold

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Not Specified

Dimensions

18.000 x 24.000 inches

Title

The Death of Sanoguera

Artist

Ray Agius

Medium

Painting - Watercolour On Cold-pressed 300 Gsm Watercolour Paper

Description

Attack on Birgu and Senglea

With the fall of St Elmo, the Turks shifted their attention to the Order�s main strongholds at Birgu and Senglea. After ten days spent setting up their batteries and gun platforms, they unleashed a massive bombardment on Tuesday, July 3, and kept up the barrage for many days.

The defenders also noticed a build-up of ships and boats in Grand Harbour. It soon became clear that the Turks were planning a seaborne assault. On July 15, they launched a combined land/sea attack with more than 100 boats filled with 3,000 troops.

Captain Don Francisco de Sanoguera and his men (fewer than sixty) rushed to the defence of their post as the Turks made towards the lowest part of the Senglea defensive wall that had nearly been levelled by the bombardment. Sanoguera, a knight from Valencia and a galley captain, had been placed in charge of this important but weak position with its still largely unfinished ramparts.

His men fought fiercely as the Turks used ladders to scale the low wall and soon were soon pouring into the fortress. Don Francisco mounted the parapet to rally his men, but his richly decorated armour and colourful garments immediately gave him away as an important leader. In no time, Turkish musket balls were whizzing his way.

One hit him but his bulletproof chest armour saved him. The second shot, fired by a Janissary from the foot of the rampart below, caught him and he fell dead on the edge of the parapet that he had tried to defend so courageously.

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April 30th, 2015

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