Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/406

376 petrated with his sanction at the capture of Belgrade fully testify. He was evidently actuated by some unusual motive in pursuing so different a line of conduct with the defenders of Rhodes. The stubbornness of their resistance during a period of six months, and the gigantic losses they had inflicted on his army, must have exasperated him greatly. It redounds, therefore, much to his credit that he did not allow himself to be carried away by any feelings of animosity when the time came for their gratification.

On the day succeeding that on which the capitulation was signed a large fleet was descried on the horizon, bearing down on Rhodes; the idea prevalent in both armies was that this was the long looked-for succour arriving from Europe. The feelings of L’Isle Adam and his fraternity may be conceived as they reflected that had they held out but for two days longer they could have saved their beloved city. When, however, the fleet drew nearer it was seen that the vessels bore the Turkish flag. Solyman had, in fact, some time previously summoned a fresh body of troops from the frontiers of Persia. This reinforcement, amounting to 15,000 men, had now arrived, and it reflects honour on the sultan that he took no advantage of its presence to alter the terms of the capitulation, the ink of which was as yet scarce dry.

It seems from the narrative of Ahmet Haflz that Solyman made his first entry into Rhodes on Christmas-day. That writer thus describes the event:—“Then the sublime sultan, preceded by the second regiment of janissaries and by his banners, which were adorned with fringes of gold, escorted by 400 of the Solouk body-guard, by four Solouk chiefs, four Kehayas, and forty Odabachis, all robed in white, with turbans glittering with rich jewels, entered the town to the sound of salvoes of artillery, and in the midst of a dense crowd. The rest of the body-guard, the musicians, the officers of all the various corps followed the glorious Padishah, crying Allah! Allah! by Thy will the glorious scimitar of Mohammed has captured this proud fortress! In this manner the sultan went as far as the temple of San Givan (the church of St. John), and there, where the infidels adored an idol, he, the blessed conqueror, addressed a prayer to the true God.”