Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/458

426 reader is referred to the map showing the state of the fortress in the year 1565.

The castle of St. Angelo, situated on the most northerly of the promontories which subdivide the grand harbour on its eastern side, occupied only its extremity, and was cut off from the mainland by means of a wet ditch running from sea to sea. In addition to the castle itself, which rose to a considerable height, and presented three tiers of batteries to the entrance of the harbour, there was an enceinte behind the ditch containing four bastions. The Bourg itself, which occupied the remainder of the peninsula, was protected on the land side by a line of rampart broken into two bastions in the centre, and two demibastions at the extremities; this had been strengthened by a ditch of considerable width and depth, but had no ravelin or other outwork. On its northern side, facing the entrance to the harbour, it was enclosed by a bastioned rampart extending to the ditch of St. Angelo, but on the side looking towards Senglea, the line was a mere curtain without flanks. The land front of the Bourg was allotted to the three French langues, as it was considered the most vulnerable part, and consequently the post of honour. The Germans were stationed on the sea face from St. Angelo half way towards the point where it joined the land front. The remainder was taken by the langue of Castile. This post became, during the latter portion of the siege, one of the principal points of attack. The inner face, looking towards Senglea (which has since been destroyed as useless), was manned by the Spanish langue. The garrison of St. Angelo consisted of 50 knights and 600 men, and here, as the citadel of the whole fortress, La Valette took up his abode.

The promontory of Senglea was defended by a very respectable sea front, formed by what had originally been the detached fort of St. Michael. The remainder of its enceinte was an irregular figure, little more than an indented line, except on the land side, where it threw out a bastion. It was garrisoned along its land front by the langue of Aragon, the remainder of the line being taken by the langue of Italy, and the whole being under the command of the grand-admiral de Monte, who in after years became Grand-Master. The extremity of Mount Seeberras was protected by fort St. Elmo, which was on a star