Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/530

496 one of the enemy’s galleys, killed four Turks, and defended himself until overpowered by numbers. On board the prior’s vessel, when he was taken, he himself, pierced with five arrow wounds, was the sole survivor, except two knights, a Spaniard and a Sicilian, who, being senseless from their wounds, were considered as dead.”

Aluch All succeeded for the moment in capturing the prior’s galley, and having secured its banner he took the vessel in tow, hoping to make his way out of the battle, which, by this time, he saw was lost. Fortunately his manœuvre was perceived by the squadron of reserve, which had not yet been engaged, and its commander at once bore down on him to intercept the movement. Much All felt that if he remained encumbered with his prize he must inevitably be captured; so, cutting the galley adrift, he left the wounded prior to be rescued by his friends. They found on board of her the bodies of no less than 300 Turks who had been killed whilst boarding. There were also a few living Algerine sailors and Turkish soldiers, who had been put on board to assist in the navigation.

The results of the victory wore so great that for many years the naval power of the Turks in the Mediterranean was almost annihilated. Be Monte had in his last years felt himself so oppressed by the responsibilities of his office, that he earnestly besought the Pope to permit him to resign it. Pius V., however, persuaded him to remain, which he very reluctantly consented to do. He died on the 27th of January, 1572, at the age of seventy-six years.

It was during his rule that the Spanish convent of Dames Chevalières, or Hospitaller ladies, became once more united to the Order of St. John. This establishment, which was situated at Sixena, a small town midway between Saragossa and Lerida, had been founded by Sancha, daughter of Alphonso II., king of Aragon. Her mother, also called Sancha, surnamed the Chaste, had previously created a convent for noble ladies of the Order of St. John, at the time when the loss of. Palestine had deprived them of their homes. The establishment at