In 1565 the Ottoman Empire attempted to conquer the island of Malta, then held by the Knights Hospitaller.
At dawn on May 18, 1565, a massive Ottoman armada of nearly 200 ships appeared off Malta, carrying up to 40,000 troops. Sent by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent to destroy the Knights Hospitaller, this sparked the legendary Great Siege of Malta. The siege lasted nearly four months, from May 18 to September 8, 1565.
The Knights, who numbered around 500 together with approximately 6,000 foot soldiers, withstood the siege and repelled the invaders.