In 1480, Mohammed II the Conqueror seemed to be absolute ruler in the Eastern Mediterranean after his victory over the Venetians. At that time, the Order of the Knights of Agios Ioannis was based in the Dodecanese. The knights had conquered the Dodecanese creating a small naval state that always continued the war against the Muslims. Muhammad had attacked the knights in 1454 and 1467 without success. After his victory against the Venetians, however, Muhammad was determined to clear out the Rhodian "wasp's nest".
On May 23, 1480, the Turkish fleet was seen outside the port of Rhodes. The head of the campaign was the converted "Greek" grand vizier Mezih Palaiologos. The Grand Master of the Pierre d'Aubusson Order he could marshal about 7,000 men, of which 5,000 were Greeks. The sources do not agree on the strength of the Turkish army and state that it numbered 70-100,000 men.
The fateful July 27th
After fierce clashesthe Turks launched their biggest attack against Rhodes on July 27, the day of Agios Panteleimon, after a heavy bombardment of the walls and after they had prepared 8,000 palukia to palukia the defenders they would capture after their victory ! Mezih had promised his hordes that they could sack the city. With the cry of "Allah" the Turks rushed out. The Turks attacked the breach that had been created in the wall after the previous attacks and bombardments.
Mezih threw into the fray his disorderly Vasibouzouks, the numerous mob of his army fighting for the spoils, as a bodyguard. Behind the warriors the officers were waiting with their swords, ready to "cut" any Vasibouzouko who cowered and tried to retreat. In the second echelon were the elite janissaries. With terrifying yells the Turks rushed to the attack as soon as their artillery stopped their final preparations. Faced with this terrifying human mass, the defenders lost ground, the Turks entered through the breach and the flag of the "prophet" was raised on the walls.
The Grand Master d'Aubusson felt the criticality of the moment. Although wounded by an arrow in the leg, the experienced warrior realized that the moment had come when all would be won or lost, the moment of fate. He therefore immediately set out at the head of 12 knights and three standard-bearers against the single Turkish mob. The standard bearers held, one a banner with the image of the Virgin Mary, the second banner with the image of Saint John the Forerunner and the third the flag of the Order with the eight-pointed cross of Ag. John
These 16 men stood alone, initially, against the masses and began to crush the enemies . But there were many Turks. D'Aubusson received four new wounds in this phase. And a blind janissary managed to hit him so hard with his spear that it pierced his chest and reached the lung. His men pulled him back badly wounded. It seemed that the time had come for Rhodes to turn Turkish. Suddenly where all seemed lost for the Christians, the Turks stopped! Panic prevailed in the classes. The Turks shouted that Panagia, St. John, who was depicted in the banners and the angels of the Christians, are fighting them!
Panicked, the Turks began to retreat! But the defenders also maintained that they saw the Holy Cross, with the Virgin Mary and St. John, on either side, may he shine in heaven and behind them the saints and angels! Was it a miracle or a group collision of attackers and defenders? The fact that the incident is witnessed by both sides may indicate something. Whatever it was, a miracle, or just panic of the Turks, saved Rhodes. The hordes of Islam fled in panic with the knights chasing the warriors and slaughtering them into the enemy camp. Thousands of Turks fell, that day, on the day of the feast of Saint Panteleimon, beloved saint of the Rhodians. A few days later, ashamed, the Turks left the island
