Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley door pickup 10am - 7pm 3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
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  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
Offspring of Mars: A Military History of the Knights of Malta, 1614-1714

Offspring of Mars: A Military History of the Knights of Malta, 1614-1714

Buttigieg, Emanuel

Paperback

Series: Century of the Soldier 1618-1721

General World HistoryItalian History

Publisher Price: $59.95

PREORDER - Expected ship date November 30, 2026

ISBN10: 1806720205
ISBN13: 9781806720200
Publisher: Helion & Company
Published: Nov 30 2026
Pages: 416
Language: English
Vividly chronicles a century of Hospitaller ventures, battles, and reform across the Mediterranean, revealing resilience, transformation, and the collision of faith, warfare, and society.

Offspring of Mars traces a century of ventures and adventures of the Knights of Malta (the Hospitallers) across the Mediterranean. From defending their island stronghold to launching raids on the shores of Islam, these men lived, fought, and died for faith and glory.
On 24 January 1661, off the coast of Sicily, a fierce battle unfolded. Like a pack of wolves, six Maltese galleys pounced on a Muslim corsair, seizing everything from luxurious textiles to captives destined for slavery. Episodes like this illustrate the turbulent life of the seventeenth-century Mediterranean.

These galleys belonged to the Religion', whose members were drawn from Roman Catholic noble families. With roots stretching back over five centuries to the Crusades, the Hospitallers held Malta as a Christian bulwark against Islam. The island became a school of Mars', where the sons of the Roman god of war honed their martial skills in service to Christ.

Though faith lay at the heart of their mission, reducing the Hospitaller-Muslim conflict to a clash of civilisations overlooks the complexities of the time. Encounters were shaped by broader societal attitudes, environmental conditions, and an evolving military landscape.

Edward Gibbon quipped that the Hospitallers neglected to live, but were prepared to die, in the service of Christ.' Offspring of Mars both embraces and questions this depiction, offering a portrait of human resilience and transformation amid the shifting tides of war and belief. It will appeal to military-naval enthusiasts, as well as to those seeking a better understanding of the early modern Mediterranean.

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