HISTORY ETHNOGRAPHY NATURE WINE-MAKING SITE MAP
Selected and rare materials, excerpts and observations from ancient, medieval and contemporary authors, travelers and researchers about Cyprus.
 
 
 
 
uses Google technology and indexes only and selectively internet - libraries having books with free public access
 
  Previous Next  

GIOVANNI MARITI
Travels in the Island of Cyprus
page 181

View PDF version of this page

was the right-worshipful Messer Andrea Bragadino, who with all diligence watched the guarding of the sea-front, repairing the flanks and digging out new ones to protect the quarter of the arsenal. The Commander of the artillery was Cav. Goito, who lost his life just now in a skirmish ; the right-worshipful Bragadino gave me his company. Three captains were set over the fireworks, with 20 footmen apiece, chosen from the companies to handle the explosives. All the serviceable cannon were moved to the quarter where the attack was expected, and platforms were provided for the embrasures. We failed not to make frequent sallies in all directions to annoy the enemy, and we did them no little injury. On one occasion, when charging out with 300 citizens armed with sword and shield, and a like number of Italian arquebusiers, we suffered great losses because the enemy's trenches were too thickly set, and although we routed them and slew many, they sprung up in such hosts that they killed 30 of our men, and wounded 60. After this we made no more sallies, the risk was too great. Gradually the enemy brought their trenches to the top of the counterscarp, and having completed their batteries, on May 19 they began the attack from 10 forts on which were mounted 74 pieces of great ordnance, among them four so-called basilisks of enormous size. The plan of attack ranged from the Limasol gate to the Arsenal, which was covered by five guns on the fort of the rock, another on the curtain of the Arsenal over against a fort of 11 guns, another on the great tower of the Andruzzi with the two cavaliers above it from a fort mounting also 11 guns, another on the great tower of St Nappa, which had to face the fire of the four basilisks. The Limasol gate, which had a tall cavalier atop and a ravelin beyond, was bombarded by the forts with 33 cannon, under the orders of Mustafa the general commanding-in-chief. At the outset they hardly troubled about destroying the walls, but they fired on the city, and at our guns, which were doing them great damage. This caused all the soldiers and ι 78 The Siege of Famagusta

View PDF version of this page


  Previous First Next