Francisco Balbi Di Correggio

About the Author

Francisco Balbi Di Correggio, a Genoese soldier and eyewitness to one of history's most pivotal sieges, captured the raw intensity of the 1565 Ottoman assault on Malta in his firsthand account. Born in the mid-16th century, Balbi served as an arquebusier in the valiant defense led by the Knights Hospitaller, enduring months of brutal combat, starvation, and heroism against overwhelming forces. His narrative, originally penned in Spanish and later translated, offers an unfiltered glimpse into the chaos of Renaissance warfare, blending vivid personal anecdotes with strategic insights. As a rare primary source, Balbi's work illuminates the resilience of the Maltese defenders and the turning point that halted Ottoman expansion in the Mediterranean, cementing his legacy as a chronicler of courage and survival.