The document discusses the Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the contest for control of the central Mediterranean region between the Ottoman Empire and Christendom in the 16th century. It provides background on Ptolemy's map and the interest in exploration and conquest of known lands. It describes the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent's expansion of Ottoman control across Southeast Europe and North Africa. It then summarizes the Siege of Malta by Suleiman against the Knights of Malta in 1565 and the pivotal Christian victory over the Ottoman fleet at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571 led by John of Austria.

1. THE SIEGE OF MALTA, THE BATTLE OF LEPANTO, AND
THE CONTEST FOR THE CENTER OF THE WORLD;
A PRESENTATION BY WELDON JOLIVETTE

2. Ptolemy’s MapPtolemy was a philosopher that
published a book called
Geography that discussed and
mapped out much of the known
world as known in his day. That
map sparked an interest not only in
the exploration of those lands, but
the conquering of the known
world. Two main empires battled
over the area thought to be the
center of the world, the
Mediterranean Sea, and those
empires where the Ottoman
Empire and the rest of the world.
The rest of the world was known as
Christendom or the land where the
Christians dwell.

3. Suleiman the
Magnificent
•Born November 1494 and
died September 1566.
•Under his rule, the Ottoman
fleet dominated the seas
from the Mediterranean to
the Red Sea and the Persian
Gulf.
•Suleiman a distinguished
poet and goldsmith in his
own right; he also became a
great patron of culture,
overseeing the golden age of
the Ottoman Empire's
artistic, literary and
architectural development.
•Suleiman personally led
Ottoman armies to conquer
the Christian strongholds of
Belgrade, Rhodes, and most
of Hungary before his
conquests were checked at
the Siege of Vienna in 1529.

4. Christendom
Christianity was the
only opposition to the
Muslim rule that was
the Ottoman Empire.
During the reign of
Suleiman the leaders of
most significance were
the papacy and Spanish
king Charles. Europe
was controlled by
dynastic rule and those
loose coalitions left the
Christian front open to
invasion by Muslims.

5. The battle of Malta was the one of many battles between the Ottoman Empire and the
coalition of Spain. The Knights of Malta was a religious/military order born of the
Crusades in the twelfth century, when they were originally known as the Knights of the
Order of St. John of Jerusalem. When the Muslims regained control of the Holy Land, the
Knights relocated to Rhodes. There, they fought the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman in 1522,
putting up such an impressive defense that after a protracted siege Suleiman allowed
them to withdraw with honors.

6. •October 7, 1571
•The Holy League's fleet of 206 galleys and 6 galleasses
commanded by the King of Spain’s half brother.
•John of Austria was a young charismatic man who was
thirsty for victory and to prove himself to the world.
•Pope Pius V was the organizer behind the Christian
coalition of Spain and Venice.
•John of Austria known as Don Juan led the coalition to
victory by challenging the superior Ottoman troops.
•Ali Pasha was killed and beheaded as soldiers boarded his
ship. Don Juan was disgusted by this act and threw head
overboard, later showing mercy releasing the sons of Ali
Pasha.