Atlas of Battles

siege, major, medieval

Siege of Rhodes

Siege of Rhodes was a siege conducted in 1480 at Rhodes, in what is now Greece. It was part of the Ottoman Wars in Europe, which ran from 1354 to 1683. The recorded result: Knights Hospitaller victory.

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Siege of Rhodes in 1480. Two Neapolitan ships bring reinforcements
Siege of Rhodes in 1480. Two Neapolitan ships bring reinforcements. Master of the Cardinal de Bourbon, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought1480
WhereRhodes, Greece36.167N, 28.000E
OutcomeKnights Hospitaller victory
BelligerentsOttoman EmpireagainstKnights Hospitaller
Casualties and losses9,000 killed; 15,000 woundedandUnknown
Part ofOttoman Wars in Europe1354 to 1683

Where it sits in the Ottoman Wars in Europe

Battle of Sırp Sındığı, 1364Battle of Pločnik, 1385Battle of Savra, 1385Battle of Kosovo, 1389Siege of Ohrid, 1395Battle of Tripolje, 1402Siege of Novo Brdo, 1440Battle of Hermannstadt, 1442Battle of Pollog, 1453Battle of Kruševac, 1454Siege of Berat, 1455Battle of Albulena, 1457Battle of Ohrid, 1464Battle of Meçad, 1465Battle of Vaikal, 1465Siege of Krujë, 1467Siege of Krujë, 1467Siege of Rhodes, 1480Battle of Krbava Field, 1493Battle of Dubica, 1513Siege of Knin, 1522Siege of Rhodes, 15221552 Siege of Eger, 1552Siege of Temesvár, 1552Siege of Szigetvár, 1566Léva castle's duel, 1581Battle of Slunj, 1584Siege of Bihać, 1592Battle of Brest, 1592Battle of Vezekény, 1652Battle of Petrovaradin, 1716Battle of Tendra, 1790Battle of Lopate, 1796Battle of Kolašin, 1858Battle of Tashkessen, 187713641877Siege of Rhodes, 1480
35 placed engagements of the Ottoman Wars in Europe in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date1480 (year precision)
PlaceRhodes, Greece
36.167N, 28.000E
KindSiege, medieval
Strength70,000 men; 100 or 160 ships; Probably between 10,000 and 15,000 men; Not more than 20,000; 3,000 janissaries500+ knights; 2,000+ soldiers; Probably numbered about 3,500 men or 300+ knights 300 sergeants, 3,000–4,000 soldiers.
Casualties and losses9,000 killed; 15,000 woundedUnknown
Commanders
  • Mesih Pasha
  • Pierre d'Aubusson
Siege of RhodesSiege of RhodesSiege of RhodesSiege of RhodesSiege of RhodesSiege of RhodesSiege of LindosSiege of LindosRodosKosSitiaMuğla100 km36.167N, 28.000E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

The ground today

Relief of the ground around the site of Siege of Rhodes
Relief within about 10.0 km of the site, contours every 25 m. Copernicus DEM GLO-30, ESA.

The recorded site stands at about 115 m; within 10.0 km the ground runs from 0 to 396 m, 396 m of relief, hilly country and today it is 52% tree cover, 24% shrubland, 13% water.

tree cover: 52%shrubland: 24%water: 13%grassland: 8%tree cover 52%shrubland 24%water 13%grassland 8%
west to east, 10.0 km0 to 212 mnorth to south, 10.0 km101 to 353 m
Elevation from the Copernicus DEM GLO-30 (ESA, Airbus); land cover from ESA WorldCover 2021 (CC BY 4.0), within about 5 km of the recorded site. Computed, not recorded.

Nearest engagements

Contested ground: this site was fought over 5 times between 305 BC and 1522.

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1480

Siege of Rhodes is one of 720 engagements of the 15th century in the atlas and one of 493 in present-day Greece.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q701067, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Siege of Rhodes (1480), revision 1385296258, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.