| The Knights Hospitaller | The Ottomans |
|---|---|
| 500 Knights Hospitaller | 6,000 Spahis (cavalry) |
| 400 Spanish soldiers | 500 Spahis from Karamania |
| 800 Italian soldiers | 6,000 Janissaries |
| 500 soldiers from the galleys (Spanish Empire) | 400 adventurers from Mytiline |
| 200 Greek and Sicilian soldiers | 2,500 Spahis from Rumelia |
| 100 soldiers of the garrison of Fort St. Elmo | 3,500 adventurers from Rumelia |
| 100 servants of the knights | 4,000 "religious servants" |
| 500 galley slaves | 6,000 other volunteers |
| 3,000 soldiers drawn from the Maltese population | Various corsairs from Tripoli and Algiers |
| Total: 6,100 | Total: 28,500 from the East, 40,000 in all |
Janissaries. Learning what they are will change your world view, after you first throw up
Yup. Nearly half the defenders were basically Maltese militia. Against, elite Turkish Janissaries—yikes.