{"product_id":"offspring-of-mars-emanuel-buttigieg-9781806720200","title":"Offspring of Mars: A Military History of the Knights of Malta, 1614-1714","description":"Offspring of Mars traces a century of ventures and adventures of the Knights of Malta (the Hospitallers) across the Mediterranean. From defending their island stronghold to launching raids on the shores of Islam, these men lived, fought, and died for faith and glory.\u003cbr\u003eOn 24 January 1661, off the coast of Sicily, a fierce battle unfolded. Like a pack of wolves, six Maltese galleys pounced on a Muslim corsair, seizing everything from luxurious textiles to captives destined for slavery. Episodes like this illustrate the turbulent life of the seventeenth-century Mediterranean.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThese galleys belonged to  the Religion', whose members were drawn from Roman Catholic noble families. With roots stretching back over five centuries to the Crusades, the Hospitallers held Malta as a Christian bulwark against Islam. The island became a  school of Mars', where the sons of the Roman god of war honed their martial skills in service to Christ.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThough faith lay at the heart of their mission, reducing the Hospitaller-Muslim conflict to a clash of civilisations overlooks the complexities of the time. Encounters were shaped by broader societal attitudes, environmental conditions, and an evolving military landscape.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEdward Gibbon quipped that the Hospitallers  neglected to live, but were prepared to die, in the service of Christ.' Offspring of Mars both embraces and questions this depiction, offering a portrait of human resilience and transformation amid the shifting tides of war and belief. It will appeal to military-naval enthusiasts, as well as to those seeking a better understanding of the early modern Mediterranean.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Emanuel Buttigieg\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1806720205\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781806720200\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Helion \u0026amp; Company\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 08\/31\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 416\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback","brand":"Emanuel Buttigieg","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48852735787263,"sku":"9781806720200","price":59.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/offspring-of-mars-emanuel-buttigieg-9781806720200","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}