La Grande et merueilleuse et tres cruelle oppugnation de la noble cite de Rhodes, prinse naguieres par Sultan Seliman a present grand Turcq, ennemy de la tres saincte foy Catholicque [...].

Sm. 4to: [6]-li (= 51)-[1] ff. (dampstained at the end, some sm. stains).

19th-c. brown morocco "à l'antique" by [Robert] Rivière (London, 1808-1882): blind-tooled border on covers, blind-tooled spine on raised bands with gilt title, gilt inside dentelles, a.e.g. over red edges (sl. rubbed, some sm. scratches). Very good wide-margined copy.

First edition, issue with the title "La grande et merveilleuse [...]" (from a copy of Göllner 231, with some variants) instead of "L'oppugnation de la noble et chevaleresque cite de Rhodes [...]") and errata on f. O4r. Title within woodcut border, numerous woodcut initials. Unique contemporary account in French of the siege of 1522, successfully led by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent to expel the Knights of Rhodes from their island and to consolidate Ottoman control of the Eastern Mediterranean. The conquest of Rhodes was a major step towards Ottoman control over the Eastern Mediterranean and greatly eased their maritime communications between Constantinople and Cairo and the Levantine ports. Later, in 1669, from this base Ottoman Turks captured Venetian Crete. The Knights Hospitaller initially moved to Sicily, but, in 1530, obtained the islands of Malta and Gozo and the North African port city of Tripoli in fief from Emperor Charles V. Jacques de Bourbon (born c. 1466), natural son of Louis de Bourbon, prince and future bishop of Liège, became Knight of St. John of Jerusalem in 1503. His book was the source of all the later narratives on the siege of Rhodes. After the fall of Rhodes, he was appointed to a number of important missions and functions in his order, including that of Grand Prior. Ref. Bechtel (Gothiques) B-351. - Göllner (Turcica) I:231. - USTC 10357. - BP16 104949. - Pettegree FB 7018. - Brunet I:1175.- Adams B-2590. - Moreau III:774. - Not in Attabey. Prov. Chevalier Adrien de Melotte, i.e. the Liège collector Adrien de Melotte de Lavaux (1874-1942), former Belgian diplomat in China (arm. bookpl.). - [Georges Petit].