An Ottoman force judged the fortified main island too difficult and redirected its attack toward Gozo. Gozo's citadel had served as a refuge for the population, but its defences had not kept pace with siege warfare. The position fell quickly, and roughly five to six thousand inhabitants were carried away into slavery. Although devastating to the island, the raid did not secure either Gozo or Malta as an Ottoman base. The result is compared to Gallipoli and the Dardanelles: a dramatic attack that supported a claim of victory without securing the larger objective.
Chapter · 23:03-26:24
Gozo's catastrophe and Malta's warning
The 1551 attack devastated Gozo but did not secure Malta, exposing the difference between raiding and controlling the archipelago.