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by Edoardo Albert.
Hardback (6.3×9.5 inches). 229 pages. 2025.
Subtitle: Gabriele Tadino & the Defence of Europe
Gabriele Tadino emerged as one of the ablest military engineers and commanders during the Italian Wars at the beginning of the 1500s. With an inclination for military matters and taught geometry by his father, he was apprenticed to a French engineer who taught him the finer points of fortress architecture. By the time he was 30, he was in demand and pledged to Venice.
Yet when Sultan Suleiman and the Ottomans demanded Rhodes from the Knights Hospitallers, the Knights declined, the Ottomans launched siege operations, and the Knights put out a call for defenders. Tadino answered the call and entered just after the Ottomans began their siege.
His forte was counter-mining. As the Ottomans drove tunnels under the walls to explode mines to create breaches, Tadino’s detection gadgets found the mines and he directed countermines be created to blow up the Ottoman miners. When he detected mines too late, he had shafts drilled down to dissipate the explosive force up and away from the walls. He wasn’t 100% successful, but he foiled all but a couple.
He also oversaw the building of secondary fortifications to stymie any Ottoman penetrations — and often led from the front. He didn’t escape unscathed, for he lost an eye to a lucky shot, but he pulled through.
The siege ended up a draw…but with the Ottomans able to reinforce and the Knights and related forces unable to attract soldiers or smuggle ammo and gunpowder through the blockade. Negotiations ensued and the Knights and followers were allowed to leave with their lives and possessions — all except Tadino, whom the Sultan wanted for his own army. No fool he, Tadino snuck out and made his way back to Italy.
The book contains two black and white maps, 18 color illustrations, and one black and white illustration.
The full siege receives a detailed recap. Well written, you’ll get an excellent idea of how Tadino used his experience and personal leadership to foil Ottoman attack after attack.
Enjoyed it.
— Reviewed by Russ Lockwood
