IIIS TO It Y or MALTA.

141

sistance, by sending continual succours to Candia, one of the finest ofthe Venetian possessions. o

Selim II. was so busily employed in making considerable pre-parations for war (1574), that Malta had reason to tremble for itssafety. Though proper means were employed to put it in a stateof defence, yet the malcontents reproached the grand-master andcouncil with an inactivity very prejudicial to the interests of theorder. They however learnt, a short time afterwards, that theTurkish emperor had turned his arms against the fort of Golettaand Tunis, of which he had taken possession.

The archduke Winceslas, a prince of the house of Austria,of the German branch, had obtained (1577), through the interestof the king of Spain, the grand priory of Castille and Leon, toge-ther with the bailiwick of Lora, on the condition of his taking the

vows. The grand-master and council thought it impossible to refuse ^

ratifying the appointment of the king of Spain, who had granted v

such powerful protection to the order. This favour, however,might very well be attended by disagreeable consequences, and itwas certainly a prelude to the discontent which broke out after-wards (1578). The Castillian knights complained in the strongestterms against the grand-master and the council, for having con-sented to the nomination of the archduke to such considerable be-nefices, which they regarded as an act of great injustice to everyindividual of their language. These malcontents were secretlyencouraged by several of the grand-crosses, who likewise fomentedthe sedition. The grand-master was forced, in this dilemma, to have