136 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book iii.

■worn by the knights in battle, having the whitecross on every side, and bearing high in the placeof honour, over all other banners, even over theRoman in Rome itself, the standard of the Hos-pitallers; place justly appertaining to the order, buton that occasion subjected to criticism, not un-blended with ignorance and envy, saysBosio. The same Julius being made cardinalthe next year, took leave of his priory and theorder, and preferred what brought him in full viewof the Tiara, for the Pope was still king of kings;whereas Julius could have small chance of ever beingchosen grand master, and even if he were, it is astation more reposing on personal merit than amighty sovereignty in itself. 1 Let us not wonderif the Turk sometimes sided with Rhodes, sincethe Shah of Persia did in 1514, and sent an am-bassador, who was obliged to traverse Mesopotamiaand other countries in disguise. 2

Carretto was of an Italian royal family of Saxonorigin, 3 and then grand admiral of the order, andin distress for the death of his brother, a cardinal.

Since Rhodes was in expectation every momentof a Turkish siege, his first act was to convene a

1 Bosio: par. ii., lib. xviii., anno 1513, 509.

2 Id.: id,, id., anno 1514.

3 Cod. Dipl. Gctos., ii., Num. cliv.