Raid of Żejtun

The Raid of Żejtun, (Maltese: L-Aħħar Ħbit - The Last Attack) took place on 6 July 1614, and was an attempt by the Ottoman Empire to wreak havoc on the island of Malta, centred on the town of Żejtun. This was the last unsuccessful attempt to conquer Malta by the Ottomans. The raiders were beaten back to their ships by the Order's cavalry, and the inhabitants of the south-eastern towns and villages.

Attack
A considerable Turkish force of sixty galleys laid anchor at Marsascala and St Thomas Bay. The Turks pillaged Żejtun, damaging the church of St Gregory's, then referred to as the parish church of St Catherine's, and the surrounding villages. The attack continued until the Turkish pirates were forced back to their ships by the Knight's cavalry and militia.

The attack is described in a commemorative plaque engraved close to the main altar of St Gregory's, which states that:

"“In the early hours of Sunday, July 6, 1614, a Turkish army landed from 60 galleys, disembarking six thousand men in the place called Ghizira in Saint Thomas’ creek. The Turks raided the nearby casali, arriving right up to the farmlands held under the feud of Bulebel. They sacked these townships, burnt farmland and did much damage to the main church of Saint Catherine’s and all the others. Many were caught and killed, and they were made to retire back to the quays. No Christian was captured, but twenty were injured in the attack. From that day until September 11, 1614, all those born in this parish had to be baptised elsewhere. Extracted from the second book of baptisms for this parish.”"



Consequences
The attack confirmed the need of the coastal forts of St Thomas and St Lucian, in Marsascala and Marsaxlokk respectively. These two towers, however, could not communicate with each other. In case of attack or the landing of enemy forces in either bay, some intermediate signalling station was needed to allow the despatch of reinforcements.

Following the attack, the Order added two transepts and a dome to the fifteenth century parish church of Saint Catherine's. A narrow passage with two small windows looking at the towers of these forts was built high up in the thickness of the transept walls. The finding of human bones in a number of secret passages of this church was, for many years, linked with this attack.

In 1658, the leader of the Żejtun contingent, Clemente Tabone, built a chapel dedicated to St Clement, in commemoration of the deliverance from the attack. The chapel is believed to stand close to the location of the battle with the Turkish raiders.