This battle took place on 28 September 1644 about 70 miles from Rhodes, when 6 Maltese galleys, under Boisbaudran, defeated several Turkish sailing ships. September 28 is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years). ... Events February to August - Explorer Abel Tasmans second expedition for the Dutch East India Company maps the north coast of Australia. ... Outside the city walls of the medieval city of Rhodes Rhodes, Greek Ροδος (Rodos), is the largest of the Dodecanese islands, and easternmost of the major islands of Greece in the Aegean Sea. ...

San Lorenzo, Santa Maria and Vittoria overhauled and attacked the galleon, while San Giuseppe and San Giovanni captured a smaller sailing ship, and the "capitana" chased a vessel which turned out to be Greek, before returning to fight the Turkish galleon. After 7 hours, she was captured, with 220 of the 600 or more on board dead. The prisoners included one of the Sultans wives and her young son. Boisbaudran was killed, and the senior captain, Cotoner, of San Lorenzo, took over command. Maltese casualties were 82 killed and 170 wounded, exclusive of the rowing crews. On the voyage home there were several storms, and eventually the galleon was abandoned near Malta, and ended up wrecked on the Calabrian coast.

Ships involved:

Malta

? ("capitana" of Boisbaudran)
San Lorenzo
Santa Maria
Vittoria
San Giuseppe
San Giovanni

Turkey

galleon - Captured, wrecked later
smaller ship - Captured
several others