In September 1429, an army of about 18,000 soldiers led by Kaid Ridavan landed on the
Maltese coast. The army had been sent by
Hafsid ruler
Abu Faris Abd al-Aziz II and had previously attacked and captured
Mazara in western
Sicily. The invaders besieged Malta's capital of
Mdina but they did not manage to capture the city. They looted the other towns and destroyed the Augustinian monastery in
Rabat. Between 3,000 and 4,500 Maltese inhabitants were taken as prisoners and were enslaved while many were killed. == References ==