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Battles with the pirates of Algeria and Tunisia. Santa Caterina defeats Golden Sun 1714
In 1977, the Order's postal service issued a series of stamps commemorating significant naval victories of the Order in the 18th century.
In the early 17th century, the Order of Malta's fleet of seven galleys was renowned as the finest navy in the Mediterranean, consistently destroying maritime pirates. The Order of Malta participated in the Spanish-led military operations in North Africa against Algeria and in the French colonization of Canada. In the first half of the century alone, the Knights achieved 18 major naval victories over the fleets of Tunisia and Algeria.
In 1602, the Knights of Malta captured the cities of Lepanto and Patras on the western coast of the Peloponnese Peninsula, in 1611, the city of Corinth, and in 1606, they won a naval victory at San Maro. In 1615, a 5,000-strong Turkish force attempted to land on Malta but was immediately driven back into the sea. In 1643, by order of the Pope, the Order of Malta participated in military operations against the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza.
The fleet of the Order of Malta also participated in the Venetian-Turkish War of 1645–1669, specifically in 1656, participating in the defeat of the Turkish fleet in the Aegean Sea, at the exit of the Dardanelles.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Order's ships waged a continuous "war of privateering" against Muslim vessels, protecting Christian trade routes and capturing numerous Barbary vessels.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT:
The 2scudi stamp depicts an episode from the long conflict between the Knights of Malta and the pirates of North Africa. According to the inscription on the stamp, the Algerian ship Malimette Tuil (Golden Sun) was sunk by the Maltese vessel Santa Catarina (S. Catarina), commanded by Fra Adriano di Langen, after a protracted battle in the seas of Provence.
The Maltese naval victories over superior enemy forces are well-known: "The military exploits of the Knights never ceased to enhance the glory of their arms." Another episode from the life of Fra Adriano di Langena, who with one ship, called "Saint Catherine", attacked 7 Algerian ships, put them to flight and captured one, called "Half Moon", with forty guns and a crew of 400 men, losing only 7 men in the battle."
Sovereign Order of Malta (SVMO) 1977; 2scudi.
Source: https://wonderfulsail.com/maltiiskii_or ... i_chast_iv and various web-sites.

THE CFPTURE of THE "MISTRESS of TRIPOLI" in 1723.
The stamp, with 40 grani, according to the inscription, shows the moment of the capture of the "Mistress of Tripoli" by the ship "San Vincenzo" in Ciambray, located in Comada, in the waters between Pantelleria and Bar, by the knight Giacomo Francesco de Fra Andrea de Grille on May 13, 1723.
The first major event during his short reign occurred on May 13, 1723, when the Order's ship "Saint Vincent," under the command of Chevalier André de Grille, captured the flagship of the Algerian navy, armed with 25 guns and a crew of 500. This success was soon followed by the capture of another 40-gun Algerian ship and the recovery of a merchant ship previously captured by the Turks.

During his short reign, the fleet of the Order of the Knights of St. John achieved such a degree of superiority that the Ottomans gave up ravaging the Mediterranean as they were accustomed to doing.
The Grand Master was the only one to also gain a reputation for literary prowess, through his work as historian of the Order.
Although his tenure lasted only a little over two years, the Grand Master enjoyed great popularity within the convent, and was much loved by the people of Malta, who deeply mourned his death on 15 June 1722.

Sovereign Order of Malta (SVMO) 1977; 4tari.
Sources: http://teutonic.altervista.org/G/113.html

THE CAPTURE of PORCOSPINO 1721.
The 4-tari stamp depicts an encounter between the Knights of Malta and North African pirates. According to the stamp's inscription, the Tunisian ship "Porcospino" (Porcupine) was captured by the Maltese vessel "San Giorgio."
The squadron which the grand master had granted the king of Spain to guard his coasts, puts to sea 1721 under the command of the de Langon., and chases a galiot of Barbary that was cruising off of the coast of Sardinia. They cannot come up with her, but take a pink which she had made a prize of a little before. The «St. John» man of war, of which the commodore was on board, meets, some days afterwards, with an Algerine vessel of 40 guns, comes up with her, and takes her after an hour’s engagement. Twenty Christian slaves were delivered, and 260 infidels made slaves. A few days after, they meet the squadron of Tunis, consisting of the admiral, the «Patrone», and the «Porcupine». The two first get off in the night, after a long and smart engagement; but the «Porcupine» was forced to strike, after having stood it out against all the live till ten at night. After which it was captured on May 23, 1721.
They deliver thirty-two Chris¬tians, who were slaves in this ship. This success, which was owing to the valour of captain Algonis de la Grois, casts such a terror over all the coast of Barbary, that no corsair dares stir out to cruise.

Sovereign Order of Malta (SVMO) 1977; 4tari.
Sources: https://wonderfulsail.com/maltiiskii_or ... i_chast_iv and various web-sites.
1GG HISTORY OF THE KNIGHTS OF MALTA.