Was there any new military innovation during the Siege of Malta?
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The answer is yes. While both the strength of fortifications and terrible mistakes from the Ottomans (I would also count the great determination and strategy of defenders as a third condition) played a highly important role, during the siege, Hospitallers used also a kind of defensive weapons that were unavailable to any other forces of their times.
I recommend the lecture of memoirs written by Correggio, one of the arquebusiers who were fighting at Malta during the siege. But as I can't provide any English language quotes from that, I'll quote the book "Malta 1565: Last Battle Of The Crusades" by Tim Pickles.
We can read there about the famous Greek fire, the secret of which (according to Correggio) was stolen by the Hospitallers from Byzantine Empire during the times of crusades. But what's important, Holy Knights improved it by the new invention of special hoops.
It played a crucial role during at least few important days of the siege (but probably much more of them), starting from the first days of June. Tim Pickles writes about it:
Now was the time to use weapons, which the defenders prepared for just such a moment: Greek Fire, a sort of napalm molotov coctail in the earthenware pots that could be thrown up to 30 yards. The Trump, a primitive flame thrower which gave off the flame several yards long fed by sulfur resin and linseed oil; and the firework hoop made of light wood soaked in dried and similar flammable liquids and impregnated with gunpowder. This last weapon was specially designed as an anti-personnel weapon against the Turks. When lit they were then thrown over the walls using tongs, and would land on or in front of the attackers, several of whom could be entangled in one hoop. Their traditional Turkish robes would soon catch fire and the effect was devastating.
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