Malta & Gozo
Two small Islands where both history and beauty abound. The strategic
position of Malta (right between Tunisia in Africa to the south and Sicily just 60
miles - 93 km away) has always been one of its strong points as well as an irresistible
attraction for the invading armies and navies of a multitude of strong powers.
Malta was first settled around 5200 B.C. by peoples coming from the
Italian island of Sicily. Then came the ancient Greeks followed by the Phoenicians around
400 B.C. and, finally, Malta became a part of the Roman Republic in 218 B.C. Malta was
under Roman rule until the 4th century A.D. when it passed under Byzantine rule. Once the
final division into East and West of the Roman Empire had occurred, Malta was subsequently
conquered or dominated by the Arabs (around 900), the Normans (in 1091), the Holy Roman
Empire (1194) until the Spanish House of Aragon took over in 1275.
Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, (as well as King of Sicily and King of
Spain and final heir to the Aragonese throne) gave the islands to the Order of Knights of
the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem in perpetual lease in 1530 in an effort to protect
Rome from Turkish invasion (the greatest military threat of the time).
The knights of St. John are now known as the Knights of Malta who wear the
Maltese Cross as their symbol.
Between May and September of 1565 the Ottoman Empire with its allies
laid siege to both Malta and Gozo that endure this siege for nearly 5 months. 6,000
Maltese resisted and repelled 30,000 Turks during the last military campaign involving
Crusader Knights.
The Maltese fought under the command of Grand Master Jean de la Valette
after whom the Maltese capital La Valletta was named.
In 1797 Napoleon occupied Malta using force and guile and after the
Napoleonic wars Malta became a British Crown Colony (1814). During WW2 Malta was subjected
to heavy bombing from the air and from the sea. Malta was collectively awarded the George
Cross in 1942 (the civilian equivalent of the Victoria Cross) for its bravery and to this
day the George Cross is part of the Maltese Flag (the upper left).
Malta was granted its independence by the United Kingdom in 1964 and in
1974 became a republic.
Malta s member of the British Commonwealth and became a full fledged
member of the European Community in 2004 adopting the Euro in 2007.
Malta has thousands of years of history to offer its citizens and its
visitors as well as a multitude of views of nature on land and in the sea for the joy of
archaeologists, history buffs and present day adventure and vacation seekers. |
