Having recently visited Malta, I felt compelled to write about its rich history, welcoming people and sheer natural beauty. I was fortunate enough to stay in the walled city of Valletta for a long weekend and on arrival, my eyes were quickly drawn to the traditional Maltese balconies that dominate all the streets. Every apartment seemed to have a balcony but they differed in colour and texture. I quickly learnt that the balconies were important indicators of wealth and social standing. My other overwhelming thought was that Valletta strangely felt like home. The city still has relics of the British rule: the red letter boxes and phone boxes, cafés with British names, English remains a joint official language and they still drive on the left hand side of the road.
It is necessary to highlight the obvious fact that Malta is situated in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily and roughly halfway between Alexandria in the East and Gibraltar in the West. It has therefore always been at the cross-roads of the trading routes of great empires. The influence of many invaders, over many centuries, has contributed greatly to Maltese culture, language, history and wealth.
The first invaders to leave a permanent mark on Malta were the Phoenicians, from modern day Lebanon, who were known for being skilled sailors and tradespeople. They arrived in around 800 BC and gave the island the name ‘Maleth’ which means shelter or refuge. They were said to have introduced weaving and glass making to the island. Their stay in Malta lasted just over 300 years until the Phoenicians were defeated in battle by the Romans who seized control of Malta in 218BC. Malta thrived under the Romans and were known for the production of honey and sailcloth. Another important year in Maltese history is 60AD when St Paul was shipwrecked on the island while on his journey to Rome. He stayed on the island for 3 months during which time he introduced the islanders to Christianity. Proceeding occupiers include the Arabs, the Normans and the Aragonese. In 1530 the Order of St John Knights came to Malta when the island was given to them by the Spanish king Charles V. The Knights were originally formed in the Holy Land but were slowly pushed westwards by the Turks to Rhodes and then finally to Malta. When the Knights arrived on Malta they were disappointed because farming on the island was, and still is, extremely difficult and therefore remaining self sufficient is challenging. A key date in Maltese history is the Great Siege in 1565. Voltaire is quoted as saying ‘rien est plus connu que le siege de Malte’ (nothing is so well known as the Siege of Malta).
In May 1565, the vast Turkish fleet comprising of nearly 40,000 men and commanded by the famous general Dragut Reis lay siege to the island. In contrast, the Knights only numbered 700 with around 8,000 regular Maltese troops. The Turks first decided to attack the isolated Fort St. Elmo because of its position between the two harbours. They had estimated it would take 4 days to capture but after 4 difficult, bloody and tiring weeks the fort was finally captured. In total, over 8,000 Turks had lost their lives and their general Dragut had been killed. They next lay siege to Fort St. Angelo over the hot summer but despite some 10 ferocious attacks, they failed to capture the fort. By September, the Turks were concerned about remaining in Malta during the winter and their morale was collapsing. At this point the Knights were finally reinforced by relief forces who helped to trap and then repeal the remaining Turkish troops. This was a humiliating defeat for the Turks and they never recovered to assemble such a huge military force again.
After the siege, the Grand Master Jean de La Valette ordered for the founding of the capital city of Valetta on the peninsula of Fort St. Elmo. The city was to be strongly fortified and in subsequent years the city flourished with innate houses, grand palaces and churches. Successive Grandmasters initiated grand projects such as increased fortifications, aqueducts, the grand harbour and a university. By the 18th century the Order was in decline, caused by an erosion of values that had been held dear by the Knights and Grandmasters who failed to deal with the pressing issues of the day. In 1798 the island was invaded by the mighty Napoleon Bonaparte who expelled the Order. He rapidly changed the Maltese laws and within 3 months the local Maltese revoluted against the French invaders, trapping them in Valletta. They appealed to the British to help them oust the French and were successful in blockading the island until they surrendered in 1800.
The British rule lasted until 1964 when Malta became independent but the country was heavily impacted by the events of the First and Second World Wars. When Mussolini declared Italy’s support to Nazi Germany, Malta was bombed for over 2 years by the Italian and German air forces from 1940. This was a very difficult time for the islanders but the pragmatism, determination, persistence and heroism of the Maltese people was recognised by King George VI when he awarded the Maltese people the George Cross Medal. The medal can still be seen today on the flag of Malta.
By 1979, the Union Jack was finally lowered and the Maltese people had achieved the goal that they had fought many centuries to obtain – self governance. Malta is now part of the EU and flourishing with a strong economy and booming tourism industry. Nowadays tourists enjoy sites such as the stunning, opulent St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta, the grand architecture in the ancient city of Mdina and the rugged coastline of Gozo.
The Maltese are proud of their 7,000 years of rich history, and quite rightly so.
Daniel Callaghan 