Malta boasts the climate, deep natural harbours and location that has, for over 5,000 years, attracted many sea trading nations. With the oldest free standing structures in the world Malta has a known history that pre dates the Great Pyramid in Egypt by some 1,500 years.

Megalithic temples constructed circa 3,600 BC whose builders looked upon stone structures that were already 1,500 years old, started the known history of the islands. The first written history comes with the Phoenicians, a powerful Mediterranean nation specialising in overseas trade. Next the ancient Greeks arrived who, around 700 BC built temples and small coastal towns, bringing their pagan beliefs and culture to the Islands.

Invaded by the Carthaginians in 480 BC the Greeks left it to the new Roman Empire to retake the islands and continue Latin traditions. It was the Romans who, in 218 BC built the first capital city, standing where Medieval Mdina now looks down from Malta’s highest point. Roman construction is still evident throughout the islands, remains of fortifications, grand villas and aqueducts are a constant reminder of Malta’s incredible ancient Greco-Roman history.

It was during Roman rule a freak storm changed the course of Maltese history, causing the shipwreck of an early Christian, known today as St Paul. His ship smashed onto the rocks of St Pauls Islands in 59AD. Surviving and welcomed into the homes of the locals he met Publius, the Roman Governor at the time, a friendship began that was to start a strong Christian belief within the Islands that was, some 1,000 years later, to have a huge impact on the course of history.

Christianity later divided the Roman Empire, leading to Emperor Constantine declaring Christianity as the only religion for the empire. This new declaration, made in Constantinople led to the start of a new power, The Byzantines. In 395 AD the islands came under Byzantine rule, plundered by Goths and Vandals during the early 5th century AD the islands suffered from pirates and slavery until taken under control again by the late Byzantine Empire.

870 AD saw the Arabs take control of the Mediterranean, conquering previously under Byzantine rule and spreading their beliefs to the lands around the ancient “Middle Sea.” Malta was no exception, almost decimated to the point of being deserted and unpopulated, the islands became the home of marauding Pirates and armies needing the natural harbours to shelter during winter storms. Eventually around 920 Ad Malta was being repopulated by passing traders and injured soldiers and slowly an economy grew from trading with passing ships and merchants.

 The start of the crusades at the end of the 1st millennium had a huge impact on Malta and pretty much created what can be seen today. The Crusades were all about liberating old Christian Lands, because of St Pauls visit 1,000 previously Malta attracted attention first, that and of course, its strategic location, making it a sought after base for the Norman knights on their way to Jerusalem.

In 1127 AD Count Roger II established Norman rule after his father had taken the islands 50 years earlier but had left the Arab administration in place. The first task set by Count Roger was to construct fortifications and bastions (many still survive today) to defend Malta against the constant attack by early Turkish and Arab pirates (later known as Corsairs). Malta went through various rulers until 1393 AD when Maltese nobility was formed and the time of the Tyrants began. A feudal system of Lords imposing religious beliefs led to Overlords having absolute power, abusing the local population and forcing slaves into their war Galleys. Construction started in earnest of the first of the 395 churches seen in Malta today began in earnest.

The late 1490’s saw the time of infamous pirates such as Red Beard (Barbarossa) and his Corsair protégé Dragut raiding the islands for slaves, the currency of the day. With the mighty Sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent dominating the Mediterranean and with the European Knights squabbling for power and spending their time fighting each other, forgetting the Crusades and the Christian lands they were sworn to protect, it was a dark time for the Maltese Islands.

Until in 1530 AD came the time of the famous Hospitaliers, the Knights of the Order of St John of Jerusalem, having been given the lease for the islands by Emperor Charles V with the approval of Pope Clement VII for the price of one falcon per year. The Knights, together with the Maltese population, in 1565 repelled a massive Turkish invasion, The Great Siege as it was to become known. It was now that the landscape was transformed into that you see today. Valletta was built as the new capital city by Grand Master Jean Parisot Vallette, hero of the Great Siege to celebrate his victory and the 40 odd watch towers were constructed along with many of the castles and Forts, Bastions and cities we see today.

The Knights ruled Malta up until 1798 when, on his way to conquer Egypt, Napoleon took the islands from the nobles in the name of the French revolution. Following a request for help by the people of Malta, rebelling against the ever increasing oppression they were suffering at the hands of the very rich and grandeur f Knights, Napoleon spotted an opportunity to utilise Malta’s ever strategic location to support his campaign in Egypt. However, two years of Napoleon plundering the wealth of the churches and high taxation imposed by the French Administration resulted in a second revolution which, this time, involved the British Navy.

In 1800 AD the British took control of the islands under Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson, starting 164 years of British rule and occupation. The Dockyards were built into a major industry over the next 100 years with the British Royal Navy and ancillary fleets requiring facilities for ship building and repair. Large villas on Bigi Mount, originally constructed as homes for the noble knights, were converted into naval hospitals.

The Grand Harbour and adjoining Marsamxetto Harbours were converted into battleship and later, submarine moorings with land bases catering for the might of the British Empire, its huge Mediterranean Fleet glowing in its heyday.  The breakwater, still protecting the Grand Harbour today, was completed in 1910 along with expansion of Fort St Elmo and Fort Ricasoli either side of the harbour entrance.

It was not until 1919 that Malta was granted self government under British rule and, apart from a few years due to internal unrest and WWII, Malta pretty much governed itself with the British providing trade, dockyard works and employment through the Armed Service ancillary needs.

WWII saw much heartache and strife for the Maltese nation. The Grand harbour holding the record as “The most bombed place on Earth” until the US bombed Bagdad in 1990. Many Maltese civilians died during the constant bombing raids with much of Senglia and Birgu flattened whilst the Italian and German forces tried to destroy the Allied Navies stationed within the harbours of Malta. Starvation and hardship was heaped on all Maltese citizens as the convoys from USA and Gibraltar struggled to get through.

Called “The Island Fortress of Malta” by Winston Churchill the period 1940 to 1943 became known as “The Second Great Siege” with the bravery of the Maltese people rewarded by the islands as a whole receiving the George Cross, presented by King George with the citation “To honour her brave people, I award the George Cross to the Island Fortress of Malta to bear witness to a heroism and devotion that will long be famous in history” The National flag of Malta proudly depicts the emblem of the George Cross in the upper left corner.

In 1995 Dom Mintoff became prime Minister for the first time and was later to lead the local unrest against the dominant British rule. Malta declared independence in 1964, becoming a sovereign nation within the British Commonwealth and with Mintoff becoming Prime Minister again in 1970, it was under his leadership that Malta became a Republic in 1974. The military base agreement was terminated in 1979 with the last British Naval ship leaving the Grand Harbour never to return as a resident military force.

No matter how history shows the independence of Malta, very strong ties with the British still exist, a bond welded during the hardship of WWII and the 150 years of working together left the British and the Maltese with a very close relationship. Most of the island speaks English as well as it does Maltese and many British traditions and cultural influences still remain to this day.

The latest example of these traditional ties is the visit of the new British aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious. Sailing into The Grand Harbour on 21 February 2008 to participate in the” twinning” ceremony of Illustrious with The Three Cities, (Vittoriosa, Senglia and Cospicua). A constant reminder of the bond created during the WWII bombing of the original HMS Illustrious that also badly damaged the Three Cities.
To bring us up to date, following much reorganisation, Malta became a member of the EU in 2004 and in 2008 changed the national currency for the Euro.