Malta (pop c370,000) is in the mid Mediterranean Sea, half way between Europe and Africa; Spain and Israel. So the country’s strategic position attracted every expansionist nation to take over the tiny Maltese archipelago. The ancient Phoenicians settled around the natural Grand Harbour. But it was the Romans who governed these islands for centuries and first built the city of Medina.
Consider the 60 AD shipwreck of the Apostle St Paul. During his 3 months on Malta living in the Medina catacombs, he taught Christianity and nominated Malta’s first bishop. In St Paul's Church, the catacombs were for Christian burials and rock altars.
Consider the 60 AD shipwreck of the Apostle St Paul. During his 3 months on Malta living in the Medina catacombs, he taught Christianity and nominated Malta’s first bishop. In St Paul's Church, the catacombs were for Christian burials and rock altars.
In 535, the island was integrated into the Christine Byzantine province of Sicily. After arriving from Sicily in 870 during the Arab–Byzantine wars, Arabs ruled Malta until the Normans arrived in 1091. To consolidate their gains in Sicily and to prevent the Arabs from regrouping near Sicily, the Normans stayed until their dynasty faded in 1250. Norman King Roger II (1105-54) fortified the Arab town of Medina. A Sicilian charter of independence was drawn up for the Maltese, partitioning the island between the state, church and nobility, and establishing a tax system.
Malta gained from the expanding Mediterranean trade conducted by the rival commercial, maritime empires of Pisa, Genoa and Venice. Important sea lanes were secured for Christian shipping when Arab pirate ships were destroyed. And during the Crusades, the maritime cities organised the crusaders’ transport and their supplies to Jerusalem.
Because Malta had been Muslim, the Normans warmly encouraged the establishment of Christian communities in the islands. One small island was given to the Benedictines for a monastery in 1151. A Norman cathedral was built in Medina which was similar to the great Norman churches in Sicily. Soon Franciscans, Carmelites, Augustinians and Dominicans established themselves.
Nave of St John's Co-Cathedral , built in the 1570s
Frederick II Catholic Emperor of Germany had combined the Norman tradition of diversity and tolerance with patronage of Islamic arts and sciences. Only in 1250 did the repressive Aragon kingdom took over did the good times end.
The Order of the Hospital of St John militarily defended pilgrims in Jerusalem against Moslem attacks. But Saladin's forces eventually defeated them and they withdrew to Acre. In 1291 they moved their base to Cyprus. Then in 1306 they became The Knights of Rhodes. When Suleiman the Magnificent ruled in 1521, he expelled the Knightly Order and Emperor Charles V offered them Malta instead. From 1521-1798, they were the Knights of Malta.
Malta suffered frequent attacks by the dreaded Ottoman Turks so they built the star-shaped Fort of St Elmo, to fortify the harbour. By 1530 they’d reinforced the St Angelo stronghold. Fort St Angelo was held by the French during the Napoleonic wars, then by the British and is now a National War Museum. Eventually another massive fortress was needed on Grand Harbour’s southside - Fort Ricasoli.
The Ottoman Turkish invaders struck again in May 1565: the Great Siege of Malta was one of their most glorious, tragic moments. Tens of thousands of Turks fought a pitch battle, and although the Maltese knights under Grand Master Jean de la Valette were outnumbered, the Turks still couldn’t penetrate Grand Harbour for months. “Lifting the Great Siege” is still memorialised every Sept.
The Knights, devout, aristocratic and warlike, formed one of the most powerful and rich groups in Europe. But they lacked permanent HQs, and with increasingly frequent skirmishes against the Ottomans, protection was needed. Grand Master La Vallette started construction of a new walled city: Valletta. Pope Pius V and King Philip II of Spain both gave aid and the Pope sent a military engineer in 1566. 8,000 workers started building Valetta: Maltese, slaves and foreigners.
By 1571 the knights transferred their residence to the new capital. In order to preserve each’s identity, each Langue-language group paid for and built its own Auberge-residential inn. Each had a church attached. The knights needed city buildings, gardens, public festivals, moats, massive walls and 50 guns. The old capital, Medina, lost its population and importance.
St John's Co-Cathedral 1573-7 has an austere rectangular exterior, but inside is a blaze of Baroque: carving, gilt work, inlaid marble and knightly armorials. The massive barrel vault (1660s) shows episodes from St John the Baptist’s life. The nave is flanked by the 7 sumptuous Langues’ chapels and marble knightly tombs. The Cathedral Oratory has Caravaggio’s masterpiece Beheading of St John 1608 and his St Jerome is in a side chapel.
Valletta, rebuilt after WW2 bombing.
The monks needed a library, so in 1555 a HUGE building was erected next to the cathedral. It later became the National Library.
In the 1570s the Grand Master's Palace was built. Later Grand Masters enlarged the Palace, had their portraits and names honoured on palace walls and built the Chapel of Our Lady. When the British ruled Malta, the British Governor lived in the same palace. Appropriately it is now the seat of the Maltese Parliament.
Jesuit College, opened in 1592, was later empowered by Pope Gregory XIII to confer Masters and Doctorates of Divinity. With the 1675 plague, the Grand Master appointed a lecturer in Anatomy and Surgery at Sacra Infirmary and built a medical library. After the Jesuits were expelled in 1768, the Grand Master appropriated the Jesuits’ properties and established The University of Malta.
A lovely guest house of the Knights in Valletta was later used by the British fleet as their headquarters. Only in 1974 did it become the National Museum of Fine Arts, with C15th-18th Italian paintings.
Fort of St Elmo and Fort Ricasoli fortified each side of Grand Harbour.
Malta gained from the expanding Mediterranean trade conducted by the rival commercial, maritime empires of Pisa, Genoa and Venice. Important sea lanes were secured for Christian shipping when Arab pirate ships were destroyed. And during the Crusades, the maritime cities organised the crusaders’ transport and their supplies to Jerusalem.
Because Malta had been Muslim, the Normans warmly encouraged the establishment of Christian communities in the islands. One small island was given to the Benedictines for a monastery in 1151. A Norman cathedral was built in Medina which was similar to the great Norman churches in Sicily. Soon Franciscans, Carmelites, Augustinians and Dominicans established themselves.
Nave of St John's Co-Cathedral , built in the 1570s
Frederick II Catholic Emperor of Germany had combined the Norman tradition of diversity and tolerance with patronage of Islamic arts and sciences. Only in 1250 did the repressive Aragon kingdom took over did the good times end.
The Order of the Hospital of St John militarily defended pilgrims in Jerusalem against Moslem attacks. But Saladin's forces eventually defeated them and they withdrew to Acre. In 1291 they moved their base to Cyprus. Then in 1306 they became The Knights of Rhodes. When Suleiman the Magnificent ruled in 1521, he expelled the Knightly Order and Emperor Charles V offered them Malta instead. From 1521-1798, they were the Knights of Malta.
Malta suffered frequent attacks by the dreaded Ottoman Turks so they built the star-shaped Fort of St Elmo, to fortify the harbour. By 1530 they’d reinforced the St Angelo stronghold. Fort St Angelo was held by the French during the Napoleonic wars, then by the British and is now a National War Museum. Eventually another massive fortress was needed on Grand Harbour’s southside - Fort Ricasoli.
The Ottoman Turkish invaders struck again in May 1565: the Great Siege of Malta was one of their most glorious, tragic moments. Tens of thousands of Turks fought a pitch battle, and although the Maltese knights under Grand Master Jean de la Valette were outnumbered, the Turks still couldn’t penetrate Grand Harbour for months. “Lifting the Great Siege” is still memorialised every Sept.
The Knights, devout, aristocratic and warlike, formed one of the most powerful and rich groups in Europe. But they lacked permanent HQs, and with increasingly frequent skirmishes against the Ottomans, protection was needed. Grand Master La Vallette started construction of a new walled city: Valletta. Pope Pius V and King Philip II of Spain both gave aid and the Pope sent a military engineer in 1566. 8,000 workers started building Valetta: Maltese, slaves and foreigners.
By 1571 the knights transferred their residence to the new capital. In order to preserve each’s identity, each Langue-language group paid for and built its own Auberge-residential inn. Each had a church attached. The knights needed city buildings, gardens, public festivals, moats, massive walls and 50 guns. The old capital, Medina, lost its population and importance.
St John's Co-Cathedral 1573-7 has an austere rectangular exterior, but inside is a blaze of Baroque: carving, gilt work, inlaid marble and knightly armorials. The massive barrel vault (1660s) shows episodes from St John the Baptist’s life. The nave is flanked by the 7 sumptuous Langues’ chapels and marble knightly tombs. The Cathedral Oratory has Caravaggio’s masterpiece Beheading of St John 1608 and his St Jerome is in a side chapel.
Valletta, rebuilt after WW2 bombing.
The monks needed a library, so in 1555 a HUGE building was erected next to the cathedral. It later became the National Library.
In the 1570s the Grand Master's Palace was built. Later Grand Masters enlarged the Palace, had their portraits and names honoured on palace walls and built the Chapel of Our Lady. When the British ruled Malta, the British Governor lived in the same palace. Appropriately it is now the seat of the Maltese Parliament.
Jesuit College, opened in 1592, was later empowered by Pope Gregory XIII to confer Masters and Doctorates of Divinity. With the 1675 plague, the Grand Master appointed a lecturer in Anatomy and Surgery at Sacra Infirmary and built a medical library. After the Jesuits were expelled in 1768, the Grand Master appropriated the Jesuits’ properties and established The University of Malta.
A lovely guest house of the Knights in Valletta was later used by the British fleet as their headquarters. Only in 1974 did it become the National Museum of Fine Arts, with C15th-18th Italian paintings.
Important for hotels, tourism, water-related sports and fishing
When Napoleon's troops arrived in the 1790s, the Knights of Malta did not want to fight fellow Christians and fellow Frenchmen. So they voluntarily left Malta for good. The British took over Malta in 1814 and English was made the first official language of Malta. Malta was not granted self-government until 1921 but Valletta was already beautiful, steep, Baroque and water fronted.
Perfect timing! Valletta is hosting the title of European Capital of Culture in 2018. Thank you to Lonely Planet for the photos.
When Napoleon's troops arrived in the 1790s, the Knights of Malta did not want to fight fellow Christians and fellow Frenchmen. So they voluntarily left Malta for good. The British took over Malta in 1814 and English was made the first official language of Malta. Malta was not granted self-government until 1921 but Valletta was already beautiful, steep, Baroque and water fronted.
Perfect timing! Valletta is hosting the title of European Capital of Culture in 2018. Thank you to Lonely Planet for the photos.