In April 1996 I went on a school
trip to the country of Malta. Before the trip my class was deciding on where to
go and we each had to give a presentation on a place and convince everyone to
go there. I decided to research and present Malta. My presentation won and my
class went to Malta. Here’s some of the history of Malta. I’ll write more about
the trip in another post.
- 218: Malta is incorporated into the Roman Republic
- 395-454: Western Roman rule over Malta, following the final division of the Roman Empire
- 454: Malta is occupied by the Vandals
- 464: Malta is occupied by the Goths
- 533: Belisarius restores the Maltese Islands to the Byzantine Empire
- 870: Malta is conquered by Aghlabid Arabs
- 909: Fatimids conquered Malta
- 1053-1054: The Byzantine Empire unsuccessfully attempts to recapture the islands
- 1127: Christianity re-established as the Islands' dominant religion
- 1144: Second attempt by the Byzantine Empire to recapture the Islands
- 1154: The Catholic Church in Malta is incorporated into the See of Palermo
- 1194-1266: Malta and Sicily are ruled by the Swabians (House of Hohenstaufen)
- 1224: Expulsion of all Muslims from Malta and Sicily
- 1283-1530: Malta and Sicily are ruled by the Crown of Aragon
- 1397: Establishment of the Università, a form of local government, in Malta
- 1419: The Militia List is drawn up, giving information about the population of Malta in the Middle Ages
- 1425: Uprising by the Maltese against Don Gonsalvo Monroy during his absence from the island, Count of Malta. Impressed by the loyalty of his Maltese subjects, King Alfonso of Aragon declares Malta to be the most notable gem in his Crown. The old capital city of Mdina acquires the name Città Notabile, as a result.
- 1427: King Alfonso incorporates Malta to the Crown of Aragon (Kingdom of Sicily), and promises never to grant Malta as a fief to any third party
- 1429: The Hafsid Berbers attempt to capture Malta
Crown of Aragon rule and the Knights of Malta:
- 1530: In an effort to protect Rome from Islamic invasion, Emperor Charles V grants the Maltese Islands to the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem in perpetual fief
- 1531: The Knights stage their first attacks from their new naval base in Malta, forming part of a Christian fleet under the command of Admiral Andrea Doria in attacks on the Turks at Modone, on the Ottoman fort at Coronna and, in 1535, on Tunis
- 1535: First known celebration of Carnival in Malta
- 1535-1551: Increasingly frequent razzias on Malta and Italy by Ottomans and Barbary pirates
- 1547: Attempted invasion of Malta at Marsaxlokk, by Ottomans and Barbary pirates under the command of Turgut Reis
- 1551: Ottomans and Barbary pirates attempt to capture Malta, landing some 10,000 men at Marsa Muscietto. The Turkish invaders abandon the harbour area and sail north to St. Paul's Bay, and stage a short-lived siege on Mdina.
- 1551: Razzia on the Island of Gozo by the Turkish invaders; the Knights' local governor, Galatian de Sesse, surrenders the Citadel; almost all the inhabitants of Gozo (some 5,000 to 6,000 people) are enslaved, and transported to Tarhuna Wa Msalata in Libya from Mġarr ix-Xini. The Knights' local governor, Gaspar de Vallier, negotiates a truce that ensures safe passage from Tunis to Malta for the Knights of the garrison, but excludes the Maltese, Calabrian and Rhodian soldiers, who are auctioned off into slavery by the Turks.
- 1552: Fearing further razzias by Turks and Barbary corsairs, one thousand Maltese flee Malta, seeking refuge in Sicily.
- 1561: The Holy Inquisition is established in Malta. Domenico Cubelles is the first Inquisitor
- 1564: The Ottoman war council in Constantinople decrees that Malta is to be invaded and conquered. Queen Elizabeth I of England remarks: "If the Turks should prevail against the Isle of Malta, it is uncertain what further peril might follow to the rest of Christendom."
First Great Siege of Malta 1565:
The Ottoman Empire tried to invade the island of Malta, then held by the Knights Hospitaller. The Ottoman Turks had 36,000-40,000 troops (10,000-35,000 Ottoman Turks soldiers were killed.) The Knights Hospitaller had 6,100 troops and 9,000 Maltese civilians (2,500 troops were killed and 7,000 Maltese civilians were killed.) It lasted for 3 months. This victory became one of the most celebrated events in sixteenth-century Europe. Voltaire said, "Nothing is better known than the siege of Malta", and it undoubtedly contributed to the eventual erosion of the European perception of Ottoman invincibility and marked a new phase in Spanish domination of the Mediterranean.
- 1566: The founding of Malta's new capital city, Valletta. A general strengthening of Malta's fortifications is undertaken
- 1775: Rising of the Priests: An uprising led by Maltese clergy against the Order of Saint John, who had sovereignty over Malta
- 1797: By a Papal brief dated 3 March 1797, Bishop Vincenzo Labini and all his successors in the diocese of Malta, were given the title of 'Bishop of Malta and Archbishop of Rhodes'. This privilege was suppressed in 1928, and the title was changed to 'Archbishop, Bishop of Malta'
French Occupation of Malta 1798-1800:
- 1798: Napoleon invades Malta. The Order capitulates. The Act of capitulation of Malta is signed on 12 June by on the one part by Napoleon on behalf of the French Republic, on the other six signed on behalf of the Order, the people of Malta and the King of Spain
- 1798: Slavery, the Roman Inquisition, and all titles of nobility are abolished in Malta
- 1798: Tsar Paul I of Russia become de facto Grand Master of the Order, and orders the creation of a "Throne of Malta," in the Vorontsov Palace in St. Petersburg (now on display in the State Hermitage Museum)
- 1798: The French forces in Gozo surrender and the island becomes independent. First petition for the establishment of a separate Roman Catholic diocese on Gozo
- 1799: Maltese uprising against the French following extensive pillaging of Maltese churches and cathedrals. Britain takes Malta under its protection, in the name of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The Union Jack flies over Valletta for the first time, alongside the Neapolitan flag
- 1800: The French surrender. Although 20,000 Maltese lost their lives during the uprising, not one Maltese was present to sign the document. Malta and Gozo become a British Protectorate under 1813.
British Protectorate of Malta and Gozo 1800-1813:
- 1802: First Declaration of Rights issued in Malta: Dichiarazione dei Diritti degli Abitanti di Malta e Gozo, including the right to freedom of conscience under the rule of law.
British Crown Colony of Malta 1813-1964:
- 1813: Malta is granted the Bathurst Constitution.
- 1814: Under the Treaty of Paris, and subsequently ratified by the Congress of Vienna, Malta status as a British Crown Colony is confirmed
- 1814: The Grand Harbour of Valletta becomes an important shipping waystation, eventually serving as the headquarters for the British Mediterranean Fleet
- 1835: Malta was granted a Constitution providing for a Council of Government of seven members of whom three were to be nominated Maltese representatives
- 1849: Malta was granted a Constitution providing for a Council of Government of eighteen members of whom eight were to be elected by the people
- 1853-1856: The Crimean War; Malta serves as a hospital base for wounded combatants, and acquires the nickname Nurse of the Mediterranean
- 1860: The Colonial Office in London approves the establishment of a separate Roman Catholic diocese for Gozo
- 1869: Opening of the Suez Canal. This greatly enhanced the importance of the Grand Harbour of Valletta to British merchant marine and naval shipping
- 1880: In education, "Anglicization" of Maltese students becomes a matter of policy
- 1883: The Malta Railway service is inaugurated, with service from Valletta to Floriana, Ħamrun, Msida, Birkirkara, Lija, San Antonio, Attard, Mosta (San Salvatore), and Mdina
- 1885: (Otto Settembre) is recommended as a national holiday, commemorating the victory of the Knights and the Maltese over the Ottoman Empire in the Siege of Malta (1565)
- 1887: Constitution of 1887 provides that four members in the Council of members were to represent the clergy, the nobility and landed proprietors, university graduates and the merchants
- 1905: An electric tramway service is introduced in Malta by McCartney, McElroy & Co. Ltd., connecting Valletta, the Three Cities, and Żebbuġ and Ħamrun
- 1914-1918: Throughout World War I, especially following the failed invasion of Gallipoli, many casualties are shipped to hospitals in Malta, resuming its role as the Nurse of the Mediterranean
- 1919: Sette Giugno protests over increases in the price of bread. British soldiers fire on the crowd and kill four Maltese protesters, during a violent riot instigated by students. The protests lead to greater autonomy for the Maltese
- 1921: Constitution of 1921 is promulgated, and it grants autonomy by providing for a bicameral legislature with the power to legislate on all matters not considered "reserved" for colonial interest
- 1929: The Malta Tramway service is terminated
- 1930: The 1921 Constitution is suspended
- 1930: The Malta Railway service is terminated
- 1934: English and Maltese are declared the official languages of Malta, to the exclusion of Italian which had been the primary language of government, commerce, education and culture in Malta for more than 800 years
- September 3, 1939: Malta joins World War 2 when the United Kingdom declared war on Germany.
- June 10, 1940: Italy declares war on France and the United Kingdom (and Malta.)
Second Great Siege of Malta 1940-1943:
- The fight for the control of the strategically important island of Malta, then a British colony, pitted the air forces and navies of Italy and Germany against the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Royal Navy.
- The Axis resolved to bomb or starve Malta into submission, by attacking its ports, towns, cities, and Allied shipping supplying the island. Malta was one of the most intensively bombed areas during the war. The Luftwaffe (German Air Force) and the Regia Aeronautica (Italian Royal Air Force) flew a total of 3,000 bombing raids over a period of two years in an effort to destroy RAF defences and the ports.
- The German and Italian Air Forces had 2,000 planes that bombed Malta. The British and Allied (Americans, Canadians, South Africans, New Zealanders, Australians, etc.) had 716 planes.
- Success would have made possible a combined German–Italian amphibious landing (Operation Herkules) supported by German airborne forces (Fallschirmjäger), but this did not happen.
- Allied convoys (The Malta Convoys) were able to supply and reinforce Malta, while the RAF defended its airspace, though at great cost in material and lives. In November 1942 the Axis lost the Second Battle of El Alamein, and the Allies landed forces in Vichy French Morocco and Algeria under Operation Torch. The Axis diverted their forces to the Battle of Tunisia, and attacks on Malta were rapidly reduced. The siege effectively ended in November 1942.
War Timeline:
- June 11, 1940: First air raids on Malta. Malta would go on to endure the heaviest, sustained bombing attack of the War: some 154 days and nights and 6,700 tons of bombs.
- February 1942: Governor Dobbie issues a warrant for the deportation, exile and internment in Uganda of 47 Maltese (including Dr. Enrico Mizzi) who were suspected of pro-Italian sentiments. (to 8 March)
- April 7, 1942: The Royal Opera House, Valletta, is destroyed by Luftwaffe bombers
- 1942: A 500 kg (1,102 lbs.) bomb pierces the dome of the Rotunda of Sta. Marija Assunta, Mosta, but skids across the floor without exploding; two other bombs bounce off the roof and fail to explode; 300 people were hearing Mass inside the church at the time
- April 15, 1942: The George Cross is awarded to Malta by King George VI, so as to "bear witness to the heroism and devotion of its people"
- August 15, 1942: With the people of Malta near starvation after two years of virtually constant bombardment, Operation Pedestal brings the "Santa Marija Convoy" to Malta, saving the Islands from a planned surrender to the Axis powers.
- June 9, 1943: (Operation Husky); 2,760 ships and major landing craft converge in a rendezvous near Malta in preparation for the Allied invasion of Sicily, under the command of U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was stationed in the Lascaris War Rooms, in Valletta.
- September 8, 1943: On the national holiday that commemorates the lifting of the Siege of Malta (1565), Italy announces its unconditional surrender to the Allied forces, thus ending the second Siege of Malta
- September 29, 1943: The Italian fleet’s surrender in Malta is signed by U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Italian Marshal Pietro Badoglio
- 1944: The diocese of Malta is elevated to a Metropolitan See by Pope Pius XII
- January 30-February3, 1945: Malta Conference: President Franklin D. Roosevelt of the United States and Prime Minister Winston Churchill of the United Kingdom meet on Malta to plan the final campaign against the Germans with the combined Chiefs of Staff, and to prepare for the Yalta Conference.
- March 8, 1945: The Maltese exiles are repatriated from Uganda
- May 8, 1945: Victory in Europe Day
- Axis Powers (Germany and Italy) Maltese losses: 17,240 soldiers killed at sea or in the air, 357 German aircraft shot down, 175 Italian aircraft shot down, 72% of the Italian Navy transport fleet lost, 23 % of the Axis merchant fleet lost, 2,304 merchant ships sunk, 50 German U-Boats sunk and 16 Italian submarines sunk.
- Allied Powers (United Kingdom, Malta, Canada, South Africa, the United States, New Zealand and Australia) Maltese losses: 1,300 Maltese civilians killed, 2,301 airmen killed or wounded, 369 fighters shot down in the air, 64 fighters shot on the ground, 1 Battleship sunk, 2 aircraft carriers sunk, 4 cruisers sunk, 19 destroyers sunk, 38 submarines sunk and 30,000 buildings destroyed or damaged throughout Malta
Post-War British Malta:
- 1946: A National Assembly is created
- 1947: Restoration of Self-Government
- 1947: Malta receives £30 million to assist with post-War reconstruction
- 1949-1951: Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) lives off-and-on in Malta as a naval wife while her husband Prince Philip is stationed there
- December 1955: A Round Table Conference is held in London, on the future of Malta
- February 14, 1956: A referendum is held on the integration of Malta into the United Kingdom: 75% vote 'Yes'; however, the result is deemed to be questionable due to a boycott by 40% of the electorate in response to concerns raised by opposition parties and by the Catholic Church
- 1957: Closure of the British naval docks in Grand Harbour has a devastating effect on the Maltese economy, leading to high unemployment at a time when a quarter of the workforce was employed in defense related activities
- 1958: The United Kingdom imposes direct colonial rule over Malta
- 1961: The State of Malta is created pursuant to the Blood Constitution, which provides for a measure of self-government
- 1961: Gozo is granted a local government system
State of Malta: 1964-1974:
- September 21, 1964: Malta is granted independence from the United Kingdom as a Constitutional Monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II as its Head of State. The Duke of Edinburgh represents The Queen at the Independence celebrations, which were held just six months following the birth of Prince Edward
- December 1, 1964: Malta joins the United Nations
- 1965: Malta joins the Council of Europe
- 1970: Malta becomes an Associate member of the European Community
- 1971: Capital punishment for murder abolished
- 1972: Malta enters into a Military Base Agreement with the United Kingdom and other NATO countries
- May 16, 1972: Malta adopts the Maltese pound (Lira in Maltese)
- 1972: Malta decimalizes it’s new currency for the first time
- 1973: Malta decriminalizes homosexuality
Republic of Malta 1974-Present day:
- December 13, 1974: Malta becomes a Republic, with the last Governor-General, Sir Anthony Mamo, serving as its first President. Queen Elizabeth II is no longer the Queen of Malta. Malta remains a member of the Commonwealth of Nations
- June 25, 1975: Malta withdraws recognition of titles of nobility
- March 31, 1979: Freedom Day, Termination of the Military Base Agreement. The Duke of Edinburgh oversees the departure of the last British forces from Malta
- 1990: Malta applies to join the European Union
- 1993: Local Councils are re-established in Malta
- October 1996: The new Labour government suspends Malta's EU application
- September 1998: The new Nationalist government reactivates Malta's EU application
- 2000: Capital punishment abolished from military code of Malta.
- March 8, 2003: A referendum regarding Malta joining the European Union results in 143,094 votes cast in favor and 123,628 against
- May 1, 2004: Malta becomes a member of the European Union
- 2007: Malta joins the Schengen Area
- January 1, 2008: Malta adopts the euro, which replaces the Maltese Lira
- 2011: Divorce becomes legal in Malta
Malta has always been a strategic
naval base and has been contested by: the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans,
Greeks, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, Knights of St. John,
French, and British for centuries.
Maltese History:
BC:
- 720: A Phoenician colony is founded on Malta.
-
480: The
islands come under the control of Carthage- 720: A Phoenician colony is founded on Malta.
- 218: Malta is incorporated into the Roman Republic
AD:
- 60: Saint Paul shipwrecked on the island.
-
60: Saint Publius Prince of Malta becomes the
first Bishop of Malta- 60: Saint Paul shipwrecked on the island.
- 395-454: Western Roman rule over Malta, following the final division of the Roman Empire
- 454: Malta is occupied by the Vandals
- 464: Malta is occupied by the Goths
- 533: Belisarius restores the Maltese Islands to the Byzantine Empire
- 870: Malta is conquered by Aghlabid Arabs
- 909: Fatimids conquered Malta
- 1053-1054: The Byzantine Empire unsuccessfully attempts to recapture the islands
Norman Invasion of Malta 1091:
The Norman Count Roger I of
Sicily invades Malta and the Muslim inhabitants negotiate a peaceful surrender.
Gozo is sacked by the Normans
- 1122: Arab uprising against the Normans in Malta
-
1127: A Norman governor is installed, and Norman
soldiers are garrisoned in Malta's three main castles- 1122: Arab uprising against the Normans in Malta
- 1127: Christianity re-established as the Islands' dominant religion
- 1144: Second attempt by the Byzantine Empire to recapture the Islands
- 1154: The Catholic Church in Malta is incorporated into the See of Palermo
- 1194-1266: Malta and Sicily are ruled by the Swabians (House of Hohenstaufen)
- 1224: Expulsion of all Muslims from Malta and Sicily
- 1283-1530: Malta and Sicily are ruled by the Crown of Aragon
- 1397: Establishment of the Università, a form of local government, in Malta
- 1419: The Militia List is drawn up, giving information about the population of Malta in the Middle Ages
- 1425: Uprising by the Maltese against Don Gonsalvo Monroy during his absence from the island, Count of Malta. Impressed by the loyalty of his Maltese subjects, King Alfonso of Aragon declares Malta to be the most notable gem in his Crown. The old capital city of Mdina acquires the name Città Notabile, as a result.
- 1427: King Alfonso incorporates Malta to the Crown of Aragon (Kingdom of Sicily), and promises never to grant Malta as a fief to any third party
- 1429: The Hafsid Berbers attempt to capture Malta
Crown of Aragon rule and the Knights of Malta:
- 1530: In an effort to protect Rome from Islamic invasion, Emperor Charles V grants the Maltese Islands to the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem in perpetual fief
- 1531: The Knights stage their first attacks from their new naval base in Malta, forming part of a Christian fleet under the command of Admiral Andrea Doria in attacks on the Turks at Modone, on the Ottoman fort at Coronna and, in 1535, on Tunis
- 1535: First known celebration of Carnival in Malta
- 1535-1551: Increasingly frequent razzias on Malta and Italy by Ottomans and Barbary pirates
- 1547: Attempted invasion of Malta at Marsaxlokk, by Ottomans and Barbary pirates under the command of Turgut Reis
- 1551: Ottomans and Barbary pirates attempt to capture Malta, landing some 10,000 men at Marsa Muscietto. The Turkish invaders abandon the harbour area and sail north to St. Paul's Bay, and stage a short-lived siege on Mdina.
- 1551: Razzia on the Island of Gozo by the Turkish invaders; the Knights' local governor, Galatian de Sesse, surrenders the Citadel; almost all the inhabitants of Gozo (some 5,000 to 6,000 people) are enslaved, and transported to Tarhuna Wa Msalata in Libya from Mġarr ix-Xini. The Knights' local governor, Gaspar de Vallier, negotiates a truce that ensures safe passage from Tunis to Malta for the Knights of the garrison, but excludes the Maltese, Calabrian and Rhodian soldiers, who are auctioned off into slavery by the Turks.
- 1552: Fearing further razzias by Turks and Barbary corsairs, one thousand Maltese flee Malta, seeking refuge in Sicily.
- 1561: The Holy Inquisition is established in Malta. Domenico Cubelles is the first Inquisitor
- 1564: The Ottoman war council in Constantinople decrees that Malta is to be invaded and conquered. Queen Elizabeth I of England remarks: "If the Turks should prevail against the Isle of Malta, it is uncertain what further peril might follow to the rest of Christendom."
First Great Siege of Malta 1565:
The Ottoman Empire tried to invade the island of Malta, then held by the Knights Hospitaller. The Ottoman Turks had 36,000-40,000 troops (10,000-35,000 Ottoman Turks soldiers were killed.) The Knights Hospitaller had 6,100 troops and 9,000 Maltese civilians (2,500 troops were killed and 7,000 Maltese civilians were killed.) It lasted for 3 months. This victory became one of the most celebrated events in sixteenth-century Europe. Voltaire said, "Nothing is better known than the siege of Malta", and it undoubtedly contributed to the eventual erosion of the European perception of Ottoman invincibility and marked a new phase in Spanish domination of the Mediterranean.
- 1566: The founding of Malta's new capital city, Valletta. A general strengthening of Malta's fortifications is undertaken
- 1775: Rising of the Priests: An uprising led by Maltese clergy against the Order of Saint John, who had sovereignty over Malta
- 1797: By a Papal brief dated 3 March 1797, Bishop Vincenzo Labini and all his successors in the diocese of Malta, were given the title of 'Bishop of Malta and Archbishop of Rhodes'. This privilege was suppressed in 1928, and the title was changed to 'Archbishop, Bishop of Malta'
French Occupation of Malta 1798-1800:
- 1798: Napoleon invades Malta. The Order capitulates. The Act of capitulation of Malta is signed on 12 June by on the one part by Napoleon on behalf of the French Republic, on the other six signed on behalf of the Order, the people of Malta and the King of Spain
- 1798: Slavery, the Roman Inquisition, and all titles of nobility are abolished in Malta
- 1798: Tsar Paul I of Russia become de facto Grand Master of the Order, and orders the creation of a "Throne of Malta," in the Vorontsov Palace in St. Petersburg (now on display in the State Hermitage Museum)
- 1798: The French forces in Gozo surrender and the island becomes independent. First petition for the establishment of a separate Roman Catholic diocese on Gozo
- 1799: Maltese uprising against the French following extensive pillaging of Maltese churches and cathedrals. Britain takes Malta under its protection, in the name of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The Union Jack flies over Valletta for the first time, alongside the Neapolitan flag
- 1800: The French surrender. Although 20,000 Maltese lost their lives during the uprising, not one Maltese was present to sign the document. Malta and Gozo become a British Protectorate under 1813.
British Protectorate of Malta and Gozo 1800-1813:
- 1802: First Declaration of Rights issued in Malta: Dichiarazione dei Diritti degli Abitanti di Malta e Gozo, including the right to freedom of conscience under the rule of law.
British Crown Colony of Malta 1813-1964:
- 1813: Malta is granted the Bathurst Constitution.
- 1814: Under the Treaty of Paris, and subsequently ratified by the Congress of Vienna, Malta status as a British Crown Colony is confirmed
- 1814: The Grand Harbour of Valletta becomes an important shipping waystation, eventually serving as the headquarters for the British Mediterranean Fleet
- 1835: Malta was granted a Constitution providing for a Council of Government of seven members of whom three were to be nominated Maltese representatives
- 1849: Malta was granted a Constitution providing for a Council of Government of eighteen members of whom eight were to be elected by the people
- 1853-1856: The Crimean War; Malta serves as a hospital base for wounded combatants, and acquires the nickname Nurse of the Mediterranean
- 1860: The Colonial Office in London approves the establishment of a separate Roman Catholic diocese for Gozo
- 1869: Opening of the Suez Canal. This greatly enhanced the importance of the Grand Harbour of Valletta to British merchant marine and naval shipping
- 1880: In education, "Anglicization" of Maltese students becomes a matter of policy
- 1883: The Malta Railway service is inaugurated, with service from Valletta to Floriana, Ħamrun, Msida, Birkirkara, Lija, San Antonio, Attard, Mosta (San Salvatore), and Mdina
- 1885: (Otto Settembre) is recommended as a national holiday, commemorating the victory of the Knights and the Maltese over the Ottoman Empire in the Siege of Malta (1565)
- 1887: Constitution of 1887 provides that four members in the Council of members were to represent the clergy, the nobility and landed proprietors, university graduates and the merchants
- 1905: An electric tramway service is introduced in Malta by McCartney, McElroy & Co. Ltd., connecting Valletta, the Three Cities, and Żebbuġ and Ħamrun
- 1914-1918: Throughout World War I, especially following the failed invasion of Gallipoli, many casualties are shipped to hospitals in Malta, resuming its role as the Nurse of the Mediterranean
- 1919: Sette Giugno protests over increases in the price of bread. British soldiers fire on the crowd and kill four Maltese protesters, during a violent riot instigated by students. The protests lead to greater autonomy for the Maltese
- 1921: Constitution of 1921 is promulgated, and it grants autonomy by providing for a bicameral legislature with the power to legislate on all matters not considered "reserved" for colonial interest
- 1929: The Malta Tramway service is terminated
- 1930: The 1921 Constitution is suspended
- 1930: The Malta Railway service is terminated
- 1934: English and Maltese are declared the official languages of Malta, to the exclusion of Italian which had been the primary language of government, commerce, education and culture in Malta for more than 800 years
- September 3, 1939: Malta joins World War 2 when the United Kingdom declared war on Germany.
- June 10, 1940: Italy declares war on France and the United Kingdom (and Malta.)
Second Great Siege of Malta 1940-1943:
- The fight for the control of the strategically important island of Malta, then a British colony, pitted the air forces and navies of Italy and Germany against the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Royal Navy.
- The Axis resolved to bomb or starve Malta into submission, by attacking its ports, towns, cities, and Allied shipping supplying the island. Malta was one of the most intensively bombed areas during the war. The Luftwaffe (German Air Force) and the Regia Aeronautica (Italian Royal Air Force) flew a total of 3,000 bombing raids over a period of two years in an effort to destroy RAF defences and the ports.
- The German and Italian Air Forces had 2,000 planes that bombed Malta. The British and Allied (Americans, Canadians, South Africans, New Zealanders, Australians, etc.) had 716 planes.
- Success would have made possible a combined German–Italian amphibious landing (Operation Herkules) supported by German airborne forces (Fallschirmjäger), but this did not happen.
- Allied convoys (The Malta Convoys) were able to supply and reinforce Malta, while the RAF defended its airspace, though at great cost in material and lives. In November 1942 the Axis lost the Second Battle of El Alamein, and the Allies landed forces in Vichy French Morocco and Algeria under Operation Torch. The Axis diverted their forces to the Battle of Tunisia, and attacks on Malta were rapidly reduced. The siege effectively ended in November 1942.
War Timeline:
- June 11, 1940: First air raids on Malta. Malta would go on to endure the heaviest, sustained bombing attack of the War: some 154 days and nights and 6,700 tons of bombs.
- February 1942: Governor Dobbie issues a warrant for the deportation, exile and internment in Uganda of 47 Maltese (including Dr. Enrico Mizzi) who were suspected of pro-Italian sentiments. (to 8 March)
- April 7, 1942: The Royal Opera House, Valletta, is destroyed by Luftwaffe bombers
- 1942: A 500 kg (1,102 lbs.) bomb pierces the dome of the Rotunda of Sta. Marija Assunta, Mosta, but skids across the floor without exploding; two other bombs bounce off the roof and fail to explode; 300 people were hearing Mass inside the church at the time
- April 15, 1942: The George Cross is awarded to Malta by King George VI, so as to "bear witness to the heroism and devotion of its people"
- August 15, 1942: With the people of Malta near starvation after two years of virtually constant bombardment, Operation Pedestal brings the "Santa Marija Convoy" to Malta, saving the Islands from a planned surrender to the Axis powers.
- June 9, 1943: (Operation Husky); 2,760 ships and major landing craft converge in a rendezvous near Malta in preparation for the Allied invasion of Sicily, under the command of U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was stationed in the Lascaris War Rooms, in Valletta.
- September 8, 1943: On the national holiday that commemorates the lifting of the Siege of Malta (1565), Italy announces its unconditional surrender to the Allied forces, thus ending the second Siege of Malta
- September 29, 1943: The Italian fleet’s surrender in Malta is signed by U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Italian Marshal Pietro Badoglio
- 1944: The diocese of Malta is elevated to a Metropolitan See by Pope Pius XII
- January 30-February3, 1945: Malta Conference: President Franklin D. Roosevelt of the United States and Prime Minister Winston Churchill of the United Kingdom meet on Malta to plan the final campaign against the Germans with the combined Chiefs of Staff, and to prepare for the Yalta Conference.
- March 8, 1945: The Maltese exiles are repatriated from Uganda
- May 8, 1945: Victory in Europe Day
- Axis Powers (Germany and Italy) Maltese losses: 17,240 soldiers killed at sea or in the air, 357 German aircraft shot down, 175 Italian aircraft shot down, 72% of the Italian Navy transport fleet lost, 23 % of the Axis merchant fleet lost, 2,304 merchant ships sunk, 50 German U-Boats sunk and 16 Italian submarines sunk.
- Allied Powers (United Kingdom, Malta, Canada, South Africa, the United States, New Zealand and Australia) Maltese losses: 1,300 Maltese civilians killed, 2,301 airmen killed or wounded, 369 fighters shot down in the air, 64 fighters shot on the ground, 1 Battleship sunk, 2 aircraft carriers sunk, 4 cruisers sunk, 19 destroyers sunk, 38 submarines sunk and 30,000 buildings destroyed or damaged throughout Malta
Post-War British Malta:
- 1946: A National Assembly is created
- 1947: Restoration of Self-Government
- 1947: Malta receives £30 million to assist with post-War reconstruction
- 1949-1951: Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) lives off-and-on in Malta as a naval wife while her husband Prince Philip is stationed there
- December 1955: A Round Table Conference is held in London, on the future of Malta
- February 14, 1956: A referendum is held on the integration of Malta into the United Kingdom: 75% vote 'Yes'; however, the result is deemed to be questionable due to a boycott by 40% of the electorate in response to concerns raised by opposition parties and by the Catholic Church
- 1957: Closure of the British naval docks in Grand Harbour has a devastating effect on the Maltese economy, leading to high unemployment at a time when a quarter of the workforce was employed in defense related activities
- 1958: The United Kingdom imposes direct colonial rule over Malta
- 1961: The State of Malta is created pursuant to the Blood Constitution, which provides for a measure of self-government
- 1961: Gozo is granted a local government system
State of Malta: 1964-1974:
- September 21, 1964: Malta is granted independence from the United Kingdom as a Constitutional Monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II as its Head of State. The Duke of Edinburgh represents The Queen at the Independence celebrations, which were held just six months following the birth of Prince Edward
- December 1, 1964: Malta joins the United Nations
- 1965: Malta joins the Council of Europe
- 1970: Malta becomes an Associate member of the European Community
- 1971: Capital punishment for murder abolished
- 1972: Malta enters into a Military Base Agreement with the United Kingdom and other NATO countries
- May 16, 1972: Malta adopts the Maltese pound (Lira in Maltese)
- 1972: Malta decimalizes it’s new currency for the first time
- 1973: Malta decriminalizes homosexuality
Republic of Malta 1974-Present day:
- December 13, 1974: Malta becomes a Republic, with the last Governor-General, Sir Anthony Mamo, serving as its first President. Queen Elizabeth II is no longer the Queen of Malta. Malta remains a member of the Commonwealth of Nations
- June 25, 1975: Malta withdraws recognition of titles of nobility
- March 31, 1979: Freedom Day, Termination of the Military Base Agreement. The Duke of Edinburgh oversees the departure of the last British forces from Malta
- 1990: Malta applies to join the European Union
- 1993: Local Councils are re-established in Malta
- October 1996: The new Labour government suspends Malta's EU application
- September 1998: The new Nationalist government reactivates Malta's EU application
- 2000: Capital punishment abolished from military code of Malta.
- March 8, 2003: A referendum regarding Malta joining the European Union results in 143,094 votes cast in favor and 123,628 against
- May 1, 2004: Malta becomes a member of the European Union
- 2007: Malta joins the Schengen Area
- January 1, 2008: Malta adopts the euro, which replaces the Maltese Lira
- 2011: Divorce becomes legal in Malta
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.