Rental Cars Malta - History of Malta

Despite its size and somewhat remote Mediterranean location, Malta has an esteemed and curious history as a key pawn between Crusader and Islam ambitions.

Malta's famous megalithic temples suggest that it supported an advanced civilization as far back as 3800 BC, but it was the Phoenicians who first colonised the islands around 800 BC. It then fell in with the massive Roman Empire in 208 BC and peacefully went about its business until invading North African Arabs bought citrus, Cotton and Moorish influence to the island. Although they were vanquished by the Normans in 1090, Islamic ambitions were to indirectly play a key fateful role in the island’s prosperity 500 years later. As a reward for their hand in liberating the Holy Lands during the crusades, the island was given to the Knights Templar (Order of St John of Jerusalem) by the King of Spain. The knights, being made up largely of wealthy European minor aristocrats, saw to it that the island was grandly developed and fortified, displaying much wealth and prosperity. When a huge Turkish invasion lay siege to the island in 1565, they were successfully repelled after three month with less than 9000 locals. They became the toast of Europe and as a result received assistance in building the island’s grand capital, Valetta. However, corruption set in and piracy even flourished until Napoleon finally marched in and grabbed the spoils. Malta had to turn to Britain for help and subsequently ended up a colony of the Empire.

With the onset of WWII Malta’s strategic importance made it vulnerable to attack from the German-Italian axis, with devastating results. After the war they moved towards autonomy and gained full independence in 1964.

The eighties saw a brief flirt with communism, and friendly relations with Libya, the Soviet Union and North Korea, but victory for the National Party in 1987 saw a swing towards EU membership. Their application was, however, withdrawn after the Labour Party came to power in briefly in 1996. In recent decades, the Maltese have achieved considerable prosperity, largely due to tourism.