History of Malta

Circa 5200 BC
The Maltese Islands become inhabited.

Circa 3600 BC to circa 2500BC
The temple period

400 BC
The Maltese islands fall under the control of Carthage.

218 BC
The Maltese islands fall under the control of the Roman Empire.

AD 60
Saint Paul was shipwrecked on Malta.

AD 870
Malta was conquered by Arabs, who would influenced local culture, notably in the Maltese language.

1091
Count Roger I of Sicily established Norman rule.

1127
Under Roger II of Sicily, Norman control was consolidated. Christianity was reestablished in Malta

1419
The Militia List is drawn giving information about the population of Malta in the Middle Ages

1522
Suleiman II drove the Order of Knights of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem out of Rhodes. They dispersed to their commanderies in Europe.

1530
Charles V handed Malta over the the the Knights of St. John to protect Rome from Islamic invasion.

July 1551
Ottomans and Barbary pirates conquered Gozo and enslaved all the inhabitants transfering them to Tarhuna Wa Msalata in Libya.

1565
This militant monastic order, now known as the "Knights of Malta", withstood a siege by the Ottoman Empire. Following the seige the Knights increased the fortifications, particularly in the city of Valletta.

1798
The Islands were seized by Nepoleon

1800
Britain took the islands and appointed Sir Alexander John Ball as governor.

1814
Malta became part of the British Empire as part of the Treaty of Paris. The Islands were used as a shipping waystation and the Mediterranean Fleet headquarters were based there until the mid-1930s.

1919
The Maltese rioted over the excessive price of bread, later leading to greater autonomy for the Maltese.

1934
English and Maltese became the official languages of Malta.

1939-1945
Malta played an important role during World War II, due to its proximity to Axis shipping lanes.

10 June 1940
Italy declared war.

11 June 1940
First air raids on Malta.

15 April 1942
The George Cross was awarded to Malta by Great Britain.

December 1955
The future of Malta was discused at a Round Table Conference held in London.

14 February 1956
A referendum was held on the political future of Malta.

1958
The resulting talks broke down leading to direct rule being imposed by the United Kingdom.

21 September 1964
Maltese independence was granted with Malta remaining a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

1971
Dom Mintoff became Prime Minister again

1974
Malta became a republic, with the last Governor-General, Sir Anthony Mamo becoming the first President.

1979
The last of the British forces left Malta.

1987
In an election on Malta, the Labour Party lost to the Nationalist Party (PN).

April 2003
In a referendum, Malta's voters expressed their will to join the European Union.

1 May 2004
Malta became a full member of the European Union.