The many curious twists and turns of Malta's fascinating history say much about past epic struggles for dominance of the Mediterranean region by conquering dynasties. Each saw in Malta the key to command of a vital sea lane, an indispensable asset for the building of empires. It was so to be, well before the Christian era began from the time of Phoenicia and Carthage to the end of British colonial rule in September 1964, when Malta became a fully independent island nation. Malta's connections with Arab, Sicilian and British power politics are well known. Each one in turn bestowed on Malta a rich heritage of laws and customs which helped shape the Malta of today.
Of all the implanted cultures which have left behind indelible, benevolent legacies, no other country has influenced the destiny of Malta more than France. This vital fact is often overlooked. It was Count Roger of Normandy who ended the Arab occupation in 1091, ushering Malta once and for all into the European fold. It was Grand Master Philippe Villiers de L'Isle Adam who in 1530 brought to Malta's shores the Knights of St. John, the first order of chivalry, which incidentally was founded by his fellow-Frenchman, Frere Gerard, in about 1080. It was Grand Master Jean de La Vallette who by his defeat of invading Turkish armies under command of Suleiman the Magnificent, saved Malta's (and by extension Europe's) Christian cultural heritage and built Valletta, Malta's capital. It is now designated a world site by the United Nations Organization for its architectural and historic importance. Later it was Napoleon Bonaparte who ushered in a new epoch in Maltese history which eventually led to Maltese taking the running of their country's affairs into their own hands.
An oddity of Maltese history little known by locals and foreigners alike, involves an Imperial Russian connection. When Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Malta en-route to his invasion of Suez, the Russian Emperor Paul I whose troops had clashed with the French in Italy and Switzerland, took an interest in the plight of the defeated Knights of Malta. What is generally known is that the Grand Master and his knights sailed away from their erstwhile principality bearing only their personal possessions, closing the most glorious chapter in the annals of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem (Detta Di Malta). The knights scattered all over Europe, while Paul I was proclaimed the next Grand Master of Malta. Most of the European powers objected to his ascendancy since the Order was essentially Catholic whilst Russia belonged to the Orthodox faith. But there was even more to the story than meets the eye. In particular the Czar invited the German Grand Master Ferdinand von Hompesh to take asylum in St. Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and Leningrad. Towards that end a small chateau named "Priorate Palace" was constructed on the grounds of Paul's suburban imperial villa "Gatchina" near the capital city. In return for this favor the Czar presumably declared himself Ferdinand's legitimate successor, hence the term "Priorate" for the exiled Grand Master. Whether in fact Ferdinand or any other Maltese of note ever lived in Gatchina is a matter of conjecture. Besides his enmity towards Napoleon, Paul I was clearly motivated by his fascination with the trappings of Maltese knighthood, so that Maltese crosses and other symbols can be found throughout his vast estates.
How could a country so small have played such a large part in the transformation of European history. The proof is in the pudding. Visit Malta and conclude for yourself.
Footnotes:
-- Recent Sunday Times interview with Patrick Amiot, French Ambassador to Malta.
-- Researched by Yefin Somin, Malta Home Page viewer. Page. Verification from Maltese sources are requested for confirmation &/or clarification of occurrence.
E-mail to Joseph Vella: vellajoseph@msn.net
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