Malta History Timeline

300's – 1800's

(395) Byzantine domination of Malta, followed the final division of the Roman Empire
(1091) Count Roger I of Sicily established Norman rule over Malta
(1127) Norman control over Malta was consolidated under Roger II of Sicily
(1194-1266) Malta and Sicily ruled by the Swabians, established the county of Malta, counts ruled Malta with some degree of autonomy
(1266-1283) Angevins ruled Malta and Sicily
(1283-1530) Crown of Aragon ruled Malta and Sicily
(1565) Malta taken by the Ottoman Empire
(1566) Malta's capital city, Valletta, founded
(1798) Napoleon conquered Malta
(1799) Maltese revolt against the French, Britain took Malta under its protection, in the name of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
(1814) Malta became crown colony of British Empire
(1853-1856) Malta served as a hospital base in the Crimean War, nicknamed "Nurse of the Mediterranean"

1900's

(1934) English and Maltese declared the official languages of Malta
(1940) Italy declared war on France and the United Kingdom
(1942) King George VI awarded the George Cross to Malta, Britain's highest civilian decoration for heroism
(1947) Malta granted self-government
(1959) Malta's self-government revoked
(1962) Malta's self-government restored
(1964) United Kingdom granted Malta its independence
(1964-71) Malta joined the United Nations and the Council of Europe; became Associate member of European Community; Dom Mintoff's Malta Labor Party took power
(1974) Malta became a republic; Sir Anthony Mamo became Malta's first president; Malta remained a member of the Commonwealth of Nations
(1979) Military agreement between Malta and United Kingdom expired, led to closure of United Kingdom's military base
(1984) Dom Mintoff resigned, succeeded by Carmelo Mifsud-Bonnici
(1987) Nationalist party's victory marked move toward European integration; Eddie Fenech Adami became prime minister
(1989) Malta hosted first summit between Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev and US President George Bush
(1990) Application for full membership in European Union submitted by Malta
(1996) Labor party regained power and pulled EU application
(1998) Application revived to enter EU
(1999) Guido de Marco sworn in as president

2000's

(2001) Pope John Paul II visited Malta
(2003) Referendum held on European Union membership, narrow majority approved, apportion Labour Party rejected results; victory of nationalist party confirmed vote results
(2004) Malta became member of European Union
(2005) Parliament ratified proposed EU constitution
(2008) Malta adopted the euro; ruling nationalist party won by slim margin
(2009) Pope Benedict XVI made pilgrimage to Malta
(2011) Divorce referendum held, electorate voted to permit the introduction of divorce

Malta's Information