The
history of Malta is a history of conquests and conquerors.
Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Aragoneses, the Knights of
the Order of St. John and the British were only some of
which took advantage of its strategic location to turn
it into a control key to the Mediterranean. It’s
still possible to find signs of these cultures in the
island. From the Phoenicians tombs scattered all over
the island, the old city of Mdina and its Arab past, the
capital Valletta, an open book about the history of the
Order of St. John, and what to say of the British influence:
the hand left driving and the typical English telephone
booths are just some of the memories that its occupation
of the island left.
In 1090, the normands conquered it for their kingdom of
Sicily, which would pass, 300 years later, to the Spanish
kingdom of Aragón. In the sixteenth century the
defense of the island was trusted to the old Order of
the Hospital of St. John (Knights Hospitalers). Evacuated
from Palestine, they ended up settling in Malta after
the fall of Tunisia, in 1574. They remained there more
than three centuries, been known like the Knights of Malta,
until the French expelled them in 1798. The Congress of
Vienna in 1815 formally recognized the title of "Sovereign
Order of Malta", and consecrated the English sovereignty
on the island.
From early twentieth century the Maltese fought for their
independence. In 1921, after a popular rebellion, London
accepted certain degree of internal autonomy, that was
revoked when beginning World War II, during which the
island served as a base to the allied counter-offensive
on Italy. The heroic fight of the Maltese people elevated
its national conscience. In 1947 London returned its autonomy
and declared his independence on September 8, 1964, although
United Kingdom continued assuring the defense and financial
attendance after the signature of an agreement by ten
years. In 1971 the Labour Party arrived to the government
and established relations with Italy, Tunisia, USSR and
Libya, from who received financial attendance. The forces
of NATO were expelled in 1971 and two years later Malta
joined the Movement of non Aligned Countries. The relations
with Libya were tightened in 1980 by the oil prospections
in the continental platform of the island. The conflict
was derived to the International Court of Justice, with
seat in The Hague, and the bilateral relations were normalized.
From the beginning of the Labour Party administration,
the Executive adopted measures to reduce the role of the
Church, owner of 80% of the buildings and in virtual control
of the educational system . The conflict exploded in 1983
when the government expropriated its possessions and decreed
lay education at primary level. Finally, in 1985 the government
and the Church signed an agreement that anticipated the
gradual use of the laicism in high schools.
The National Party assumed the government in May of 1987.
Liberal prime minister Edward Fenech-Adami initiated a
policy of approach to the United States. The imports were
freed, frank zones were created and the tourism and the
foreign investment were impelled. Prime minister Adami
was reelected in February of 1992, when he said that its
main goal was the integration to the EC. In 1993, the
democratic stability and the policy of human rights of
Malta made possible its incorporation to the Community.
Nevertheless, their economic structures were considered
"archaic" and the implementation of "fundamental
economic reforms" was advised. In June of 1995 the
EC transferred economic aid to Malta to contribute with
the reform of their economy and negotiations were announced
by the end of 1996 for the formal entrance of the country
to the block.
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