A Timeline of Maltese History
The French were only in Malta for a very short stint. They were here there 2 years, from 1798 to 1800. It all started when Napoleon was on his way to Egypt. He needed supplies and asked for his full fleet to enter the Maltese Harbour. The Knights refused to have the full fleet in the Maltese shores and allowed only two Convoys in. Napoleon Bonaparte was not
happy with the reply so he decided to invade the Rock. After fighting hard, The Order of St John, in particular Grandmaster Hompesch has surrendered to the French.
The Knights of St. John, also known as the Hospitallers, were a prominent force in Malta from 1530 until the late 18th century. They defended the islands against various threats, including the Ottoman Empire. In 1798, during the Napoleonic Wars, Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Malta and expelled the Knights. However, the French occupation of Malta was relatively short-lived, as the British, along with Maltese insurgents, ousted the French in 1800.
The French made a massive impact in Malta. They allowed free education and introduced freedom of speech, publishing the Journal De Malte. The French also eradicated nobility and slavery. Like today’s life, the Maltese could not even imagine having slavery or nobility as part of their culture. Back in the day, the locals also were not happy with these decisions.
The Maltese got to a breaking point when the French abolished the Catholic church. They stopped paying wages and started stealing gold and objects of value from Sanctuary places. This is when 10,000 irregular Maltese soldiers decided to surround Valletta where all the French were. They fought them as much as they could. In late 1799, the British came to help and on the 5th of September 1800, the French surrendered to the British.
