Yesterday we celebrated Malta’s 59th birthday as an independent nation. Or is our nation older than that? There is a case that could be made that independent Malta is actually 223 years old. Today we explore a remarkable chapter in our history. A story of a tiny island that dared to defy a mighty empire. This is the story of...
History
The roles of women and children during the Great Siege of 1565
Diving deep into Malta’s rich tapestry of history, one cannot help but be enthralled by tales of valiant knights and iconic figures such as Toni Bajada, renowned for his masterful espionage during the Great Siege of 1565. These tales, as gripping as they are, sometimes eclipse the narratives of numerous unsung heroes, particularly the roles of women and children during...
A history of the Gozo Channel
The story of the Gozo Channel linking Malta and Gozo is a testament to the enduring connectivity between these two Mediterranean islands. Spanning centuries, the history of this service is marked by evolution, challenges, and a commitment to facilitating travel and trade. 1241: Early Beginnings From the 13th century, the waters between Malta and Gozo witnessed the birth of a...
The forgotten convoys that kept Malta alive.
In the annals of World War II, the Santa Marija Convoy – or Operation Pedestal for the enthusiasts – shines as a beacon of Malta’s resilience. Yet, before this famed mission, several other convoys wrote their own tales of courage in the Mediterranean waters. The Mediterranean became a hotbed of conflict during WWII, with Malta, Britain, and the US (alongside...
Mintoff and the chocolate factory
Understanding the impact of protectionism on a nation’s economic landscape is key to global economics. This was palpably evident in 1970s Malta under the leadership of Dom Mintoff. As a strategic embodiment of protectionism, the Maltese government introduced dramatic measures to bolster local industries, reducing foreign goods dependency. Among these measures, the most contentious was the chocolate ban. Malta’s Economic...
The reasons behind the “INTERDETT”
What were the reasons behind the Interdett and the “war” between the Church and the Labour Party? A war that shed no blood but left everlasting wounds, the interdiction (l-interdett) has left a lasting mark on Malta. It’s 1961. The Catholic Church is led by Pope John XXIII, known as ‘The Good Pope’ and eventually declared a saint. Under his...
How Gorbachev & Bush ended the cold war in the Malta Summit.
This article is part of an ongoing collaborative series by Spunt.mt and Lovin Malta. The 1945 Yalta conference marked the beginning of the Cold War, a 40+ year period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, and their respective allies. Winds of change were sweeping through Soviet states by 1989, culminating in the fall of the...
Operation Husky
Operation Husky | How The Liberation Of Europe Was Launched From Malta It’s June 1942, and Axis forces are celebrating the takeover of Libya. Malta now remains alone, one of the last strongholds of freedom in Europe, surrounded by Axis forces on all sides. But with the arrival of the Santa Marija convoy, Malta took the fight back to the...
The history of Malta’s relationship with Libya
We often forget it, but Tripoli is the closest capital city to Malta. Today we look at the love-hate relationship between Malta and Libya.
It-tliet darbiet li Malta kisbet l-indipendenza
Meta fassal il-mafkar tal-Indipendenza ta’ Malta, l-iskultur Ġanni Bonnici tana mara fil-figura ta’ ommna Malta, iżżomm il-bandiera Maltija, tperper ħielsa, waqt li Malta qed tinħeles mill-irbit tal-ħakkiema mgħoddija. Is-simboliżmi jkomplu wkoll meta wieħed josserva l-lok magħżul (forsi b’kumbinazzjoni) għal dan il-mafkar – bi dritt Triq ir-Repubblika fil-Belt Valletta, bħal donnu juri t-triq għall-ġejjieni, u bil-ġnien tal-Mall warajh. Il-Mall iġib ismu...
Europeans or North Africans? Where do the Maltese come from?
Malta has always been a crossroads of nations. Our DNA reveals strong links to Sicilian people, but not only. Caruana finds evidence of small traces of Greek genetic mutations. We are surrounded by signs of the origins of the current Maltese population. Our language, our history and culture are all a reflection of who our ancestors were. Our very own...
Jean Parisot de Valette – Malta’s greatest commander
Discover the life and times of Jean Parisot de Valette, Malta's greatest commander, who led the Knights Hospitaller in the historic Great Siege of Malta.