Malta has been an area of interest, for its strategic location in the
Mediterranean Sea, since classical times. The island allowed for great international trade and a militarily strategic location, the island was wonderful for navies to stop and rest and it was a great base for military assaults from the air and the sea. The island's longest ruler was the
Knights of St. John, who controlled the island for 250 years. The Knights lost their control of the island after an invasion by French forces led by
Napoleon. Napoleon's fleet was en route to invade Egypt and beyond, but needed a place to rest beforehand. Malta refused Napoleon's request to harbour at its islands, but he was not going to let his invasion fail at the fault of the small island-state so he invaded and seized control of the island. While Malta might have been taken through force, the French did not treat them wrongly. France established many reforms that reflected that of the
French Revolution, such as ending the remaining feudalistic policies, building and founding many schools, and abolishing slavery. Despite this, the people of Malta saw those policies as excessive for the locals were "largely dominated by [and loyal to] two institutions: the aristocracy and the Church." A century later would have the Second World War occur. Being the home of the British fleet in the Mediterranean, the Axis powers would try repeatedly to either destroy or control the island. This devastated Malta, but the island never gave in. Their stern resistance against the
Nazis and
Fascist Italians was rewarded by the British, who both gave the people of Malta the
George Cross and promised to give the Maltese people independence. A small amount of local rule was given in 1947, though it wasn't until 21 September 1964 that full independence came. Malta became a republic a decade later and British forces finally left the country after the defence treaty expired on 31 March 1979, which is celebrated as “Freedom Day”. ==See also==