![]() Instead, they were a Catholic Military Order established in 1048 to care for sick or injured Holy Land pilgrims.Īfter centuries of displacement and attempts to establish themselves in Cyprus and Greece, the depleted Order arrived in Sicily. ![]() Although this group were known as 'The Order of the Knights of St John' - and went by various other names - they aren't your shining armour, helmets, sword and shield type of knights. Now, it's important to get any Game of Thrones or 'Knights of the Round Table' connotations out of your head at this stage. ![]() Over the next centuries, ownership of the islands would change hands from the disinterested Kingdom of Sicily to the Argaonese and, eventually, the Spanish.Īt this point, the history of Malta turns into something a little more intriguing than simply being conquered by competing powers Charles V of Spain, who was also the King of Sicily, gave the lands under his rule to a group of knights. In 870 A.D, Arabs conquered the islands (and their influence is still clear, especially on the Maltese language), before the Normans took their place. Due to its strategic shipping position, devastatingly underpinned during World War II, the archipelago's story is one shaped by a myriad of settlers, invaders, and rulers.
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