Podcasts · The Story of Malta: The Fortress Island of the Mediterranean — Fexingo History
Malta 1798: How Napoleon Captured the Fortress Island
· 6:16 · S4 E171
Episode Malta 1798: How Napoleon Captured the Fortress Island
In June 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte's fleet appeared off the coast of Malta. The island, ruled for over two centuries by the Knights of St. John, fell in just days. This episode dives into the strategic miscalculations, the internal decay of the Order, and the dramatic surrender that ended Hospitaller rule. We explore the role of Grand Master Ferdinand von Hompesch, the Knights' broken vows, and Napoleon's brief but transformative stay—including his abolition of slavery and the looting of churches. How did a supposedly impregnable fortress island capitulate so quickly? The answer lies in a mix of complacency, betrayal, and the sheer force of Revolutionary France.
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