Norman invasion of Malta

The Norman invasion of Malta was an attack on the island of Malta in the year 1091. At that time, most people on Malta were Muslims. The attack was led by Roger I, who was part of the Norman County of Sicily. His forces tried to take over the main town, called Medina, which is today known as Mdina.

The people of Medina did not fight to the end. Instead, they made a peace deal. They let go of any Christian people they were holding, promised to be loyal to Roger, and agreed to give him a special payment every year. After this, Roger’s soldiers went to the nearby island of Gozo, where they caused damage, before going back to Sicily with the people they had freed.

Even though this attack did not change who ruled Malta right away, it was important later. It helped start the process of Malta becoming a Christian place again, which happened around the year 1127. Over many years, people told stories about this event as if it had saved Malta from Muslim rule. Some of these stories even say that Roger gave the colors red and white to the Maltese people to use as their own.

Background

The Norman conquest of southern Italy started around the beginning of the 11th century. By 1091, they had finished taking over Sicily, including the last Muslim stronghold, Noto. Because Malta is close to the coast of Sicily, it became a target for the Normans to complete their conquest. Plans to attack Malta were made by Robert Guiscard as early as 1072.

At that time, Malta was mostly home to Muslims. After an Aghlabid attack in 870 AD, the island had fewer people, but it was repopulated by Muslims between 1048 and 1049. By the early 11th century, Medina was a busy Muslim settlement, possibly founded around that time with its walls built then. Some of these Muslims may have been refugees from Sicily because of the Arab–Byzantine wars. The Byzantines tried to take Malta back in 1053–54, but they failed.

Invasion and aftermath

The Norman fleet led by Count Roger I left Cape Scalambri in Sicily in 1091 and arrived in Malta within two days. Roger’s son wanted to lead the attack, but Roger decided to go himself. Roger’s ship arrived first, and he landed with thirteen knights. The people of Malta resisted at first, but many ran away.

The next day, Roger and his army marched to the main city, Medina, and surrounded it. The leaders of the city were very worried and asked to talk to Roger. They agreed to free all Christian prisoners, give horses, weapons, and money to the Normans, promise to be loyal to Roger, and pay him every year.

The freed Christians were very happy. They got on Roger’s ships and went back to Sicily. On the way, the Normans also visited the nearby island of Gozo. When they reached Sicily, Roger offered to help the freed people settle in a new village called “Villafranca,” where they wouldn’t have to pay taxes. Others were allowed to go home safely through the Straits of Messina.

Analysis

A key source about the Norman invasion of Malta comes from an 11th-century historian named Goffredo Malaterra, who praised Count Roger's actions. Over time, the story of the invasion became a popular tale in Malta, with some saying Roger freed Christians from Muslim rule. However, historians today think there were no local Christians left at that time.

Some stories from later years added new details that aren't proven true. These stories said Roger let the local people keep their religion and even gave them special rights. He was also said to have given Malta the red and white colors that now appear on its flag, but this idea likely started much later and isn't supported by evidence.

Some places in Malta are linked to legends about the Norman invasion. For example, a small inlet called Miġra l-Ferħa is said to be where Roger landed, and a valley called Wied ir-Rum is thought to be where Christians lived before the invasion. But these places probably weren't actually used for those events.

Historians now see the Norman invasion as more of a quick raid rather than an attempt to stay in Malta. It wasn't until a later invasion by Roger's son, Roger II, in 1127 that Christian settlers arrived and began to change the island's culture and language. The invasion is now believed to have happened in 1091, not 1090 as once thought.