Malta (island) built first fortifications in Malta. Malta was later ruled by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines and Arabs before it was occupied by the County of Sicily in 1091. The island then became part of the Kingdom of Sicily until it was given to the Order of Saint John along with Gozo and Tripoli in 1530. In 1565, the Order and the Maltese withstood a major Ottoman invasion which became known as the Great Siege of Malta. The Order ruled Malta for over 250 years and built many great pieces of architecture, including the capital city Valletta. In 1798 the French
Three villages of Malta Three villages of Malta The Three Villages of Malta are Attard, Balzan, and Lija, which are located approximately at the centre of the Mediterranean island of Malta. The Three Villages are known as such because of their close proximity to one another. In some cases one side of the street is part of one village while the opposite side of the same street is part of another village. The three villages are also very similar in size, layout and age. During the Order of St. John the three villages were sought after for country residences and hunting lodges, of which