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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Malta
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Small island in the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, which with neighbouring Gozo has been a member of the *Commonwealth since 1964 and a republic since 1974. It was ruled by the *Knights of St John from 1530 until 1798, when it was captured by Napoleon. The island was relieved two years later by the British after a long siege. In 1802 the Maltese refused to allow the return of the Knights and declared the king of Great Britain to be their sovereign; in 1813 Britain acknowledged the Maltese as British subjects, a state of affairs ratified in 1814 by the treaty of Paris.
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In both world wars the island was a vitally important naval base for the Allies, and the heroic resistance of the Maltese to prolonged siege and bombardment was acknowledged in 1943 when George VI awarded the *George Cross to the 'Island Fortress of Malta'. There had been self-government of a kind since the 19C, but internal disagreement on constitutional matters delayed full independence until 1964.
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