January 2005: third of three articles.

When the Knights arrived, the island's capital was the tiny walled inland village of Mdina. All there was to protect one of the world's deepest natural harbours, which would eventually become the new capital, was a ramshackle little fort.

The Turks were pillaging throughout the Mediterranean at will, and enslaving entire populations, yet they knew that their dream of conquering Europe could not be realized as long as the Knights stood in their way. After 40 years of attacks, the ... (more)