Barts and the London school of Medicine and Dentistry

Malta's history stretches back thousands of years, with evidence of human habitation dating as far back as 5900 BC. The islands were home to a unique Neolithic civilization that built remarkable megalithic temples, some of the oldest free-standing structures in the world, between 3600 and 700 BC. Due to its strategic location in the Mediterranean, Malta was subsequently colonized by various powers, including the Phoenicians, who are believed to have given Malta its name meaning "shelter" or "haven."

In 1091, the Normans conquered Malta, and it became part of the Kingdom of Sicily, leading to a gradual re-Christianization. For several centuries, Malta was ruled by various feudal dynasties before being granted to the Order of the Knights of St. John in 1530 by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. The Knights fortified the islands and famously withstood the Great Siege by the Ottoman Empire in 1565, a pivotal moment in Maltese and European history. Their rule lasted until 1798 when Napoleon Bonaparte captured Malta on his way to Egypt. The Maltese rebelled against French rule and, with British assistance, expelled the French in 1800.