Malta, anciently MELITA

Island in the Mediterranean, s. of Sicily; colonized by Phœnicians, taken by Romans 259 B.C., by Vandals 534, by Arabs 870, and by Normans from Sicily IMG:content-1224.png:[graphic] IMG:content-1225.png:[graphic][merged small] 1090; given by Charles V., 1530, to Knights Hospitalers, who defended it against the Turks 1551 and 1565; taken by Bonaparte, June 1798; surrendered to the British, Sept. 5, 1800. Area 95 sq. m.; pop., 1890, 165,662. Malta, KNIGHTS OF. See KNIGHTS OF ST. JOHN. Malte-Brun. See BRUUN, M. С.