The French Occupation (1798-1800)

The Maltese islanders initially favored Napoleon's takeover of the island in 1798, because the Knights had resisted many reforms favored by the Enlightenment. Napoleon ended the Inquisition, the use of judicial torture, and privilege based on birth. But the French quickly fell out of favor with the Maltese because they stripped the churches of relics, paintings, gold, and silver. Napoleon shipped the riches of Malta to finance his campaigns in Egypt, but they were lost when the ship sank. Furthermore, the French refused to pay the Knights' debts and pensions to the islanders. This increased interest rates, created new taxes, altered leases, and caused the loss of jobs. The Maltese became angry with the new regime's religious insensitivity and economic exploitation.

The Maltese rebelled in Mdina on 2nd September 1798. Napoleon had left only a small garrison in Malta when he continued on to Egypt, so the rebellion quickly spread throughout the countryside. The French troops retreated behind the walls of Valletta, where the Maltese held them under siege. The arrival of a British fleet to blockade the island completed the defeat of the French in 1800.

Find detailed chronology here: History 07