Cultural Influence from the Knights of St John

The Knights of St John may have only occupied the island from 1530-1798, but they left a clear mark on the Maltese landscape and cultural heritage. Dr. Simon Mercieca, a historian and sociologist at the University of Malta, outlined some of the ways the legacy of the Knights continues to shape Malta today.

Many of the strongest effects he described are clear even after a short time on the island. Their flag, the white cross on a red background, can be seen on everything from churches to souvenirs. After Maltese and English, the third most-widely spoken language is Italian. Many of the holidays commemorate Catholic saints.

I was surprised to learn that the Maltese people feel a much stronger connection to the man-made environment—the churches, forts, harbors, etc.—than to the natural environment. According to Dr. Mercieca, this too can be attributed to the Knights.

Malta has been occupied by external powers for most of its history. Because of this, the land was often owned by the foreigners, but the city, where many Maltese lived was not. Though the Knights were born in other areas of Europe, they often came to Malta as children. Once here, they made an effort to integrate into the island culture, for example by learning the Maltese language. In turn, the Maltese people adopted parts of their culture including the architecture. Even today, people make a strong effort to preserve buildings from the time of the Knights and emulate their style in new construction projects and works of art.

Overall, I am really glad I was able to gain an academic's perspective on the culture we had the opportunity to experience while in Malta.