Settlement Patterns in the Maltese Islands: from Early Colonization to pre-Independence

This paper gives an account of the main historical episodes which influenced settlement patterns in the Maltese Islands. It covers the period from early colonization, when mankind first set foot on the islands, through the Middle Ages, the arrival of the Knights and the effect this had on the local economy, to the period under the British Crown and the years prior Independence. Special reference is made to the main island, and the factors which had a significant influence on population movements.