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Mdina is one of the few great
architectural treats in Malta
that did not result from the activities of the Knights of St John. The
oldest city on the island, going back to pre-historic times, the word Mdina
derives from the Arabic word 'medina' which means 'city'. But the present
Mdina is smaller than the city which was inhabited by the Phoenicians (800
BC), the Carthaginians and the Romans (after 218 BC). Already in Phoenician
times, the presence of the town was mentioned in written records. During
Roman times, the city included a large part of present day Rabat, the suburb of Mdina. It had the
name of 'Melite', the same as the Island,
and was the seat of the Roman Governor. The ubiquity of the city - on a
hill in the centre of the island
of Malta - made it an
excellent site for defence.
Mdina was fortified in medieval times, but its protection in early times
must have been its high situation on a rocky crag. It is certain that
either during the Byzantine or during the Arab occupation of Malta, the
fortifications were retracted to the present proportions, perhaps for
better defensibility. It is during this time, when the city was refered to
as the 'medina', that Mdina got its name. The Arab legacy continued even
though the Arabs were officially expelled from Malta
in 1250 when the Islands were under
Christian rule. Thus the name 'Mdina' survived even though the City was
referred to as 'Civitas' (city in Latin) or 'Citta Notabile'.
When the Maltese Islands fell back under Christain rule, Mdina was
the capital city of the island and the seat of the 'Consiglio Popolare',
the local Government which had limited jurisdiction over local affairs and
responded to the Viceroy in Sicily.
The nobles, who were the ruling elite, lived in Mdina, overlooking their
farmlands beneath the city. It was adequately protected by walls to
withstand sieges, like the attack by the Moors in 1429. A legend says that
during this siege, St. Paul, the Patron
Saint of Malta who introduced the Christian doctrine to Malta,
appeared brandishing his sword and made the Moors flee. Another legend says
that to show off, the Moors sent in their bread to the besieged Maltese. In
reply the Maltese sent back all the loafs with a piece of cheese on each
loaf.
Together with the castle at Birgu, the maritime city in what is today's Grand Harbour, they were the only defense
of the populace against Muslim and pirate attacks which plagued the islands
for hundreds of years. During the Middle Ages Mdina was the centre of
attraction of the island - the most important events occurred or originated
from there.
Mdina, depite all its splendour was not an ideal general headquarters for
the Order of St. John which had a fleet to take care of. This led to a
shift of attention from Mdina to the port-city of Birgu, and then to the new city named Valletta,
after Grand Master La Valette. However the city's defences were not
neglected. In 1551 they withstood a Turkish attack. Valletta was built after the hard won
victory over the Turks during the Great Siege of 1565, and it became the
new capital city. During the Siege there was only one half-hearted attempt
to attack the City and the Turks retreated without firing a single shot.
Mdina acted as an important base in the lines of communication between the
Grand Master in Birgu and Sicily
from where Christian reinforcements had to be sent.
With the arrival of the Knights of St. John, the Maltese nobles became
powerless and lived away from the bustling ports in their quite city. Many
left forever to Sicily
before the Great Siege began. The population of Mdina plummeted during the
stay of the Knights while the population of the Maltese Islands
grew steadily. Grand Master Garzes gave special rights to residents to
boost its population, but to no avail. It was the final blow to the
majestic city. In 1693 a big earthquake hit Sicily
and Malta,
and large parts of Mdina, including the Cathedral, were destroyed. Many
buildings which stand today were re-built after the earthquake.
The French General Napoleon Bonaparte conquered the Islands
on the 9th of June 1798 and ousted the Knights. Mdina capitulated without
much resistance. Three months later, Mdina was the scene of the beginning
of the rebellion against the French whom the Maltese regarded as
oppressors. The commander of the City, Masson, was hurled down from the balcony
of a house in which he sought refuge. All members of the French garrision
were massacred. The French capitulated on the 5th of September 1800 to the
British forces who came in aid of the Maltese.
Mdina's silence became a sacred characteristic of the city, only to be
disturbed by the Italian and German bombs which fell on a nearby airfield
during World War II. Today Mdina is a major tourist attraction recognised
internationally as an important heritage site.
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