Product Description

The Island of Malta occupies a pivotal position in the Mediterranean, forming an outpost between North Africa and the soft underbelly of Europe. It has seen numerous sieges throughout the years. Following the successful defence of the Great Siege of 1565, new walls and fortifications were raised on the island. These came to naught when Napoleon occupied Malta in 1798. Retaken by the British in 1800 its defences were modernized throughout the 19th century. The final test for the island fortress was to come during World War II. This book examines all these different styles of fortification from the 16th to the 20th centuries.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #197577 in Books
• Published on: 2004-01-16
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 64 pages

Customer Reviews

Congrats!
This is the first book that has mentioned and explained the Victoria lines, a defensive wall built right across the country. Think of this as the Hadrian's Wall of Malta. Fabulous! If they treat an obscure fortification like this (it was obsolete less than ten years after it was completed) then I can trust the author on other, greater issues.
Unlike guidebooks that show you fortifications as tourist attractions, he shows you all the defenses of Malta in context - the items that were built at a certain time for a certain reason in a specific style. As the book progresses you get to see Malta's fortifications in their historical layers. You also see lovely full-color illustrations of maps and cutaways to let you see the inside of the various forts and batteries.
I'm more interested in Malta than military fortifications, so some of the terms went over my head. Nonetheless it was an engrossing read and well worth the trouble to get it (I'm in the States and had to order it from Amazon.co.uk).
Enjoy!