Part 4: The Order of St. John of Jerusalem

The geographical location of the island of Malta is the key to its significance. This island located in the straits between North Africa and the island of Sicily,  with its magnificent natural harbor on its northeast coast, has drawn attention from the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, and  Arabic raiders in ancient times,  to French armies under Napoleon in the early 1800′s, to more recent history, in WWII in the military action between British, Italian and German forces.