Which countries and regions have ruled Malta throughout its history?

Throughout its long history, Malta has been shaped by a succession of foreign powers due to its strategic location in the Mediterranean Sea. The islands have been ruled or influenced by the following:

• Ancient Powers: The Phoenicians and Carthaginians established early influence, followed by the Romans, who took political control in 218 BCE.12
• Medieval and Early Modern Powers: Following the division of the Roman Empire, Malta was ruled by the Byzantines (535–870 CE) and then by Arabs (870–1090 CE). Subsequent rulers included the Normans, Sicilians, Swabians, and the Aragonese.12
• The Hospitallers: In 1530, the Holy Roman emperor Charles V ceded the islands to the Hospitallers, who governed until the late 18th century.1
• Modern Era: The French briefly held the islands before Britain assumed control in the early 19th century.23

Malta remained under British influence until it achieved independence in 1964, eventually becoming a republic in 1974 and joining the European Union in 2004.2