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History Form 2
Stephanie Ellul
History Form 2 Ms.S.Ellul
1
1. The fall of the Roman Republic
In a republic, citizens can choose their leaders.
The Roman republic was established in 509 B.C. and lasted nearly 500 years.
One difference between the Roman republic and the Greek democracy was
that in Greece all men could vote, but in Rome, only men with money and
property could vote.
Since the Romans did not want one man to make all of the laws, they
decided to balance the power of the government between three branches:
1. The executive branch - The consuls, who were elected for just one year by
the upper class and had to supervise the Senate and order the Roman
army during wars.
2. The legislative branch – The Senate, which consisted of a group of about
300 male citizens. They owned land and they could tell the consuls how
much money they could spend and on what.
3. The judicial branch –Which was made up of six judges who were elected
every two years and were in charge of deciding punishments that criminals
would receive.
You might find the following website interesting:
http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/special/timeline_04.html
History Form 2 Ms.S.Ellul
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Who was Julius Caesar?
Was born into a wealthy family and he was a
well-educated child.
In 59 BC, he was appointed a consul and in 58
BC he went to Gaul (France) where he served
as governor.
Was seen by some as a cruel man solely
driven by expanding his own personal power.
Who was Pompey?
was one of the most powerful consuls together with Caesar.
was know as Pompey the Great.
What happened between them?
Pompey was married to Caesar’s daughter but fought against him because
they both wanted power.
A. In not more than 150 words write the difference between Roman Republic
and Roman Empire.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
(12 marks)
History Form 2 Ms.S.Ellul
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B. Crossword
1
2
7
10 4
5
6,11
8 3
9
Down
a) 1. was one of the most powerful consuls of the Roman 2.
_____________.
b) Caesar was the governor of which country? 3. .
c) 4. was one of the most powerful consuls together with
Caesar.
d) Cleopatra was the 5. of 6. .
Across
e) The 7.__________ consisted of 300 male 8. ___.
f) Caesar was appointed 9. because he wanted to be the only
person in power.
g) Caesar's heir, later known as 10. , rose to sole power, and
the era of the Roman 11. began.
(11 marks)
History Form 2 Ms.S.Ellul
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2. Constantine and Christianity in Europe
In the first few centuries AD, Christians were
prosecuted and punished, often with death by the
Emperor Nero. Moreover, some say that Nero was
responsible for a colossal fire that broke out at
Rome and destroyed much of the city.
All this changed when Constantine became the Emperor of the Roman
Empire.
Constantine brought about many changes in the empire. Here are some of
the good changes brought by him:
1. ____________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________________________________
(2.5 marks)
Constantine chose Christian men as his
advisers. He provided many benefits for the
clergy. The clergy did not have to pay taxes
and they did not have to serve in the military.
Constantine also contributed greatly to the
building of great church buildings. Magnificent
church buildings were built in Jerusalem,
Bethlehem, Constantinople and other places.
Constantine wanted all men everywhere to embrace the Christian faith and
he wanted Christians to be united together. He thought that Christianity was
the one thing that could unite his empire and make it great.
History Form 2 Ms.S.Ellul
5
It was during the time of Constantine the great, that the Church in Malta
flourished.
Saint Paul's Shipwreck on his way to Rome in AD 60, saw the beginning of
Christianity in Malta. The conversation to Christianity did not happen in a blink
of an eye but Saint Paul managed to convert a large number of Maltese to
the Christian faith. According to tradition, Publius, the Roman Governor of
Malta at the time of Saint Paul's shipwreck, became the first Bishop of Malta.
A. Mark T for True and F for False in the boxes provided.
1. Constantine was known as Constantine the Great. ____
2. Nero established Constantinople as the new capital of Rome. ____
3. Constantine was the first Roman Emperor to recognize Christianity. ____
4. Constantine took from the Christians all their property. ____
5. Saint Paul's Shipwreck on his way to Rome happened in AD 400. ____
6. Saint Paul managed to convert a large number of Maltese to the Christian
faith. ____
7. Publius was the Governor of Greece at the time of Saint Paul's shipwreck.
____
8. Saint Paul became the first Bishop of Malta following his conversion to
Christianity. ____
(4 marks)
3. The Byzantine Empire
In order to improve and maintain control,
the work of the Emperor was divided
between different individuals. These so
called co-emperors had a form of power-
sharing.
History Form 2 Ms.S.Ellul
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The division of labour was divided between the Western and Eastern Empire
and often this division created a sense of competition between the co-
emperors.
In 330 AD, Constantine, transferred the capital from Rome to Byzantine which
is located on the eastern region of the European continent.
Constantinople: Istanbul today
Byzantine, and its capital
Constantinople, held a strategic
geographical significance because it
is located right between the Black
Sea and the entrance to the
Mediterranean Sea.
One of the most famous buildings in
Constantinople was the church of
Hagia Sophia which was the largest
History Form 2 Ms.S.Ellul
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cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years. This building was originally
constructed as a church.
The end of the Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire feared the Turks in fact the emperor asked the leader of
the Christian church—the Pope—to assist in a holy war against the Turks.
In the end, the Turks conquered the Byzantine Empire. Turkish has replaced
Greek as the language and more than 99% of the people in modern Turkey
are Muslims.
Nomisma
History Form 2 Ms.S.Ellul
8
4. The Arabs and the rise of Mohammed
In the ____________ there was a great force
growing which by time managed to grow bigger
and stronger. The people of the East lived in tribes
known as Bedwini or _____________. These tribes
used to travel from one oasis to another and
every night they used to camp under the stars. The captain of the tribe was
known as ix-______ (l-ixjeħ raġel) the oldest one, and he was seen as the most
intelligent and brave.
The rise of Mohammed
In the time of 570 A.D in Mecca, Mohammed
was born. At the age of forty, Mohammed felt
that an angel named _________ came to visit him
and told him to go and spread the word of god
(Allah).
In 622 A.D, Mohammed left ________ and went to
Medina where he was welcomed well. This
journey is known as the _______. After a few years
his teachings grew and went back to Mecca. Mecca became the center of
Islam and is now regarded as the holiest city in the religion of Islam.
The Muslims were people of great tolerance and
did not make people change their religion.
However those who were not Muslim had to pay a
tax. The people who had to pay this tax did not
have all the privileges of the Muslims; however they
had the right of property.
History Form 2 Ms.S.Ellul
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Similarities and Differences between Christianity and Islam
(9 marks)
History & Stats Christianity Islam
date founded c. 30 AD 622 CE
place founded Palestine Arabian Peninsula
founders & early leaders Jesus
major location today Europe, North and
South America
Middle East, Southeast
Asia
adherents worldwide
today 2 billion 1.3 billion
current size rank
second largest in the
world
sacred text
ultimate reality one creator God
nature of God Trinity - three persons unity - one person
identity of Jesus
true prophet of God
house of worship
day of worship
Friday
Head covered during
prayer? Generally no
History Form 2 Ms.S.Ellul
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5. The Vikings Civilisation
The Vikings came from Norway, Sweden and
Denmark. Their land was not fertile so they found it
hard to grow crops. They found that England was
rich with lands and treasures. The climate was much
warmer so they preferred it and wanted to settle
there.
‘Men of war’ is how the
Vikings are thought about and indeed they
brought violence to England. Vikings were skilled
craftsmen making objects from stone, wood
and metal.
While some Vikings were establishing themselves
in Britain and Ireland, another group did the
same in the coastal region of France. In effect,
the Vikings in this region allowed themselves to
be bought off by the king of France.
When the French noted the increasing number
of Viking settlements along the coast, they
feared the worst. French defenses were
becoming more effective and Viking losses
were increasing. So a deal was struck in 912. The
Viking duke would convert to Christianity,
acknowledge the French king as his overlord
and, protect France against wilder Vikings. Thus
was born Normandy. The Normans however did not lose their characteristics.
They still were adventurous, fighters, and good sailors/navigators.
History Form 2 Ms.S.Ellul
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The Vikings used long ships to raid and steal
from other lands. The Long ships were
powered by sails or by rowing with oars.
They used their boats for transporting cargo,
trading and for exploring. The Vikings even
travelled to America, which they called
Vineland, because grapes grew there.
The Vikings seemed to get everywhere...
Eric the Red founded a new settlement in Greenland.
The Vikings had settlements in Iceland in the ninth century.
The French king gave the province of Normandy to a Viking duke named
Rollo to stop him attacking.
The Vikings settled in an area called Rus. The name Russia comes from this
word.
The Vikings were the first Europeans to reach America.
Sagas
Viking children did not go to school so instead, lessons came in the form of
Sagas or long stories. They described the adventures of great Viking warriors
or gods. The Sagas were an important way to teach History, Geography and
navigation.
The Viking alphabet was called the Futhark. The letters or runes were carved
into wood or stone.
History Form 2 Ms.S.Ellul
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Crossword
Across
a) The Vikings preferred to settle in 1.________ because of the 2._________.
b) Some Vikings settled in England and Ireland while others preferred to
settle in another European country. Which country? 3.___________
Down
c) These were descendants of the Vikings. 4.___________
d) The Vikings alphabet. 5.____________
e) This is a long story about something dramatic or about heroic events.
6.__________
(6 marks)
6
1 4
2
3,5
History Form 2 Ms.S.Ellul
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6. Normans and their military
The Normans were formed in the ninth
and tenth centuries. Despite adopting
concepts like Christianity from their
neighbours, they soon developed a
culture distinct from both the Vikings and
the French.
Norman soldiers and mercenaries quickly
spread across Europe, fighting for many
different nations, though often against
Islamic forces. The high points of this
expansion were the conquests of
England, Sicily and Antioch which came
under the direct rule of Normans.
The Normans in Italy
A Norman presence in Italy is first recorded in
1017. Expansion continued until Normans ruled
almost all of Southern Italy.
In 1060 Count Roger I
invaded Sicily. At the
time, Sicily was ruled by Arab Muslims and the
population was mostly Byzantine Christians. The
whole island was conquered by 1091. In 1101
Count Roger I died and his son Count Roger II took
everything.
History Form 2 Ms.S.Ellul
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7. Count Roger I and the Normans in Malta
In 1091 Count Roger I, in order to avoid an attack
from North Africa, set sail with a fleet to conquer
Malta. His ship reached the island before the rest.
The following day Roger marched to the capital
Mdina. He subjected the Muslims in Malta to pay
him an annual tribute but let them continue running
the affairs of the island. Norman rule was, however,
consolidated in 1127 by Count Roger II. With the
treaty many Greek and other Christian prisoners
were released. He left the islands with many who wished to join him and so
many were on his ship that it nearly sank.
Maltese legend has it that the Count gave
the Maltese their red and white flag by
cutting a part of his banner. Mass is said
once a year in remembrance of the Count
at the Cathedral of Mdina, as a
recognition for the Count's role in liberating Maltese Christians from Muslim
dominance and rule.
Answer the following questions.
Did you know......
The Bayeux Tapestry is an embroidered cloth nearly 70 metres (230 ft) long, which
depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England.
History Form 2 Ms.S.Ellul
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Answer the following questions:
1. Who were the Vikings?
___________________________________________________________________________
(1mark)
1. What did they wear?
___________________________________________________________________________
(1mark)
2. How did they travel from one country to another?
___________________________________________________________________________
(1mark)
3. How did the Vikings learn new things?
___________________________________________________________________________
(1mark)
4. Who were the Normans?
___________________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)
5. What makes them different from the Vikings?
___________________________________________________________________________
(1.5 marks)
6. Who was Count Roger I?
___________________________________________________________________________
(1mark)
9. Feudalism
The Feudal System was introduced to England
following the invasion and conquest of the
country by William I (The Conqueror).
History Form 2 Ms.S.Ellul
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Who was William I (The Conqueror)?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)
During the period of history known as the Middle Ages, feudalism was the law
of the land. The system had been used in France by the Normans from the
time they first settled there in about 900AD.
It was the basis by which the upper class maintained control over the lower
classes. This structure of government consisted of:
The king:
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
History Form 2 Ms.S.Ellul
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The barons:
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
The peasants:
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
(6 marks)
The church leaders often also held a great power
over the people, much like the lords of the manor.
Many church leaders were active in politics and
government. In fact the church was really the only
universal European governing force.
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10. Medieval Europe and Medieval life
Use the following website to answer the questions:
http://www.medieval-life.net/life_main.htm
a. Write FIVE differences that
describe the clothing worn
in the Middle Ages in
contrast to Modern clothing.
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
(5 marks)
b. Write FIVE points that give a realistic
account of Medieval life.
_____________________________________
____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
(5 marks)
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c. Understand the plan of a medieval village and compare it to a village of
today.
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
(5 marks)
11. The Crusaders
The Crusades were a series of ______ _______ launched by the Christian states
of Europe against the Saracens. The term 'Saracen' was the word used to
describe a _________ during the time of the Crusades.
The word Crusade comes from the Latin word crux, meaning a '________'. It
referred to the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified and to go on a
Social Studies Form 2
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crusade meant going to fight for _________. The cross that appears on the
shield was common during the Crusades as it represented God.
12. Causes and consequences of the Crusades
There were numerous crusades over the three _______
___________ period, the majority of which involved
journeys to the ______ ________. This map shows five
different crusade routes.
In AD _______, the Muslims captured the
city of ____________, which was a holy
city to Christians because Christ had
lived and died in that area.
For a long time, the Muslims allowed
Christian to visit Jerusalem as pilgrims,
and many thousands made the journey
from Europe. Then, in _________, a group
of fanatical Turkish Muslims captured
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Jerusalem. They would not tolerate Christians.
In 1095, _______ ________ _____ delivered a speech in front of a large crowd at
the Council of Clermont, urging them to engage in a Christian “holy war” to
liberate Jerusalem from Muslim rule.
Despite many attempts, this goal
was never reached. Small Christian
states were established for a time
in and around Jerusalem, but they
soon returned to Muslim control.
The _______ ____ _______ took place
in 1291 and resulted in the loss of
the Crusader controlled city of
Acre to the Muslims. It is
considered one of the most important battles of the time period. When Acre
fell, the Crusaders lost their last major stronghold of the Crusader Kingdom of
Jerusalem.
(6 marks)
13. Black Death in the14th century (1347-1351)
Coming out of the East, the Black
Death reached the shores of Italy in
the spring of 1347 causing death
across Europe.
The Black Death is thought to have
started in China or Central Asia, it had
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reached the trade city of Caffa by 1346 and from there, black rats carried it
onto merchant ships. It then spread throughout the Mediterranean and
invaded Europe.
How Did It Spread?
In towns and cities people lived very close
together. The filth littered streets gave rats the
perfect environment to breed and increase their
numbers.
Also the disposal of bodies was very crude and helped to spread the disease
still further as those who handled the dead bodies did not protect themselves
in any way.
In crowded cities, it was not uncommon for as much as fifty percent of the
population to die. Although governments had medical workers try to prevent
the plague, the plague persisted. Most medical workers quit and journeyed
away because they feared getting the plague themselves.
There were; however, methods that did work. For example, in Milan, city
officials immediately walled up houses found to have the plague, isolating
everyone (even the healthy along with the sick) inside of them. Venice took
sophisticated and stringent quarantine and health measures, including
isolating all incoming ships on a separate island.
A plague doctor's duties were often limited to visiting victims to verify whether
they had been afflicted or not. Surviving records of contracts drawn up
between cities and plague doctors often gave the plague doctor enormous
latitude and heavy financial compensation, given the risk of death involved
for the plague doctor himself.
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Its path of death was generally from
south to north and east to west passing
through Italy, France, England,
Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Poland,
Finland, and eventually reaching as far
as Greenland. If the plague had just
stayed in one city, the containment
might have spared Europe.
Unfortunately, the plague spread when
people fled to other cities.
It is difficult to accurately estimate the number of people killed by the Black
Death. Many times, the Church and monks kept records of the census and
populations, but as the sick poured into their monasteries, monks themselves
were infected and their records were also lost or destroyed. At best, it can be
estimated that between 1/3 and 2/3 of European population were destroyed
by the disease. (25-50 million people out of 75 million).
Consequences of the Black Death
a. Fields went unploughed as the men who usually did this were victims of the
disease. Harvests would not have been brought in as the manpower did
not exist.
b. Those lords, who lost their manpower to the disease, turned to sheep
farming as this required less people to work on the land. Grain farming
became less popular – this, again, kept towns and cities short of such
basics as bread.
c. Inflation – the price of food went up creating more hardship for the poor. In
some parts of England, food prices went up by four times.
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d. Many people turned their back on the Church. As a result of death in the
church, written language was almost lost and whole churches were
abandoned.
Imagine you are a doctor living in London at the time of the plague (1348 –
1350).Write a reply to this letter from John Smith, a friend living in a nearby
village. Remember that a medieval doctor would not give the same kind of
advice as a modern day doctor.
Dear Sir,
I am writing to you to beg you for advice. A terrible curse has
come to our village. It began with a few people complaining of
pain in the head and the stomach. Now, just two short weeks
later, the streets are full of corpses, shops and houses lie empty,
and animals are running wild in the street. Some of the animals
are even feeding on the dead.
I believe this sickness has been sent by God to punish us for our
sins. I have been praying for forgiveness day and night but I
have been sickening these last days and I fear that I shall not be
spared. I had thought to go to London to seek help from a man of
medicine.
What should I do?
Yours,
John T. Smith
Social Studies Form 2
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___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
(6 marks)
14. The Maltese Islands under the Angevin rule and later under the Aragonese
rule.
Fill in the blanks below with the words provided. All words must be used.
Words may only be used once.
Monroi Feudal French Universita’
Aragonese 1090 Sicilian Frederick
Charles of Anjou Angevins Maltese Sicily
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In ________________, Count Roger the Norman, with a small force, landed in
Malta. The Maltese Islands were formally incorporated with the Sicilian Crown
about the year 1123 when Sicily was governed by Roger II (1105-1154), the
Son of Roger the Norman.
After the death of King William II of Sicily his aunt Constance who was married
to the Emperor Henry VI of the German royal family of Hohenstaufen inherited
the ________________ Crown. As a consequence, both Sicily and Malta fell
under the German rule.
The heir to the kingdom of Henry VI and his wife
Constance was their son ________________, who later
became known as Emperor Frederick II of
Hohenstaufen. In 1250, his kingdom was divided
between his two sons, Manfred and Conradino.
Conradino ruled over the Hohenstaufen lands in
Germany and Italy while Manfred became king of
Sicily and the Maltese Islands in 1258.
Manfred married off his daughter Constance to Peter, the king of the Spanish
Kingdom of Aragon. This marriage had the effect of forging an alliance
between the ________________ and Hohenstaufen royal families. However,
one of Manfred’s bitterest enemies was King Charles of the French kingdom
of Anjou. King Charles of Anjou was determined to conquer Sicily from
Manfred and add this island, together with the Maltese Islands to his kingdom.
King Charles of Anjou gathered his armies and marched them down the
Italian peninsula towards Sicily.
Henry's descendants ruled Malta and Sicily till 1266 when they were defeated
by the French Prince, ________________, at the Battle of Benevento (1266) and
Tagliacozzo (1268).
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The Angevins proved to be harsh rulers, especially in Sicily. Under the
________________ the people of Sicily lost most of their rights and liberties and
were also made to pay heavy taxes to their Angevin rulers.
Angevin rule did not last long. In March 1282 the Sicilians rose against the
French and by September the ________________ had left the Island. King Peter
of Aragon now became King of Sicily, and by December 1282 the great
majority of the Maltese had adhered to the new ruler of ________________.
During this period, Malta was sold and resold to various ________________ lords
and barons.
After widespread discontent between 1393 and 1397 the Aragonese King
once again ordered that the ________________ islands were not to be given
away as a fief but his promise was broken once again in 1420. A
new feudal lord made the Maltese pay heavy taxes and by 1425 under yet
another count, Gonsalvo Monroy, the Maltese were reduced to poverty.
It was finally agreed that the Maltese were to pay back ________________ the
30,000 but up to 1428 the Maltese were unable to raise that amount. Destiny
resolved the situation when on his deathbed Monroy decided he would
accept just 10,000 florins with another 10,000 going to the King of Aragon,
while 10,000 would be pardoned. Thus the Maltese only needed to provide
20,000 florins.
In the following century there were no Feudal Lords in the Maltese Islands and
there was very little interference from Sicily. The Maltese Islands had a local
government, the ________________, made up of the government officials who
carried on the day to day administration, and the Consiglio Popolare, or local
Council, which although it could deliberate local affairs had no legislative
power.
(6 marks)
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14. Piracy in Malta
During the Middle Ages, the Maltese Islands suffered frequent attacks by
pirates. These pirates would carry out surprise attacks on Maltese villages,
killing innocent people and carrying off Maltese men, women and children
into slavery.
Corsairing was a legalized form
of piracy, undertaken with the
official sanction of the authorities
in return for a share of the spoils.
At the same time, it was also an
important aspect of naval
warfare in the Mediterranean,
and the Aragonese rulers were
particularly skilled in the use of
the guerra di corso to promote
their political interests.
To guard the coast against enemy ships, the Maltese set up a standing army
of Maltese men. This local militia was called the Dejma. All able-bodied
farmers between the ages of 18 and 65 were obliged to form part of these
regiments. Each regiment was commanded by a knight.
A number of soldiers of the Dejma formed the cavalry and fought on
horseback. Wealthy families were obliged to keep horses to be used by the
cavalrymen of the Dejma, or, if they were wealthy enough to pay for the
upkeep of a sailing ship and crew to attack the pirates at sea before they
could land on Maltese shores. As soon as any pirate ships were sighted sailing
towards these islands, the Dejma soldiers on guard along the shores would
light a bonfire to give the signal that pirates were approaching. One of the
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Dejma soldiers in each group on watch duty would be on horseback and he
would ride as fast as his horse could carry him to the nearest villages to warn
the villagers of the imminent pirate attack.
Please refer to activity workbook ‘Walk the Plant’.
15. Life of the Maltese under the Arabs and the change to Christian rule in
Medieval Malta
In 60A.D, Christianity was brought to Malta by St.Paul and lasted until the
Arabs conquered the islands in 870 A.D. The 220 years of Arab rule has left a
lasting effect on the country's way of life. In this period of Malta's history the
islands, known under three names: Malitah - the island's Roman name -
Ghawdex and Chemmuna, enjoyed an unparalleled age of economic
affluence, becoming a veritable land of plenty.
Highly skilled in farming, the Arabs introduced new crops, including cotton
and citrus fruits, and innovative agricultural systems, such as irrigation, to
Malta.
Moreover, the distinctive landscape of terraced fields is the result of ancient
Arab methods. Many delicacies of today's Maltese cooking, like that of its
neighbour Sicily, owe their origins to Arabic imports - figs, almond, sweet
pastries and spices.
During their occupation, the Arabs tolerated the Christian beliefs of the
Islanders. Under the Muslims, known to the Europeans at that time as Moors,
the Maltese had their own assembly called gemgha (Arabic jam’iya - an
association) composed of both Christians and Muslims under an
Arab hakim or governor.
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The Arabs ruled Malta until 1090 when the Normans defeated them. For over
a hundred years after the Norman Conquest Arabic remained a dominant
factor in Maltese society. Under these Germanic conquerors the Christian and
Muslims, at first, lived in harmony. However, later, between 1224 and 1250 the
Muslims were totally expelled from the country.
The only Arab testimonials are to be found in the walls of Fort St. Angelo in the
Grand Harbour and in the walls of the city of Mdina (Arabic madina or city) -
re-named from Melita, the capital of Malta during Roman times.
Crowning all the visible remains is the beautiful Majmuna tombstone found
while excavating a cemetery at the gates to the town of Rabat. A large
marble stone inscribed with Arabic-Kufic-style letters it carries a sad lament of
a grieving Muslim father for the death of his 12 year-old daughter.
However, Arab influenced architectural styles, to be found in all parts of the
islands, are the most important of the perceivable Arab-Muslim legacy. The
entire interior of St. John's Co-Cathedral of Mdina is decorated with
Arabesque motifs and village churches are usually built in the shape of cubes
- an echo of the Kaaba.
The Arabs also left their imprint on
the Maltese language and in the
names of many towns and villages in
Malta and Gozo, such as Marsa,
Mdina, Mġarr, Mqabba,
Għajnsielem, Rabat, Xagħra, Żejtun
and Żurrieq.
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Find pictures or draw and colour 3 pictures that represent the 3 underlined
sentences above, which show the influence of the Arabs in Malta.
1.
2.
3.
(6 marks)
Social Studies Form 2
32
Notes:
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Social Studies Form 2
33
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