Today, 26^th July 2023, marks the anniversary of the siege of Gozo of 1551 where the majority of the Gozitan population was taken into slavery by the Ottoman Empire.

They first tried to capture Malta but when they were unsuccessful, they moved on to the less defended Gozo.

During these times, Gozo’s Citadel was not as we know it today and was not offering the necessary protection to Gozo’s inhabitants, leading to their demise.

300 people managed to escape but the Ottomans captured 6000 Gozitans alongside the knights on the island, only sparing 40 elderly people and a monk.

As a result of Gozo, almost becoming inhabited, the Knights of St John started encouraging Maltese people to move to Gozo, but it took over 150 years for Gozo’s population to return back to normal.

Facebook/Dragut & Facebook/The National Archives of Malta