Victory Day (Malta)

Victory Day is a public holiday in Malta, observed on September 8 each year. The holiday has historical connections with 3 sieges in Malta: the Great Siege of Malta in 1565, the Siege of Valletta in 1800, and the Siege of Malta in 1943.

The Great Siege of Malta occurred in 1565 when the Ottoman Empire attempted to conquer the island of Malta. On May 18, 1565, a fleet of Ottoman ships with 48,000 soldiers invaded the island. 500 Knights of Malta and about 6,000 footsoldiers led by Jean Parisot de Valette protected the island and repelled the invaders. The siege lasted for 4 months, and it was one of the bloodiest battles in history.

The Siege of Malta in 1800 was a two-year siege and blockade of the French garrison in Valletta between 1798 and 1800. French captured Valletta in 1798 and garrisoned with 3000 men. In August 1798, the British Royal Navy, together with the citizen of the island, managed to impose a blockade on the French garrison. The supplies from the French to the garrison were all intercepted by the blockade forces, which caused famine and a reduction in morale, and forced the French to surrender in 1800.

The Siege of Malta in 1943 was a military campaign between the British Crown Colony of Malta and Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. In 1940, the Allied and the Axis realized the importance of Malta. The Axis bombed ports and cities trying to capture Malta, but the Allied managed to ship supplies to the island and reinforce Malta. In 1942, the Axis diverted forces to the Battle of Tunisia and reduced the attacks to Malta. The Allied provided more supplies to last until 1943.

The following is the list of Victory Day in Malta from 2022 to 2026.

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