Victory Day in Malta

Victory Day is a public holiday celebrated in Malta on 8 September and recalls the end of three historical sieges made on the Maltese archipelago, namely: the Great Siege of Malta by the Ottoman Empire ending in 1565; the Siege of Valletta by the French Blockade ending in 1800; and, the Siege of Malta during the Second World War by the Axis forces ending in 1943.

In 1565, after more than three months of siege, the Ottomans who were besieging Birgu and Isla withdrew and left that slope of the island. Even if the battles were not over, because there was still a battle for the sides of St. Paul the Sea, it can be said that this was the last day of the Great Siege, described as among the bloodiest in the history of the world and the biggest siege in the history of Malta. A day before the 8th of September, on the 7th of September, the Gran Soccorso arrived, the aid from Sicily to Malta, this was a blow to the Turks.

In 1943, Italy had withdrawn from the Second World War, and turned against Germany, which had previously been its ally. This led to the cessation of the bombings by the Italians on Malta, and the end of the war for the Maltese.