by James Hood » Sun Apr 17, 2011 2:25 pm
Or if Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, magnamimously returned independence of Malta to the Order of St John of Jerusalem, The Knights Hospaitalers, whose sovereignty and independence Napoleon seized by invasion in 1799, in the early-ish 19th century.
When the British replaced the French, they did not restore Malta's sovereignty for more than a century.
The Knights maintained an active navy on Malta from 1533, when they were given the islands (and before, on Rhodes). Likely they would have continued their naval actions against Barbary states' vessels.
In this opinion, not "battleships," but likely something resembling light cruisers. Perhaps named for the forts of St. Elmo, St. Michael, St. Angelo and Grand Masters such as Jean Parisot de LaValette.
Or if Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, magnamimously returned independence of Malta to the Order of St John of Jerusalem, The Knights Hospaitalers, whose sovereignty and independence Napoleon seized by invasion in 1799, in the early-ish 19th century.
When the British replaced the French, they did not restore Malta's sovereignty for more than a century.
The Knights maintained an active navy on Malta from 1533, when they were given the islands (and before, on Rhodes). Likely they would have continued their naval actions against Barbary states' vessels.
In this opinion, not "battleships," but likely something resembling light cruisers. Perhaps named for the forts of St. Elmo, St. Michael, St. Angelo and Grand Masters such as Jean Parisot de LaValette.