The 470th anniversary of the 1551 Siege of Gozo has been commemorated during an ceremony held at the Citadel, attended by Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri.

The evening of history, music and dance was organised by the National and Regional Celebrations Committee within the Ministry for Gozo.

Wreaths were also placed in front of the monument that commemorates this event in Gozo’s history.

In 1551 the Ottoman force attacked Gozo following an unsuccessful attempt to conquer Malta, resulting in around 5,000 people, who formed the majority of the population of Gozo, being taken into slavery.

The siege ended in 1551 when the Gozitans had to capitulate and open the doors in the Citadel walls because they were no longer able to defend themselves and their families.

The people were taken captive, including the Knights and Governor de Sessa and were sailed to Tripoli. It was said that only a monk and 40 elderly Gozitans were spared by the Ottomans.

This was Gozo’s greatest tragedy, when many men, women and children, a lot of them unnamed, died either during the attack, or when they were taken into slavery.

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