The Forgotten Island: When Gozo Was Completely Taken Over

You won’t believe this shocking story from the island of Gozo, back in 1551, something happened that turned the whole island into a ghost town!

On the 24th of July, 1551, a group of Ottoman pirates and soldiers, led by the feared pirate captain named Dragut, invaded  Gozo.

Most of Gozo’s people rushed to take shelter inside the island’s strong fortress, the Cittadella. But the walls could only hold out for long. The invaders broke in and captured almost every single person on the island, around 5,000 people!

They were taken away as slaves, put on ships, and never came back. Gozo was left almost completely deserted. After the attack, it took years for people to move back and rebuild the island.

This attack on Gozo was a serious warning for the Knights of St John. If the Ottomans could take over Gozo so easily, Malta might be next. The Knights quickly began building stronger fortifications and improving their defences across the islands. This preparation played a big role in helping them successfully defend Malta during the Great Siege of 1565, when the Ottomans attacked again with an even larger force.

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Photos: Daniel Cilia.