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ABSTRACTS OF HISTORY-RELATED
THESIS
Vanessa Bezzina. ' T h e A d m i n i s t r a t i o n o ft h e Maltese Islands, 1450-1499:
A S t u d y o f t h e Acta luratorum et Consilii Civilatis et Insulae Maltae.* B . A .
Hons. H i s t o r y , 1999.
T h i s dissertation looks at the a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , t h e i m p o r t a t i o n o f wheat a n d tax
c o l l e c t i o n i n late m e d i e v a l M a l t a , as e v i d e n t i n t h e acts o f t h e j u r a t s a n d t h e
t o w n - c o u n c i l o f M d i n a between 1 4 5 0 t o 1499. T h e records o f t h e t o w n council meetings, themselves a product o f a privileged group, namely the
M d i n a elite are a clear illustration o f the distribution o f power and the r e sources o f the island i n fifteenth century M a l t a . T h e introduction gives a n i n sight o n t h e historiography o f m e d i e v a l M a l t a , l o o k i n g at several historians
w h o h a v e u s e d t h e NLM MS Universita 11 in t h e i r s t u d i e s o f M a l t e s e m e d i e val history. T h e second chapter l o o k s at the a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f the M a l t e s e i s l a n d s u n d e r t h e j u r i s d i c t i o n o f t h e M d i n a t o w n - c o u n c i l a s p a n o f t h e Universitas. T h e t o w n - c o u n c i l i s s e e n a s a b o d y w i t h i n t h e S i c i l i a n Regno i n t e r m s
o f i t s w o r k a n d p o l i t i c a l s t r u c t u r e . S i n c e t h e m u n i c i p a l g o v e r n m e n t w a s responsible f o r the a p p l i c a t i o n o f a u t h o r i t y i n different sectors o f society, t h e
council had t o have g o o d c o m m u n i c a t i o n w i t h the V i c e r o y a n d other royal
o f f i c i a l s i n t h e Regno b y a p p o i n t i n g r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s a n d c o n s u l s t o g o a b r o a d .
T h i s leads t o the study o f the e x i s t i n g relationship between the M d i n a elite
a n d o t h e r r o y a l o f f i c i a l s s u c h as t h e V i c e r o y a n d t h e r o y a l c o m m i s s i o n e r . I t
also focuses o n t h e i n t e r a c t i o n w i t h i n t h e M a l t e s e upper strata against t h e
b a c k g r o u n d o f t h e l o c a l a d m i n i s t r a t i v e s e t - u p a s w e l l as t h e c l a s h e s w i t h t h e
ecclesiastical hierarchy a n d t h e authorities o f t h e Castle-by-the-Sea. A s a
town-council, t h e municipal g o v e r n m e n t w a s responsible f o r the issuing o f
regulations
and a p p o i n t i n g offices, t h e keeping o f l a w a n d order. A b o v e a l l ,
they s a w t o t h e defence o f t h e islands a n d maintenance o f the fortifications.
T h e c o a s t a l - g u a r d s a n d t h e Militia s a w t o s a f e t y . I t i s c l e a r t h a t t h e p o s i t i o n o f
p o w e r e n j o y e d b y the m u n i c i p a l elite w a s considerable. W h e a t is t h e subject
o f the t h i r d chapter, w h i c h is analysed i n terms o f the w e a l t h y f e w w h o h a d
the necessary resources t o get w h e a t f r o m Sicily. T h u s t h e chapter looks at
price fluctuations, as w e l l as patterns o f i m p o r t i n g wheat since the m a i n p r e -
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occupation o f the paternalistic t o w n - c o u n c i l w a s the i m p o r t a t i o n and storing
o f the islands' annual supply o f w h e a t f r o m the S i c i l i a n K i n g d o m . T h u s , a
complete annual organisation f o r the i m p o r t a t i o n o f w h e a t w a s necessary.
E v e r y n o w and then, the t o w n - c o u n c i l met t o discuss the a m o u n t s and prices
o f w h e a t needed. T h e availability o f w h e a t under storage relieved the t o w n council f r o m the threat o f f a m i n e and scarcity. T o undertake a l l these responsibilities t h e local authorities needed considerable amounts o f m o n e y a n d
thus had t o l e v y taxes. Chapter f o u r deals w i t h the collection o f taxes as the
m a j o r source o f i n c o m e o f the M d i n a m u n i c i p a l g o v e r n m e n t and the clashes
o f the latter w i t h the hated r o y a l c o m m i s s i o n e r s . T h i s chapter l o o k s a t the diff e r e n t t a x e s a n d F i n e s i m p o s e d o n t h e M a l t e s e as w e l l as t h e r o l e p l a y e d b y
v a r i o u s gabellotti i n c o l l e c t i n g t h e t a x e s o n b e h a l f o f t h e Universitas. T h e
privilege o f the i m p o s i t i o n o f taxes w a s one o f the m a n y j e a l o u s l y guarded
privileges and concessions enjoyed b y the selected f e w . A s it was clearly depicted v a r i o u s sections o f society e n j o y e d e x e m p t i o n f r o m this tax, but f r o m
the source under study o n l y the participation o f the elite resulted i n the collection o f t a x a t i o n , since the rest o f the p o p u l a t i o n is n o t m e n t i o n e d . I n t h e
general c o n c l u s i o n these different aspects a r e l i n k e d together t o p r o v i d e a
picture o f M a l t e s e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n i n the late m i d d l e ages. W h i l e t h e e r a o f
m u n i c i p a l g o v e r n m e n t o f the M a l t e s e p o p u l a t i o n m a d e the upper social; strat u m as i n d i s p e n s a b l e f o r t h e d a i l y n e e d s a n d s o u r c e s o f i n c o m e i t a c t e d as a
m e d i a t o r b e t w e e n the local inhabitants and the C r o w n . H o w e v e r , the M d i n a
Universitas s a w a d e c l i n e rivalled b y a n e w r e g i m e , a f t e r 1 5 3 0 . A l t h o u g h it
l o s t its p o w e r , t h e f i f t e e n t h c e n t u r y r e m a i n e d e m b e d d e d i n t h e t o w n - c o u n c i l
identity, a n identity o f a socially privileged group that d o m i n a t e d public and
political l i f e and was concerned w i t h the w e l l - b e i n g o f the r e m a i n i n g part o f
the Maltese population.
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Stefan Cachia, ' T h e F a m i l y a n d t h e L a n d i n Late Medieval M a l t a : A
Study o f the Acts o f N o t a r y J . Zabbara, 1486-148K' B . A . Hons. History,
1999.
T h i s dissertation l o o k s at f a m i l y structures and land o w n e r s h i p i n late m e d i e val M a l t a as w e l l as the relationship between the t w o , as these can b e inferred
f r o m the acts o f n o t a r y Z a b b a r a f o r the years 1 4 8 6 t o 1 4 8 8 . T h e i n t r o d u c t i o n
looks at their role i n M a l t e s e historiography, as w e l l as t h e use historians
have made o f notarial archives i n studying M a l t e s e medieval history. Chapter
1 contains a n analysis o f f a m i l y life. T h e r e such concepts as the male-female
theoretical equality vis-a-vis the property o w n e d , the husband's p r e d o m i n a n c e i n the h o u s e h o l d , t h e age o f m a r r i a g e and the n u c l e a r d i m e n s i o n o f the
f a m i l y are discussed. I t a l s o studies t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n the parents a n d
the c h i l d r e n : t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f b e g e t t i n g c h i l d r e n f o r s t r e n g t h e n i n g m a r i t a l
relations, filial help t o the parents and the a g e w h e n c h i l d r e n emerged f r o m
thei r parent' s tutelage.
Chapter 3 analyses patterns o f land o w n e r s h i p , l o o k i n g i n t u r n at c o ownership, especially o n a f a m i l y level, a n d t h e relationship between land
o w n e r s h i p a n d t h e different strata o f society. T h e latter is analysed b o t h i n
terms o f the n u m b e r o f holdings o w n e d per s t r a t u m as w e l l as i n terms o f the
average h o l d i n g size. T h e strong attachment t o the land, w h i c h was characteristic o f late m e d i e v a l M a l t e s e s o c i e t y i s a l s o discussed. T h e a n a l y s i s o f the
sales o f lands w i t h the right o f r e d e m p t i o n leads t o C h a p t e r 4 , a study o f the
ties b e t w e e n t h e f a m i l y a n d t h e land. T h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n t h e lineage
a n d t h e l a n d is a n a l y s e d t h r o u g h s u c h c o n c e p t s a s t h e rights o f r e p u r c h a s e , t h e
c o n j u g a l f u n d , a n d l a n d f r a g m e n t a t i o n . T h e f o c u s i s o n t h e l a n d as p a r t o f d o tal e n d o w m e n t s and the husband-wife relationship vis-a-vis the land. F i n a l l y ,
the s a m e chapter traces the r o l e p l a y e d b y m e n , w o m e n and c h i l d r e n as i n d i viduals w h o o w n land w i t h i n the f a m i l y context.
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Shirley Mifsud, 'The Commandery of Sacile and Pordenone.' B.A.Hons.
History, 1999.
zling the church's funds. T h e i n f o r m a t i o n g i v e n b y de P o l ' s accusers also
gives s o m e indirect i n f o r m a t i o n about the extent t o w h i c h t h e C o u n c i l o f
T r e n t influenced small c o m m u n i t i e s such as that o f Sacile and Pordenone.
T h e purpose o f this dissertation is to study, i n as m u c h detail as the s u r v i v i n g
documentation in M a l t a allowed, one o f the Order o f St. John's commanderies. T h i s i s the H o s p i t a l l e r c o m m a n d e r y o f Sacile and Pordenone, w h i c h was
part o f the G r a n d P r i o r y o f V e n i c e .
William Zammit, 'Printing and its Cultural Role in Malta during the
Rule of the Order of St. John.' M.A. History, 1995.
T h e introductory chapter deals w i t h the w a y i n w h i c h the O r d e r w a s d i v i d e d
into Langues, Priories and C o m m a n d e r i e s . Special attention is g i v e n t o the
w a y i n w h i c h t h i s d i v i s i o n a l l o w e d the O r d e r t o extract t h e greater part o f its
finances f r o m its lands i n E u r o p e , thus s h o w i n g the i m p o r t a n c e w h i c h the
commanderies had f o r this institution.
T h i s thesis attempts t o i d e n t i f y and analyse the characteristics o f p r i n t i n g i n
M a l t a at its inception d u r i n g the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. A n exa m i n a t i o n o f t h e t w o p r i n t i n g p r e s s e s i n e x i s t e n c e d u r i n g b o t h c e n t u r i e s respectively i s undertaken. T h i s is a necessary pre-requisite for the subsequent
discussion o f their printed product and o f the iatter's role w i t h i n local contemporary society.
T h e society and a d m i n i s t r a t i o n w i t h i n the c o m m a n d e r y o f Sacile and Pordenone was also discussed. W h e n e v e r it was possible, a description o f the
lands and buildings w i t h i n the c o m m a n d e r y was given. A study o f the tenants
w h o rented out land w i t h i n the c o m m a n d e r y w a s also attempted. T h i s yielded
some very interesting i n f o r m a t i o n w h i c h had to d o w i t h these people, includi n g i n f o r m a t i o n about t h e i r w e a l t h and status w h e n c o m p a r e d t o that o f other
members o f their o w n family o r w i t h i n the local c o m m u n i t y i n general. A
study w a s also made o f the rents paid by these tenants, particularly those paid
i n k i n d , w h i c h w e r e the large m a j o r i t y . I n order t o understand better the relationship between the income and the expenses w i t h i n the c o m m a n d e r y , the
year 1733 was taken as a case-study.
T h e d o c u m e n t s consulted s h o w that the one o f the m a i n aspects w i t h i n the
c o m m a n d e r y o f Sacile and P o r d e n o n e w a s the C h u r c h , thus a chapter w a s
dedicated t o this subject. A detailed description is g i v e n o f b o t h the parish
church a n d t h e three country chapels w h i c h w e r e f o u n d w i t h i n t h e c o m m a n d e r y , t o g e t h e r w i t h as m u c h i n f o r m a t i o n a s p o s s i b l e a b o u t t h e i t e m s
found i n them. Importance was also given to the clergy, particularly to Reverend G i o v a n n i d e P o l w h o i n 1685, was the parish priest o f the c o m m a n d e r y .
Special attention was given to d e P o l . T h i s w a s because his parishioners had
a lot o f complaints about h i m , particularly about the w a y h e administered the
sacraments o f confession and the e x t r e m e u n c t i o n and about his neglect i n the
teaching o f the C a t h o l i c doctrine. H e w a s also f o r m a l l y accused o f embez-
T h e f u n d a m e n t a l features o f the t w o M a l t e s e presses consisted p r i m a r i l y o f
t h e i r l i m i t e d p r o d u c t i o n , m o n o p o l i s t i c n a t u r e a n d o f t h e rigid s y s t e m o f c o n trol exercised over t h e m b y the secular and ecclesiastical p o w e r structure
w h i c h also c o n t r o l l e d m o s t other aspects o f life o n the Island.
F o l l o w i n g a study o f the presses and o f the social context i n w h i c h they functioned, a n analysis o f their printed product i s undertaken. T h e type and subject-matter o f the locally printed product w e r e determined b y the requirements o f the i n s t i t u t i o n s and o f the social classes m a k i n g use o f the press, by
the demands o f the reading and non-reading public as w e l l as by the prevailing social and institutional controls.
David Borg-Muscat, 'Absolutism and the Power of Social Control in
Malta: 1775-1825.' M.A. History, 1999.
I n early m o d e r n E u r o p e the p u n i s h m e n t o f c r i m e , and o f social disorder, i n corporated w i t h i n i t the ability t o inflict a degree o f suffering o n the c o n d e m n e d c r i m i n a l . I n itself, this served as a defining element o f sovereign
p o w e r , o f a b s o l u t i s m . T h i s d i s s e r t a t i o n sets o u t t o s t u d y a b s o l u t i s m , v i s - a - v i s
social control, i n M a l t a during a period w h i c h , o n a European level w a s
m a r k e d b y rapid changes i n the m e t h o d o l o g y o f punishment. T h r o u g h such
changes physical modes o f punishment were abandoned in favour o f a non-
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physical approach, w h i c h tended to operate o n the sou! and h u m a n w i l l . But
these affected the exercise o f absolutist sovereign p o w e r and the m a n n e r i n
w h i c h this manifested itself over society.
W i t h i n Maltese history the period 1775-1825 provides an opportunity for
c o m p a r i n g t w o equal t i m e spans, f o r t u i t o u s l y m a r k e d by a change in g o v e r n ment. The British administration 'inherited' a highly developed administrative system f r o m the H o s p i t a l l e r g o v e r n m e n t , i n c l u d i n g c o n c o m i t a n t structures o f social c o n t r o l . A sense o f c o n t i n u i t y can be detected i n the i d e o l o g y
u n d e r l y i n g g o v e r n m e n t and social c o n t r o l . O n these w e r e imposed n e w c o n cepts, specific t o B r i t i s h rule. T h u s , w h i l e the general trend o f change i n the
exercise o f sovereign power, social control and punishment, i n M a l t a , was in
line w i t h other E u r o p e a n countries, it had its o w n specific nuances brought
about by political and social factors intrinsic t o the M a l t e s e archipelago.