Nobility of Malta

Nobility of the World

Volume VIII – Malta

The History and Register of the Nobility of Malta

The Maltese nobility is the aristocracy which has historically ruled over Malta or owned parts of the islands under foreign rule. It now consists of those titles of nobility recognised by the United Kingdom and those titles never presented to, or failed recognition by, the Royal Commission.

In ancient time, in Malta there existed a great many “Titles”, some acquired during the various reign of Sicilian and Italian sovereigns and others under other various monarchs. There were a total of 81 Fiefs before 1530, and each Fief holder was the equivalent of Nobility. The fief holders automatically acquired the status of “Noble” and with this right went the right to sit on the local Government of the islands without election. Under the crown of Sicily , the Maltese nobles occupied the most important administrative offices in their homeland.

The Nobility Under the Knights

Charles V ceded the island to the order of St. John of Jerusalem in 1530.

Nobility was extended under the monarch of Sicily until 1530, was further extended during the rule of the Grand Masters of St. John of Jerusalem (1530-1798).

The Titles Created by the Grand Masters

21 “titolati”* (with the exception of one; Gheriexem & Tabia, where the fief was already known to exist).

13 “titolati”* recognised by The Order of St. John and of the 81 Fiefs, namely Bieb ir rua (Beberrua), Baccari, Buleben, Buonocale, San Martino, Gomerino, Buqana and Djar il bniet, Hemsija, Migarro, Ghajn Rihani, Marsa, Qlejja, Tabria, Gariexem (Gheriexem) and Budach, the reason being that many of these fiefs were lost, confiscated or sold, like the Falsone and Xiberras to name but a few.

2, “titolati”* of the baronial fiefs granted by the Kings of Sicily we may mention two; Djar il bniet and Buqana. These two Baronies are the premier titles of Malta and Gozo.

The Nobility under the Grand Masters Rule (1530-1798)

35 Titles of Nobility were granted, whilst 14 by 4 Kings, two Popes, a Duke and an Empress during the reign of the Grand Masters.

The Nobility of Malta listed by British Rule

Under the rule of the British Monarchy, a ‘Commission” was set up to investigate the claims of the “Titolati” or “Titleholders”. Early in the year 1877, General Sir Charles Van Straubenzee (1872-78), Governor and commander in chief of Malta , decided to appoint two judges of her Majesty’s court of Justice to form a Commission to investigate the claims of the “Titolati” or “Titleholders” in Malta . On 10th December 1877, the British government instituted a Report of the Royal Commission composed of two eminent Maltese Judges, Dr. S. Naudi and Dr. F. Pullicino and to assist them the Government Notary and Archivist was to act as clerk to the commission.

The reason for this commission and report, was to investigate claims of nobility from 1876 and afterwards, instigated by a letter written by the Marchese Cassar Desain, complaining at the shabby way Nobles were treated during the visit of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and claiming that they as noblemen, who should take precedence over the members of the Chamber of Commerce. Dated 16th March 1876, Valletta , addressed to the Governor and written by the Committee (of Privileges of Maltese Nobility). In return the Marchese received a reply from the Chief Secretary’s Office in Valletta , over the signature of Victor Houlton.

• 1. Counts of Bahria (1)
• 2. Counts of Beberrua (1)
• 3. Barons of Benwarrad (1)
• 4. Counts Bernard (2)
• 5. Barons von Brockdorff (2)
• 6. Marquises Bugeja – (Extinct) (2)
• 7. Barons of Buleben (1)
• 8. Counts of the Byzantine Empire (3)
• 9. Marquises Cassar De Sain (1)
• 10. Barons of Castel Cicciano (1)
• 11. Counts of Catena (1)
• 12. Counts Ciantar Paleologo (1)
• 13. Dukes of Pagnacia – (Abeyance) (2)
• 14. Marquises de Piro (Buttigieg de Piro (2)) and Barons of Budaq (1)
• 15. Barons of Djar il-Bniet e Buqana (1)
• 16. Marquises of Fiddien (1)
• 17. Count Fournier and Baron de Pausier (1 & 2)
• 18. Baron of Frigenuini (3)
• 19. Marquises Drago and Barons Gabella della Scanntura di Trapani (2)
• 20. Barons Gauci Apap – (Extinct) (4)
• 21. Marquises of Ghajn Qajjed (1)
• 22. Barons of Ghajn Rihani (3)
• 23. Counts of Ghajn Tuffieha (1)
• 24. Barons of Gheriexem e Tabia (1)
• 25. Marquises of Gnien is-Sultan (1)
• 26. Barons of Gomerino (1)
• 27. Barons of Grua (1)
• 28. Counts Gualtieri (3)
• 29. Barons Inguanez (4)
• 30. Barons of Baccari (3)
• 31. Count Magro and Magri – (Extinct) (4)
• 32. Marquises Mattei (2)
• 33. Barons of Montagna di Marzo (2)
• 34. Counts of Mont’Alto (1)
• 35. Signores di Mugiarro (3)
• 36. Counts Preziosi (1)
• 37. Barons of Qlejja (1)
• 38. Princes de Sayd e Bibino Magno (3)
• 39. Marquises of San Giorgio (1)
• 40. Barons of San Giovanni (1)
• 41. Barons of San Marciano (1)
• 42. Barons of San Paolino (2)
• 43. Counts of San Paolino d’Aquilejo (2)
• 44. Counts Sant (1)
• 45. Counts of Santa Sofia (3)
• 46. Marquises of San Vincenzo Ferreri (1)
• 47. Marquises Scicluna (2)
• 48. Counts of Senia (1)
• 49. Barons of Tabria (1)
• 50. Marquises of Taflia (1)
• 51. Counts Tagliaferro (3)
• 52. Marquises Testaferrata (2, 3)
• 53. Marquises Testaferrata Olivier (1)
• 54. Counts von Zimmermann – (Abeyance) (2)

The list of those Titles acknowledged by the British Royal Commission

• Barons of Djar il-Bniet (cr:1350) Kingdom of Sicily.

• Barons of Buqana (Cr: 1372) Kingdom of Sicily.

• Barons of Castel Cicciano (cr:1560) Kingdom of Spain and Sicily.

• Barons of Ghariexem e Tabia (cr:1638) Knights of Malta.

• Barons of Gomerino (cr:1710) Knights of Malta.

• Barons of Budaq (cr:1716) Knights of Malta.

• Marquises of San Vincenzo Ferreri (cr:1716) Kingdom of Spain and of Two Sicilies.

• Counts Preziosi (cr:1718) Kingdom of Two Sicilies and Duchy of Savoy.

• Counts Ciantar-Paleologo (cr:1711) Papal States .

• Barons of San Marciano (cr:1726) Knights of Malta

• Barons of Tabria (cr:1728) Knights of Malta.

• Barons of Qlejjgha (cr:1737) Knights of Malta.

• Barons of Benwarrad (cr:1737) Knights of Malta.

• Marquises de Piro (cr:1742) Kingdom of Two Sicilies and Spain .

• Counts of Bahria (cr:1743) Knights of Malta.

• Counts of Catena (cr:1745) Knights of Malta.

• Marquises Testaferrata-Olivier (cr:1745) Knights of Malta.

• Marquises Cassar-Desain (cr:1749) Knights of Malta.

• Counts Fournier (cr:1770) Holy Roman Empire

• Counts Sant (cr:1770) Holy Roman Empire

• Counts of Mont’Alto (cr:1776) Sovereign Duchy of Bourbon Parma.

• Barons of San Giovanni (cr:1777) Kingdom of Two-Sicilies.

• Barons of Buleben (cr:1777) Knights of Malta.

• Marquis’s of San Giorgio (cr:1778) Knights of Malta.

• Counts of Beberrua (cr:1783) Knights of Malta.

• Marquis’s of Fiddien (cr:1785) Knights of Malta.

• Marquis’s of Taflia (cr:1790) Knights of Malta.

• Counts of Ghajn Tuffieha (cr:1792) Knights of Malta.

• Marquis’s of Gnien is-Sultan (cr:1792) Knights of Malta.

• Barons of Grua (cr:1794) Knights of Malta.

• Counts of Senia(cr:1795) Knights of Malta.

• Marquis’s of Ghajn Qajjed(cr:1796) Knights of Malta.

The Titles never presented to or unacknowledged by the British Royal Commission

• Prince of Selimbria (Grecian and Holy Roman Empire )

• Prince of Mystras (Grecian and Holy Roman Empire )

• Principe de Sayd (Roman, Holy Roman Empire and Turkish)

• Princes of Bibino Magno- (“Sicilian”)

• Costanzo-Dukes of Paganica, 1758 ( Naples )

• Mattei, Dukes of Mondello, 1796 ( Naples )

• Marchese Bugeja (Papal)

• Marquis Buttigieg de Piro (Spanish)

• Marchese Drago and Feudal Barony of Gabella della Scannutura – (“Sicilian”)

• Marchese Mattei (Papal)

• Marquesses Scicluna (Papal)

• Marchese Testaferrata (Spanish and Two-Siclies)

• Counts of the Byzantine Empire (Greek)

• Counts Bernard (Papal)

• Counts Bianchi (Papal and Knights of St John)

• Monsignor Count Gio Maria Camilleri (Papal)

• Counts Ciantar (Note: French Creation)

• Counts of Cassandola (Sicilian)

• Count Gauci (Greek and Italian)

• Counts Vella-Clary (Papal)

• Magro, Papal Conte-1730.

• Counts Magri (Papal)

• Count of Meimun (Knights of St John )

• Counts of Santa Sofia (French)

• Counts of San Paolino d’Aquilejo (Sicilian)

• Tagliaferro, Counts, 1892 (Papal)

• Counts von Zimmermann (French and Holy Roman Empire )

• Counts Tabone-Barbara (Papal)

• Barons von Brockdorff (German)

• Barons di Calaforno e Tummarello (Sicilian)

• Barons of Montagna di Marzo (Sicilian)

• Barons of San Paolino (Sicilian)

• Barons de Pausier (Austria)

• Barons of Bauvso (Sicilian)

• Barons of Baccari (Sicilian)

• Signors of Mugiarro (Maltese/Sicilian)

The Extinct Maltese Titles and Fiefs

• de Bordino, Signores ta’ Barberi 1395

• Inguanez, Barons of Hemsija

• Landolina de Noto-Barons of Tabria

• Pignatelli, Barons of Marsa

• Pace-Barons of Qlejjgha

• Asti-Barons di Maccalibim-1402

• Attardo, Barone di Ginelfare, Migulup, e Saggajja-1361

• Bava-Baron di Buqana, Djar-il-Bniet, e Hemsija

• Calava-Signore “Baron” di Ghajn Qajjed, 1531

• Montagna-Barons di la Recona, 1531

• Maldonato-Barons di Pietro Lunga

• Cilia-Barons di Budaq

• Castelletti-Barons of Marsa, 1725.

• Dorell Falzon-Barons of Marsa, 1776.

• Azopardi-Baron of Marsa, 1753.

• Cuzkeri-Barons of Frigenuini, 1375.

• Mompalao-Barons of Frigenuini, 1737.

• Pisani-Barons of Frigenuini, 1773.

• Moscati-Marquesses di Xrobb-il-Ghajn, 1776.

• Gauci-Baron Gauci, 1781,

• Mompalao-Marquis di Taflia, 1783

• Calleja-Baron of San Cosimo, 1792

• Barbaro-Santi, 1793

• Fenech Bonici, Count, 1748

• Messina, Counts, Marquis., 1864

• Apap Testaferrata, Marquis, 1889

• Passalacqua-Barons of Budaq, 1646

• d’Armenia-Barons of Baccara, and Benwarrad

• Aragona and d’Avola-Barons and Counts in Malta

• Carafa-Barons of Marsa, 1430

• Carretto, Barons of Rayara, Salamuni and Tabria, 1408

• Falsone, Barons, 1399.,1493.

• Fiteni, Baron of Budaq

• Gomez-Barons of It Scardio e Scajscach, 1374

• Grungo-Barons di Pietra Lunga, 1513, and Jardum Grandi, 1510.

• Gueraldi-Barons of Tabria, 1446

• Guevara-Barons of Gnien il-Firen, Ghajn Tuffieha, Qattara, 1446 and Marsa, 1452.

• Abela-Barons of Pietra Lunga

• Imbroglio-Barons of Chabeville, Chamine, and Duemes, 1372

• Lavagna, Barons, 1373

• Leuimo, Barons, 1416

• Mileto-Barons of Ghajn Astasi, 1372

• Monbron, Barons, 1514

• Nava-Barons of Marsa, 1465, Benwarrad, 1472.

• Navarro, Barons, 1413

• Osa-Barons of San Cosimo, 1364, Ghariexem e Tabia, 1372, Buqana, 1376, Djar-il-Bniet, 1376.

• Perera-Barons di La Guardia, 1448

• Perollo-Barons of Beberrua, 1465, Buleben, 1465, Buonochale, 1465, San Martino, 1466 and Gomerino, 1481.

• Perregrino-Barons of Baccari, 1347, Ghajn Ofen, 1361, Benwarrad, 1361, * Cabelville, 1361, Jardine di lo Re, 1361, La Chase, 1361, Viridarium Magnum, 1361 and La Zacuni, 1372.

• Ragusa-Barons of Gomerino, 1318

• Santa Filippo-Barons di Antulinu and Galca, 1372

• Santa Sofia-Barons of Dechandum, Ghajn Tuffieha, Bajjada, Cabesville, Nechalcadetrin, Rifutu, Sintina, Gomerino (All in 1372) and Mayaliel, 1408.

• Sardo-Barons di Pietra Lunga, 1417

• Solinella-Barons of Gomerino,

• Stugnica-Barons di Saggajja, 1506, Frigenuini, 1513.

• Taranto-Barons Pietra Lunga, 1408

• Tarsia-Barons, 1413.

• Torres-Barons of Fiddien, 15..

• Unginat-Barons of Nigret, 1398

• d’ Amedeo, Baron of Pietra Longa, 1371.

• Vaccaro-Barons of Benwarrad, 1398, Culeja, 1400

• Vassallo- Barons of Ghajn Rihani

• Xiberras-Barons, 1520.

• Zavallos-Barons di Milecha del Zoncol, 1509.

• Caxaro, Barons, 1409.

• Bernardo, Barons di Majmuni-1398

• Blundio, Barons di Tabria-1416

• Bocchio, Baron di Grua-1372

• Catalanu, Barone di San Cosmo-1364.

• di Bontempu, Baron-1398.

• Fanato, Barone di Musebi-1372

• La Barba-Barons di Tabria, Budaq..

• Pluscaso, Barone di Maccalibim-1468.

• Rapa , Barons.

The List of the Recognised Nobility of Malta

A list of those titles acknowledged by the British Royal Commission and or recognised in either Italy, France or Spain.

• Barons of Djar il-Bniet (cr:1350) Kingdom of Sicily.
• Barons of Buqana (Cr: 1372) Kingdom of Sicily.
• Barons of Castel Cicciano (cr:1560) Kingdom of Spain and Sicily.
• Barons of Ghariexem e Tabia (cr:1638) Knights of Malta.
• Barons of Gomerino (cr:1710) Knights of Malta.
• Barons of Budaq (cr:1716) Knights of Malta.
• Marquises of San Vincenzo Ferreri (cr:1716) Kingdom of Spain and of Two Sicilies.
• Counts Preziosi (cr:1718) Kingdom of Two Sicilies and Duchy of Savoy.
• Counts Ciantar-Paleologo (cr:1711) Papal States.
• Barons of San Marciano (cr:1726) Knights of Malta
• Barons of Tabria (cr:1728) Knights of Malta.
• Barons of Qlejjgha (cr:1737) Knights of Malta.
• Barons of Benwarrad (cr:1737) Knights of Malta.
• Marquises de Piro (cr:1742) Kingdom of Two Sicilies and Spain.
• Counts of Bahria (cr:1743) Knights of Malta.
• Counts of Catena (cr:1745) Knights of Malta.
• Marquises Testaferrata-Olivier (cr:1745) Knights of Malta.
• Marquises Cassar-Desain (cr:1749) Knights of Malta.
• Counts Fournier (cr:1770) Holy Roman Empire and Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
• Counts Sant (cr:1770)Holy Roman Empire, Grand Duchy of Tuscany and the Papal States (1769).
• Counts of Mont’Alto (cr:1776)Sovereign Duchy of Bourbon Parma.
• Barons of San Giovanni (cr:1777) Kingdom of Two-Sicilies.
• Barons of Buleben (cr:1777) Knights of Malta.
• Marquises of San Giorgio (cr:1778) Knights of Malta.
• Counts of Beberrua (cr:1783) Knights of Malta.
• Marquises of Fiddien (cr:1785) Knights of Malta.
• Marquises of Taflia (cr:1790) Knights of Malta.
• Counts of Ghajn Tuffieha (cr:1792) Knights of Malta.
• Marquises of Gnien is-Sultan (cr:1792) Knights of Malta.
• Barons of Grua (cr:1794) Knights of Malta.
• Counts of Senia (cr:1795) Knights of Malta.
• Marquises of Ghajn Qajjed(cr:1796) Knights of Malta.

References

• Cassar Desain, Marchese L.A., ” Genealogia della famiglia Testaferrata di Malta.” Malta, 1880.
• Crispo Albero Genealogical ed Istorico della Famiglia Crispo, Messina, 1797.
• Gauci, C.A.,” The Genealogy and Heraldry of the Noble Families of Malta”, Gulf Publishing Ltd, Malta, 1981.
• Gauci, C.A.,” The Genealogy and Heraldry of the Noble Families of Malta, Volume Two”, Publishers Enterprises Group (PEG) Ltd, 1992.
• Gauci, C.A.,” A Guide to the Maltese Nobility”, Publishers Enterprise Group (PEG) Ltd, Malta, 1986.
• Giles Ash, S., “The Nobility of Malta”, Publishers Enterprises Group (PEG) Ltd, 1988.
• A guide to Maltese Nobility – Count Charles A Gauci
• Malta’s Nobility and the winds of change 1886-1986 Stephen D G Giles Ash
• The Nobles of Malta 1530-1800 The Hon. Baron Dr John Attard Montalto MEP
• Outlines of Maltese History – Rev. R.Laspina
• History of Malta – Judge P De Bono
• Outlines of Maltese history – A C Aquilina