Cassia History

The first recorded Cassia was a Judge Gaddao I Cassia in 1481. A highly regarded Judge of his day. This family were well inter-breed with other landed gentry families in Malta , and Sicily.

Also claims to be descendants of the d'Aragona's ,who were Kings of Sicily and Aragon, Spain.

At the same time , thru marriages of noble families , such as Vassallo, who claimed much descendants and alliances to the d'Aragona's.

In the 16th Century, the Cassia's married very well to families , such as Baglio's, di Lenzo's and Cumbo's increased their stake hold of Land in Malta.

In 1568, Gio Maria Cassia bought the fief of Ghariexem e Tabia, from the Noble Inguanez Family. He's son Giacinto was later Created a Baron over that Fief by the Grand Master of Malta.

A Noble marriage occured in 1579, when Imperia Cassia married to Gregorio Scerri, 4th Baron di Castel Cicciano.

The family now were in important posts, and 1613, Gincinto Cassia married Maddalena Scerri, future Baroness of Castel Cicccino which secured the family to be now Nobles.

Giacinto Cassia was a Jurat in Mdina and Valletta and in 1638, Grand Master Jean Paul Lascaris de Castellar Created Giacinto a Baron, with remainder to all descendants in perpetuity. So Husband and Wife were titled, and it was the first time in this families History to have two titles.

Baron Giacinto died in 1655, and his son Gio Antonio Cassia succeeded as the 2nd Baron di Ghariexem e Tabia, and 7th Baron di Castel Cicciano. Gio Antonio died without issue in 1658, and was succeeded by his Brother Pietro.

The Surdo's were a Family of Ancient Lineage, with many connections to nobility and royalty. They were well descendants of the Scerri's and the Mego's the Earlier Barons of Castel Cicciano.

The Barony of Castel Cicciano is a fief in Naples, Italy, and was created in 1560 by King Phillip 1 of Naples and Sicily.

The MEGO'S ( The original title holders were granted the right of Civil and Criminal jurisdiction over their Inhabitants (some thing like a principality).

The Latin Phase used in the Letter's Patent was " IMPERIO MERO E MISTO".

The third Baron di Ghariexem e Tabia married Eugenia d'Anastasio (a descendant of the Abela's De guara and Cassia's Families (also of Italian and Spanish Noble descent) Pietro sired several daughters and died in 1686.

Pietro was a Fiscale and Capitano della Verga of Malta 1659-60.

The eldest daughter became the 9th Baroness di Castel Cicciano, and married in 1674 to Paolo Testaferrata, also they were later created Baron and Baroness di Gomerino.

The younger daughter , Domenica Cassia, Became 4th Baroness di Baron di Ghariexem e Tabia, and married Stanislao Xara (a Capitano della Verga 1671-72), in 1666.

Pietro Paolo Xara Cassia, (1669-1749), 5th Baron of Ghariexem e Tabia, first marriage to Antonia Bonici, and dsp. second marriage to Costanza Leocata, with issue

Stanislao Cassia, 6th Baron
Maria Antonia Cassia, (1730-62), Married Gregorio Bonici Platamone, with issue.
- Pietro Paolo Bonici Platamone, (1755-83), Baroncino di Ghariexem e Tabia, married 1783 to Johanna Perdicomati Bologna, 3rd Countess of Catena, and dsp.
- Chiara Bonici Platamone Cassia, 7th Baroness
- Maria Bonici Platamone, Married 1783 to Alessandro D'Amico Inguanez, 17th Baron of Djar-il-Bniet and Buqana, with issue. (See That Title).
- Perna Xara Cassia, married 1754 to Lorenzo Moscati.

Union of Sant and Cassia -

Chiara Bonici Platamone Cassia, (1757-1821), 7th Baroness of Ghariexem e Tabia, married 1777 to Gio Francesco Sant, 2nd Count Sant, (See Sant for title), with issue. The Baroness and the Count Sant had issues.

Gio Francesco Sant ( 1748-..), 2nd Count Sant, married 1777 to Chiara Bonici Platamone Cassia, (1757-1821), 7th Baroness of Ghariexem e Tabia, with issue

Luigi Sant Cassia, C.M.G, (1778-1867), 8th Baron of Ghariexem e Tabia, 3rd Count Sant, married 1805 to Angela dei marchesi Testaferrata Olivier, with issue

Gio Francesco Sant Cassia, (1806-87), 9th Baron of Ghariexem e Tabia, 4th Count Sant, Married 1830 to Giovanna Rosa Apap Bologna dei Marchesi di Gnien-is-Sultan, with issue.

Giovanni Sant Cassia, (1849-1903), 10th Baron of Ghariexem e Tabia, 5th Count Sant, married 1883 to Maria Anne Galea, with issue.

Francis Sant Cassia, (1889-1947), 11th Baron of Ghariexem e Tabia, 6th Count Sant, first marriage 1910 to Mary Manduca dei Conti di Mont'Alto, with issue.

Second marriage in 1915 to Concettina Manduca dei Conti di Mont'Alto, with further issue.

First marriage:
1. (First Marriage) Victoria Sant Cassia, (1910-75), married 1942 to Carmelo Camilleri, with issue.
1.1. Mary Camilleri, (1943-, married 1970 to Carmelo Gatt, with issue
1.1.1. John Gatt, (1972-
1.1.2. Jessica Gatt, (1974-
2. (First Marriage) Mary Elisabeth Sant Cassia, (1911-) , married 1952 to Capt. John Zawadzki, with issue.
2.1. Alfred Francis Zawadzki, (1953-
3. (First Marriage) Maud Sant Cassia, (1912-) , married 1961 to Peter Sydorenko.
4. (Second Marriage) John Sant Cassia, (1919-38), Baronicino di Ghariexem e Tabia, Contino Sant, dunm.
5.(Second Marriage) Francis Sant Cassia, 12th Baron - See Below.
6.(Second Marriage) Philip Sant Cassia, Contino Sant (1921-, married 1948 to Mabel Pace Bonello, with issue.
6.1. Francis Sant Cassia,(1949-, married Karen Smith, with issue.
6.1.1. Sean Sant Cassia, (1979-, married 2005 to Rebecca Allan.
6.1.2. Russell Sant Cassia, (1981-
6.2. Anne Sant Cassia, (1950-, Married to N.N. Morris with issue
6.2.1. Joanna Morris, (1974-, with issue
6.2.1.1. Dylan...
6.2.2. Darren Morris, (1978-
6.3. Stephen Sant Cassia, (1954-. Dept of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Malta. Birth Certificate No: 0665630. Married to Denise Lovegrove, with issue.
6.3.1. Ryan Sant Cassia, (1991-
6.3.2. Miles Sant Cassia, (1993-
6.4. Joanna Sant Cassia, (1952-. ,married (1) NN, Married (2) 2003 to Edward Wilson., with issue.
6.4.1. Michelle
6.4.2. Lisa

Second marriage:
1. (Second Marriage) Anthony Sant Cassia, (1922-, married Brenda Cameron, with issue.
1.1. Susan Sant Cassia, married Calum Meadows, with issue
1.1.1. James Cameron Meadows, (24.09.1985-
1.1.2. Dominic Calum Meadows, (18.07.1987-
2. (Second Marriage) Bernard John Sant Cassia, (1928-85), dunm.
3. (Second Marriage) Norah Sant Cassia, (1916-), married 1957 to James William Marsh-May, (Died 1974) and dsp.
4.(Second Marriage) Carmelina Sant Cassia, (1917- 2004), dunm.
5. (Second Marriage) Josephine Sant Cassia, (1924-, Married 1950 to Antoine Cachia Caruana, with issue.
6. (Second Marriage) Yvonne Sant Cassia, (1925-

Francis Sant Cassia, (1920-88), 12th Baron of Ghariexem e Tabia, 7th Count Sant, married 1958 to Jennifer Dowden, with issue (*1 see note below)
1. John Sant Cassia (1956- , Acknowledged by the COP as the 8th Count Sant and 13th Baron of Ghariexem e Tabia.
2. Chiara Sant Cassia, (1957- , Married to N.N. Damiant, with issue.
2.1. Myles Damiant

Some more info:

Giammaria Cassia who vanished mysteriously and did not claim his vast and grand inheritance. Rumour has it that he was captured by Turks for ransom. The more cynical others say that he was brutally murdered by his brother in law, Stanisloa Xara.

The Xara's were also well connected with the landed gentries and can traced their lineages to Families like Bonici's, and Cassia's . The Xara's mainly married into Sicilian and Maltese Nobility.

Domenica died in 1721, and was succeeded by her Son, Pietro Paolo Xara-Cassia as the 5th Baron di Ghariexem e Tabia.

Pietro Paolo Xara-Cassia married twice, Though his second wife Costanza Leocata had sired several children , and a much needed son to carry on the family name.

Pietro Paolo died died in 1749 Stanislao (Xara) Cassia, the 6th Baron di Ghariexem e Tabia, was Secreto to the Grand Master de Rohan and died without issue in 1794.

His sister had married to a Gregorio Bonici-Platamone and sire several children.

When Baron Stanislao died in 1794, his closed male heir had died some years back in 1783.

So Stanislao sister's eldest daughter became the 7th Baroness di Ghariexem e Tabia Chiara Bonici-Platamone-Cassia (1757-1821) married in 1777 to a gio Francesco Sant, 2nd Count (Conte) Sant. (Title to the remainder of male to male descent) Chiara's sister married the premier Baron of Malta ( Djar-il-Bniet et Buqana).

This is where the Union of Sant Cassia came about where both families joint by blood. (the two Surnames of the first Title Holders ).

The first time in use was in 1778, when the eldest son was born ( Luigi Sant Cassia ) who became the 8th Baron di Ghariexem e Tabia and 3rd Count Sant.

It was a celebration in 1977, for the 200 years of this union and useage of this surname.

Today, there are other Families of Sant with stem off this Union such as Sant Manduca, Sant Fournier and Sant Barbaro.

All Members today can trace their lineages back to the 4th century in the dark Centuries, through much royalty and noble connections.

The Present Title Holder is John Sant Cassia, the 13th Baron di Ghariexem e Tabia and 8th Count Sant, his heirs are Chiara Sant Cassia, Baronessina di Ghariexem e Tabia ( John's sister ), and Phillip Sant Cassia , Contino Sant ( John's Uncle).

This Present Family are closely related and next of Kins to the Counts of Montalto, Barony of Buleben, and the Italian Count Palatine Buzzi's and Rainier.

Kurt Sansone and Matthew Vella

A man from Mosta was yesterday arraigned in court charged with the murder of Baron Francis Sant Cassia on 27 October 1988.
Wearing a red zipper top sporting the words ‘Rockers Riders 89’, a shabby pair of jeans and trainers without laces, Carmelo Camilleri, 51, stood silent as the prosecuting officials read out the charges against him.
Camilleri was remanded in custody but the magistrate granted the defence’s request to have the accused examined by a psychiatrist. Magistrate Giovanni Grixti appointed psychiatrist Joseph Spiteri to examine the mental state of the accused.
The prosecuting officers said they received a tip-off in September 2004 about the mysterious murder of the baron and immediately interrogated the accused.
At the time Camilleri had denied any involvement in the case. Two days before yesterday’s arraignment, Camilleri admitted his involvement and even took the police on the site of the murder at Castello Zammitello in Mgarr.
Camilleri was accused of firing one shot using a shotgun to kill the baron at around 6pm on 27 October, 18 years ago.
In court the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him. Lawyers Anglu Farrugia and Edward Gatt appeared for Camilleri.
Police sources yesterday confirmed that another person is being investigated in connection with the murder.
The noble Francis Sant Cassia was the Baron of Ghariexem e Tabia and Count Sant. Born in 1920, he served in the Royal Malta Artillery in Malta and Italy, reaching the rank of Major. From 1951 to 1967, he lived in Rhodesia, returning to Malta in 1984.
Francis Sant Cassia’s son John, who lives in England, claimed his father’s murder was a plot to stop him from claiming back a number of properties worth millions, which were allegedly taken away from the family.
John Sant Cassia had claimed his father showed him documents showing land at Gzira, Imriehel, Ta’Xbiex, Birzebbuga and Zurrieq which were taken from the family and sold to third persons.
Sant Cassia was killed with one shot in the head, but the cartridge was never identified among the several that had been found in what is a bird-shooting location. Killed outside his home, Castello Zammitello on Gnejna Road, in Mgarr, the family later sold the property in 1989 and has since been converted into a wedding chapel.

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