Some facts pertaining to Nobility in Malta

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 was 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.

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).
Most titles created by these 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.

Therefore 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.

Britannic 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 10^th 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 16^th 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. 

It transpired that from the 31 “Title Holders” who registered their Title for inclusion under this “Commission”;

24 Titles were recognised as legitimate by the Royal Commission;

4 titles were hereditary not recognised in Malta (later allowed by Commission)

3 titles were extinct (brought out by the Committee of Privileges after 1970’s)

2 titles went into abeyance (Ghajn Tuffieha brought out by the COP but the Barony of Marsa is today still in abeyance);

(4 titles were disputed by more than one person, but were later allowed by one title-holder only);

So this begs the question, with 81 fiefs, 35 New titles created under the Grand Masters rule, and 14 by 4 Kings, two Popes, a Duke and an Empress during the reign of the Grand Masters. Are all these titles “Recognizable” as being Noble?.

Foreign or local, in reality should not each one of these “Titles” be recognized as part of the “Noble Families in Malta ”.

There are two Association’s or Committee groups (call them what you like) in Malta . Where one, is in keeping with the “Royal Commission” of 1877, whilst the other Association deals with mainly “Foreign title holders”.

Here is a list of Titles in Malta today;

Notes: (1): Members of the Committee of Privileges in Malta , (2): Members of Foreign Titles Association in Malta , (3) Recognised in either Italy, France or Spain and (4) Maltese descendant with a foreign title with no membership in Malta .

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)

Acknowledged by the British  

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.

Not acknowledged by the British

Titles never presented to, or unacknowledged by, the British Royal Commission, and which some form part of The Association of Foreign Title Holders in Malta today.

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)

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

note: * "titolati" meaning heads of family of the titled person.

Warning: This list represented here is for statistical purposes only and is not absolute or necessarily free of any errors, and if such errors are recorded here, you are welcome to correct them.