La legislation de l’Ordre Hierosolymitain dans le gouvernement de Malte

Abstract

The complex and extensive legislative activity of the Order of Malta during their reign on the Maltese island can be divided into three. First we find the statutes and ordinances of Grand Master Isle- Adam (the establishment of the Tribunal of the Chatellenie on the islands, regulations of Grand Master La Valette on the houses and the creation of the Houses of Office Tribunal); then one finds the dispositions of Grand Master Alofio de Wignacourt regarding the operation of the Armaments Tribunal; and finally the Lascaris constitutions which regulated, in a more extensive way the public law, civil law, criminal law and their procedures. Under the Carafa government the first legislative reforms were initiated, pursued by Perellos and Manoel with their laws and pragmatic constitutions. However the Manoel Code did not answer the necessities of the era. He gave birth to the great reform that was developed by Pinto, and completed by de Rohan