The legal records of the ‘Gran Corte della Valletta’

Abstract

The Gran Corte della Valletta was a judicial court that oversaw the administration of Malta during the Protectorate Years. Throughout the early 19th century, the Court handled both the criminal and civil related cases and together with the Curia Capitanale, left behind an extensive record collection, that is currently stored within both branches of the National Archives. Not only was the Court a pivotal institution during the Protectorate Years, but its predecessor, the Magna Curia Castellaniae, had ties and operated during the times of the Order of St. John. It was only during the French occupation in Malta during the end of the Order’s reign in 1798 that the Magna Curia Castellaniae had gone through an administrative restructuring until it became officially recognized as the Gran Corte della Valletta. Both the civil and criminal cases will be analysed from both an archival and historical perspective. Apart from a breakdown of the other judicial institutions that were in play during that period, my own analysis of the records themselves will also be emphasized upon. This analysis will then lead to recommendations which, if followed, will greatly benefit both the overall condition of the records and the legacy of the Gran Corte della Valletta.