Maltese Nobility (5) : foreign connections

Abstract

The Maltese have proud tradition of hospitality that is second to none. No foreigner who wants to make his home on the Islands has ever been turned away. This friendliness has been handed down from generation to generation over the centuries as many foreigners settled in the Maltese Islands becoming themselves Maltese and fiercely proud of their new homeland and its history. These foreigners brought with them their own traditions which enriched the local scene and helped to forge the ever evolving pattern of Maltese society. Many members of noble European families emigrated to the Maltese Islands and some of these or their descendants were awarded Maltese titles. Other foreigners of non-noble origins or their offspring, having served their new country well, were also ennobled in Malta. These families are now all Maltese and indeed have been so for generations, their foreign ancestry having been heavily diluted by marriage with the indigenous population. The scope of this article is to briefly examine some of these families of foreign origin who were ennobled with titles in Malta.