The Libri dei Carcerati and the insight they provide into the 1770s in hospitaller Malta

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation is the understanding of several studies which the simplest criminal case from 1770s can lead to. Crime can be seen from several points of view. A social historian would be more interested about the reasons people were imprisoned at the time while a law historian would recognise the importance of punishing an individual and the penalties people which were given. Case studies may also be taken from primary documents dealing with criminal cases. Gender history is another factor which can be studied in the lights of crime. While reading this dissertation, however, one must keep in mind that what was considered as a crime in eighteenth century Malta may not reflect to how it is viewed in the twenty-first century. In the first chapter, I have written about Malta in the eighteenth century to set the scene. This would make it much easier for the reader to understand the points which will be brought up in the following chapters. The second chapter deals with the importance of secular law courts then moves on to explain the difference between the Inquisition and the secular courts. Punishment in eighteenth century Malta in the light of the Libri dei Carcerati, which is the primary source consulted for this work, will be discussed. The third chapter is a case-study of the ‘Uprising of the Priests’. This uprising is perhaps one of the most acknowledged cases recorded in the Libri dei Carcerati in the eighteenth century. In this chapter, the causes of the uprising are taken into consideration followed by the account of the event and a discussion of secondary sources. Women are the main subject of the final chapter of this dissertation. Here, women are represented as both culprits and victims of criminal behaviour.