--- title: "Nicola SOLTANA, the founder" description: "Nicola SOLTANA, the founder, by Nicolas VELIN" url: "https://en.geneanum.com/malta/documents/genealogy/nicola-soltana-the-founder" language: en source: "Digital Genealogy" --- # Nicola SOLTANA, the founder Publié le 21/10/2021 By **Nicolas VELIN** with the participation of **Georges GANDER**, **Godfrey SULTANA** and **Joshua SULTANA** ## Introduction Do you know *Nicola SOLTANA*? One of the first *SOLTANA* in Gozo! Probably "the Founder" of the gozitans *SOLTANA-SULTANA*. Through him, we will try to establish the origin of the *SOLTANA* and to explain the confusion which existed on the the *SOLTANA* / *SAGONA *families. To do this, we will establish his ascending and descending family tree. ## The children of Nicola SOLTANA By making genealogy, we discover, first of all, *Nicola SOLTANA* through his four children: 1. *Pietro*, married on 09/viii/1627 in the Matrix of Gozo with *Valenza MERCIECA* ([1](#s1)) 2. *Giovanni*, married on 07/x/1629 in Porto Salvo of Valletta with *Margarita MINTUF* ([2](#s2)). A marriage contract was also established on 05/09/1629 at *Pietro CALLEJA* ([3](#s3)) 3. *Gio Maria*, baptized on 19/v/1605 in the Matrix of Gozo ([4](#s4)) 4. *Gio Battista*, baptized on 02/vii/1606 in Matrix of Gozo ([5](#s5)) We learn, from these records, that *Nicola*'s wife is called *Giulia* and that *Nicola* was already dead in 1627. We also notice that there are two baptized sons and two married sons. Are they the same? Difficult to judge. ![Family tree of Nicola SOLTANA](/assets/images/Malte/Document/Soltana/NicolaSOLTANA.Arbre.jpg "Family tree of Nicola SOLTANA") *Descending family tree of Nicola SOLTANA* ## The couple Nicola and Giulia Thanks to the information obtained by the acts of his children, we can estimated that *Nicola* married just before 1605. He would be born around 1580. Moreover, since he died before *Giulia*, *Nicola *never got married again. Unfortunately, the marriage certificate of this couple cannot be found. During our research, we realized that many online trees give as parents of *Nicola* the couple *"Giovanni SAGONA x Anna"* or the couple *"Giulio SAGONA x Vincenza Teresa SAYD"*. Why his father would be a *SAGONA* and not a *SOLTANA* ? According to certain genealogies, because of a change of name! ## Confusion SOLTANA / SAGONA No historical document seems to explain this possible change of name. So where does this information come frome? By rereading the marriage of *Pietro SOLTANA* with *Valenza MERCIECA*, one can image where this confusion comes from : ![Marriage of Pietro SOLTANA with Valenza MERCIECA](/assets/images/Malte/Document/Soltana/PietroSOLTANA-ValenzaMERCIECA.Mariage.Registre.jpg "Marriage of Pietro SOLTANA with Valenza MERCIECA") *Marriage of Pietro SOLTANA with Valenza MERCIECA ([1](#s1))* In the text, it is written on the second ligne: *"tra Pietro Soltana fig° del qdam Nicolao et Giulia olim giug spozo"* In the margin, it is written: *"Tra Pietro Soltana e Valenzia Mercica"*. It does not seem at first sight to have doubt on the *SOLTANA*'s name. But if we look closely, the "LT" of *SOLTANA*, in the margin, is as if merged in a single letter (which is not the case in the text). One could read, if one uses only the margin, *SOBANA / SOHANA / SAHONA.* ![SOLTANA in the margin](/assets/images/Malte/Document/Soltana/SOLTANA.Marge.jpg "SOLTANA in the margin") *Writing of SOLTANA in the margin of the marriage of Pietro SOLTANA with Valenza MERCIECA ([1](#s1))* But, how a possible misreading would be found in a such great number of genealogies? In Malta, there are a number of *Guljana*, in other words, a collection of transcriptions of original acts. These collections have been used by notaries, genealogists, ... We will check four of them : - *G. ADAMI* has transcribed to *Pietro **SAGUNA*** ![Transcription du mariage de Pietro SOLTANA avec Valenza MERCIECA, par G. ADAMI](/assets/images/Malte/Document/Soltana/PietroSOLTANA-ValenzaMERCIECA.Mariage.ADAMI.jpg "Transcription du mariage de Pietro SOLTANA avec Valenza MERCIECA, par G. ADAMI") *Transcription of the marriage of Pietro SOLTANA with Valenza MERCIECA, by Goffredo ADAMI ([6](#s6))*   - *G. GATT* has first transcribed to *Pietro **SAGUNA*** then corrected to *Pietro **SULTANA*** ![Transcription du mariage de Pietro SOLTANA avec Valenza MERCIECA, par G. GATT](/assets/images/Malte/Document/Soltana/PietroSOLTANA-ValenzaMERCIECA.Mariage.GATT.jpg "Transcription du mariage de Pietro SOLTANA avec Valenza MERCIECA, par G. GATT") *Transcription of the marriage of Pietro SOLTANA with Valenza MERCIECA, by G. GATT ([7](#s7))* - *P. ATTARD* has transcribed to *Pietro **SOLTANA*** ![Transcription du mariage de Pietro SOLTANA avec Valenza MERCIECA, par P. ATTARD](/assets/images/Malte/Document/Soltana/PietroSOLTANA-ValenzaMERCIECA.Mariage.ATTARD.jpg "Transcription du mariage de Pietro SOLTANA avec Valenza MERCIECA, par P. ATTARD") *Transcription of the marriage of Pietro SOLTANA with Valenza MERCIECA, by P. ATTARD ([8](#s8))* - *The Geneanum collective* has transcribed to *Pietro **SOLTANA*** ![Transcription du mariage de Pietro SOLTANA avec Valenza MERCIECA, par le Collectif GENEANUM](/assets/images/Malte/Document/Soltana/PietroSOLTANA-ValenzaMERCIECA.Mariage.GENEANUM.jpg "Transcription du mariage de Pietro SOLTANA avec Valenza MERCIECA, par le Collectif GENEANUM") *Transcription of the marriage of Pietro SOLTANA with Valenza MERCIECA, by the GENEANUM collective ([9](#s9))* We thus note here that errors of transcriptions took place. The collection of *G. ADAMI* is the first large collection that was publicly available. Therefore, the error contained in this one has impacted a large number of family trees. The digitization of the Matrix register and its online availability exists only since 2020! Therefore, the candidate parents *"Giovanni SAGONA x Anna"* and *"Giulio SAGONA x Vincenza Teresa SAYD"* must be eliminated. Besides, we will notice that, simple coincidence or not, the first father bear the first name of one of the sons of *Nicola* and that the second is the male version of the wife of *Nicola*. On this subject, by respect to the maltese tradition, *Nicola* had to name one of his sons by the first name of his own father, usually his elder. His father could therefore be named *Pietro* or *Giovanni*. The fact that Pietro married first, could indicate that he is the elder. Heed that this tradition is not always respected. But there may be, at the same period on the Gozo island, others *SOLTANA* which could bring additional information. This is what we will try to find. ## Vincenza SOLTANA We have estimated the birth of *Nicola SOLTANA* around 1580. Are there any baptisms at that time concerning *SOLTANA* in Gozo? Yes, there is one, that of *Vincenza*. She is baptized on 03/ix/1571 in the Matrix of Gozo ([10](#s10)), her parents are *Pietro SOLTANA* and *Ventura*. We notice, here, that her father is called Pietro, so he shares the same first name as one of the sons of *Nicola*. Moreover, with *Sebastiano CUMBO*, she establishes a marriage contract on 13/iii/1583 at *Ferdinando CIAPPARA* ([11](#s11)). But this contract was ultimately not followed by a marriage. No descendants exist. ## Pietro SOLTANA So, the father of *Vincenza*, *Pietro SOLTANA*, was in Malta in 1571. We can estimated a birth around 1540-1550. He is therefore contemporary to the Invasion of Gozo in 1551 and the Great Siege of Malta in 1555 par the Ottomans. He therefore lived through the repopulation of Gozo. Was he part of the "native" Gozitains or of the newly arrived immigrants from Malta, Sicily and elsewhere? *Stanley FIORINI* has analyzed the repopulation of Gozo and we find this same Pietro, named in Latin, *"Petrus de SOLTANO"* *"A couple of entries in this Table are of great interest. The occurrence "Petrus de Soltano Siculus et habitator hujus terre et Insule Gaudisij" both represents the earliest* *appearance of the surname Sultana in these islands and answers the question raised by Wettinger concerning the enigmatic absence of this seemingly Semitic surname from medieval lists. That Petrus cast his roots at Gozo is evident from the baptismal  register which records the baptism of the child his wife Ventura bore him. The patchiness of the documentation from this period conceals the birth of other offspring and of Petro's marriage."* ([12](#s12)) In one paragaph, he summarizes the origin of the *SOLTANAs* which posed issues to *Godfrey WETTINGER*. Indeed, no *SOLTANA* appears in the medieval lists of Malta ([13](#s13)) and Gozo ([14](#s14)), which seems to indicate an appearance of this patronymic in Malta only after 1551. The information provided by *Stanley FIORINI*, comes from the notarial act of 22/08/1569 at *Tomaso GAUCI* ([15](#s15)) : He is said to be Sicilian and husband of a certain *Vennera / Ventura*. Moreover, he justifies, by the patchiness of the historical documentation from this period, the fact that no other baptism of possible children of *Pietro* are found. But is it possible that only one *SOLTANA* is the common ancestor of all the Gozitain *SOLTANA*? ## Historical and demographic context We are therefore in 1569, when *Pietro SOLTANA* appears for the first time in the writings ([15](#s15)). Gozo is coming out of a troubled period, the invasion of the Ottomans and their raids. 80% of the Gozitans found themselves captives of the Turks, that is to say approximately 5.500 people ([16](#s16)). In 1560, the Gozitan population is estimated to 600 people, in 1575 at 2.350 ([17](#s17)). In this context of low population, it is possible to transform an unknown patronymic into a well established one. For that, it is necessary to have a great descent. ## The descendants of SOLTANA We will thus etablish the descendants of the *SOLTANAs*, here studied. From the parish registries, as well as the notarial acts, we were able to establish the tree of *Giovanni* and of *Pietro SOLTANA*, the sons of *Nicola*: ### *Pietro SOLTANA's descendant family tree* ### ![Arbre généalogique de Pietro SOLTANA](/assets/images/Malte/Document/Soltana/PietroSOLTANA.Arbre.jpg "Arbre généalogique de Pietro SOLTANA") ### **Giovanni SOLTANA*'s descendant family tree*** *![Arbre généalogique de Giovanni SOLTANA](/assets/images/Malte/Document/Soltana/GiovanniSOLTANA.Arbre.jpg "Arbre généalogique de Giovanni SOLTANA")* We can notice that the *SOLTANA*'s is important. There is a great number of men (10 married), which allows to transmit the name from generation to generation. Thanks to the small population of Gozo and the large number of descendants, it is quite realistic that most of the gozitan *SOLTANA* share a common ancestor. ## Conclusion As a result of our study, we have been able to clarify the family tree of *Nicola SOLTANA*. This one is probably the brother of *Vincenza*, daugther of *Pietro* and *Ventura*. He would be therefore the son of *Pietro* and *Ventura*. It is in any case, the most probable hypothesis. Moreover, thanks to his two sons, *Pietro* et *Giovanni*, *Nicola SOLTANA* "the Founder" had a very wide descent. The root of the Gozitain *SOLTANA* is thus, surely, *"Petrus de Soltano Siculus et habitator hujus terre et Insule Gaudisij"* ([15](#s15)), *Pietro SOLTANA*, Sicilian, inhabitant of Gozo. ![Arbre généalogique de Petrus SOLTANA](/assets/images/Malte/Document/Soltana/PetrusSOLTANA.Arbre.jpg "Arbre généalogique de Petrus SOLTANA") *Petrus SOLTANA's descending family tree* ## To go further *G.P.F. AGIUS DE SOLDANIS*, in one of his books, wrote : "...il cognome di una casa da Firenze e Napoli passata in Malta, indi al Gozo, ove procreo tutti coloro che portano il cognome di Sultana... Cio segui da tre secoli a questa parte". Therefore, according to him, the *SOLTANAs* came from Florence and Naples. From his point of view, *SOLTANA* derives from *SOLDANI*. In the Catasto di Firenze 1427-1429 ([18](#s18)), we can find a certain *Niccolo SOLDANI*. Is there a link with our *SOLTANAs*? A new study will be necessary! Notes : 1. [*A.P. Victoria Matrice Mat. 2 1603-1711*](https://w3id.org/vhmml/readingRoom/view/236959 "A.P. Victoria Matrice Mat. 2 1603-1711 on VHMML.org"), f. 95-96 2. [*A.P. V.S.D. Mat. 2 1627-1651*](https://w3id.org/vhmml/readingRoom/view/209869 "A.P. V.S.D. Mat. 2 1627-1651"), f. 28 3. [*Lib. AD. 33*](https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/007939071?cat=1215731 "Lib. AD. 33 on FamilySearch.org"), Goffredo ADAMI, p. 455 4. [*A.P. Victoria Matrice Bap. 2 1603-1646*](https://w3id.org/vhmml/readingRoom/view/236954 "A.P. Victoria Matrice Bap. 2 1603-1646 on VHMML.org"), f. 25 5. [*A.P. Victoria Matrice Bap. 2 1603-1646*](https://w3id.org/vhmml/readingRoom/view/236954 "A.P. Victoria Matrice Bap. 2 1603-1646 on VHMML.org"), f. 39 6. [*Lib. AD. 09*](https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/007939193?cat=1215731 "Lib. AD. 09 on FamilySearch.org"), Goffredo ADAMI, p. 51 7. Giuseppe GATT, p. 47 8. [*Lib. GM. 17*](https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/2822596?availability=Family%20History%20Library "Lib. GM. 17 on FamilySearch.org"), Pietro ATTARD, p. 131 9. [*Marriages' database in Malta*](/malta/databases/marriages.html "Base de données Mariages à Malte"), Collectif GENEANUM, 2021-09-21 10. *[A.P. Victoria Matrice Bap. 1](https://w3id.org/vhmml/readingRoom/view/236953 "A.P. Victoria Matrice Bap. 1 on VHMML.org"), f. 32v* 11. [*Lib. AD. 51*](https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/007939075?cat=1215731 "Lib. AD. 51 on FamilySearch.org"), Goffredo ADAMI, p. 1462 12. [*The Resettlement of Gozo After 1551*](https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/40083 "The Resettlement of Gozo After 1551"), Stanley FIORINI, 1986, p. 213 13. *[The Militia List of 1419-20 : a new starting point for the study of Malta's population](https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/36857 "The Militia List of 1419-20 : a new starting point for the study of Malta's population")*, Godfrey WETTINGER, 1969 14. *Crociata List*, MCM CEM 12, 1533 15. *NAV R287/5(I)*, f. 423v 16. [*The Resettlement of Gozo After 1551*](https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/40083 "The Resettlement of Gozo After 1551"), Stanley FIORINI, 1986, p. 209 17. [*The Resettlement of Gozo After 1551*](https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/40083 "The Resettlement of Gozo After 1551"), Stanley FIORINI, 1986, p. 226 18. [*Catasto di Firenze*](http://cds.library.brown.edu/projects/catasto/ "The Resettlement of Gozo After 1551"), 1427-1429 1. [Maltese surnames, Joëlle Pawelczyk](/malta/documents/genealogy/maltese-surnames.html "Maltese surnames") 2. [Aspects of maltese surnames, Mario CASSAR](/malta/documents/genealogy/aspects-of-maltese-surnames.html "Aspects of maltese surnames") 3. [Weddings in Malta in the eighteenth century, Aurore Verié](/malta/documents/genealogy/weddings-in-malta-in-the-eighteenth-century.html "Weddings in Malta in the eighteenth century") 4. [Le sultan Djem et sa prétendue descendance maltaise, de Nicolas VELIN](/malta/documents/genealogy/le-sultan-djem-et-sa-pretendue-descendance-maltaise.html "Le sultan Djem et sa prétendue descendance maltaise") 5. [Le légendaire Eugène Matteo d'Armenia, de Loïck PORTELLI](/malta/documents/genealogy/le-legendaire-eugene-matteo-darmenia.html "Le légendaire Eugène Matteo d'Armenia") 6. [Jacques et Marguerite de Pellegrino, de Loïck PORTELLI](/malta/documents/genealogy/jacques-et-marguerite-de-pellegrino.html "Jacques et Marguerite de Pellegrino") 7. [Headquarters Gozo in 1551 and repopulation of the island (excerpts), Stanley Fiorini](/malta/documents/genealogy/headquarters-gozo-in-1551-and-repopulation-of-the-island.html "Headquarters Gozo in 1551 and repopulation of the island") 8. [Marriage in Malta in the late eighteenth century (excerpts), Frans CIAPPARA](/malta/documents/genealogy/marriage-in-malta-in-the-late-eighteenth-century.html "Marriage in Malta in the late eighteenth century") 9. [The three CUMBO brothers, by Georges GANDER and Nicolas VELIN](/malta/documents/genealogy/three-cumbo-brothers.html "The three CUMBO brothers") 10. Nicola SOLTANA, the founder, by Nicolas VELIN 11. [Le maréchal Davout est-il Maltais ?, de Loïck Portelli](/malta/documents/genealogy/le-marechal-davout-est-il-maltais.html "Le maréchal Davout est-il Maltais ?") 12. [Qui est Marguerite d’Aragon ?, de Loïck PORTELLI](/malta/documents/genealogy/qui-est-marguerite-daragonv.html "Qui est Marguerite d’Aragon ?") 13. [Les Racines Maltaises de Gérald DARMANIN](/malta/documents/genealogy/les-racines-maltaires-de-gerald-darmanin.html "Les Racines Maltaises de Gérald DARMANIN")