The French in Malta

Published on 06/02/2011

Aurore VERIÉ

La Minigazette no. 53, November 2006

I am interrupting the tour of towns and villages to tell you about France in Malta. In Floriana, there is an Alliance Française that does excellent work promoting the French language and culture through lectures, courses, films, and books. In the past, Malta forged several links with France, and today I invite you to learn a little more about the presence of the French in Malta.

As we wander through Malta, we come across a few place names such as Porte des Bombes, quartiers Fleur-de-Lys, quartier Sa Maison. One can also hear Bongu (Bondjou = good morning), bonswa (bonsoua = good evening), xarabank (char à bancs = bus). These words are traces left by the presence of some French people who came to settle in the archipelago for various reasons.

In the 11th century, a Norman nobleman Tancrède de HAUTEVILLE and his sons Roger and Guiscard set off on a Crusade. On their return from Palestine, they continued to wage war against the Muslims established in southern Europe. Tancrède liberated southern Italy, Guiscard freed Sicily, and Roger took care of Malta where the Arabs held garrisons and imposed their language. This was in 1090. Legend has it that Count Roger's white shirt, soaked in blood, inspired the colours of the national flag.

The Normans governed Malta until 1194. Through the interplay of marriages and alliances, they were followed by the Swabians, then by the Angevins. And it was then Charles d'Anjou, brother of Saint Louis, who governed southern Italy, Sicily, and Malta.

The reign of the Angevins, which began in 1266, ended dramatically with the revolt known as the Sicilian Vespers in 1282. It was around this time that the Provençal poet Peire VIDAL stayed on the island, where he wrote his charming poem that begins thus:

« Neus ni gels ni plueja ni fanh
No me tollon de port ni solatz » ...

"Snow, frost, rain and mud
shall not take from me my joy nor my pleasure"...

He was one who enjoyed life!

A great leap forward to 1530 to welcome, alongside Admiral FALZON, Grand Master Villiers de l'ISLE ADAM. A very important event in the country's history. This Grand Master, born in Beauvais, came to establish the Order of the Knights of St John, driven out of Jerusalem and Rhodes. This event distinguished Malta from the territories of the Spanish Crown to which it belonged, and the Maltese people would for 268 years experience the joys of a religious-military-naval-hospitaller regime.

Of the 27 Grand Masters who subsequently reigned in Malta, 11 were French.

In 1535, Didier de SAINT JALLE, a native of Toulouse, was elected, but he died within the following month.

And in 1553, Claude de la SENGLE fortified the country and added his name to the Isla, which became Senglea. His reign was fairly prosperous despite pirate incursions and natural disasters. The people kept a rather good memory of him.

In 1567, he was succeeded by the heroic Jean PARISOT de la VALETTE, born at the château de Labro (82). After spending several years on Ottoman galleys, he took his revenge during the Great Siege of Malta. Through his intelligence and courage, he galvanised his Knights and the people to break the enemy's deadly grip. The capital Valletta bears his name.

Then La CASSIERE took command in 1572. He oversaw several fine and solid constructions, including St John's Cathedral.

Elected in 1582, Hugues LOUBENS de VERDALLE, born in Caraman near Toulouse, lived as a Renaissance prince without much concern for the people.

A different style with Alof de WIGNACOURT, elected in 1601. He was a man of order and discipline who shared his war spoils with the Maltese and successfully carried out works to supply drinking water. Until then, wells and cisterns had been used — it was about time!

And here comes the one whom the mocking Maltese called Paola, Antoine de PAULE, who began his reign in 1623. It was Antoine, known as Paola, who built the palace currently occupied by the President of the Republic. He founded the village of Paola, organised the country's food supply as best he could, but imposed excessively heavy taxes and confiscated the property of several prominent families. His reign was generally prosperous, but the Maltese did not appreciate the means used to achieve it.

In 1636 arrived a new Grand Master from Manosque, Paul LASCARIS de CASTELLAR. It was he who had the lazaretto built, where travellers were compulsorily isolated upon arrival to prevent the terrible epidemics that had caused so much devastation. This Grand Master was the first to organise emigration to the West Indies. He purchased three small islands from Louis XV and settled Maltese colonists there. But after a brief period of euphoria, the settlers became homesick and asked to be repatriated. They packed their bags and brought back to Europe a lovely plant with large red flowers, named poinsetia after Chevalier de POINSET who accompanied the colonists. The three islands were subsequently resold to the East India Company.

In 1660, a man renowned for his piety took command: Annet de CLERMONT de CHATTES GESSON. A long name, but a very short reign — barely a few months.

The year 1690 saw the election of Adrien de WIGNACOURT, nephew of Alof. He built a large arsenal, restored the ruins of Mdina Cathedral after a terrible earthquake, and had the good idea of finally creating a foundation for widows and orphans.

The last of the French Grand Masters, and the penultimate of the Order to reign in Malta, was elected in 1775. Emmanuel de ROHAN POLDUC restored the finances, which were in great need of it, founded the Chamber of Commerce, and instituted a Civil Code. He won the sympathy of the people and was the only one to use the Maltese language. That is why his somewhat scandalous private life was forgiven.

And here are the French military engineers, pupils of VAUBAN : René Jacob TIGNẺ, and Charles François MONDION. Throughout the 18th century, they designed and built bastions, ramparts, and citadels. The Manoël peninsula near Sliema bears the name of the former. They also restored the old capital, the Noble City of Mdina, preserving its distinctive character.

To fortify Gozo, le Chevalier de CHAMBRAY contributed his skill and 40,000 of his own écus. The fort overlooking MGARR, used for various purposes, is currently a psychiatric hospital, having previously housed a leper asylum.

Malta loves art, and artists love it. The official painter of the Order, Antoine de FAVRAY, born in Bagnolet, lived there for 50 years. This artist was first director of the Académie de France and as such was in contact with all the important families of Europe, most of whom had one or several members in the Order of Knighthood. In Malta, he received several portrait commissions: notables, family life scenes, great ladies, religious scenes. In demand from all sides, he still found time to care for "our lords the Sick," as he had received from Benedict XIV the title and function of Serving Brother. A few years ago, some of his paintings, including the "Maltese Ladies," were exhibited in Toulouse.

At the same period, Louis DUCROS practised his talent in Malta and left very interesting works that shed light on the daily life of that era.

1798: Bonaparte. The Army, the Republic takes over — farewell to the Knights!

Landing of Napoleon

Then began another great historical turning point. In Malta, the young French Knights knew what was happening in France. They informed certain elites of the country. The new philosophers were known, books circulated "under the cloak," and Freemason lodges were being established. People sincerely hoped that Liberty, Equality, Fraternity would shake off the dust of the old regimes.

Governor VAUBOIS, installed by Bonaparte, sketched out a republican government. He divided Malta into districts, removed certain rights from the Clergy, founded fifteen secular primary schools and even a Central School.

These changes, too rapid and authoritarian, offended the people's sensibilities, leading to revolt, massacre, and reprisals. The fine plans fell through!

This resulted in a certain resentment towards the French, whose arrival had raised so many hopes. From this episode, there remains a street sign near the Library, Strada Egualianza, Equality Street. There also remains the evidence that a small united people can change its destiny despite the strength of the adversary.

MALTA, as a crossroads and thanks to its attractive port facilities, received a great many foreign visitors, among them French people. They came to discover this tiny country and wrote accounts that are very valuable to us. Thus Nicholas de NICOLAYE wrote that French was frequently spoken in Valletta, and Monsieur Du MONT (1699) found Maltese women very elegant!!

Merchants came to set up their trade, such as EYNAUD who sold candles and tapers, killed on the day of Bonaparte's arrival.

Teachers such as ROSSIGNAUD.

Diplomats such as DOUBLET, RANSIJAT.

Musicians such as ISOUARD, then the BARTHET, CAMOIN, GUILLAUMIER, MORIN, OLIVIER, surnames that still exist in the archipelago and that some of us are surprised to find in their family tree.

The French language, spoken in the 17th and 18th centuries by the elite in Europe, was used in Malta in intellectual circles. French literature was known and prized. As early as 1552, a Maltese person already owned — an exceptional thing! — a copy of the Roman de la Rose.

The Bailli de TENCIN founded the National Library in 1763 and made 10,000 of his volumes available to users. Moreover, he obtained from Louis XIV a duplicate of all books printed in the Kingdom of France, as well as the rarest works.

Le Chevalier de SAINT JAY donated 2,147 books and numerous private correspondences. One of them was recently published: The Orange Trade in the 18th Century

The traces these French people left in MALTA over the course of time are far less significant than the Italian and English influences.

However, although less perceptible, they are an integral part of Maltese History and Heritage.

Historical map of Malta

Text published with the kind permission of Aurore VERIE