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A System of Maltese Heraldry Issued by the Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta

A System of Maltese Heraldry Issued by the Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta

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A system of Maltese issued by The Office of the of Arms of Malta

Introduction Heraldry is a broad term, encompassing the design, display, and study of armorial bearings coats of arms. Such Arms may be personal and hereditary or impersonal and non-hereditary, examples of the latter are the Arms of banks, colleges, corporations etc. But whatever else they may be, coats of arms are essentially insignia of identification. There is a custom in Malta for members of different branches of a family to use identical Arms, without any attempt at differencing them i.e., modifying them for each branch of the family. This rather defeats the whole object of heraldry which is one of specific personal identification. The main reference work for people who wish to find "a for their surname" is Stemmi Maltesi, an extensive -and- work published anonymously in the 19th century in folio form and out of print for many years, although Dr. Charles A. Gauci, currently Chief herald of Arms of Malta, produced a facsimile edition of this book in full colour, now, alas, also out of print (1) A number of the illustrations in Stemmi Maltesi seem to have been invented by the author(s) themselves as the Arms found in old manuscripts, on tombstones, in churches etc. often differ considerably from the ones shown in that work. Malta has a rich European tradition of heraldry which abounds everywhere. Coats of arms in Malta are those belonging to of the of St. John, to various churches and religious institutions as well as to Maltese families. The latter are broadly grouped into those families belonging to the or allied to the nobility by marriage and those belonging to families not connected to the nobility. The armorial bearings of most Maltese families have never been registered anywhere, until now, 2

but have been handed down through the centuries. The Arms of the old titled families have remained virtually unchanged except for occasional artistic license on their ornate tombstones.

There are many works which deal with the coats of arms of the Knights of St. John in Malta and anyone interested in this particular is advised to refer to them. (2) Dr. Gauci has dealt with the coats of arms of the nobility in Malta and of their associated families in several books, (3) however, in Malta, interest in heraldry is certainly not confined to the nobility. Thus, “Heraldry abounds on the island in that everybody freely uses coats of arms on signet rings, tombstones and even on the sides of lorries!” (4) The spelling of surnames was sometimes changed by the newly- ennobled, as a gesture of one-upmanship. Thus, Bonnici became Bonici, Zammit became Zamitt, Azzopardi became Azopardi, Carabott became Carbott, Gatt became Gatto and so on. In several cases hitherto widely used family Arms were changed, to show that this particular branch should no longer be considered as “common” and was now, one cut above the rest. The Arms of prominent and invariably well-heeled but non-noble families who married into the nobility were often quartered by their noble offspring, becoming incorporated into the armorial bearings of successive title-holders and are still in use today. In some cases, Arms were sometimes granted along with a (foreign) title of nobility. In the majority of cases, coats of arms were simply assumed and became de facto with the passage of time. Most of the 'prominent' families belong to this group. (5)

In March 2019, the Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta, was established by Heritage Malta upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Secretary at the Office of The Prime Minister. Dr. Charles A. Gauci was subsequently appointed Malta’s first-ever Chief Herald of Arms. (6) The Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta is based at the historic Fort St. Elmo in Valletta. This Fort witnessed fierce hand-to-hand fighting in the Great Siege of 1565 and also played its part in defending the Grand Harbour in World War Two against the might of the Luftwaffe. The Arms used by the Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta were approved by the Malta Cabinet Office on 3 June 2019. (7) The appointment of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta was gazetted in the Malta Gazette on 25 June 2019 (Notice no. 729). (8) Dr. Gauci’s appointment as Chief Herald of Arms of Malta was furthermore confirmed by Dr. J. Herrera, Minister for National Heritage, Arts and Local Government on 22nd July 2020. (9)

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The Chief Herald of Arms of Malta has the power to devise and grant new Arms, both personal and corporate, to register Arms which have already been in use locally for many years as well as to register Arms previously granted by appropriate foreign authorities. All Arms granted or registered by the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta are recognized by the State while being protected against copying. (6)

It is a misconception to think that it is only realms which have heraldic institutions. Several republics also have their own state-appointed heraldic offices. Another common misconception is that heraldry is the prerogative of the nobility. Nothing could be further from the truth. All citizens of Malta are entitled to apply for a and many have already done so. Foreigners can also apply for Arms in Malta at the Chief Herald's discretion. (5) Indeed, several foreigners have already successfully applied for Arms. The scope of this paper is to review the basic rules of heraldry and highlight how they are now being applied to Malta by the Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta. The British system is used as standard but it has been modified to allow for the unique history, customs and traditions of the Maltese islands.

Blazon

Blazon is the language of heraldry. It enables people interested in the subject to communicate without having to draw sketches of the arms in question. In the English-speaking world, blazon is a mixture of Norman- French and English. French construction of sentences is used in that adjectives follow the nouns they describe. The Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta uses the “English” form of blazon when compiling its Letters Patent. Appendix 1 of this paper is written specifically for those with a very limited knowledge of heraldry. It is a much-simplified description of a very complex subject. In addition, the opportunity is also taken to clarify the use of helms and by the Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta. Many references work on coats of arms describe Arms entirely in blazon and contain few, if any, illustrations. A working knowledge of blazon enables the student of heraldry to make sense of these texts. Proficiency in "English" blazon allows anyone with a basic knowledge of Italian, French and Spanish to interpret heraldic texts in these languages since the basic rules are essentially the same in all countries. (10) 4

Process of applying for Arms

1. Registration of Arms: Arms already formally granted and/or registered by other recognised heraldic authorities can be registered at the Office of the Chief Herald of Arms. “Recognised” refers to heraldic institutions recognised by the State in which they are situated. It shall be the sole decision of the Chief Herald of Arms to determine which particular institutions are to be recognised. 2. New creations of personal Arms. Based on the founding principles of the Republic of Malta, all citizens of Malta are entitled to apply for a grant of Arms. However, a grant of Arms should be considered as a singular honour, issued at the discretion of the Chief Herald of Arms and based on the following criteria: a. Any honours received (local of foreign) b. Involvement of the applicant in public life together with other merits and activities c. Professional qualifications held by the applicant d. Membership of an Order of .

Citizens of other countries also have the right to apply for a grant of Arms, based on the above criteria at the complete discretion of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta. Should an applicant be considered a suitable candidate for a grant of Arms, the Chief Herald would discuss with the applicant, ideas, including the incorporation of any already ‘established’ family Arms as displayed in Stemmi Maltesi or in other sources. Thus: a. Abela’s “Della Descrittione di Malta” is the oldest known formally published (1647) compilation of armorial bearings used by Maltese families. (see Lib. IV Not. III, p. 445 et seq). Later Arms and augmentations are also recorded in another equally reliable source viz., Ciantar’s sequel to Abela’s work, “Malta Illustrata” published in 1772, 1780 (see Lib. IV. Not. III p. 380 et seq). b. Several Maltese family arms are recorded in various anonymous manuscripts to be found at the National Library of Malta. The authorship and basis for many of these Arms remains unknown. (3) c. Such already ‘established’ family Arms may be considered as the basis of the applicant’s grant of Arms but would need to be suitably differenced so as to show that the applicant (and his/her descendants) are the sole proprietors and users of the particular Arms in question. In addition, such Arms may need to be adjusted so as to ensure that they conform to the basic rules of heraldry. 5

The display of any local or foreign or honour within a Coat of Arms ceases with the death of the holder of that award or honour. An applicant may choose to have a completely new Coat of Arms created instead of one based on any already “established” family Arms. In this case the Chief Herald would discuss the applicant’s requirements and make his own suggestions and recommendations.

3. New creations of impersonal (Corporate) Arms: When considering an application for impersonal (Corporate) Arms from any institution such as a club or society the Chief Herald would need to consider: a. The nature of that institution, so as to ensure that it is non- controversial and generally socially acceptable. b. The time scale during which that institution has been in existence c. The number of members that institution possesses.

4. Already-established personal Arms. (i) If it can be proven that certain personal Arms have been in uninterrupted use in Malta for a considerable period of time by the applicant’s ancestors, those Arms would be considered as part of Malta’s intangible cultural heritage and would be registered as they stand (tale quale). This concession applies especially to members of the Maltese nobility, in deference to the unique status of the nobility in the history and culture of the Maltese islands. (ii) Registration does not signify State-recognition of any title of nobility which the bearer of the Arms in question may purport to hold. (iii) In the case of a title of Maltese nobility, the right of the applicant to hold those specific Arms as a lineal descent of a former State-recognised title-holder of Maltese nobility would be included, together with the relevant genealogical information and details of the once-State recognised title. (iv) It may also be necessary to difference the Arms with marks of in the event of different branches of the family applying for the same Coat of Arms. See fig. 28 in Appendix 1. (v) Any gazetted foreign award, may be included in a Coats of Arms granted by the Office of the Chief Herald to any Maltese citizen. In addition, made by the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and by the Venerable Order of St. John in the British Realm may also be included. (vii) Any person who claims a solitary undifferenced shield of Arms from the Abela & Ciantar lists would have to provide rigorous genealogical proofs of such exclusive entitlement based strictly on agnatic primogeniture.

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5. Already-established impersonal Arms. Maltese Corporations, e.g., Companies, schools, learned societies, band clubs etc. may have previously devised their own Arms (as opposed to simple ) and may, sometimes even have registered them as Trade Marks purely for purposes. Such Arms would be eligible for registering at the Office of the Chief Herald together with any trade mark references duly noted. 6. Arms held by Local Councils. As these Arms have all been gazetted in the Malta Government Gazette, they would be registered as they stand (tale quale). 7. : The Office of the Chief Herald of Arms will also grant Arms to Ecclesiastics and religious institutions of any denomination. ------APPENDIX 1 Basic rules of Blazon (1) The Arms are borne on the surface of a shield (fig. 1); this surface is called the field and it must be described in detail.

Fig. 1: Sections of the field

In matters of orientation, it is assumed that the shield is being held by 7

the bearer and viewed by the onlooker. Thus, the left side of the shield as you look at it is called the Dexter and the right side as you look at it, is called the Sinister. The actual shape of the shield is of little importance. As a rule, the Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta normally opts for the form referred to as a heater (fig.2).

Fig. 2: Heater shield

Females normally display their Arms in either a (Fig. 3) or an Oval (fig 4)

Fig. 3: Lozenge shield

Fig. 4: Oval shield

The Arms of an unmarried lady would normally be surrounded by a garland of roses and bound by a bow (fig. 5) 8

Fig. 5: Arms of an unmarried Maltese lady

The surface of the shield i.e., the field, is first of all described by or by division and tincture. Tinctures are divided into metals and colours. The principal metals are () and Gold (Or). The principal colours are Sky (), (), Black () and (). In black and white drawings of the Arms, a system called is used (fig. 6).

Fig. 6: principal metals and colours shown as hatchings

Thus, a golden rampant on a red field is blazoned Gules a lion rampant Or. In addition to tinctures, furs can be used. Some heraldic furs are shown in fig. 7.

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Ermine Ermines Counter Vair

Fig. 7: Some heraldic furs

The principal divisions of the shield are shown in Fig. 8

Fig. 8: Principal divisions of the shield

A shield divided horizontally and having its top part red and its bottom part silver is blazoned Per Gules and Argent. Note, when blazoning Arms, (i) always top to bottom and left (dexter) to right (sinister) (ii) charges (11) always face the dexter unless blazoned "contorné ". (iii) tinctures always start with a capital letter; thus, "Gules" not "gules".

The principal lying on the field is described next.

e.g., A shield divided vertically so that the left part is red and the right part is green and which in its centre, a golden six-pointed is blazoned Per Gules and Vert a mullet of six points Or. Note: If the principal charge lies anywhere but in the centre of the field its exact position must be stated. The position () of any animal or used as a charge must be stated. Thus, a lion rampant describes a lion shown in profile with one leg on the ground and three legs raised. e.g., A silver field bearing in its bottom part a black lion rampant standing 10

upon a green mount is blazoned Argent in base upon a mount Vert a lion rampant Sable.

Other charges are described in order of importance. e.g., If in the previous example the top part of the field bore a black fleur-de- lys between two red six pointed stars, then it would be blazoned Argent in base upon a mount Vert a lion rampant Sable and in chief between two mullets of six points Gules a fleur-de-lys of the Third. Note. In order to avoid repetition, tinctures are numbered. The first tincture in the blazon if repeated is referred to as "of the First”, the second as "of the Second" and so on e.g. A silver field bearing a tree in its natural colours between two red stars of six points and also bearing a black chief (see below) on which there is a silver would be blazoned Argent between two mullets of six points Gules a tree Proper and upon a chief Sable a crescent of the First. Note: The term “Proper”, which means that a charge is depicted in its natural colours is not taken into consideration when numbering tinctures: it is therefore never alluded to numerically but always repeated as necessary. In the following example, the numerals in brackets are there simply for the reader's guidance. e.g., Argent [i] upon a mount Proper and between two mullets of six points Gules [ii] a pear tree fructed Or [iii] and on a chief of the Second between two of the Third a hand Proper. (12) In the above example, " of the Second" means the second colour/metal mentioned, i.e., red, and "of the Third" means the third colour/metal mentioned, i.e., gold. The mount would be , the colour of earth and the hand the colour of human, Caucasian skin Note: If a tincture is mentioned and is then immediately repeated without any other intervening tinctures, the terms "of the Same" or " of the Last" are often used instead of numbers. e.g., A gold field bearing two red roses separated by a diagonal red band would be blazoned Or between two roses Gules a (see below) of the Same. Certain basic geometric shapes are known as Ordinaries (fig. 9) and their diminutives as Sub-ordinaries.

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Fig. 9: Examples of three Ordinaries (Chief, Bend and )

Major subdivisions of the field must each be described in detail. e.g., A shield divided horizontally, the top part bearing a blue chevron on a gold field and the bottom part bearing three gold six-pointed stars arranged in a 2,1 pattern on a red field would be blazoned Per fess, Or a chevron Azure and Gules three mullets of six points of the First (2,1).

Note: The numbers in brackets refer to individual positions in a group of identical charges. Thus, in this example (2,1) means that there are two stars above a single star.

If the shield is divided into distinct sections, each section bearing a complete field, then this must be stated and the fields described separately. Thus, if the shield is quartered (fig. 10), the fields are described in order as "First'', "Second”, "Third" and " Fourth".

Fig. 10; Quartered shield Thus, consider fig. 11; the blazon here reads Quarterly, First: Or five barrulets wavy Azure, Second: Argent upon a base Vert a tree Proper, Third: Gules a forked falchion Or, Fourth: Azure between four bendlets Or three mullets of eight points Argent. 12

Fig. 11 Quartered Arms

A basic rule of heraldry is the so-called rule of tinctures which stipulates that a metal must not be placed on a metal and a colour must not be placed on a colour. This ensures that all heraldic artwork is as clear as possible.

Let us now look at other components of a coat of arms and how they apply to heraldry in Malta.

➢ Helm or A helm is only be used in the Arms of males (13) as well as in the personal Arms of a female (Maltese) Head of State. The type of helms used by the Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta are as follows: • Head of State (personal Arms) (14) Silver helm, full faced, with gold visor bars and gorget (fig. 12)

Fig. 12: Helm for personal Arms of the President of Malta

• Members of the nobility (Maltese or foreign): Silver helm, in profile with gold visor bars and gorget (fig. 13) 13

Fig. 13: Helm for the nobility • Companions of the Maltese , Members of the Xirka Ġieh ir- Repubblika and Knights Grand of any Malta-gazetted foreign Order: Steel, open visor, full-faced (fig. 14)

Fig. 14: Helm for KUOM, KOM. SĠ (*) or KGC of Orders recognized by Malta

(*) Sieħeb il-Ġieħ (membership of the Xirka Ġieh ir-Repubblika)

• Knights and members of any Order recognized by the State of Malta, and Gentlemen: Steel, in profile, closed visor (fig. 15)

Fig. 15: Knights, Esquires & Gentlemen

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➢ or Lambrequin (fig. 16) The Mantling or Lambrequin is short mantle fixed to and flowing from the helm. Where a helm is shown in an of Arms, the mantling is essential. Since females (with the exception of the Maltese Head of State) in their personal Arms do not use a helm, they do not display mantling. (13) The principal colour and metal in the Arms are used for the mantling, which is normally blazoned as “(colour) doubled (metal)”.

Mantling is Gules doubled Argent

Fig. 16: Mantling or Lambrequin ➢ The crest is an hereditary device modelled onto the top of the helm and normally attached to it by a or . (fig. 17) Since females do not display a helm, neither do they display a crest. (13) An exception to this rule is made in the personal Arms of a Maltese Head of State, should the holder be a female.

Crest

Wreath

Fig. 17: Crest and wreath (torse) Note that the wreath normally bears the same colour and metal as used in the mantling (the livery colours). When blazoned, however, it is the metal which is mentioned first. Sometimes the blazon just states “a wreath of the liveries”.

➢ Coronets There are two types of , (15) viz (i) Coronets of rank which denote nobility (ii) Crest coronets which do not necessarily denote nobility

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Coronets of rank In Malta we have three coronets of rank viz those of Marquis, Count and . (figs. 18-20). The Office of the Chief Herald of Arms has also introduced that of Noble, to denote untitled nobility. (fig. 21). The latter’s relevance and function will become apparent further on in this paper.

Fig. 18: Coronet of a Marquis in Malta

Fig. 19: Coronet of a Count in Malta

Fig. 20: Coronet of a Baron in Malta

Fig. 21: Coronet of an untitled Noble in Malta

The 1975 Ġieħ ir-Repubblika Act withdrew State recognition of all titles of nobility, although the latter may still be freely used without let or hindrance. In its judgement a Maltese Court remarked that “the legislator in the Ġieħ ir-Repubblika Act had clearly indicated the intention to no longer recognize titles of nobility and intended that no pubic authority should take any cognizance of them”. The Court went on to say that “…it is of no concern to society that somebody might himself Baron or Count of wherever he wants to be and that certainly such matters should not concern the Court.” (16) Thus, although the State recognizes the coat of arms of an individual as granted/registered by the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta, this does not mean that the 16

state is also automatically recognizing any title of nobility used by the individual in question.

In the British tradition, coronets of rank are normally borne immediately above the shield, but in other countries e.g., , Portugal, France the coronet of rank may be borne above the helm. In Malta some title-holders display their coronet above the shield while others display it above the helm. (5) In some cases, this may be due to the fact that some holders of Maltese titles of foreign origins, opt to follow the heraldic rules of the country which granted the original title, The Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta will normally choose to display coronets of rank above the shield but will not stand in the way of family tradition should there be a preference for the coronet to be displayed elsewhere in the Arms. However, a titular coronet, unlike a crest coronet (see below), must never be placed above a wreath or be separated from the helm by a fold of mantling.

Crest coronets

Crest coronets are ornaments, displayed above the helm (15), which do not necessarily indicate nobility. As the name implies, they are simply crests. They may or may not lie upon a wreath or torse. They are usually separated from the helm by means of the mantling or lambrequin. See fig. 22. The tradition of some noble Maltese title-holders who place their titular coronet immediately above the helm may confuse the inexperienced onlooker who might mistake a titular coronet for a “mere” crest coronet. Female Arms do not display Crest coronets (13). An exception to this rule is made in the personal Arms of a Maltese Head of State, should the holder be a female.

Fig. 22: Crest coronet

➢ Supporters, as implied, are figures placed on either side of the shield so as to support it in its position. Supporters, with the odd exception, were not common in Malta, before 1800, but practically every noble family, which had not already used 17

supporters, adopted supporters during colonial times. (fig. 23). In some instances, a single is placed behind the shield. Fig. 25 (5)

Fig. 23: Supporters ( segreant)

Fig. 25: Single supporter behind shield ( displayed) The Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta will only consider granting supporters on a case-by-case basis, normally taking the following points into consideration • Personal Arms for the holders of high offices of state (non-hereditary supporters) • Possession of a title of nobility (both local and foreign) (hereditary supporters) • Senior membership ( and above) in a foreign Order recognized by Malta (non hereditary supporters) • Holders of the rank of Companion the National Order of Merit or Members of the Xirka Ġieh ir-Repubblika (non-hereditary supporters)

If supporters have been granted by a foreign State-recognized body or if their use has been traditional in a (usually noble) family, the Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta will register them tale quale.

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➢ The motto is a war cry or aphorism, written in any language and usually placed on a scroll placed beneath but occasionally above (fig. 22) the Arms. Some individuals display two (fig. 26). The Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta follows the English System in that it allows mottos to be changed at will, however the motto in use at the time of the grant/registration is recorded in the Letters patent issued by the Office. Both males and females can display mottos in their Arms.

Fig. 26: Arms with two mottoes

The Marshalling and inheritance of Arms Marshalling is the art of correctly depicting a full achievement of Arms with particular reference to the display of more than one coat on the shield. (15) The way coats of arms are inherited and displayed is governed by very specific rules in British heraldry. In , however, countries marshal arms in with their own diverse traditions. In Malta, as is the case with countries where burgher arms are the norm, anyone is free to display Arms used by ancestors in both the paternal and maternal lines. In addition, no system of cadency (see below) has ever operated in Malta. (1) (5) In general, the Office of the Chief Herald of arms of Malta will therefore allow an applicant to display Arms which descend to him or her through both paternal and maternal lines, but in such quartered Arms the paternal Arms must appear in both the first and fourth quarters of the field. (figs. 10, 27)

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Fig. 27: Quartered Arms; note the paternal arms In the 1st and 4th quarters.

Cadency It is really a matter of common sense for every cadet to difference his or her Arms from those of the head of the family. This is called cadency. (15) Cadency has never been used in Malta which can make the precise identification of the holder of a particular set of Arms extremely difficult. Nevertheless, The Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta implements the English system of cadency, which is both very simple and effective. (fig. 28). At the moment, these marks of cadency apply only to male descendants, however as equality laws take effect, they may, in the future also be extended to female descendants.

Fig. 28: Marks of cadency

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Denoting members of a noble family In Malta, the situation concerning different members of a noble family is rather confusing, there being no agreed system to heraldically denote the heir to a title, the younger children of a title-holder or one’s distant descent from a noble family. Many individuals in the same family tend to use identical arms which rather undermines the key object of heraldry, which is that of specific identification. The Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta uses the following system when dealing with the Arms of the nobility. Males 1. The full undifferenced heraldic achievement is only granted/registered to the title-holder 2. The male heir to the title (Marchesino, Contino or Baroncino in the case of the Maltese nobility), displays as follows: i. Helmet as per membership of the nobility (fig. 13), but the said helmet will also be adorned with a gold pendant (as in fig. 29) ii. Coronet of a Noble (fig. 21) displayed immediately above the shield (as in fig. 29) iii. The relevant titular coronet (figs. 18-20) to be displayed as a crest coronet (i.e., with a wreath of the liveries) atop the helm

As an example, fig. 29, displays the achievement which would be granted to the male heir of a Count (Contino). The coronet in a set of Arms would naturally be appropriate to the title in question.

Fig. 29; Noble Contino

3. The younger sons of a title-holder, (The Noble, in the case of the Maltese nobility), adopt the same display as for the heir (fig. 29), but omit the golden pendant on the helm. 4. As for distant descendants of a title holder- the so-called ultrogeniti, (dei Marchesi, dei Conti, dei Baroni in the case of the Maltese nobility), these display as follows: • Male descendants: As for the heir but omitting both the golden pendant on the helm and the coronet of a Noble, with the helm placed directly on shield and bearing the relevant crest coronet. Marks of cadency would be added where appropriate. 21

• Female descendants: see below

Females 1. The full undifferenced Heraldic achievement (less helm, mantling and crest) is only be granted/registered to the title-holder. (13) The Arms are displayed in either a lozenge (fig.3) or in an oval (fig. 4). 2. The female heiress to the title (Marchesina, Contessina or Baronessina in the case of the Maltese nobility) displays as follows: i. Coronet of Noble placed immediately above the shield ii. The relevant titular coronet placed above the lower (Noble) coronet – note no wreath is used since this is not a crest coronet, crests not being used in the Arms of ladies. (13) iii. The shield is surrounded by a cordelier or knotted cord. See fig. 30. The titular coronet would naturally be appropriate to the title in question.

Fig. 30: Female Noble Contessina 3. The daughters of a title-holder (not the heiress), display as for (2) above but omit the cordelier (fig. 31). The titular coronet would naturally be appropriate to the title in question.

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Fig. 31: Female dei Baroni (motto not shown in this example)

4. Distant female descendants (dei Marchesi, dei Conti or dei Baroni in the case of the Maltese nobility), display as for (3) above but omit the lower coronet which is substituted by a golden bow around the upper point of a lozenge-shaped shield. (fig. 32). An oval shield would be inappropriate in this particular instance. The titular coronet would naturally be appropriate to the title in question.

Fig. 32: Female dei Baroni (motto not shown in this example)

Other distinguishing features • Illegitimacy Arms may be varied for illegitimate issue at the specific request of the person petitioning for Arms. There are various ways by which this can be done e.g., by debruising the arms with a baton sinister or by enclosing the arms in a chequy (15) Another way of denoting illegitimacy is to use a special helm which faces the sinister i.e., the right side of the shield as you look at it. (17) (fig. 33) 23

Fig. 33: Markers of illegitimacy

• Adopted issue

Adopted children may either the arms of their natural parents, if these be known to them, or those of their adoptive parents. In the latter case they may wish to difference the arms with two links of a chain to show that the arms are being used not by right of consanguinity but by right of adoption. (15) (fig. 34)

Fig. 34: Marker for adoption

It must be emphasized that such heraldic variations for illegitimacy and adoption are not at all necessary and would only be included in Arms at the specific request of the petitioner. The laws of Malta make absolutely no distinction between legitimate/illegitimate and natural/adoptive issue and the status of the petitioner will never be queried by the Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta.

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Display of honours

1. Holders of Maltese National Orders; The Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta is authorized to adorn the Arms of any recipient of a State national honour with the relevant insignia. (18) 2. Foreign Orders Maltese citizens who are Gazetted Knights Grand Cross of Foreign Orders are entitled to claim a grant of non-inheritable Supporters. Gazetted Members of Foreign Orders in whatever Grade may suspend the they are entitled to wear from a of the particular Order below their Shields. 3. Mayors and Former Mayors Mayors and Former Mayors may suspend the Mayor’s Badge of Office of their locality from the relevant coloured ribbon below their Shields. 4. Others Requests for other specific heraldic designations and display of honours held by both Maltese and non-Maltese citizens are to be made to the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta on the requisite petition for Arms.

REFERENCES

(1) Gauci C.A., An Illustrated Collection of the Coats of Arms of Maltese Families (PEG ltd., hardback edition, Malta,1989; paperback edition, Malta, 1996). (2) See, for example, (i) Scicluna H.P. The of St. John in Valletta, privately printed in , 1955. (ii) Also, the following manuscripts at the National Library of Malta in Valletta: a. Histoire Genealogique des Chevaliers de Malte NLM Mss. 101 b. Nom et de tous les Chevaliers de l'Ordre de St. Jean de Jerusalem NLM Mss. 315 c. Miscellaneous Manuscripts, NLM Mss. 102,136,278,283,953,1561. (3) See Appendix 2A to this paper. (4) Gauci C.A. The and Heraldry of the Noble Families of Malta, Vol. 1 (GP ltd,, Malta, 245 (5) Gauci C.A., A short essay on Maltese heraldry in Melita Historica (Malta Historical Society), Vol. XVII no. 4 (2019) 177 et seq (6) Letter of Appointment issued by Heritage Malta on the advice of the Hon. Prime Minister and the Cabinet Secretary, Malta 21/03/2019 (7) Communication issued by the Director, Cabinet Office, Malta 03/06/2019 (8) Malta Government Gazette no. 729. 25/06/2019, 18,832 (9) Ministerial letter, 22nd July 2020 (10) The following two tomes on are strongly recommended: (a) Boutell’s Heraldry: Revised by J.P. Brooke-Little, Warne 1963 (b) Fox-Davies A.C., A Complete Guide to Heraldry, T.C. & A.C. Jack, London, 1909 (11) A charge refers to any heraldic symbol borne on the field (12) Fructed refers to the tincture of the fruit borne by a tree (13) This is a standard heraldic principle, based on the assumption that only men went to war thus needing a helmet for protection while in battle. This outdated principle probably requires 25

eventual revision in line with current equality legislation and the fact that many armies now routinely deploy women in combat roles. (14) The official Arms of the Head of State do not depend on the sex of the holder; they are impersonal Arms. The same courtesy is extended to any personal Arms granted by the Office of the Chief Herald of Arms. (15) Brooke-Little, J.P., An Heraldic Alphabet, MacDonald, London 1973 (16) Court of First Instance Malta, Ramsay v Bugeja, Judgement delivered 30/01/04; see also Constitutional Court Malta, Bugeja v Attorney General, Judgement delivered February 2007 (17) (i) Asensio Y Torres, Heráldica y Blasón, Madrid 1929 (ii) Guelfi Camajani, P, Dizionario Araldico, Milan 1946 (18) Communication issued by the Director, Cabinet Office, Malta 27/01/2021

APPENDIX 2 A. Books on heraldry and genealogy published by Dr. Charles A. Gauci, Chief Herald of Arms of Malta

I. The Genealogy and Heraldry of the Noble Families of Malta, Vol. 1 (GPL, Malta, 1981). II. The Palaeologos Family – a genealogical review (PEG, Malta, 1985). III. A Guide to the Maltese Nobility (PEG, Malta, 1986). IV. ‘1349: Cicco Gatto Governor of Malta to Ludovico, of Sicily’, in Lost Letters, edited by Nicholas J. de Piro (London, 1986). V. A Key to Maltese Coats of Arms (PEG, Malta, 1988). VI. An Illustrated Collection of the Coats of Arms of Maltese Families (PEG, hardback edition, Malta,1989; paperback edition, Malta, 1996). VII. The Genealogy and Heraldry of the Noble Families of Malta, Vol. 2 (PEG, Malta, 1992). VIII. A Collection of Genealogical Tables of European Families (privately printed, London 2001 & presented to National Library of Malta, Ref. NLM226937). IX. The Genealogy and Heraldry of the Noble Families of Malta, Vol. 1 (PEG, reprinted with addenda, 2002). X. ‘ … of Maltese Generals and Admirals’ (Midsea Books, Malta, 2015). XI. Боже, императрицу хран,(God save the Empress), (privately printed in Malta, 2018) XII. The and Knightage in Malta, (Midsea Books, Malta 2018)

See also: Gauci C.A., A short essay on Maltese heraldry in Melita Historica (Malta Historical Society), Vol. XVII no. 4 (2019) 177 et seq

B. Some useful references for researchers on Maltese heraldry available in the public domain

a) Abela F. Della Descrittione di Malta, Malta 1647. b) Abela F. & Ciantar G. A. Malta Illustrata, Malta 1772 and 1780 c) National Library of Malta, Anon. Manuscripts: I. Armi delle famiglie Maltesi (Lib. Mss. 645) II. Armi delle familied Maltesi (Lib. Mss. 1263) III. Fratelli Schembri (Lib. 1596) IV. Depositario Araldico (Lib. Mss. 135) V. Misc. Lib. Mss. 1561, 283, 136, 278, 102 l. II, III, IV/4, 953 d) Anon. Stemmi Maltesi e) Mango di Casalgeraldo A., Nobiliario di Sicilia, 2 Vols, Palermo 1912-1915 f) Mugnos F., Teatro Genealogico delle famiglie nobili, titolate, feudatarie ed antiche del fedelissimo regno di Sicilia, viventi ed estinti, Palermo 1647, 1655 and Messina, 1670 g) Palazzolo Drago F, Famiglie Nobili Siciliane, Palermo 1927 h) Palazzolo Gravina V., Dizzionario storico araldico della Sicilia, Palermo, 1821-1825 i) Rolland V, Supplement to Riestap’s Armorial General, 2nd Ed, 9 Vols, London 1969-1970 j) Spreti V., Enciclopedia storico nobiliare italiano, Milan 1928-1935

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