:• .• 58 I NOVEMBER 24, 2019 THE SUNDAY TIMES OF MAL!A THE SUNDAY TIMES OF MALTA NOVEMBER 24, 2019 r 59 LIFE&WELLBEING HISTORY £.__ It happened this month The foundation of_ the University of Malta in 1769 JOSEPH F. GRIMA On November 22, 1769, Grand Mas­ ter Emanuel Pinto de Fonseca issued a decree by which the col­ lege founded by the Jesuits in 1593 was declared to be a university. Thus, Pinto enacted that "from this moment we erect in this col­ Grand Master Antonio Manoel de Vilhena: he lege a public university of general approved the upgrading of the Jesuit College to studies. We grant to the same uni­ a Studium in 1727. versity, to its directors, lecturers, masters and scholars all the privi­ leges, prerogatives, pre-eminence, from the bishopric's and the Cathe­ college obtained from the general exact list of the property in ques­ former retreat house at Floriana In 1766-67 and 1768-69, Costaguti graces and honours as are granted dral's income, and five per cent of the Jesuit Order the faculty to tion and to prepare a plan on how (presently housing the Archiepiscopal had preached the Advent and to all public universities and it is media decima tax on all the ecclesi­ confer degrees on its successful best to utilise this property for the Curia), the deficit would be covered by Lenten sermons at St John's Con­ our will that they should be astical benefices of the Maltese students. Grand Master Antonio glory of God and to the best advan­ the Grand Master and the Order of St ventual Church and was appointed enjoyed and used as if they were islands. Notwithstanding disagree­ Manoel de Vilhena gave his assent tage of the local population, always John. The College and the University rector on the strength of his past specially expressed herein". ment with the Cathedral Chapter, on June 7, 1727, and the Jesuits' keeping in mind that the original would be s.olely dependent on the experience as Regent of Studies at The Jesuits first came to Malta who expected the College to be studium came into being. However, purpose of the Jesuit presence was Grand Master the colleges that the Servites had at in 1592 and, on November 12 of the instituted at Mdina, the Jesuits both the college and studium came to foster education and teaching in The Pope acceded to Pinto's Faenza and Florence. T.be first same year, the deed for the erec­ started classes in an old house at to an abrupt end in 1768. the island. requests and despatched two papal vice-rector was another monk, Rev. tion of their college was signed in Valletta in 1593 and then trans­ The very ambitious Grand Master briefs on October 20, 1769. The first Ferdinando Mingarelli. the Magisterial Palace. The school ferred them to their new school on de Fonseca brought financial prob­ one, a public brief entitled Sedula The first major work for Costaguti was to teach Grammar and the its completion in 1595. lems on the Order of St John and "In May 1767, Pinto Romam P9ntificis, authorised Pinto and Mingarelli was to formulate the Humanities (scholas aperire The SlJ.bjects taught were the prospect of acquiring the to erect a "public university of new University's Costitutiones that humanitatis et grammaticae) and, those of a grammar school but Jesuits' property was probably the had already general studies". The second were promulgated on May 26, 1771, to meet its expenses, it was to be the college was also a substitute for spur that induced him to expel this brief, secret and reserved· for the and which p.aved the way for the endowed with four sinecures, four a seminary, which Malta still religious Order from the Maltese declared that he Grand Master - entitled Solicitii nos . opening of the first academic year on ecclesiastical benefices, sites for lacked until the 18th century. islands. His motives were purely quidem - granted Pinto the faculty November 3, almost two years to the the building of a church and col­ Therefore, its purpose was prima­ economic and his aim was to use would have to . to dispose of the Jesuits' property day of the University's foundation. By Pope Clement XIII: he was considered hostile to the Order of St John. lege in Valletta, 200 scudi annually rily ecclesiastical. In 1727, the the Jesuit revenues to his own and for the foundation and erection of June 17'71, most professors - mainly th~ Knights' advantage. follow suit if the the University. expatriates - had been installed in In the second half of the 18th cen- Delighted with the papal briefs, their respective chairs. tury, an anti-Jesuit wave of hatred Jesuits were to be Pinto proceeded with the already­ Academic studies were initiated resulted with this Order being mentioned decree of November 22, through a compulsory course of expelled from various European expelled from Sicily 1769, a date that is justly considered Philosophy, Physics and Mathemat­ coµntries, including the Kingdom of and commemorated to be the birth­ ics, which led to the degree of Mas­ Naples and Sicily in December 1767. because the Sicilian day of the local alma mater. ter of Arts. Only then could a stu­ However, before the Jesuits were Jesuit province On December is, 1676, Grand Mas­ dent proceed to read Theology, expelled from Sicily, Pinto was ter Nicholas Cotoner had founded Law or Medicine. These courses already contemplating how he could included Malta" and endowed the Lectureship of lasted five years and successful can­ appropriate their Maltese posses­ Anatomy and Surgery within the didates were awarded the Baccalau­ sions for himself. In fact, in May Order's Holy Infirmary at Valletta. reate after two years and the Licen­ 1767, he had already declared that Pope Clement XIII, who died in Since the 1769 papal brief made no tiate after four years. At the end he would have to follow suit if the ~-, 1769, was considered rather hostile to reference to aFaculty of Medicine, a of the fifth year, after writing and Jesuits were to be expelled from the Order of St John, but his succes- clarification was sought and no presenting a thesis and publicly Sicily because the Sicilian Jesuit sor, Clement XIV, continued to follow objection was forthcoming. Conse­ debating two arguments assigned province included Malta. his predecessor's policy. At last, on quently, the Faculty of Medicine was only 24 hours before, the successful Conveniently forge~png that in ~ August 29, 1769, the Holy See received set up on May 22, 1771, and on Sep­ candidate would be conferred 1753-54 he had quarre ~e d bitterly Ll the long-awaited Confidentiale - tember 1, 1771, incorporated within it his Doctorate. with Sicily over his Order's claim to 'i together with an explanatory Foglio Cotoner's lectureship. The three faculties included the full sovereignty, Pinto now played Responsivo for the Order's ambassa­ By means of the papal brief following subjects: Theology - Holy the honest broker and, on the pre- ,, dor at Rome - which amounted to a Maxima Utilitas, Pope Clement XIV Scripture, Dogma, Moral Theology, text that he could not risk another 1 supplication to erect a University of acceded to Pinto's· request for the Church History and Canon Law; quarrel with "the Kingdoms", he Studies. Together with Grammar and Chancellor (or Protector) of the Uni­ Law - Civil Law, Canon Law and signed the expulsion order on April Humanities, formerly already taught versi ty to be a Knight Grand Cross Philosophy of Law; Medicine - Sur­ 22, 1768. All the members of the attheJesuitCollege,itwasbeingpro- instead of a priest. Quite naturally, gery, Anatomy, Medicine, -Botany Jesuit Order were forbidden from J posed to include other subjects such this enhanced the Grand Master's and Chemistry. ev.er returning to Malta and they as: Good Morals and Practical Arith­ authority. The first Chancellor 1 were extradited to Civitavecchia in metic; Humane Letters; Scholastic was Fra Francesco Guedes, Bailiff Dr JosephE Grima is a retired casual lec­ the Papal States (Italy). ,. Theolog£Dogma and Morals; Math- dell~quila and Vice-Chancellor of the turer of History and Assistant Director 1 Rome reacted strongly and, 1. ematics; Public and Civil Law, Church Order of St John. ofEducation whose publications include 1 although Pinto was allowed to' ' History and Canon Law. The rectorship was offered to Rev. histories of Malta under the Order and pr.ovisionally hold on to the Since the revenue from the Jesuits' Roberto Ranieri Costaguti, an Ital­ the French and The Fleet of the Knights Pope Clement XIV: he approved Grand Master Pinto's plan to found the Jesuits' property, the Grand Mas- propertywasnotsufficienttorunthe ian member of the Order of 'Ser­ of Malta: Its Organisation during the J ter was ordered to forward an':! College,theUniversityandtheJesuits' vants of Mary' (known as Servites). University of Malta in 1769. .,. Eighteenth c:entury. .