A Hospitaller Masters

The leading international authorities on the history of the Order of St John who will be lecturing in the new MA course in Hospitaller Studies that will start in October at the University all have something in common. They all agree that a course like this should have been organised many decades ago.

It wasn't, due to a lack of funds. That the course is being offered for the first time is the result of the indefatigable Department of History's close collaboration with the Malta Institute of Cultural Studies (MIOCS). Without this joint effort the course would not have been possible.

The course's raison d'être is to get to know the Order of St John better and professionally. The programme offers an opportunity of studying the Hospitaller institution in detail - from its humble beginnings in Jerusalem, a decade or two before the preaching of the First Crusade, to its eviction from Malta in 1798.

The meaningful roles the Order assumed over 700 years of uninterrupted history will be approached within the wider framework of the historical development of Europe and the Mediterranean. As a charitable and military institution, the Hospitallers fulfilled a 'great civilising and defensive function' in the making of Europe.

As massive landowners, they also played a decisive social and economic role. Their residence on the Order's commanderies, I pointed out in a recent paper, together with their statutory maintenance and intelligent administration of these estates, all constituted an unwittingly formative influence, a powerful force of continuity, and a constructive force in European civilisation.

Several distinguished academics have generously accepted my invitation to lecture on different aspects of Hospitaller history as part of the new taught MA course and to help make it an unqualified success.

They are too widely known today to need introduction here in Malta, or anywhere else overseas.

They include Dr Jonathan Phillips (Royal Holloway, London University), Prof. Jonathan Riley-Smith (Cambridge), Dr Anthony Luttrell (Bath), and Dr Ann Williams (Exeter). They, along with others, have never severed their intimate links with Malta, with their hosts of Maltese friends, and with the ever-exciting Hospitaller archives.

Many long years ago, most of these renowned scholars were still young postgraduate students researching their doctoral dissertation at the National Library of Malta - one under the supervision of the highly celebrated Prof. R.C. Smail; others under the learned guidance of Prof. Lionel Butler.

The latter was an imposing personality, sober in his old age when I got to know him, with only his neat, white hair seen emerging from behind massive volumes of archival manuscripts on a lone table at the impressive Reading Room of the Library in Valletta. Smail and Butler are now gone. Only their legacy remains, and their former students.

The course in Hospitaller Studies is planned to span three semesters. The taught part, consisting of six study-units of 10 ECTS credits each, occupies the first two. The study-units themes are the Mediterranean world from the First Crusade to 1789; the Military Orders and the Holy Land - to c. 1300; the Order of the Hospital - the Rhodian phase c. 1310-1522; the Order of the Hospital - the Maltese phase c. 1523-1798; the medical, naval, and military history of the Order of St John; and the Hospitaller Commandery.

Each study unit will be assessed either by a written assignment or by an examination (written and/or oral), or by a combination of both.

The third semester is devoted to closely supervised research and the writing of a dissertation of about 25,000 words, with a value of 30 ECTS credits, on a theme related to any aspect of Hospitaller history. The bulk of the supporting documentary evidence for this research is preferably to be found in any of the libraries or archives in Malta.

The choice of topic would need to be approved by the board of studies. Every candidate will be assigned a tutor to supervise his or her research and the writing of the dissertation. An oral exam-ination will assess the value of the dissertation.

In Malta, sessions will normally be held three times a week at the University campus, generally from 3 to 5 p.m. and from 5 to 7 p.m. Candidates from Gozo will be able to attend most of these sessions through video-conferencing at the University's Gozo centre at Xewkija. They will also have other sessions organised for them during certain weekends (Friday evenings and/or Saturday mornings).

For details on fees, contact the University Finance (Billing) Office on 2340 3059.

The closing date for applications is July 24. Applications may be submitted online by accessing www.um.edu.mt/registrar/students/applyonline.

Prof. Mallia-Milanes is Professor of Early Modern History at the University of Malta and the course co-ordinator.