David Schembri
How a Grand Master and the city he founded exchanged names
Valletta, the city that bears the name of the valiant Grand Master Jean de Valette who fought off the Ottoman Turks during the Great Siege of 1565. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli
It feels slightly strange – almost wrong – to say that the Grand Master who built Valletta was really called Jean de Valette – rather than Jean de la Vallette.
However, there is no evidence that La Valette – as generations of islanders have known him – ever used the moniker. According to historian and judge Giovanni Bonello, there is no single document, coin or medal of the grand master’s time where the name “La Valette” appeared, with his name being written as Jean de Valette.
“During his lifetime, he was never referred to as la Valette – if you look at medals, inscriptions, etc., de Valette. If you see all the documents, inscriptions, medals, coins, he’s always Valette or de Valette.
“Before he died he founded a city called La Valette. In time, people started to mix things up and started calling the Grand Master by the name of the city he founded,” Dr Bonello said.
A Facebook campaign that has just kicked off attests to how deeply embedded the incorrect name is in people’s imagination. The title of the campaign is: “Bring back the sword of La Valette to Malta,” referring to the famous sword held at the Louvre in France.
Dr Bonello said: “I challenged anyone to find me a document of his time which had the signature of la Vallette – so far, no one has turned up.”
Victor Mallia Milanes, who runs the Masters course in Hospitaller Studies at the University, said the name “La Valette” was no longer accepted in academic circles – but conceded that the old name was here to stay. “He used to sign as De Valette – with one l and at times even with one t. The few letters we have that he signed were signed that way,” Prof. Mallia Milanes said.
“Popular expression is what will stay – even if it is not academically correct. If everyone knows him as La Valette, this will not change. What’s wrong with following popular expression – unless you’re writing academically?” the historian said.
“This is like Furjana and Floriana – go try to change that,” he said referring to the Maltese popularisation of the town’s name.
Prof. Mallia Milanes does not really see the point of changing the popular version of the Grand Master’s name: “What’s the point? There’s nothing to gain.
“To draw attention in academic circles is fine, but he’s going to remain Grand Master La Valette to people”.
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Peter Sutton
Aug 26th 2011, 20:43
What's in a name? Should it be de la Valette or de Valette? Why even bother to debate how we should, today, spell the great Grandmaster's surname if it has been proved that the signed his name "de Valette"? What's right for him should be right for us.
Surely it is better to be right than wrong, precise than sloppy, careful than careless? But I get the impression that not many people in our islands would agree, judging by the mistakes that are to be found all over the place, especially in print. Even in leaflets from the University. And certainly in the comments on newspaper articles etc. It seems most people couldn't care less - even those who should know better. And, sadly, not enough people know much about the rich history of their birthplace.
For example I live in a Gozo street clearly marked Triq Parisot. Parisot is the second name of de Valette - Jean Parisot de Valette - which is the most likely reason for the street's name. Yet about 65% of mail is addressed to me at Triq Parisott (2 ts). Sometimes it is even the mangled Triq Il Parsott (unnecessary Il and no i ). Offenders include those who should know better, like the Xhaghra Council and even the Ministry for Gozo. Yet, thanks to our excellent postal service, the mail gets here.
There is a clear (and embarrassing) need for ad agencies, publishers and printers to employ
competent proofreaders. And, please, can't everybody have some self respect and take care to spell words properly - especially names?
Victor Pulis
Aug 25th 2011, 21:31
Other examples that should be corrected are Isla instead of L-Isla.The name giving commitee for local councils or whatever it's called was hard headed enough to insist that the city be called Isla without the article! The proper name is Senglea and that's how it should be referred to at least officially. Another stupid mistake was made when naming one of the bus stops at Paola Xlajber! when the proper name is Schreiber after the football ground in that area. Santa Vendra is another howler. So, should we accept these blunders because they have become familiar with the public?
Mr Angelo Vassallo
Aug 25th 2011, 15:00
“This is like Furjana and Floriana – go try to change that,” Prof. Mallia Milanes said referring to the Maltese popularisation of the town’s name".
I say this is also wrong, why not to try to change that. We seem to keep on doing the same mistakes over and over again. Floriana should be called FLORIANA. Sliema should be caled TAS-SLIEMA, and most towns and villages with their old names ex. HAL- QORMI and not just Qormi, Haz-Zebbug and not just Zebbug.(in this case Zebbug is the village in Gozo.) Even pronounciation of villages on radio and TV ares becoming horrible. One example that comes to mind is when FGURA is pronounced Fegura during a commercial in English.
With ARRIVA it is becoming much worse. A bus stop at the T'ALLA UOMO HILL (popularised to T'ALLA U OMMU) is being called only OMMU. This is simply rediculous.
Victor Pulis
Aug 25th 2011, 13:33
We shouild respect the old man himself at least. The grandmaster used to sign his name as Fra Jehan de Valette or Valetta. i don't agree that we should not attempt to reverse the mistake because the populace has always referred to the Grandmaster as la Valette.
Pule' Carmel
Aug 25th 2011, 17:55
Mr Pulis, I totally agree with you.
As a matter of fact I also agree with Francis Buhagiar about stupid and close minded Professors, but he depicted a totally different issue form what David Schembri depicted in his article, that should retain exactness in Titles.In Fact it is said the the Best Univeristies have a good standing because, incoming students bring in so much with then and old Professors take out so little when they retire. Also it is said that when American Professors are given a Tenure, all that is left for them is to EAT THEIR OWN BRAINS.
Yes I agree mr Buhagiar so much is said about old Professors, Most of it is correct , but most not everything!
Pule' Carmel
Aug 25th 2011, 11:53
In Malta a professor is normally referred to as Profs, this in my days at British Universities was regarded as very rude indeed as the correct manner to address a Professor in shorthand notation is "Prof" or in full "Professor".
Profs as far as I am concerned is a nickname or " Laqam", but most professors in Malta have to enure the nickname " Profs" . Il Birgu w Bormla kien hemm xi tnejn jghidulhom "Profs" ghax kienu jindahlu f'kollox.
Many time I had my leg pulled by somestudent, "Profs Pule, presently, please prove the power of this proposed postulate " or before being called a "Profs" came the "Dot" bit from other students refering to a full stop on the blackboard, " Dot, is that a dirty dot or a disseminated dash deluding me".
In Malta, while listening to many highpositioned personnel, I often laugh at the mistakes they come out with , it is never detected by those who did not go to a real University where traditions where kept so accurately. The other day I refered to dining part of the University as " Refectory" when I was corrected by the few around me, " see you at the canteen or the restaurant or tavern!" some even suggested "cenacolo"
I am sorry to say that our University has been humiliated by the fact that " the Refectory" was changed to a canteen" and as people calling me Profs, they have not the slightest idea of the difference between a canteen and a refectory. In Malta the designers who furnished the University dining place for students and staff should be shot as they destroyed completely the atmosphere of a University and changed it to something that will enhance the stupid behaviour of both students and staff to "eat" when in fact dining at University should be much more than that. I shall refrain from proceeding because I am sure someone will say, " should it make any difference as eating is eating and it is only a place where you fill your guts with some food!" Well I am a lonely man in Malta for these little precious things of life has been commoned to common by too many common people trying to step in shoes before they really educate themselves but aim at paper certificates. I cry when I walk the corrridors of our University for the teaching may be adequate but the education is not at many quarters including that contractor who decorated the staff room with stupit disturbing colours to be found at a Paceville Restaurant but never at a University disturbing students and staff. So La Vallette and de Vallette or Valette or Valletta or Valetta and Profs and Refectory and tavern and restaurant and canteen and cenacolo . Might as well the Dining places at Monasteries , Convents and University we should call them Bistros!!!
All this to me is " Daqqa ta stallet go qalbi !!!!!!!!!!!!" because no matter what I do and what I say, few would understand that the essence of such little detail.
francis Buhagiar
Aug 25th 2011, 12:44
Sir,
You have to realie that the world around us is changing. Our students can acquire more knowledge from their surroundings than close minded frofessors who dictate the lessons to their tudents.
Pule' Carmel
Aug 25th 2011, 13:14
A refectory (also frater, frater house, fratery) is a dining room, especially in monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. One of the places the term is most often used today is in graduate seminaries. It is derived from the Latin reficere: to remake or restore, via Late Latin refectorium, which means a place one goes to be restored, in his mental and physical state by meeting and discussions. Sometimes dining was done is silence however.
Communal meals at Univeristies and Religious places provided one of the times in which all the monks/academics of an establishment were together. Diet and eating habits differed somewhat by order, and more widely by time period. ( normally wearing inconcpicuous peaceful colours and not vivid disturbing colours as one finds in our University canteen)
The Benedictine rule may be described as illustrative.The Rule of St Benedict orders two meals. Dinner was provided for year-round; supper was also served from late spring to early fall, except for Wednesdays and Fridays. The diet originally consisted of simple fare: two dishes, with fruit as a third course if available. The food was simple, with the meat(not fish) forbidden to all but the sick. Moderation in all aspects of diet was the spirit of Benedict's law. Meals were eaten in silence, facilitated sometimes by hand signals. A single monk might read from the Scriptures or writings of the saints aloud during the meals.
By the middle of the twelfth century, this early austerity had been softened at Universities. The softening occurred primarily because of the expansion of the Calendar of saints, which allowed for more elaborate meals in conjunction with longer services, candle light, and the wearing of copes. Diet was also expanded by various equivocations or discriminations: most significantly, food consumed in the refectory was differentiated from extra food consumed elsewhere (often in a small room built for this purpose.) The Rule was considered to be followed if a certain percentage of monks/academics, generally more than half, ate the regular meal holding discussions in the refectory.
Later Oxford/Cambridge/ Durham had their own style but retained a Brotherhood in many forms and styles.
I would wish my students would occassionally be trained in such past styles of dining and wining and conversation. All this style at univeristiy have been reduced to standing at the counter in a self service queue asking for , "One ham sandwich and a coke, please!" all in plastic disposable containers.
A far cry from the Wedgewood and Dalton cups I used to be offered while a member of staff at British Univerity ! but that was approx fifty years ago. All things change, but what a pity because, all this I spoke about made Europe what it was, now the change resulted in a lot of Gaddafis all over the place, Human refines starts at the dining room table and places such as Libya grew up too fast missing out the Education bit at a dining room, completely, blinded with power and richness or the goldy, oily type and not of the richness in knowing how to talk across a table to someone who might differ in opinion and yet you must learn to live together.No desert, ever made an educated stateman. Europe grew because European learned to dine to gether and talk together in convents, monasteries and parliaments.
I would suggest that the place which amagamates a nation starts at the REFECTORY at a University, but alas all this has been changed to isolated tables found in restaurants and canteens, which isolate the diners on smaller tables and create egoism and individuals who never work together and created their own domates in isloated dining at separate corners in canteens. What a pity people do not see all this as classes in schools do not permit exchange of opinions, refrectories do that in addition to learn other table manners which man must learn to differentiate him from animals.
I have a little smile when ever I look at Gaddafi and such like, I was once invited one to meet Gaddafi,in Libya, though from a distance I saw him eating, that alone was a clue clear enough, that he was no stateman, his table manners could not be hidden by the gold brading on his highly decorated uniform or gold braded high headgear. In Malta we have many people who try to get along in life by wrapping, dresses, suits, uniforms, cars, titles and certificates around them. I would suggest that the true calibre of a man is developed by his mannerisms he learns at the benches of a refectory, never on the islolated tables found in a canteen, a restaurants, cenacolo, taverns, and Bistros or even in class .
Man is the only animal who use table manners and with that, come other assets that no money or schooling can bestow on us. So if we change the University Staff room to a true refrectory, all the education in Malta would benefit and we would not create lesser people brought up dining in isolated table at canteens..
Mr J Tonna
Aug 25th 2011, 10:14
Apart from what is said here, if we look at the tombstone of de Valette, what will we find? I understand this is as old as the knights who laid it. Fow sure they knew his real name.
A. Tabone
Aug 25th 2011, 09:12
The village nitpickers are out in force once more.
The whole extended La Valette-Parisot family used and still uses the 'de la' form. The Grandmaster's surname derives from one of the many branches of the Rouerguenne family 'de La Valette.' If the whole family retained the de la Valette (as in the French town of Valette), who are we to say this was not the case at the time too? It was a confusing period for surnames and noble titles. Languages lacked grammar, and different situations implied different language forms. The 'de Valette' probably stems from the pure Latin 'Ioannes de Valeta' (as in the famous painting of the said Grandmaster). The more colloquial and familiar French form of this Latin name becomes 'de La Valette', given this language requires the specific article for certain place-names.
Local academics and historians ought to shed some light on other aspects of the Knights' stay - such as their authoritarian treatment of us Maltese and the decay of their rule - more than fanciful crusades for long lost swords or surnames of knights.
Mr C Borg
Aug 25th 2011, 13:48
A valid point on the face of it Mr Tabone (I say on the face of it because I am not qualified in the area). But why torpedo the discussion at the outset by calling those with whom you disagree "village nitpickers"? Does even a discussion about past history have to fall victim to the village mentality?