Brian N. Tarpey, Sliema
The rightful owners of de Valette’s sword
On August 24, it was reported that a Facebook group considers that de Valette’s sword (and poniard), which are on display in the Louvre Museum in Paris, rightfully belongs to the Maltese people.
It would be interesting to know why this group considers these relics should belong to the Maltese people when it is a known fact that Napoleon captured the sword and poniard in 1798 from the Order of St John. Surely the Order must be the rightful owners of the relics.
The sword and poniard were placed in the Louvre in about 1840.
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Jesmond Bugeja
Sep 13th 2011, 20:41
Please visit the Facebook Page which many are talking about. We keep links on all posted articles in the Times of Malta on our page. Please click here: http://www.facebook.com/groups/107838372578431/
Francis Sammut
Aug 29th 2011, 18:36
Mr. R. Casha, I'm afraid you missed the whole point. What Mr.B. N. Tarpey was saying (asking) is why a Facebook group can consider if de Valette (and it's de Valette as correctly written By Mr. Tarpey) artifacts belong to the Maltese and not (according to Mr. Tarpey) to the Order of St. John? If I understand correctly, the words captured (stole) is not the issue in Mr. Tarpey's letter.
Francis Sammut
John Meli
Aug 29th 2011, 17:14
This sword was unfortunately taken from us the Maltese by Napoleon’s soldiers when they invaded Malta and is now on display in the Louvre Museum in Paris. The sword was as a show piece as the fighting sword is still in Malta. However, this sword does rightfully belongs to the Maltese people and should be in a Maltese museum and not in Paris and so all the artifacts or treasures that had been stolen from Malta at that time" This must include also the cannons and other items that the British has taken from Malta must also be returned back to Malta.
Good to note that we expect to reached over `10,000 members very soon or within fifteen days time so anyone can join our Cause which is called, "Support the Return to Malta of La Valette's Sword & Dagger," was originally created to pressure the France Government as to return the Sword and Dagger of De La Valette and all other treasures that Napoleon stole from Malta back to the Maltese Islands as this was stolen from Malta. We welcome more members to join so that we would consolidate this cause further as soon as possible.
You can find it at: http://www.causes.com/causes/449771-support-the-return-to-malta-of-la-valette-s-sword-dagger/members?page=3
Good to note also that the Majority are all Maltese from Malta and Gozo.
John Meli
Aug 29th 2011, 15:36
Just for the record and information to the general public one has to note that our Cause, which is called the "Support the return to Malta of La Valette's Sword & Dagger," was the original and only first cause that was created so as to pressure France Government and local authorties so as to return back to Malta this Sword and Dagger of De La Valette through our facebook cause page, in which over five thousands (5,337) that joined up and are still joining up with us so as to support this cause.
Good to note that we expect to reached over `10,000 members soon or within fifteen days time so anyone can join our Cause called, Support the Return to Malta of La Valette's Sword & Dagger, was originally created to pressure France to return the Sword and Dagger of De La Valette to the Maltese Islands as this was stolen from Malta. We welcome more members to join so that we would consolidate this cause further.
You can find it at:
http://www.causes.com/causes/449771 Majority are Maltese from Malta and Gozo.
William Flynn
Aug 29th 2011, 14:19
The knights treated Malta as their home and were heavily invested in it. Whether they treated the Maltese badly or even ignored them as though they didn't exist except as an underclass of beasts of burden, is beside the point. The knights were here on this rock; this was their home for 270 years.
La Valette was first a Frenchman, then a knight of an order with its, and therefore his, home base in Malta.
The sword wast neither given to nor received by La Valette as a Frenchman, but as the Grand Master of the Order and its army and every able-bodied man woman and child that were collectively credited with "saving" Europe and Christianity.
But how could this have ever happened without the Island? It's not like the other wars where Malta did its part in a whole world war effort. This was one incident, one theatre entirely centred and played out from beginning to end in Malta.
Malta, the rock, was the only protagonist in that one event that prevented the consolidation of the invasion of a weak and unprepared and fragmented Europe by a superior military power with a single focus and power-head. This is regardless of who owned that rock at that particular time.
It would be interesting to see if La Valette willed his sword and poniard and, if so, to whom. But it wouldn’t impinge upon the claim by Malta.
The gift belonged to Malta. Napoleon stole it from Malta. That rock is now a nation. I believe a strong case can be made for Malta to repossess it as the rightful owner.
It’s time that thieving nations start to atone for their piracy and make restitution. The artefacts that were stolen by the British should be returned as well.
Mr Tony Gatt
Aug 29th 2011, 20:19
It's nice to know the French have now joined the thieving Brits in your rogue's gallery.
Joseph Ellul
Aug 30th 2011, 09:09
Nice to see you are back. Whatever you and I say is not worth a pinch of Mediterranean salt. The fact remains that France and England will never give back what they nationalised in the name of the empire.
Gerry Cowie
Aug 31st 2011, 13:02
What proof do you have, Mr Flynn, that the British stole artefacts? I am pleased to see that you acknowledge the saving of Christianity. Christianity came to Malta all those years ago when St Paul landed here. It's written down and it is fact! How wonderful that all these centuries later Malta is the Catholic country it is today. And the Knights - also Catholic, despite their faults and failings as human beings, saved Malta from being overrun during the Great Seige! Seems like Malta has a lot to thank Christianity for and continues to celebrate that fact in every walk of life.
Long Live Catholic Malta!
Ramon Casha
Aug 29th 2011, 10:53
So what you're saying is that stealing is ownership.
Francis Sammut
Aug 29th 2011, 11:29
Mr. R. Casha, I suggest you read the letter again!
Francis Sammut
Ramon Casha
Aug 29th 2011, 15:09
"Captured" = "Stole"
Mr Karl Consiglio
Aug 29th 2011, 09:19
And anyway...don't we have enough La Vallette memorabilia already?
Joseph Ellul
Aug 29th 2011, 08:41
La Vallette recieved all his income from French estates. These were all nationalised by Nopalean and in due course so were all belongings of the late grand master. It is not unlike what is happening nowadays. So, Malta has Buckley's chance of ever getting its paws on those items.
Mr Karl Consiglio
Aug 29th 2011, 08:35
The guy was French, not Maltese, simple as that.
Mrs Marlene Hills
Aug 29th 2011, 12:23
I don't believe there existed such a concept as "Malta" as a nation or "Maltese" as a race in 1798. There existed a ruling class of European origin then under the Knights and a small farming class of indigens dating back to Arab domination of 200 years. These pockets of agricultural inhabitants spoke a dialect of Arabic.The population of Malta grew with Sicilian immigrants after Garibaldi e i suoi mille aided by the British marched from the South to the North of Italy ousting the Monarchy.Not everybody liked this and those that didn't and could escaped hence all the Italian sounding surnames on the island. ( Pirandello was one of them briefly.) So the Maltese as a race can be defined as a mixture of races and to add to it also English,Irish,Scotish, Turkish,North African,......Malta and Maltese as a race and a language began to have a status only under the British between the two World Wars when the language, spoken only to indigens, then, was promoted as a national language for political reasons,and we Had Dun Karm's poems and others early on etc. This was studied in State Schools although I did not ,having gone to a Private School then where Maltese was forbidden to be spoken on the premises...and it is what my parents wanted because with just Maltese,they said, " you cannot go further than the Grand Harbour". However, I spoke Maltese at home and learned to read and write it and got an O'level in it prvately, as I could not get employment in State Schools without it.
As for the La Valette Sword I don't know where it should stay . La Valette was on a tour of duty in Malta and built Valletta but he was French.
Charlie Borg
Aug 29th 2011, 14:34
You seem to be in error, madam. There certainly was a concept called 'Malta'. As regards 'race', I doubt whether you know what you that means.
John Meli
Aug 29th 2011, 16:36
But the fact remains that Napoleon did not captured the sword from Jean de La Vallette but was stolen as also all the treasures that belonged to the Maltese in our palaces and churches. They looted everywhere before they left away from Malta. Do not twist the history of Malta?
Mr M Cachia
Aug 29th 2011, 17:26
Ms Hills all I have to say is that you would do well to read your history books. Maybe the names of Gonsalvo Monroi and the uprising by the Maltese nation for self determination in the 1200s are new to you. Possibly the fact that this island was given self governance by the Kings of Aragon for nearly 300 years before the knights arrived escaped you also. You might also be interested in viewing the first instance of the Maltese flag displayed in the Cathedral museum which dates back to the 13th Century. A few more worthwhile reads might be ones describing the Priests' uprising for Maltese independance in the 18th Century as well as texts identifying the Grandmaster as the Soveriegn Prince of Malta and Gozo. And one final thing - the fact that you classify us as Arabs highlights the fact that you know nothing about us. All arabs were expelled by the Sicilian authorities in the 12th Century, with most of todays population originally hailing from Sicily, Spain and Greece.
silvio loporto
Aug 30th 2011, 01:21
reply to Mrs Hills.
Most ,if not all,of what you wrote shows cleary that Maltese was not the only subject you did not learn,at the private school,you attended.
Your knowledge of Maltese history, is to say the least,non-existent.
I do not intend refuting,or correcting your many inaccuraces,all I wish to tell you is that it is very stupid,to write about something you know nothing about.
From what you write I take it you are or were a school teacher,I sincerly hope you never taught history as I I would classify that as a CRIME.
John Meli
Aug 30th 2011, 15:08
Mrs Marlene Hills and all others, if you all are backing the return of the sword of La Vallette, then do note that this cause is expected to reached over `10,000 members soon or within fifteen days time (presently well over 5,369) so anyone can join our Cause called, Support the Return to Malta of La Valette's Sword & Dagger, was originally created to pressure France to return the Sword and Dagger of De La Valette to the Maltese Islands as this was stolen from Malta. We welcome more members to join so that we would consolidate this cause further.
You can find it at:
http://www.causes.com/causes/449771 Majority are Maltese from Malta and Gozo.