Archivist sheds fresh doubts on name of the Grand Master
Debate continues over city founder’s spelling
What’s in a name..? The statue of Grand Master de (la) Valette stands proudly in the city he founded. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli
Four-hundred-and-fifty years after his death, Malta’s most famous wartime Grand Master is still locked in battle – over two letters in his name.
Popularly known as Jean de La Valette, scholars have recently argued that the French nobleman who led the 1565 Great Siege against the Ottomans had no ‘La’ prefixed to his name and was simply Jean de Valette.
But the head of the Vatican’s secret archives has now cast fresh doubts on that claim, telling a local researcher that letters sent from the Holy See were always addressed to “Jean de La Valette”.
The letter, sent by archive prefect Archbishop Sergio Pagano, states that “in pontifical correspondence addressed to him, the person is always referred to as Jean de La Valette”.
Mgr Pagano wrote the letter to enterprising amateur researcher Eman Bonnici, 24, who last month had written to the Vatican seeking clarification over the matter.
“I first tried to hunt down correspondence of his at the National Archives, but was told they only had one signed document. One signature isn’t enough to determine a name.
“So instead I wrote to the Vatican, explained the issue and asked for permission to go through their archives. Two days ago, I received this letter from Mgr Pagano,” Mr Bonnici said.
The casual historian said he was moved to contact The Times following an article by scholar and former European Court of Human Rights judge Giovanni Bonello, who had categorically ruled out the possibility of the Grand Master having been referred to as “Jean de La Valette” during his lifetime.
Dr Bonello had gone on to offer an apology to anyone who could “dig up a single use of La Valette or De la Valette during the Grand Master’s lifetime”.
Mr Bonnici said he had no axe to grind. “I’m not looking for an apology, nor am I interested in proving anyone wrong. But I just felt that people were being a little bit hasty in deciding ‘La Valette’ was wrong.
“After 450 years of calling him ‘La Valette’, it just felt like people took all of five minutes to decide that was wrong. I thought it merited further questioning.”
The avid researcher has now written back to Mgr Pagano, asking for a copy of one of the archived documents in his possession.
“I know it’s difficult because the documents are part of the Vatican’s secret archive, but it would help clear up this naming confusion once and for all,” he said.
For the time being, Mr Justice Bonello’s challenge still stands. “Let’s see these documents,” he told The Sunday Times yesterday. “I’ve yet to see an authentic document which dates back to the Grand Master’s lifetime which refers to him as La Valette.”
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Raymond Sammut
Jan 4th, 11:10
@Alfred Falzon
There is no point in reading this or that in regard to this issue.
The matter hinges on Mgr Pagano. The matter would be settled if he were prepared to display a copy of a letter sent by the pontiff to the French nobleman together with a copy of a letter sent by the nobleman to the pontiff.
Mgr Pagano has the opportunity to show to all Maltese that he upholds the truth.
Alfred Falzon
Jan 4th, 15:41
@ Raymond Sammut
To begin with I hold in high esteem Dr Giovanni Bonello & ALL Maltese researchers in quest of d truth.
Your statement is TRUE 2 a certain extent 4 we cannot dismiss lightly other evidence.
If Mgr Pagano holds d clue 2 our "historical puzzle" then by all means let him display his findings on-line 4 ALL to see & d matter will b definitely closed!
Thnks to ALL incl yr gdself.
aaf
Alfred Falzon
Jan 4th, 08:02
@ Raymond Sammut
(cont) In 1558, a yr from his election to GM, d BIRGU parish priest recorded d birth of a grandson to La Valette!
Was this d result of his observance of his vow of chastity taken by all the so-called noblemen-turned-knights of the Order?
Furthermore I advise u to read Carasi's "D Order of Malta EXPOSED" (1790) translated by established historian Thomas Freller!
aaf
Alfred Falzon
Jan 4th, 07:54
@ Raymond Sammut
As a doubting Thomas u state: "I doubt d French nobleman had a "dark side". Where is d evidence..?"
D official historian of d Order Giacomo Bosio describes La Valette's double imprisonment as "juvenile excesses".
He was involved in various brawls, sailed a corsairing vessel as a pirate, was captured & spent a year in slavery.
In 1558, a yr after his election to GM...(cont)
Alfred Falzon
Jan 3rd, 18:59
@ Raymond Sammut
Some additional evidence that may lead to a definite conclusion, this time from an old engraving of GM Frere Jean LA VALETTE by Laurent Cars (1699-1771) in "Treasures of Malta" No 55, Christmas 2012, p. 43!
Even the "de" is missing but the "LA" is there for ALL to see!
All comments r welcome including d evidence that Mgr Pagano may wish to provide.
Alfred A Falzon
Raymond Sammut
Jan 3rd, 19:48
@ Alfred Falzon
That may "lead to a definite conclusion"?
Laurent Cars was an engraver not an historian.
How can an eighteenth century artifact, engraved purely for its artistic value, compare with: "a medal minted on the occasion of the founding of the new city: F.IOANNES DE VALLETTE. Courtesy Chev. Joseph Sammut" (reference: Sunday Times, Sunday, December 23, 2012, by Giovanni Bonello)?
Alfred Falzon
Jan 3rd, 21:54
Now who do you think is wrong?
Everyone except you!
D French call him Jean de la Valette, & that's how he should remain. So far, your so-called evidence is based on Latin & Italian inscriptions, etc of d GM's corrupted surname!
Do us a favour & produce something tangible IN FRENCH!
All this fuss about a foreigner who looked down upon d Maltese & was involved in various brawls, etc...
aaf
Raymond Sammut
Jan 4th, 10:34
@ Alfred Falzon
It's not my evidence. The medal is courtesy Chev. Joseph Sammut. You clearly discredit the medal as: "so-called evidence".
Raymond Sammut
Jan 2nd, 22:51
@Eric Sammut
Look closer at what Mgr Pagano is claiming: "...letters sent from the Holy See were always addressed to “Jean de La Valette”.
But what about letters sent to the Holy See by the Maltese national hero?
In my view, the Maltese people should seek the truth about their past. Better divided in search of truth, then united in blissful ignorance.
Mgr Pagano surely has nothing to hide.
Alfred Falzon
Jan 3rd, 15:28
Enlightened Maltese are after the PLAIN TRUTH, nothing short of it!
Mr Raymond Sammut, your statement is far from a sweeping one and, I for one, subscribe to your way of thinking!
What I would refuse to share with you is your reference to the GM as a "Maltese national hero". He was French and had his dark side which is often swept under d carpet!
Alf A Falzon
Raymond Sammut
Jan 3rd, 17:20
@ Alfred Falzon
I doubt the French nobleman had a "dark side". Where is the evidence for this? You have been clamouring for evidence all along on this thread.
It was Mgr Pagano who decided to poke his nose into this controversy. The honourable Monsignor is the one who holds crucial historical evidence. Yet nowhere have you made a reference to Mgr Pagano asking him to produce the evidence.
Alfred Falzon
Jan 2nd, 16:33
On d other hand, Dr Giovanni Bonello may have gleaned his information from other sources, perhaps reliable as well, since academic exercises unfolding in this debate, do not necessarily subscribe to majority thinking!
Dr Giovanni Bonello needs only to provide us with tangible PROOF on-line that whenever d GM had an exchange of correspondence in French he ALWAYS signed "de Valette"! Thnk U.
aaf
Alfred Falzon
Jan 2nd, 16:18
& host of others some dating to 16th & 17th centuries,..
True, German historian Thomas Freller & Maltese architect Stephen C Spiteri opt for de Valette...
So far, manuscripts in d GM's handwriting, written IN FRENCH, duly signed by him have still not been shown on-line & that's a handicap.
W'r not interested in foreign translators as French says "traduire c'est trahir" (to translate is to betray)
Alfred Falzon
Jan 2nd, 16:06
D French GM has had his surname often misspelt, creating some confusion amongst later scholars & established historians.
Local & foreign historians have, in their great majority, upheld La Valette: Maltese Prof Andrew P Vella, Prof Arnold Cassola, Joseph Abela, Cynthia de Giorio, Italian Francesco Balbi di Correggio (1505), British Ernle Bradford, Frederick W. Ryan & French Claire-Eliane Engel..
Eric Sammut
Jan 2nd, 13:56
Ah...........anything to divide us!
Alfred Falzon
Jan 1st, 22:21
@ Dr G. Bonello
I have perused your scholarly feature of Dec 23 in "Sunday Times".
To date no official documents drafted in French, the GM's own language, have been reproduced, only coins minted in Latin, decrees in Italian...
D solution, if any: tracing an exchange of correspondence in French bearing his signature.
Need to go back to d source, as we are still very much in no-man-s-land!
Alfred Falzon
Jan 1st, 22:02
@Dr G. Bonello
A French authority in d field of history: l'Abbe Migne (1854), in his "Chronologie Historique des Grands Maitres de l'Ordre de Saint-Jean de Jerusalem", (Tome Unique) p 791, wrote as follows:
"Jean de La Valette-Parisot, prieur de Saint-Gilles, fut eleve a la dignite de grand maitre le 21 aout 1557..."
D GM is ALWAYS referred to as Jean de LA VALETTE.
Your comments please.
aaf
Pierre Anton Sansone
Jan 1st, 00:37
My e-mail is [email protected] so please Dr.Vanni Bonello send me some of he proof you have. As I said, the Milanese Jesuit, in his book,"Historia dell' Antichita' di Milano"who also wrote"Duomo di Milano" refers to, "quando Malta fu assediata dal grandissimo esercito dei Turchi,tempo che era gran Maestro di Valeta, il nostro Sansone, con altri cavalieri mostro gran coraggio nel dare soccorso"
Alfred Falzon
Jan 1st, 09:32
He is an Italian historian just like other historians but he is not French!
We need a document IN FRENCH, d GM's birth register or his father's for that matter if it is missing.
To date all d French historians I've come across refer to him as Jean (Parisot) de La Valette.
Let's wind up our interesting debate on a high note!
Thanks to ALL Maltese researchers who take their work seriously!
aaf
Giovanni Bonello
Jan 1st, 12:44
@ A Falzon
PLEASE, Mr Falzon.
Registers of births generally started in Europe only after 1563, by order of the Council of Trent. When the GM and his father were born, there were no such things a parish or state registers in France.
But ALL contemporary documents (contracts etc) and family trees refer to both the GM, to his father and to his grandfather as De Valette. NEVER, NEVER as La Valette.
Raymond Sammut
Dec 31st 2012, 23:26
@ Giovanni Bonello
Why at the "service" of just one blogger?
Please simply scan and forward to the editor for all to see.
Mgr Pagano can do likewise if he is prepared to stand by what he said to the "enterprising amateur researcher".
Giovanni Bonello
Jan 1st, 08:43
Thanks
I have already scanned and sent to the editor of the Sunday Times some twenty imagesto go with my long article published in that paper on December 23 - still available on line under Features. The editor found space for six.
The whole range (signatures, coins, letters, inscriptions in marble and bronze, medals, portraits, references in early books etc) will be in a future book.
Raymond Sammut
Jan 1st, 09:37
@ Giovanni Bonello
Lots of articles on this topic have accumulated by now, and I am having trouble tracking the specific one you are referring to. Would you be kind and provide the online link -- if you have it handy.
Cheers
Raymond Sammut
Jan 1st, 12:06
One link is:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20121223/life-features/is-it-la-valette-or-de-valette.450733
under "Life", with two coin images showing "de Vallete".
The onus is on Mgr Pagano to substantiate his claim.
Pierre Anton Sansone
Dec 31st 2012, 22:47
I just wrote that in his book, "Historia dell' Antichita' di Milano", the Jesuit priest who wrote" Duomo di Milano" and died in 1610, F. Paolo Morigia, a Milanese described the grandmaster as "quando Malta fu assediata dal grandissimo esercito dei Turchi nel temoo ch'era gran Maestro di Valeta, il nostro Sansone,con altri cavalieri mostro gran coraggio neldargli soccorso. No ref. to a"la" here!
Alfred Falzon
Dec 31st 2012, 19:43
Could Dr Giovanni Bonello please present one document written in French in which the Grandmaster signed as De Valette and not as Jean Parisot de La Valette?
That would put a definite end to this debate which is now bordering on the ridicule!
Alfred A Falzon
Giovanni Bonello
Dec 31st 2012, 20:12
If you let me have a forwarding address, I will send you several.
Are you interested in ALL De Valette's coins and medals? His inscriptions? His decrees? His portraits? The books where he is mentioned during his lifetime?
At your service.
Alfred Falzon
Dec 31st 2012, 22:55
@ Dr G. BoneIlo
If d GM's coins, medals, decrees, etc, r in French (his language) & bear witness to your findings, then, as far as I am concerned, d debate is exhausted & we shall acknowledge your untiring research, as we do re your highly appreciated erudite "Histories of Malta" Vols 1 -11, incl. your thought-provoking "Nostalgias" (of Malta & Gozo).
Thank u & best wishes for d New Year.
aaf
Giovanni Bonello
Dec 31st 2012, 19:40
130 comments. Not one shred of evidence that the GM ever used La Valette in his lifetime.
ALL his signatures: De Valette.
ALL his coins: De Valette/a
ALL his inscriptions: De Valette/a
ALL his medals: De Valette/a
ALL his decrees (thousands): De Valette/a
ALL those who wrote about him in his lifetime called him De Valette/a.
Yet there are some who know better than him and want to change his name.
Alfred Falzon
Dec 31st 2012, 20:22
Why have you dismissed what French historians (yesterday and today), experts in their own right, have written about the Grandmaster always spelling his name as La Valette?
Did they also know better than him or is there somewhere a genuine misunderstanding which either side refuses to acknowledge?
"De Valetta" is certainly not his name in French!! And far from convincing!
Alfred A Falzon
Giovanni Bonello
Jan 1st, 09:06
@ A Falzon
2
More modern French writers adopted La Vallette. This is probably because the GM's nephew Francois (+1588) officially changed his branch's family name to La Valette (Recueil de Genealogies, Vol. 13, p 333)
All serious Maltese historians, like Charles Dalli,Thomas Freller, Albert Ganado, Joseph Sammut and Stephen Spiteri who have studied the issue now use De Valette
Happy New Year
Joe Sammut
Dec 31st 2012, 18:44
Jekk il-Gran Mastru La Vallete kien jirreferi ghalih innifsu ufficjalment bhala De Vallette ghandna nirrispettaw ix-xewqa tieghu u nsejhulu De Vallette.
Kemm Eman kif ukoll Dr Bonello nahseb it-tnejn qed jghidu dak li rricerkaw ; Eman qed jghid li qalulu li l-Papiet kienu jindirizzaw lil De Vallette bhala La Vallette, u Giovanni Bonello qed jurina l-muniti u d-dokumenti li kien johrog De Vallette.
Giovanni Bonello
Jan 1st, 08:54
@ A Falzon
1.
Wrong about "French historians always spelling his name as La Valette". The early French ones, the GM's contemporaries a later ones, ALWAYS spelt it as DE Valette: see Brantome, Goussancourt, Baudouin, Vendome etc..
Early non-French authors equally called the GM Di or De Valette/a, whether they wrote in Latin, Spanish, German, Italian or Dutch. NOT ONE has La Valette.
Continued.
Andrew Borg
Dec 31st 2012, 17:25
lot have been said about the name of the grandmaster
but somehow no one complained that the new monument makes no reference to name of the personality it is commemorating
all it says IT WAS DONATED BY LOMBARD BANK
although i very appreciate that Lombard bank has donated this, i do not agree that this script was written on front, it should have placed on the side
Pierre Anton Sansone
Dec 31st 2012, 13:11
Ofcourse there is much importance in a name,even if past records varied from church birth documents & registrations.In the story documented by d Milan Jesuit priest,F.Paolo Morigia,"Historia dell'Antichita' di Milano",regarding Great Siege of 1565,the knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem,Fra GiovanBattista Sansone goes & other knights,to the aid of "gran Maestro di Valeta." No 'la' to it.
Alfred Falzon
Dec 31st 2012, 13:04
@ Raymond Sammut
Today, 9:53
Please quote me well.
I mentioned specifically FRENCH historians, one of them being Professor Alain Blondy, of the University of Paris IV, (Sorbonne), an expert in his right on Franco-Maltese history!
Alfred A Falzon
*Joseph Brincat
Dec 31st 2012, 10:23
MY OPINION IS >>>
The Plaque ornamental plate or tablet ,
on three of the pedestal statue should be written in
MALTESE , ENGLISH , FRENCH and at the back his
replica of his coin back and front !!
Jean Parisot De La Valette
Known as by the maltese
La Valette
http://c257.r57.cf3.rackcdn.com/f32a23f95a0a83bc7b0486e7db0acb692108012084-1356269400-50d70758-620x348.jpg
Raymond Sammut
Dec 31st 2012, 09:53
@ Alfred Falzon
By your elaborate reasoning, Maltese historians can take to liberty and re-name Charles de Gaulle to Charles de La Gaulle.
Then we can all sit back, and wait to see how the French are going to react.
Alfred Falzon
Dec 31st 2012, 12:59
First of all he was never mentioned as such by d French & secondly France in Roman times was La Gaule written with one "l"!
If u enjoy challenging d way d archives in d Bibliotheque Nationale de France, d "Encyclopaedia Britannica", d French Order of Chivalry, d French Embassy, distant relatives of d Grandmaster & d rest of d French, for dat matter, write his name then it's your problem!
aaf
P. Barbara
Dec 31st 2012, 09:31
After the computerised system was adopted in the Public Registry, the original names in the extracts had to tally exactly with the Original. The Baptism Certificates issued from the Parish have NOTHING to do with the Orignal BIRTH certificates issued from Public Registry. Please desist from telling me I am wrong, as I know what I am saying - Original names can only be changed by a court order.
P. Barbara
Dec 31st 2012, 09:25
@Mr Vincent Lia - you are mixing things up. The ORIGINAL BIRTH certificates used to be drawn up at the Local Police Station in the past, where the parents signed for them. The EXTRACTS of birth certificates issued from the Public Registry during a period of time were translated from Italian or Maltese into English as approved by LAW.
Alfred Falzon
Dec 31st 2012, 09:15
Bernard de Nogaret de La VALETTE (16th c)
Francois de LA VALETTE (16th c)
Henri de Nogaret de LA VALETTE (17th c)
all cited in French Orders of Chivalry.
D Bibliotheque Nationale de France (est 1368) has records which refer 2 him as Jean Parisot de La Valette.
D "Encyclopaedia Britannica" historians always speak of him as Jean Parisot de La Valette!
Is d mystery still unravelled?
af
Alfred Falzon
Dec 31st 2012, 10:08
PL note that last line should read as follows:
"Is the mystery still NOT unravelled?"
aaf
Alfred Falzon
Dec 31st 2012, 09:03
Those who still believe that d Grandmaster's name should be "de Valette" quoting from docs in Italian or Latin, should go back to d source of the surname.
In French a no of localities (few) take d article, as is d case of La Valette-du-Var!
Leaving d article out is a MISTAKE, so his surname must have been for sure de LA VALETTE & not de VALETTE!
Pl refer to distant relatives: (cont)
aaf
*Joseph Brincat
Dec 30th 2012, 21:09
TO MAKE EVERY ONE PAPPY
The Plaque ornamental plate or tablet near statue should add
Jeon De Valette +
Known as by the maltest
La Valette
HAPPY NEAR TO ALL
Alfred Falzon
Dec 30th 2012, 22:20
No, not only the Maltese!
The French themselves!
Just consult relatively modern French Encyclopaedias & History books written by eminent historians, experts in their field of studies & one always comes across "Jean Parisot de La Valette"!
We are still very much on the horns of a dilemma, but d debate is proving healthy & should lead eventually to d true spelling of his surname!
Alf A Falzon
Alfred Falzon
Dec 30th 2012, 22:24
And why should it be in English?
As far as I know Maltese is the national language!
The "Akkademja tal-Malti" seems to be still very much a debating society!
Alfred A falzon
Raymond Sammut
Dec 30th 2012, 23:39
Known by those Maltese who once, and in vain, championed Italian as Malta's national language, and were thus fond of their La La La.
Alfred Falzon
Dec 31st 2012, 08:52
@ Raymond Sammut
What has your "la, la, la" to do with this debate?
Those who champion Maltese as our national tongue now seem dormant!
Wherever we look in Malta, incl. traffic signs, shopsigns, Govt dept circulars, adverts on TV, etc are in their great majority in English!
& our so-called "Akkademja tal-Malti" sits on the defence happy that our children have to sit for tough exams in Maltese!
aaf
L Grima
Dec 30th 2012, 21:00
Contrary to some,I find this debate concerning such an important historical figure a healthy one - after all,he was the founder of Malta's capital city- a designated world heritage site.Regarding the statue itself (quite artistic and beutiful),one comment on the curious fact that the monument carries no plaque at all! Tourists just go round and round the base of the statue for some identification
Victor Pulis
Dec 31st 2012, 15:48
But they can discover who sponsored it...twice!
Joe Tabone
Dec 30th 2012, 20:45
Dr G Bonello has stated "During his lifetime ALL his coins, decrees, medals, inscriptions, portraits, deliberations, certificates etc have De Valette/a. Not a single one has La Valette."
Can anyone prove otherwise?
If not..............!?!
Alfred Falzon
Dec 30th 2012, 19:03
In France one finds d chief town of La Valette-du-Var, (Var being a Department in the south) close to d naval port of Toulon.
Note that "Valette" is accompanied by d definite article, so it does make sense that d Grandmaster's surname was preceded by "La"!
All French history books & encyclopaedias refer to him as Jean Parisot de La Valette!
So why all this hullabaloo?!
Alf A Falzon
Giovanni Bonello
Dec 30th 2012, 20:08
It is wholly wrong that "All French history books refer to him as .. de La Valette". It is only MANY YEARS after the GM's death that SOME French writers started using the CORRUPTED version of his name.
ALL French historians during the GM's lifetime, and beyond, like the leading one Jean Baudouin call him Jean de Valette. Even the great Dictionnaire de Noblesse (Vol 13, 1783) calls him De Valette
Alfred Falzon
Dec 30th 2012, 22:06
U call La Valette "d corrupted version of his name".
Even if it were so, it's been now quite some time that he has always been referred to with that "la", including his remote relatives who visited Malta recently.
I still have my doubts but u can always solve this dilemma by quoting from his birth certificate according to which he was born in Quercy on Feb 4 1494 (or 95?).
Is it possible?
aaf
Alfred Falzon
Dec 30th 2012, 23:22
Pl refer likewise 2 various authors as featured in d Bibliotheque de France Archives (Paris), French write-ups on d Grandmaster ( by Alain Blondy,Prof at La Sorbonne), distant relatives (16th/17th cent) in Toulouse as well as International Trusts & Foundations, notably French.
ALL refer 2 him as JEAN PARISOT DE LA VALETTE, incl. d French Embassy in Malta!
Some docs date back 2 16th cent.
aaf
Alfred Falzon
Dec 30th 2012, 18:44
Is Valletta (yes, with a double "l") the Maltese capital or not?
Why should there be a raging controversy over a foreigner who was after all a notorious Grand Master?
D monument to him should bear d name d Maltese always used when refering to him, d inscription IN OUR LANGUAGE:
IL-GRANMASTRU LA VALETTE! (1494-1568)
Fundatur tal-Belt Valletta
AKKADEMJA TAL-MALTI please note!
Alfred A Falzon
M Muscat
Dec 30th 2012, 18:17
Prosit Emman... Jiena nemmen li wara 550 sena tajjeb jew ħażin għandna nsejħulu;
Jean de La Valette u xejn aktar, jgħid x'jgħid Dr Bonello.
vincent Lia
Dec 30th 2012, 18:15
As you can see from the heading my surname is Lia. When I was a boy, scholars believed that it is a sin to have two vowels next to each other so the name must be spelled Lija. I once got a hundred lines for writing my name without the 'J', from a teacher that did not bother to look up my records. Whatever age we live in there are people that want to meddle or 'correct', what they think is wrong.
J.C. Borg
Dec 30th 2012, 18:12
Some people have the habit to change names. My neighbour whom we all know as Annie, has her real name written at the Public Registry as Mary Anne. She is receiving certain Government notices as 'Marianna'. Now to change that to Annie she has to undergo certain loss of time, if not money too. Shouldn't they write it, at least, Mary Anne, a.k.a Annie??
P. Barbara
Dec 30th 2012, 21:33
Mr JC Borg, if as you say Mary Anne' is written at the Public Registry as Mary Anne', then that is the name her parents wanted to name her and there is the parents' signature on her original birth certicicate to prove it.
It is neither here nor there if she is known as Marianna, Mananni or Annie, she can be called whatever she likes, BUT her correct name is MARY ANNE
vincent Lia
Dec 30th 2012, 22:44
Mr P Barbara you are very much wrong. The officers that wrote out names in the public registry translated names as they like. You can clearly see names from early 1900 all translated into Italian and than later after the war all translated into English. Some church records do not correspond with those of public registry.
Mark A. Sammut
Dec 30th 2012, 17:47
With all due respect to Mgr Pagano, this does not sound right to me: "in pontifical correspondence addressed to him, the person is always referred to as JEAN de La Valette”.
Are we sure the Vatican addressed people in their vernacular names, not in Latin - in this case JOHANNES?
Perhaps Mr Bonnici's decision to ask for copies of the correspondence was judicious.
Alfred Farrugia
Dec 30th 2012, 17:43
The entry in the Encyclopaedia Britannica, Volume 22, 1963 edition, on Valletta, page 956, refers to grand master Jean Parisot de La Valette. The contributor was none other than Paul Joseph Naudi, Director, Department of Information, Valletta, Malta!
Wheeler B. Preston and William Harold Ingrams - the contributors on Malta, Volume 14, page 743, refer to him as Grand Master de la Valette.
Victor Pulis
Dec 30th 2012, 17:58
So what's the point? Everyone called him la Valette. That's what the debate is all about.
Giovanni Bonello
Dec 30th 2012, 18:30
@ V Pulis
NO ONE called him La Valette. He called himself De Valette/a and EVERYONE called him de Valette/a.
It is only after his death that his name started being corrupted to La Valette.
If some prefer the corrupted version, good luck to them. But that his official monument should bear a name he never wanted, because some who know no better prefer the corrupted version, is intolerable.
Victor Pulis
Dec 30th 2012, 19:00
@Giovanni Bonello
If you care to take a look at the several comments I made I always defended your stand. The grand master always signed as jehan de Valette.What I wanted to say in my last comment was that notwithstanding what others said in the past the truth must come out.
Giovanni Bonello
Dec 30th 2012, 19:35
@ V Pulis
Thanks. You are not one of those who deny undeniable historical evidence - simply becasuse a lot of others, who have never bothered to study the subject, do.
The Grand Master's signatures are not the sole evidence. During his lifetime ALL his coins, decrees, medals, inscriptions, portraits, deliberations, certificates etc have De Valette/a. Not a single one has La Valette.
Alfred Falzon
Jan 3rd, 19:11
@ Victor Pulis
Are you convinced that "everyone called him La Valette"?
A Maltese history writer who is your namesake (it might be you for that matter) has opted for "De Valette" on p. 30 of his well-planned activity book for schoolchildren entitled "BIRGU Citta' Vittoriosa".
Was this intentional or d result of this new trend of calling the GM "de Valette"?
Alf A Falzon
Mark J. Magri
Dec 30th 2012, 17:40
The Maltese people should abide by the former known name as Grandmaster Jean de La Valette as this is implied in our Island's history for centuries.
And moreover,our Capital City should be called La Valetta and not Valetta or Valletta as this embraces the Grandmaster's surname that should not be different in spelling.
GRANPINTO
Victor Pulis
Dec 30th 2012, 18:00
The la is added by the italians just like they add it to female names like for example la Carra for Raffaella Carra and many other names.
David Borg
Dec 30th 2012, 17:08
As I understand it, "de la" translates to "of the". So it is conceivable that he could be known with either or both.
Carmel Camilleri
Dec 30th 2012, 16:36
One thing emerges out of all this. The Maltese have no real problems to argue about like other European countries. So they invent silly arguments to pass the time, many times not knowing anything about the subject.
Joseph Micallef
Dec 30th 2012, 16:10
Some comments here are making me think that many believe that the Knights were Maltese, that they only lived in Malta, that the Eight Pointed Cross is actually Maltese, and that what the Knights accomplished has something to do with us Maltese as a race! Others on the otherhand still believe that the Catholic religion practised here is the result of St. Paul's visit!
Mark Caruana
Dec 30th 2012, 16:56
Mr Micallef, by being born on the island doesnt make us native Maltese either. The eight pointed cross has become a Maltese emblem yes and it does make us proud. What the Knights accomplished for this island no other so far did. Malta is attributed to the history of the Knights and yes that is well deserved. We are not losing any territory by saying the facts!
Joseph Micallef
Dec 30th 2012, 18:14
Mr. Caruana, if Malta is attributed to the history of the Knights so is Rhodes, Jerusalem, and probably even Rome where they have their present HQ. The Maltese Cross is also used in other countries to represent associations which Malta has nothing to do with - even though it is commonly known as the Maltese Cross - but so is the Maltese terrier - and we all know it is not Maltese at all!
Joseph Micallef
Dec 30th 2012, 18:17
The Knights were just the rulers of our country and not even adopted citizens. They were not Maltese in any sense of the meaning. Simply rulers. Occupiers. Nothing more than the British were - though at least the British ruled because they were asked to do so by the Maltese - making Malta their protectorate. We cannot attribute what the Knights achieved as to being a Maltese achievement.....
Joseph Micallef
Dec 30th 2012, 18:17
...much the same as we cannot attribute what the British achieved to being a Maltese achievement!
Mark Caruana
Dec 30th 2012, 21:37
Mr Micallef you are being contradictory....In one statement you're saying that the cross is not Maltese and in the mean timer you refer to it as Maltese Cross. Please don't compare the British with the Knights. There is an ocean of difference. The British left no infrastructure. They left us no identity. They even tried to thwart even that by making influence.
Steve Schembri
Dec 30th 2012, 15:54
Well new history books would have to be printed if his name is not La Valette. It is not totally useless - some people will profit from this!
Alexis Callus
Dec 30th 2012, 15:24
It is not his name that is relevant, but his actions, achievements and the heritage he left.
James Tyrrell
Dec 30th 2012, 15:22
I don't know why people are still arguing about this. Didn't members of his family state recently that he was always known as Jean de La Valette? You would think they would have a good idea wouldn't you.
Giovanni Bonello
Dec 30th 2012, 16:13
He was not. When I invited the two girls who said they were descended from the Grand Master to prove that the Siege hero was La Vallette during his lifetime, they could not refer to one single contemporary authority to support their claim.
Some branches of the family changed their surname to La Valette or De la Vallette - but AFTER the Grand Master died.
Still waiting for proof, not babble.
Victor Pulis
Dec 30th 2012, 18:03
The grand master himself signed his name as Jehan de Valette. Perhaps he couildn't write his own name!
Alfred Falzon
Jan 3rd, 19:20
@ Victor Pulis
"Jehan" is not French, "Jean" is, therefore the signature is not in French, and that's what many of us are expecting to see as evidence, his own signature in his mother tongue reflecting his real surname at birth!
Provide it and the matter will be closed, DEFINITELY!
Alfred A Falzon
*Joseph Brincat
Dec 30th 2012, 14:54
OK , OK , HIS NAME IS " De Valette ? " BUT THE MALTESE
NOW HIM AS > La Valette SO BE IT
an example >>> Tom Jones ( singer )
Birth name Thomas John Woodward
Alfred Falzon
Dec 30th 2012, 14:43
For the information of those who do not know Le Poet Laval, this tiny urban agglomeration lies in France's Lower Alps and was once a Commanderie of the Knights of the Order.
Its archives could unravel the "mystery" that is this Jean de/La Valette and put an end to this farce!
Much ado about nothing!
Why don't we look after our patriots & historic monuments left derelict?!
Alfred A Falzon
j brincat
Dec 30th 2012, 14:37
@Giov DeMartino
"Since we have no REAL problems, we have to invent some. Not real, of course"
It could also be part of the deviation policy (aljenazjoni tal-poplu)!!!!
ARA who cares especially those cannot make both end meet AND this is reality NOT fiction , obviously NOT for all!!!
jb
Giov DeMartino
Dec 30th 2012, 18:08
Yes I know that there are some 80000 beyond poverty line. We can see this poverty all around us. Hallina Sur Brincat. Il-gid enormi li haw, il-barka kollha t'Alla fuq dan l-iskoll jaghtikom fastidju. U zgur li jkun hemm l-eccezzjonijiet. Kieku min jikkonferma r-regoli.
Alfred Falzon
Dec 30th 2012, 14:32
The plinth on which d statue of Grandmaster LA VALETTE stands still carries no plaque!
D Bank of Valletta inscription on it is nonetheless conspicuous by its sole presence!
I advise Mr Justice Bonello, who stands second to none regarding Malta's unravelled history, to visit d tiny French community of Le Poet-Laval & reach a final conclusion as to what his real name was.
Alfred A Falzon
Alfred Falzon
Dec 30th 2012, 15:08
Errata Corrige
Line 2" "Bank of Valletta" inscribed on the plinth should read instead "Lombard Bank", the latter being its sponsor.
The error is regretted.
Alfred A Falzon
Giovanni Bonello
Dec 30th 2012, 14:31
Over 70 comments so far.
Not one single attempt to produce one shred of evidence to deny that the Grand Master ALWAYS referred to himself as De Valette. Or that his contemporaries ALWAYS referred to him as De Valette.
Still waiting for just ONE historical fact that disproves this. Fiction and misinformation are cheap. You can treasure them. I prefer historical truth.
*Joseph Brincat
Dec 30th 2012, 14:16
IF La Valette OR De Valette WAS HERE HE WOULD SAY THIS IS A >>> Pajjiz tal-Mikij Maws
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5dNnxqv6zA
Pule' Carmel
Dec 30th 2012, 13:33
Historians get great public acclaim and national honours for this research and so do entertainers who deal directly in entertaining the public, but not so for fishermen and farmers who feed the public!!!
Read "Visit your parents, orders China" to see what state developing countries are now in, including Malta!
Education and Development is bunkum!
*Joseph Brincat
Dec 30th 2012, 13:25
Jean de Valette. who is he ????
La Valette I know ,
Pule' Carmel
Dec 30th 2012, 13:45
I was always called,Charles or Cali by my parents,brothers and friends butCarmel is written on my birthcertificate but no one calls me Carmel.In England they called me Charlie, a proper one at that! My Surname is Pule'but I was told that is wrong as it should be De Pule' or De Pule or Puleo.The Government, Banks know me by my ID number.Whatever, I feel that the real me is silent inside me!
S. Bugeja
Dec 30th 2012, 13:05
Jiena dejjem bħala "La Vallette" kont nafu.
Pule' Carmel
Dec 30th 2012, 14:01
I too know him and write the name as La Vallette with two l's. And I cannot undersatnd why we call our capital city Valletta! As if a masculine name was required to take a feminine texture as, like a ship, a city is a female!!!! not when the city is a peninsula! a big one at that!
M. Zammit
Dec 30th 2012, 12:25
Wikipedia: "He was born into the noble Valette family in Quercy, South-western France, which had been an important family in France for many generations, various members having participated in the Crusades. Jean Parisot's grandfather, Bernard de Valette, was a Knight and King's Orderly, and his father Guillot was a Chevalier de France." Perhaps it's better to check the parish register!
Raymond Sammut
Dec 30th 2012, 13:05
No need to check the parish register.
The point being made is that the Grand Master always referred to his own person as de Valette, and the archival evidence in support of this is substantial and without fail thus far.
It therefore should follow that a monument erected in honour of this nobleman should formally oblige his wishes, regardless of what we as a people use in our day to day lingo.
Ray de Bono
Dec 30th 2012, 13:15
Anyone can edit Wikipedia online - so this is hardly the best of sources for historical detail unless you are working on some primary school project...
Mark Caruana
Dec 30th 2012, 12:04
@ Mr Anthony A.Mifsud.... In my opinion your statement shows a great lack of historical and cultural intellectuality...I would at least refrain from making that in writing and divulge this flaw to the rest of the mortal community.
V Caruana
Dec 30th 2012, 11:49
To my history books the grandmaster's name is Jean de Valete dit Parisot. Parisot being his sort of "family nickname". He is commonly known as Jean de La Valete
Anthony A. Mifsud
Dec 30th 2012, 11:36
What a waist of time, call him Lawrence! Or Fred, whys in. Name?
Juan de la Valette is ood enough.... Lets get with life as this is becoming so comical this little Rock.
But, I would call him Ninu....
Ryan Muscat
Dec 30th 2012, 12:35
Mr. Mifsud, could I call you Sally if a name has no meaning? No one forced you to read on such a topic, go and "waist" your time somewhere else. If names are so trivial why did you add A. after Anthony?
Giov DeMartino
Dec 30th 2012, 11:15
Since we have no REAL problems, we have to invent some. Not real, of course.
Victor Laiviera
Dec 30th 2012, 11:14
When all the brouhaha dies down, the Maltese will, as they have been doing to the last 450 years, continue to call him "La Vallette".
The plaque on the square will remain as one of those quirky anachronisms pointed out to Maltese and visitors alike as an example of institutional arrogance.
Raymond Sammut
Dec 30th 2012, 12:20
@ Victor Laiviera
In Maltese, we actually are always saying: "Lavvallett" - as in "dublett"; or, as in "Laiviera" (rather than La Riviera), and so on.
There is hardly ever anything arrogant in anything which is Maltese, Mr Laiviera.
Charlie Tabone
Dec 30th 2012, 11:09
I tought that the original name of this statue is the name of the sponsor(local bank) because its the only name written on it.
*Joseph Brincat
Dec 30th 2012, 10:52
La Valette. >>> IT WAS , IT IS , AND IT SHOULD BE !!
Alfred Grech
Dec 30th 2012, 12:08
---- FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN.
Denis Pace
Dec 30th 2012, 10:44
Some of the entries in this blog do, indeed, make us a petty nation!
Victor Pulis
Dec 30th 2012, 10:41
Perhaps Ganni l-Parsott (corrupted form of Parisot) would be acceptable to all!
Victor Pulis
Dec 30th 2012, 10:37
Francis Saliba M.D.
Today, 09:54
It is not strange. It is plain stupid.
I refrained from using the word stupid but you're right of course!
Paul Zammit
Dec 30th 2012, 10:30
write whatever you want for a name ... but make sure to put: "oppressor of the Maltese people" following it.
Mark Caruana
Dec 30th 2012, 12:11
Oppressor ? ...... Mr Zammit you surely must not be living on the island. We are so indebted to the Order. We are still reaping the benefits of their infrastructure and if it was not by the strength and will of these brave ancestors our woman are wearing Burkas and most probably you have to wear a beard by law. From the Baroque churches we would've had Mosques !
Michael Borg
Dec 30th 2012, 12:15
well said shiebi !!!!!
Paul Zammit
Dec 30th 2012, 13:18
@Mark
wearing burkas n bowing in mosques? muslims ruled malta for more than a century and what u claimed never happened. It wasn't the knights who made us catholic.
in debt with the knights? for what? For 'handing over' to them our home to make it there own?
Get you facts straight mate; I can't stand this nation-wide inferiority complex any longer.
Mark Caruana
Dec 30th 2012, 13:48
Yes the facts are straight Paul. The Knights are our ancestors. They are the first generation of most of the current Maltese family trees and they were the architects of a beautiful island. We owe to our ancestors a lot and it is an offence to call them oppressors. They safeguarded oppression from the Ottomans. Far from oppressors they are brave men and saviours. What inferiority complex?
Mark Caruana
Dec 30th 2012, 13:56
What inferiority complex? The Pride of the Maltese nation lies within the history of Knighthood. The eight pointed cross is the symbol of Maltese history and The Maltese people as we know today who most of them are descendants of brave Knights like Jean De La Valette who were on the foremost against Islamic expansion to Europe. May he be blessed.
Paul Zammit
Dec 30th 2012, 14:57
@Mark
The knights were monks. If you choose to call monks -who by definition cannot be anyone's ancestors- your ancestors go ahead. Just because someone decided to put a 'de' infront of their family name doesn't mean a thing. Maltese nobel man, back then, did that all the time OUT OF THE INFERIORITY COMPLEX I AM TALKING ABOUT. My ancestors are those who build the temples; and am real proud of them!
Mark Caruana
Dec 30th 2012, 16:50
So if you think your and my family go back to those who built the temples I must tell you that you're living a dream In medieval times even Popes had children let alone Knights.....The Knights came from many parts of Europe and if one look at the face of many Maltese one can notice different ethnicities. NOT all Maltese are derivative of Knights but in reality who are the native Maltese? You?
Mark Caruana
Dec 30th 2012, 17:03
I must say that one has to be really unfair and trying to thwart history to call such a great man, the builder of our capital city and a national hero an oppressor. His name is the same name of a capital city which is a focus in Europe. He was on the forefront to defend Europe from Ottoman Empire and you come 450 years after calling him oppressor....SHAME!
Lucienne Dimech
Dec 30th 2012, 10:20
What waste of time. With or without the prefix he still built a city which we ruined over the years. I wonder what his reaction to the present state of his masterpiece would be
Victor Pulis
Dec 30th 2012, 10:43
Most probably he wouldn't have an opinion since he never saw the city completed having died just two years after laying the first stone!
Joe Grech
Dec 30th 2012, 12:15
Though he did not live to see his mastrepiece built,la Valette was totally involved in planning his city & I am sure that his strong character would have lot to say about the way it has been tampered.Where in the world you see a building the size of Pianos massive parliament by the walls of an ancient citadel?They made a fuss about a few trees ruining the fortifications but not about this blot!
C Borg
Dec 30th 2012, 10:18
I think we shall refer to him as La Valette because that's how we have referred to him for hundreds of years.
It's like someone officially called a name while practically called another, you won't reckon they are referring to the same person when called the official name. One shall also consider that we have to rewrite quite a lot of books and info.
Joseph Gili
Dec 30th 2012, 10:12
Iva l-anqas fuq isem ma naqblu, veru pajjiz tal-micky mouse.
Mari Debrincat
Dec 30th 2012, 10:10
Wartime Grand Master - did we have one?!
Raymond Sammut
Dec 30th 2012, 11:04
Maltese history, in fact, shows several. Those who served during the Turkish wars (in the Mediterranean and in southern/eastern Europe) are quite numerous. While three, namely, Ximenes, de Rohan, and Hompesch served during the Napoleonic wars. It is with good reason that the knights were a military order, and not merely hospitallers. Malta's existence owes much to their zeal for national freedom.
V. Cauchi
Dec 30th 2012, 10:09
This French article refers to a Latin/ Langue d'Oc version of de Valeta and the change to La Valette around 1500.
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famille_de_La_Valette-Parisot#Branche_de_La_Valette-Parisot
The reason for the change may well be a slow adoptive development of definitive articles in Romance languages taking place about this time. Only French linguists/ historians can solve the issue.
Raymond Sammut
Dec 30th 2012, 10:08
Correspondence operates in two directions.
Mgr Pagano only quotes: "pontifical correspondence addressed to [the Grand Master]".
Mgr Pagano would surely show courtesy, and demonstrate his etiquette for fairness, by revealing how the Grand Master responded to the pontiff in such correspondence.
DR EMMANUEL BEZZINA,MA,MAG.JUR.[EU Law],LL.D.,
Dec 30th 2012, 10:06
Cosmic Divinity begs to differ....MAHATMA GHANDI, JOHN F KENNEDY, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, MOTHER TEREZA, POPE JOHN XXIII, JESUS CHRIST, BUDDHA, MUHAMMED, and a legion of other worthy names mean alot through their correct names - their mode of life as framed in their names made history what it is: COSMIC.
Joseph Mizzi
Dec 30th 2012, 10:39
Let's start with the correction of two of the names you quoted: Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa...
Raymond Sammut
Dec 30th 2012, 11:56
@ Joseph Mizzi
Dr Bezzina is once more on a considerable tangent.
A Spiteri
Dec 30th 2012, 10:03
So a 24 year old amateur researcher got it right and a so called expert funded by the government got it wrong!
What a country of idiots!
Denis Pace
Dec 30th 2012, 10:41
IIt took you 2 seconds to destroy years of research and study.
What BRILLIANCE!
Tony Borg
Dec 30th 2012, 10:48
Not the first time so called experts got it wrong.
DR EMMANUEL BEZZINA,MA,MAG.JUR.[EU Law],LL.D.,
Dec 30th 2012, 10:02
Dear Mr Bonnici well done for your initiative - there has never been any doubt about de la Valette: even THE TIMES Archives attest to this. You are aware that there are many sheep who simply follow one ram: our so-called country`s leaders [ most of them corrupt baggage milking people`s money at every level ] are proud of this unofficial secret..each one regards oneself as a RAM ,the rest SHEEP !.
Adrian Grech
Dec 30th 2012, 10:00
sempliciment morru fuq il qabar tieghu gol katidral
Giovanni Bonello
Dec 30th 2012, 11:02
l-iskrizzjoni fuq il-qabar tal-Gran Mastru, bil-Latin, tghid IOAN DE VALLETTA. Mur araha.
Il-mewt tieghu hija ufficjalment imnizzla fir-registru bhala Ioannes DE Valetta.Mur araha.
Il-muniti tieghu huma kollha Johannes de Vallette/a. Mur arahom.
Il-firem tieghu huma kollha: Jehan de Vallette. Mur arahom.
Id-digriet tieghu (ELUF) huma kollha f'isem Johannes de Valletta. Mur arahom.
Lawrence Attard
Dec 30th 2012, 12:49
Common sense says the GM's own signature and coinage trumps the pope's spelling.
As for "pajjiz tal-Mickey Mouse" comments, what is Mickey Mouse (more Donald Duck or Yosemite Sam really) is that some people cannot keep partisan politics out of every single aspect of life. Give us a break and keep that stuff for the kazini and the flag-waving sheep gatherings.
Joe Tabone
Dec 30th 2012, 09:58
@ B Borg,
Dr Bonello states “I’ve yet to see an authentic document which dates back to the Grand Master’s lifetime which refers to him as La Valette.”
Perhaps you can enlighten us instead of throwing around unfounded allegations.
Mr John Borg
Dec 30th 2012, 09:56
If Austin says so... then we should all succumb to his advice!
Giovanni Bonello
Dec 30th 2012, 09:53
Thanks Eman. But please stick to facts, not hearsay.
Produce the evidence, as I have done, and don't rely on what others seem to remember. Often I have been promised documents with 'La Valette' used during the hero's lifetime, but so far no one has delivered. I can refer to THOUSANDS of references to De Valette, when he was alive.
There are other signatures in foreign archives - all De Valette.
Michael Borg
Dec 30th 2012, 10:55
Giovanni please produce the "THOUSANDS " references you mentioned ( stick to the facts as well) whats good for Eman is good for you !! " not hearsay" is for everybodty not just eman !!
Giovanni Bonello
Dec 30th 2012, 12:17
@ M. Borg
I did already. See last Sunday's spread on the Sunday Times, (still online). You will find a number of leads there. Or just goto the National Library and ask to see the Libri Bullarum and Conciliarum of De Vallette, and you will see the THOUSANDS of times the hero referred to himself as De Valette - NEVER La Valette.
Or look for the 138 different coins he minted. ALWAYS DE VALLETTE.
Michael Spiteri
Dec 30th 2012, 09:52
It's not the name that bothers me but the ugliness of the synthetic statue erected to honour this formidable character of Malta’s early-modern era.
Joe Grech
Dec 30th 2012, 13:42
I agree. Has no one noticed this? There is a lot to say about this statute but the kindest one I can find is that when I saw it I was very unimpressed. Whatever name is correct, la or de Vallette remains our foremost national hero - none of the others - Dun Mikiel Xerri, Manuel Dimech, Pawlu Boffa can compare. Is this the best we can do for our national hero?
Jay Oatmon
Dec 30th 2012, 09:51
Correct name or not he would I am sure be furious at charging people to enter the city and the lack of proper car parking in Valletta!
*Joseph Brincat
Dec 30th 2012, 09:40
WHAT IS A NAME ???
A name is some one to refer to SO
It is useless if for an example my name is
Mr X while every one know's me as Mr T
*Joseph Brincat
Dec 30th 2012, 10:08
WHAT IS A NAME ???
an example >>> Tom Jones ( singer )
Birth name Thomas John Woodward
Mr Marcel Dingli
Dec 30th 2012, 09:39
Petty arguments. Whats in a name? Bil la u bla la. Viva l belt u daqshekk.
Ryan Muscat
Dec 30th 2012, 10:43
Proset ghalik sur Dingli "VIVA L-BELT U DAQSHEKK". Jekk tassew thobb lill-Belt allura ghandek thobb ukoll lil min waqqafha!
Victor Pulis
Dec 30th 2012, 09:39
I would rather believe the grand master himself than any other source. The grand master signed his correspondence Jehan de Valette. Having just one example is beside the point. We can only comment on what we have. Regarding the absence of a name on the monument, The sponsors are mantioned twice. First on the plinth and on the statue itself! Isn't that strange?
Francis Saliba M.D.
Dec 30th 2012, 09:54
It is not strange. It is plain stupid.
Joe Fenech
Dec 30th 2012, 09:33
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/622134/Jean-Parisot-de-la-Valette
Wally Vella-Zarb
Dec 30th 2012, 10:20
Interesting to note that there are the two versions on that same link, "de Valette" and "de La Valette".
Joe Fenech
Dec 31st 2012, 00:52
It's an English encyclopaedia ! What else do you expect?
B. Borg
Dec 30th 2012, 09:30
The possibility is that Austin Gatt was behind this square naming project too, so let's call it another smart buzulotta.
Joe Vella
Dec 30th 2012, 09:23
Well done Eman.No one is an authority in history, facts are facts. I'm sure you know what you are doing.
Joe Grech
Dec 30th 2012, 11:31
No-one is an authority in history? Tajba din. So why do we have historians?
arnold cassola
Dec 30th 2012, 09:20
There is no inkling of the name on the new monument in Valletta. Is it because of this polemic? Let's just call him Johnnie l-Belti then.....to get it over with!
Victor Laiviera
Dec 30th 2012, 09:59
The name of the sponsor, on the other hand, is shown twice - once on the statue and once on the plinth.
http://sphotos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/603285_10151230813758127_2011191449_n.jpg
http://sphotos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/65044_10151230813808127_1490409594_n.jpg
Victor Pulis
Dec 30th 2012, 10:40
Profs de Valette was not from Valletta so he can't be referred to as íl-Belti'!
j brincat
Dec 30th 2012, 09:15
A mountain out of a molehill!
jb
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