During the 16th century the Spanish Crown granted Malta to the Order of St John, which immediately set off a process of transformation of the islands from a backwater to a cosmopolitan hub in the Mediterranean.

Noblemen in a Maltese kaless, passing Maltese peasants on the roadside.

In a Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar presentation Ryan Grech will be exploring Maltese society on the eve of the Great Siege, as expressed in notarial acts of the period. This is a great opportunity to come as close as possible to the individuals of the time and get to know them better.

Thanks to these documents, Grech was able to reconstruct the social, political and economic situations of the time, as Notary Matteo De Brincat travelled to different villages in Malta, preparing deeds which included people from different levels of the social scale – from nobles to clergymen and commoners, and which throw light on women’s role in society, business transactions, property and inheritances, reflecting dynamic 16th century Maltese society.

Grech is a University of Malta history graduate, as well as an alumnus of the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies (University of Malta). He has recently carried out an analysis on 16th-century Maltese society and also examined European politico-economic and technological aspects in the first half of the 19th century.

The presentation will be held today at 6.30pm at the Hotel Phoenicia, Floriana. Guests are requested to be seated by 6.15pm. For bookings go to https://culturemalta.org/.