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A system of Maltese heraldry issued by

The Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta

Introduction

Heraldry is a broad term, encompassing the design, display, and study of

armorial bearings or coats of arms. Such Arms may be personal and

hereditary or impersonal and non-hereditary, examples of the latter are the

Arms of banks, colleges, corporations etc. But whatever else they may be,

coats of arms are essentially insignia of identification.

There is a custom in Malta for members of different branches of a

family to use identical Arms, without any attempt at differencing them i.e.,

modifying them for each branch of the family. This rather defeats the whole

object of heraldry which is one of specific personal identification.

The main reference work for people who wish to find "a coat of arms

for their surname" is Stemmi Maltesi, an extensive black-and-white work published

anonymously in the 19th century in folio form and out of print for many years,

although Dr. Charles A. Gauci, currently Chief herald of Arms of Malta,

produced a facsimile edition of this book in full colour, now, alas, also out of

print (1)

A number of the illustrations in Stemmi Maltesi seem to have been

invented by the author(s) themselves as the Arms found in old

manuscripts, on tombstones, in churches etc. often differ considerably from

the ones shown in that work.

Malta has a rich European tradition of heraldry which abounds

everywhere. Coats of arms in Malta are those belonging to Knights of the

Order of St. John, to various churches and religious institutions as well as

to Maltese families. The latter are broadly grouped into those families

belonging to the nobility or allied to the nobility by marriage and those

belonging to families not connected to the nobility. The armorial bearings

of most Maltese families have never been registered anywhere, until now,

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but have been handed down through the centuries.

The Arms of the old titled families have remained virtually unchanged

except for occasional artistic license on their ornate tombstones.

There are many works which deal with the coats of arms of the Knights of

St. John in Malta and anyone interested in this particular field is advised to

refer to them. (2)

Dr. Gauci has dealt with the coats of arms of the nobility in Malta and of their

associated families in several books, (3) however, in Malta, interest in heraldry

is certainly not confined to the nobility. Thus, “Heraldry abounds on the island

in that everybody freely uses coats of arms on signet rings, tombstones and

even on the sides of lorries!” (4)

The spelling of surnames was sometimes changed by the newly-

ennobled, as a gesture of one-upmanship. Thus, Bonnici became Bonici,

Zammit became Zamitt, Azzopardi became Azopardi, Carabott became

Carbott, Gatt became Gatto and so on. In several cases hitherto widely

used family Arms were changed, to show that this particular branch should

no longer be considered as “common” and was now, one cut above the

rest.

The Arms of prominent and invariably well-heeled but non-noble

families who married into the nobility were often quartered by their noble

offspring, becoming incorporated into the armorial bearings of successive

title-holders and are still in use today. In some cases, Arms were

sometimes granted along with a (foreign) title of nobility. In the majority of

cases, coats of arms were simply assumed and became de facto with the

passage of time. Most of the 'prominent' families belong to this group. (5)

In March 2019, the Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta, was established by Heritage Malta upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Secretary at the Office of The Prime Minister. Count Dr. Charles A. Gauci was subsequently appointed Malta’s first-ever Chief Herald of Arms. (6)

The Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta is based at the historic Fort St. Elmo in Valletta. This Fort witnessed fierce hand-to-hand fighting in the Great Siege of 1565 and also played its part in defending the Grand Harbour in World War Two against the might of the Luftwaffe.

The Arms used by the Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta were approved by the Malta Cabinet Office on 3 June 2019. (7) The appointment of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta was gazetted in the Malta Government Gazette on 25 June 2019 (Notice no. 729). (8) Dr. Gauci’s appointment as Chief Herald of Arms of Malta was furthermore confirmed by Dr. J. Herrera, Minister for National Heritage, Arts and Local Government on 22nd July 2020. (9)

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The Chief Herald of Arms of Malta has the power to devise and grant

new Arms, both personal and corporate, to register Arms which have

already been in use locally for many years as well as to register Arms

previously granted by appropriate foreign authorities. All Arms granted or

registered by the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta are recognized by the State

while being protected against copying. (6)

It is a misconception to think that it is only realms which have heraldic

institutions. Several republics also have their own state-appointed heraldic

offices. Another common misconception is that heraldry is the prerogative

of the nobility. Nothing could be further from the truth. All citizens of Malta

are entitled to apply for a grant of arms and many have already done so.

Foreigners can also apply for Arms in Malta at the Chief Herald's

discretion. (5) Indeed, several foreigners have already successfully applied

for Arms.

The scope of this paper is to review the basic rules of heraldry and

highlight how they are now being applied to Malta by the Office of the Chief

Herald of Arms of Malta. The British system is used as standard but it has

been modified to allow for the unique history, customs and traditions of the

Maltese islands.

Blazon

Blazon is the language of heraldry. It enables people interested in the

subject to communicate without having to draw sketches of the arms in

question. In the English-speaking world, blazon is a mixture of Norman-

French and English. French construction of sentences is used in that

adjectives follow the nouns they describe. The Office of the Chief Herald

of Arms of Malta uses the “English” form of blazon when compiling its

Letters Patent.

Appendix 1 of this paper is written specifically for those with a very

limited knowledge of heraldry. It is a much-simplified description of a very

complex subject. In addition, the opportunity is also taken to clarify the use

of helms and coronets by the Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta.

Many references work on coats of arms describe Arms entirely in

blazon and contain few, if any, illustrations. A working knowledge of blazon

enables the student of heraldry to make sense of these texts. Proficiency

in "English" blazon allows anyone with a basic knowledge of Italian, French

and Spanish to interpret heraldic texts in these languages since the basic

rules are essentially the same in all countries. (10)

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Process of applying for Arms

1. Registration of Arms: Arms already formally granted and/or registered by

other recognised heraldic authorities can be registered at the Office of the Chief

Herald of Arms.

“Recognised” refers to heraldic institutions recognised by the State in which

they are situated. It shall be the sole decision of the Chief Herald of Arms to

determine which particular institutions are to be recognised.

2. New creations of personal Arms. Based on the founding principles of the

Republic of Malta, all citizens of Malta are entitled to apply for a grant of Arms.

However, a grant of Arms should be considered as a singular honour, issued at the

discretion of the Chief Herald of Arms and based on the following criteria:

a. Any honours received (local of foreign) b. Involvement of the applicant in public life together with other merits and activities c. Professional qualifications held by the applicant d. Membership of an Order of Chivalry.

Citizens of other countries also have the right to apply for a grant of Arms,

based on the above criteria at the complete discretion of the Chief Herald of Arms of

Malta.

Should an applicant be considered a suitable candidate for a grant of Arms,

the Chief Herald would discuss with the applicant, ideas, including the incorporation

of any already ‘established’ family Arms as displayed in Stemmi Maltesi or in other

sources. Thus:

a. Abela’s “Della Descrittione di Malta” is the oldest known formally published

(1647) compilation of armorial bearings used by Maltese families. (see Lib. IV Not.

III, p. 445 et seq). Later Arms and augmentations are also recorded in another

equally reliable source viz., Ciantar’s sequel to Abela’s work, “Malta Illustrata”

published in 1772, 1780 (see Lib. IV. Not. III p. 380 et seq).

b. Several Maltese family arms are recorded in various anonymous manuscripts

to be found at the National Library of Malta. The authorship and basis for many of

these Arms remains unknown. (3)

c. Such already ‘established’ family Arms may be considered as the basis of the

applicant’s grant of Arms but would need to be suitably differenced so as to show

that the applicant (and his/her descendants) are the sole proprietors and users of the

particular Arms in question. In addition, such Arms may need to be adjusted so as to

ensure that they conform to the basic rules of heraldry.

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The display of any local or foreign award or honour within a Coat of Arms ceases

with the death of the holder of that award or honour.

An applicant may choose to have a completely new Coat of Arms created instead of

one based on any already “established” family Arms. In this case the Chief Herald

would discuss the applicant’s requirements and make his own suggestions and

recommendations.

3. New creations of impersonal (Corporate) Arms: When considering an

application for impersonal (Corporate) Arms from any institution such as a club or

society the Chief Herald would need to consider:

a. The nature of that institution, so as to ensure that it is non- controversial and generally socially acceptable. b. The time scale during which that institution has been in existence c. The number of members that institution possesses.

4. Already-established personal Arms.

(i) If it can be proven that certain personal Arms have been in uninterrupted use in

Malta for a considerable period of time by the applicant’s ancestors, those Arms

would be considered as part of Malta’s intangible cultural heritage and would be

registered as they stand (tale quale). This concession applies especially to

members of the Maltese nobility, in deference to the unique status of the nobility in

the history and culture of the Maltese islands.

(ii) Registration does not signify State-recognition of any title of nobility which the

bearer of the Arms in question may purport to hold.

(iii) In the case of a title of Maltese nobility, the right of the applicant to hold those

specific Arms as a lineal descent of a former State-recognised title-holder of Maltese

nobility would be included, together with the relevant genealogical information and

details of the once-State recognised title.

(iv) It may also be necessary to difference the Arms with marks of cadency in the

event of different branches of the family applying for the same Coat of Arms. See fig.

28 in Appendix 1.

(v) Any gazetted foreign award, may be included in a Coats of Arms granted by the

Office of the Chief Herald to any Maltese citizen. In addition, awards made by the

Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and by the Venerable Order of

St. John in the British Realm may also be included.

(vii) Any person who claims a solitary undifferenced shield of Arms from the Abela &

Ciantar lists would have to provide rigorous genealogical proofs of such exclusive

entitlement based strictly on agnatic primogeniture.

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5. Already-established impersonal Arms.

Maltese Corporations, e.g., Companies, schools, learned societies, band clubs etc.

may have previously devised their own Arms (as opposed to simple logos) and may,

sometimes even have registered them as Trade Marks purely for copyright

purposes. Such Arms would be eligible for registering at the Office of the Chief

Herald together with any trade mark references duly noted.

6. Arms held by Local Councils.

As these Arms have all been gazetted in the Malta Government Gazette, they would

be registered as they stand (tale quale).

7. Ecclesiastical Heraldry:

The Office of the Chief Herald of Arms will also grant Arms to Ecclesiastics and

religious institutions of any denomination.

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APPENDIX 1

Basic rules of Blazon (1)

The Arms are borne on the surface of a shield (fig. 1); this surface is called

the field and it must be described in detail.

Fig. 1: Sections of the field

In matters of orientation, it is assumed that the shield is being held by

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the bearer and viewed by the onlooker. Thus, the left side of the shield as

you look at it is called the Dexter and the right side as you look at it, is

called the Sinister.

The actual shape of the shield is of little importance. As a rule, the

Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta normally opts for the form

referred to as a heater (fig.2).

Fig. 2: Heater shield

Females normally display their Arms in either a Lozenge (Fig. 3) or

an Oval (fig 4)

Fig. 3: Lozenge shield

Fig. 4: Oval shield

The Arms of an unmarried lady would normally be surrounded by a garland of

roses and bound by a bow (fig. 5)

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Fig. 5: Arms of an unmarried Maltese lady

The surface of the shield i.e., the field, is first of all described by

tincture or by division and tincture. Tinctures are divided into metals and

colours. The principal metals are Silver (Argent) and Gold (Or). The

principal colours are Sky Blue (Azure), Red (Gules), Black (Sable) and

Green (Vert). In black and white drawings of the Arms, a system called

Hatching is used (fig. 6).

Fig. 6: principal metals and colours shown as hatchings

Thus, a golden lion rampant on a red field is blazoned Gules a lion rampant

Or.

In addition to tinctures, furs can be used. Some heraldic furs are shown in

fig. 7.

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Fig. 7: Some heraldic furs

The principal divisions of the shield are shown in Fig. 8

Fig. 8: Principal divisions of the shield

A shield divided horizontally and having its top part red and its bottom part

silver is blazoned Per Fess Gules and Argent.

Note, when blazoning Arms,

(i) always top to bottom and left (dexter) to right (sinister) (ii) charges (11) always face the dexter unless blazoned "contorné ". (iii) tinctures always start with a capital letter; thus, "Gules" not "gules".

The principal charge lying on the field is described next.

e.g., A shield divided vertically so that the left part is red and the right part

is green and which bears in its centre, a golden six-pointed star is blazoned

Per pale Gules and Vert a mullet of six points Or.

Note: If the principal charge lies anywhere but in the centre of the field its

exact position must be stated. The position (attitude) of any animal or bird

used as a charge must be stated. Thus, a lion rampant describes a lion

shown in profile with one leg on the ground and three legs raised.

e.g., A silver field bearing in its bottom part a black lion rampant standing

Ermine Ermines Vair Counter Vair

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upon a green mount is blazoned Argent in base upon a mount Vert a lion

rampant Sable.

Other charges are described in order of importance.

e.g., If in the previous example the top part of the field bore a black fleur-de-

lys between two red six pointed stars, then it would be blazoned Argent in

base upon a mount Vert a lion rampant Sable and in chief between two

mullets of six points Gules a fleur-de-lys of the Third.

Note. In order to avoid repetition, tinctures are numbered. The first tincture

in the blazon if repeated is referred to as "of the First”, the second as "of the

Second" and so on

e.g. A silver field bearing a tree in its natural colours between two red stars

of six points and also bearing a black chief (see below) on which there is a

silver crescent would be blazoned Argent between two mullets of six points

Gules a tree Proper and upon a chief Sable a crescent of the First.

Note: The term “Proper”, which means that a charge is depicted in its natural

colours is not taken into consideration when numbering tinctures: it is

therefore never alluded to numerically but always repeated as necessary.

In the following example, the numerals in brackets are there simply for the

reader's guidance.

e.g., Argent [i] upon a mount Proper and between two mullets of six points

Gules [ii] a pear tree fructed Or [iii] and on a chief of the Second between

two crescents of the Third a hand Proper. (12)

In the above example, " of the Second" means the second colour/metal

mentioned, i.e., red, and "of the Third" means the third colour/metal

mentioned, i.e., gold. The mount would be brown, the colour of earth and

the hand the colour of human, Caucasian skin

Note: If a tincture is mentioned and is then immediately repeated without

any other intervening tinctures, the terms "of the Same" or " of the Last" are

often used instead of numbers.

e.g., A gold field bearing two red roses separated by a diagonal red band

would be blazoned Or between two roses Gules a bend (see below) of the

Same.

Certain basic geometric shapes are known as Ordinaries (fig. 9) and

their diminutives as Sub-ordinaries.

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Fig. 9: Examples of three Ordinaries (Chief, Bend and Chevron)

Major subdivisions of the field must each be described in detail.

e.g., A shield divided horizontally, the top part bearing a blue chevron on a gold field and the bottom part bearing three gold six-pointed stars arranged in a 2,1 pattern on a red field would be blazoned Per fess, Or a chevron Azure and Gules three mullets of six points of the First (2,1). Note: The numbers in brackets refer to individual positions in a group of identical charges. Thus, in this example (2,1) means that there are two stars above a single star.

If the shield is divided into distinct sections, each section bearing a complete

field, then this must be stated and the fields described separately. Thus, if the shield

is quartered (fig. 10), the fields are described in order as "First'', "Second”, "Third"

and " Fourth".

Fig. 10; Quartered shield

Thus, consider fig. 11; the blazon here reads Quarterly, First: Or five barrulets

wavy Azure, Second: Argent upon a base Vert a tree Proper, Third: Gules a forked

falchion Or, Fourth: Azure between four bendlets Or three mullets of eight points

Argent.

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Fig. 11 Quartered Arms

A basic rule of heraldry is the so-called rule of tinctures which stipulates that a

metal must not be placed on a metal and a colour must not be placed on a colour.

This ensures that all heraldic artwork is as clear as possible.

Let us now look at other components of a coat of arms and how they apply to

heraldry in Malta.

➢ Helm or Helmet

A helm is only be used in the Arms of males (13) as well as in the personal Arms of a

female (Maltese) Head of State.

The type of helms used by the Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta are as

follows:

• Head of State (personal Arms) (14) Silver helm, full faced, with gold visor

bars and gorget (fig. 12)

Fig. 12: Helm for personal Arms of the President of Malta

• Members of the nobility (Maltese or foreign): Silver helm, in profile with gold

visor bars and gorget (fig. 13)

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Fig. 13: Helm for the nobility

• Companions of the Maltese Order of Merit, Members of the Xirka Ġieh ir-

Repubblika and Knights Grand Cross of any Malta-gazetted foreign

Order: Steel, open visor, full-faced (fig. 14)

Fig. 14: Helm for KUOM, KOM. SĠ (*) or KGC of Orders recognized by Malta (*) Sieħeb il-Ġieħ (membership of the Xirka Ġieh ir-Repubblika)

• Knights and members of any Order recognized by the State of Malta,

Esquires and Gentlemen: Steel, in profile, closed visor (fig. 15)

Fig. 15: Knights, Esquires & Gentlemen

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➢ Mantling or Lambrequin (fig. 16)

The Mantling or Lambrequin is short mantle fixed to and flowing from the helm.

Where a helm is shown in an achievement of Arms, the mantling is essential. Since

females (with the exception of the Maltese Head of State) in their personal Arms do

not use a helm, they do not display mantling. (13) The principal colour and metal in

the Arms are used for the mantling, which is normally blazoned as “(colour) doubled

(metal)”.

Fig. 16: Mantling or Lambrequin

➢ Crest

The crest is an hereditary device modelled onto the top of the helm and normally

attached to it by a wreath or torse. (fig. 17) Since females do not display a helm,

neither do they display a crest. (13) An exception to this rule is made in the personal

Arms of a Maltese Head of State, should the holder be a female.

Fig. 17: Crest and wreath (torse)

Note that the wreath normally bears the same colour and metal as used in the

mantling (the livery colours). When blazoned, however, it is the metal which is

mentioned first. Sometimes the blazon just states “a wreath of the liveries”.

➢ Coronets

There are two types of coronet, (15) viz

(i) Coronets of rank which denote nobility

(ii) Crest coronets which do not necessarily denote nobility

Mantling is Gules doubled Argent

Crest

Wreath

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Coronets of rank

In Malta we have three coronets of rank viz those of Marquis, Count and Baron.

(figs. 18-20). The Office of the Chief Herald of Arms has also introduced that of

Noble, to denote untitled nobility. (fig. 21). The latter’s relevance and function will

become apparent further on in this paper.

Fig. 18: Coronet of a Marquis in Malta

Fig. 19: Coronet of a Count in Malta

Fig. 20: Coronet of a Baron in Malta

Fig. 21: Coronet of an untitled Noble in Malta

The 1975 Ġieħ ir-Repubblika Act withdrew State recognition of all titles of

nobility, although the latter may still be freely used without let or hindrance. In its

judgement a Maltese Court remarked that “the legislator in the Ġieħ ir-Repubblika

Act had clearly indicated the intention to no longer recognize titles of nobility and

intended that no pubic authority should take any cognizance of them”. The Court

went on to say that “…it is of no concern to society that somebody might style

himself Baron or Count of wherever he wants to be and that certainly such matters

should not concern the Court.” (16)

Thus, although the State recognizes the coat of arms of an individual as granted/registered by the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta, this does not mean that the

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state is also automatically recognizing any title of nobility used by the individual in question. In the British tradition, coronets of rank are normally borne immediately above the

shield, but in other countries e.g., Spain, Portugal, France the coronet of rank may

be borne above the helm. In Malta some title-holders display their coronet above the

shield while others display it above the helm. (5) In some cases, this may be due to

the fact that some holders of Maltese titles of foreign origins, opt to follow the

heraldic rules of the country which granted the original title, The Office of the Chief

Herald of Arms of Malta will normally choose to display coronets of rank above the

shield but will not stand in the way of family tradition should there be a preference for

the coronet to be displayed elsewhere in the Arms. However, a titular coronet, unlike

a crest coronet (see below), must never be placed above a wreath or be separated

from the helm by a fold of mantling.

Crest coronets Crest coronets are ornaments, displayed above the helm (15), which do not necessarily indicate nobility. As the name implies, they are simply crests. They may or may not lie upon a wreath or torse. They are usually separated from the helm by means of the mantling or lambrequin. See fig. 22. The tradition of some noble Maltese title-holders who place their titular coronet immediately above the helm may confuse the inexperienced onlooker who might mistake a titular coronet for a “mere” crest coronet. Female Arms do not display Crest coronets (13). An exception to this rule is made in the personal Arms of a Maltese Head of State, should the holder be a female.

Fig. 22: Crest coronet

➢ Supporters

Supporters, as implied, are figures placed on either side of the shield so as to

support it in its position. Supporters, with the odd exception, were not common in

Malta, before 1800, but practically every noble family, which had not already used

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supporters, adopted supporters during colonial times. (fig. 23). In some instances, a

single supporter is placed behind the shield. Fig. 25 (5)

Fig. 23: Supporters (griffins segreant)

Fig. 25: Single supporter behind shield (eagle displayed)

The Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta will only consider granting supporters

on a case-by-case basis, normally taking the following points into consideration

• Personal Arms for the holders of high offices of state (non-hereditary supporters)

• Possession of a title of nobility (both local and foreign) (hereditary supporters)

• Senior membership (Knight Grand Cross and above) in a foreign Order recognized by Malta (non hereditary supporters)

• Holders of the rank of Companion the National Order of Merit or Members of the Xirka Ġieh ir-Repubblika (non-hereditary supporters)

If supporters have been granted by a foreign State-recognized body or if their use

has been traditional in a (usually noble) family, the Office of the Chief Herald of Arms

of Malta will register them tale quale.

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➢ Motto

The motto is a war cry or aphorism, written in any language and usually placed on a

scroll placed beneath but occasionally above (fig. 22) the Arms. Some individuals

display two mottos (fig. 26). The Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta follows

the English System in that it allows mottos to be changed at will, however the motto

in use at the time of the grant/registration is recorded in the Letters patent issued by

the Office. Both males and females can display mottos in their Arms.

Fig. 26: Arms with two mottoes

The Marshalling and inheritance of Arms

Marshalling is the art of correctly depicting a full achievement of Arms with particular

reference to the display of more than one coat on the shield. (15)

The way coats of arms are inherited and displayed is governed by very specific rules

in British heraldry. In continental Europe, however, countries marshal arms in line

with their own diverse traditions.

In Malta, as is the case with countries where burgher arms are the norm, anyone is

free to display Arms used by ancestors in both the paternal and maternal lines. In

addition, no system of cadency (see below) has ever operated in Malta. (1) (5)

In general, the Office of the Chief Herald of arms of Malta will therefore allow

an applicant to display Arms which descend to him or her through both paternal and

maternal lines, but in such quartered Arms the paternal Arms must appear in both

the first and fourth quarters of the field. (figs. 10, 27)

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Fig. 27: Quartered Arms; note the paternal arms In the 1st and 4th quarters.

Cadency

It is really a matter of common sense for every cadet to difference his or her Arms

from those of the head of the family. This is called cadency. (15) Cadency has never

been used in Malta which can make the precise identification of the holder of a

particular set of Arms extremely difficult. Nevertheless, The Office of the Chief

Herald of Arms of Malta implements the English system of cadency, which is both

very simple and effective. (fig. 28). At the moment, these marks of cadency apply

only to male descendants, however as equality laws take effect, they may, in the

future also be extended to female descendants.

Fig. 28: Marks of cadency

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Denoting members of a noble family

In Malta, the situation concerning different members of a noble family is rather

confusing, there being no agreed system to heraldically denote the heir to a title, the

younger children of a title-holder or one’s distant descent from a noble family.

Many individuals in the same family tend to use identical arms which rather

undermines the key object of heraldry, which is that of specific identification. The

Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta uses the following system when dealing

with the Arms of the nobility.

Males

1. The full undifferenced heraldic achievement is only granted/registered to the

title-holder

2. The male heir to the title (Marchesino, Contino or Baroncino in the case of

the Maltese nobility), displays as follows:

i. Helmet as per membership of the nobility (fig. 13), but the said helmet will also be adorned with a gold pendant (as in fig. 29)

ii. Coronet of a Noble (fig. 21) displayed immediately above the shield (as in fig. 29)

iii. The relevant titular coronet (figs. 18-20) to be displayed as a crest coronet (i.e., with a wreath of the liveries) atop the helm

As an example, fig. 29, displays the achievement which would be granted to the

male heir of a Count (Contino). The coronet in a set of Arms would naturally be

appropriate to the title in question.

Fig. 29; Noble Contino

3. The younger sons of a title-holder, (The Noble, in the case of the Maltese

nobility), adopt the same display as for the heir (fig. 29), but omit the golden

pendant on the helm.

4. As for distant descendants of a title holder- the so-called ultrogeniti, (dei

Marchesi, dei Conti, dei Baroni in the case of the Maltese nobility), these

display as follows:

• Male descendants: As for the heir but omitting both the golden pendant on the

helm and the coronet of a Noble, with the helm placed directly on shield and

bearing the relevant crest coronet. Marks of cadency would be added where

appropriate.

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• Female descendants: see below

Females

1. The full undifferenced Heraldic achievement (less helm, mantling and crest) is

only be granted/registered to the title-holder. (13) The Arms are displayed in

either a lozenge (fig.3) or in an oval (fig. 4).

2. The female heiress to the title (Marchesina, Contessina or Baronessina in the case of the Maltese nobility) displays as follows:

i. Coronet of Noble placed immediately above the shield ii. The relevant titular coronet placed above the lower (Noble) coronet – note no

wreath is used since this is not a crest coronet, crests not being used in the Arms of ladies. (13)

iii. The shield is surrounded by a cordelier or knotted cord. See fig. 30. The titular coronet would naturally be appropriate to the title in question.

Fig. 30: Female Noble Contessina

3. The daughters of a title-holder (not the heiress), display as for (2) above but

omit the cordelier (fig. 31). The titular coronet would naturally be appropriate to

the title in question.

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Fig. 31: Female Nobile dei Baroni (motto not shown in this example)

4. Distant female descendants (dei Marchesi, dei Conti or dei Baroni in the case

of the Maltese nobility), display as for (3) above but omit the lower coronet which is

substituted by a golden bow around the upper point of a lozenge-shaped shield.

(fig. 32). An oval shield would be inappropriate in this particular instance. The titular

coronet would naturally be appropriate to the title in question.

Fig. 32: Female dei Baroni (motto not shown in this example)

Other distinguishing features

• Illegitimacy

Arms may be varied for illegitimate issue at the specific request of the person

petitioning for Arms.

There are various ways by which this can be done e.g., by debruising the

arms with a baton sinister or by enclosing the arms in a bordure chequy (15) Another

way of denoting illegitimacy is to use a special helm which faces the sinister i.e., the

right side of the shield as you look at it. (17) (fig. 33)

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Fig. 33: Markers of illegitimacy

• Adopted issue

Adopted children may either bear the arms of their natural parents, if

these be known to them, or those of their adoptive parents. In the latter

case they may wish to difference the arms with two links of a chain to

show that the arms are being used not by right of consanguinity but by

right of adoption. (15) (fig. 34)

Fig. 34: Marker for adoption

It must be emphasized that such heraldic variations for illegitimacy and adoption are

not at all necessary and would only be included in Arms at the specific request of the

petitioner. The laws of Malta make absolutely no distinction between

legitimate/illegitimate and natural/adoptive issue and the status of the petitioner will

never be queried by the Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta.

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Display of honours

1. Holders of Maltese National Orders; The Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta is authorized to adorn the Arms of any recipient of a State national honour with the relevant insignia. (18)

2. Foreign Orders Maltese citizens who are Gazetted Knights Grand Cross of Foreign Orders are entitled to claim a grant of non-inheritable Supporters. Gazetted Members of Foreign Orders in whatever Grade may suspend the Badge they are entitled to wear from a ribbon of the particular Order below their Shields.

3. Mayors and Former Mayors Mayors and Former Mayors may suspend the Mayor’s Badge of Office of their locality from the relevant coloured ribbon below their Shields.

4. Others Requests for other specific heraldic designations and display of honours held by both Maltese and non-Maltese citizens are to be made to the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta on the requisite petition for Arms.

REFERENCES

(1) Gauci C.A., An Illustrated Collection of the Coats of Arms of Maltese Families (PEG ltd.,

hardback edition, Malta,1989; paperback edition, Malta, 1996). (2) See, for example, (i) Scicluna H.P. The Church of St. John in Valletta, privately printed in

Rome, 1955. (ii) Also, the following manuscripts at the National Library of Malta in Valletta: a. Histoire Genealogique des Chevaliers de Malte NLM Mss. 101 b. Nom et Blazons de tous les Chevaliers de l'Ordre de St. Jean de Jerusalem NLM Mss. 315 c. Miscellaneous Manuscripts, NLM Mss. 102,136,278,283,953,1561.

(3) See Appendix 2A to this paper. (4) Gauci C.A. The Genealogy and Heraldry of the Noble Families of Malta, Vol. 1 (GP ltd,, Malta, 245 (5) Gauci C.A., A short essay on Maltese heraldry in Melita Historica (Malta Historical Society),

Vol. XVII no. 4 (2019) 177 et seq (6) Letter of Appointment issued by Heritage Malta on the advice of the Hon. Prime Minister and

the Cabinet Secretary, Malta 21/03/2019 (7) Communication issued by the Director, Cabinet Office, Malta 03/06/2019 (8) Malta Government Gazette no. 729. 25/06/2019, 18,832 (9) Ministerial letter, 22nd July 2020 (10) The following two tomes on English heraldry are strongly recommended: (a) Boutell’s

Heraldry: Revised by J.P. Brooke-Little, Warne 1963 (b) Fox-Davies A.C., A Complete Guide to Heraldry, T.C. & A.C. Jack, London, 1909

(11) A charge refers to any heraldic symbol borne on the field (12) Fructed refers to the tincture of the fruit borne by a tree (13) This is a standard heraldic principle, based on the assumption that only men went to war thus

needing a helmet for protection while in battle. This outdated principle probably requires

25

eventual revision in line with current equality legislation and the fact that many armies now routinely deploy women in combat roles.

(14) The official Arms of the Head of State do not depend on the sex of the holder; they are impersonal Arms. The same courtesy is extended to any personal Arms granted by the Office of the Chief Herald of Arms.

(15) Brooke-Little, J.P., An Heraldic Alphabet, MacDonald, London 1973 (16) Court of First Instance Malta, Ramsay v Bugeja, Judgement delivered 30/01/04; see also Constitutional Court Malta, Bugeja v Attorney General, Judgement delivered February 2007 (17) (i) Asensio Y Torres, Heráldica y Blasón, Madrid 1929 (ii) Guelfi Camajani, P, Dizionario

Araldico, Milan 1946 (18) Communication issued by the Director, Cabinet Office, Malta 27/01/2021

APPENDIX 2

A. Books on heraldry and genealogy published by Dr. Charles A. Gauci,

Chief Herald of Arms of Malta

I. The Genealogy and Heraldry of the Noble Families of Malta, Vol. 1 (GPL, Malta, 1981). II. The Palaeologos Family – a genealogical review (PEG, Malta, 1985).

III. A Guide to the Maltese Nobility (PEG, Malta, 1986). IV. ‘1349: Cicco Gatto Governor of Malta to Ludovico, King of Sicily’, in Lost Letters, edited by

Nicholas J. de Piro (London, 1986). V. A Key to Maltese Coats of Arms (PEG, Malta, 1988). VI. An Illustrated Collection of the Coats of Arms of Maltese Families (PEG, hardback edition,

Malta,1989; paperback edition, Malta, 1996). VII. The Genealogy and Heraldry of the Noble Families of Malta, Vol. 2 (PEG, Malta, 1992). VIII. A Collection of Genealogical Tables of European Families (privately printed, London 2001

& presented to National Library of Malta, Ref. NLM226937). IX. The Genealogy and Heraldry of the Noble Families of Malta, Vol. 1 (PEG, reprinted with

addenda, 2002). X. ‘ … of Maltese Generals and Admirals’ (Midsea Books, Malta, 2015). XI. Боже, императрицу хран,(God save the Empress), (privately printed in Malta, 2018) XII. The Peerage and Knightage in Malta, (Midsea Books, Malta 2018)

See also: Gauci C.A., A short essay on Maltese heraldry in Melita Historica (Malta Historical Society), Vol. XVII no. 4 (2019) 177 et seq

B. Some useful references for researchers on Maltese heraldry available in

the public domain

a) Abela F. Della Descrittione di Malta, Malta 1647. b) Abela F. & Ciantar G. A. Malta Illustrata, Malta 1772 and 1780 c) National Library of Malta, Anon. Manuscripts:

I. Armi delle famiglie Maltesi (Lib. Mss. 645) II. Armi delle familied Maltesi (Lib. Mss. 1263)

III. Fratelli Schembri (Lib. 1596) IV. Depositario Araldico (Lib. Mss. 135) V. Misc. Lib. Mss. 1561, 283, 136, 278, 102 l. II, III, IV/4, 953

d) Anon. Stemmi Maltesi e) Mango di Casalgeraldo A., Nobiliario di Sicilia, 2 Vols, Palermo 1912-1915 f) Mugnos F., Teatro Genealogico delle famiglie nobili, titolate, feudatarie ed antiche del

fedelissimo regno di Sicilia, viventi ed estinti, Palermo 1647, 1655 and Messina, 1670 g) Palazzolo Drago F, Famiglie Nobili Siciliane, Palermo 1927 h) Palazzolo Gravina V., Dizzionario storico araldico della Sicilia, Palermo, 1821-1825 i) Rolland V, Supplement to Riestap’s Armorial General, 2nd Ed, 9 Vols, London 1969-1970 j) Spreti V., Enciclopedia storico nobiliare italiano, Milan 1928-1935