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| Malta Historical Society | |
|---|---|
| Name | Malta Historical Society |
| Founded | 1950 |
| Founder | Henry Frendo, Godfrey Wettinger, Vassallo? |
| Type | Historical society |
| Headquarters | Valletta |
| Country | Malta |
| Region served | Maltese Islands |
| Language | Maltese language, English language |
| Leader title | President |
Malta Historical Society
The Malta Historical Society is a learned society established to promote the study of Maltese history, the protection of cultural heritage and dissemination of research related to the Maltese Islands. Founded in the mid‑20th century, it has worked alongside institutions such as the University of Malta, the National Archives of Malta and the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage to publish scholarship, organize lectures and influence preservation policy. Over decades the Society engaged with scholars from the British Museum, the Bibliothèque nationale de France, the Vatican Apostolic Library and the Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies on aspects of Bronze Age Malta, the Knights Hospitaller, the Great Siege of Malta (1565) and World War II.
The Society was established in response to post‑war interest in documenting sites such as Ħaġar Qim, Mnajdra, Tarxien Temples and the prehistoric hypogeum discovered by Antonio Sultana? while contemporaries like Carlo Maurici and Manuel Magri had earlier antiquarian interests. Founders included scholars associated with the University of Malta and administrators who had served under the British Crown Colony of Malta. Early activities documented changes resulting from the Suez Crisis, the Italian occupation of Ethiopia era influences on Mediterranean shipping, and local developments connected to the Statute of Westminster 1931 legacy. The Society maintained ties to archivists at the National Library of Malta, curators at the National Museum of Archaeology, Malta and researchers publishing in journals such as the Journal of Mediterranean Studies.
The Society’s charter emphasizes research on periods from Prehistory of Malta through the Maltese uprising (1798–1800), the French Revolutionary Wars impacts on the islands, the era of the Order of Saint John (Knights Hospitaller), the British Empire period, and contemporary issues emanating from Malta’s accession to the European Union. Activities include cataloguing archival holdings similar to projects at the Public Record Office (United Kingdom), advising on conservation projects at Fort St Elmo, assisting archaeological fieldwork at Għajn Tuffieħa and providing expert comment on restoration at sites like St Paul's Cathedral, Mdina. The Society liaises with bodies such as the Malta Tourism Authority, the Planning Authority (Malta), the European Association of Archaeologists and academic departments at the University of Cambridge and University of Oxford.
The Society produces a peer‑reviewed journal that features articles on subjects ranging from Neolithic temples in Malta to studies of the Great Siege of Malta (1565), analyses of cartography in the Napoleonic Wars, and archival editions of documents from the Hospitaller period. Contributors have included historians linked to the British Academy, editors connected to the Oxford University Press, and archaeologists associated with the Institute of Archaeology, UCL. Monographs, conference proceedings and occasional bibliographies have examined figures such as Jean de Valette, Dom Mintoff, Enrico Mizzi and events like the Sicilian Vespers influence on Mediterranean politics. The Society’s publications are cited by curators at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, researchers at the Rijksmuseum, and scholars publishing with the Cambridge University Press.
Annual symposia address themes such as Mediterranean maritime trade, fortification architecture exemplified by Fort Manoel and Fort Tigné, and commemorations of episodes like the Siege of Valletta. The Society has organized panels featuring guest speakers from the European Commission, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and academics from the Pontifical Gregorian University. Field trips visit sites including Mdina, Cospicua, and the Three Cities (Malta), while collaborative workshops have been held with the International Council on Monuments and Sites and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre focusing on the Megalithic Temples of Malta.
Membership draws academics from the University of Malta, archivists from the National Archives of Malta, curators from the Grand Harbour Regeneration Corporation, independent researchers, and international scholars affiliated with institutions like the British School at Rome, the American University of Beirut and the Mediterranean Institute at the University of Malta. Governance follows elected presidencies, committees for publications, and liaison officers who correspond with bodies such as the Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee and municipal councils in Floriana. The Society maintains a library used by historians researching topics connected to figures like Auberge d'Aragon residents, correspondence from Napoleon Bonaparte’s era, and legal documents pertaining to the Treaty of Amiens.
Through partnerships with the University of Malta, the National Museum of Archaeology, Malta, the Museo Storico Navale, and international organizations like the European University Institute, the Society has influenced heritage policy, contributed to exhibits at the Grandmaster's Palace, and supported conservation at Hagar Qim. Its research informed restoration projects involving masonry techniques studied by experts from the Architectural Association School of Architecture and conservation scientists at the University of Leicester. The Society’s work influenced legislative debates in the House of Representatives (Malta) on protection of archaeological zones and contributed evidence to planning inquiries involving sites linked to the Knights of Malta.
The Society and its members have received acknowledgements from institutions such as the National Order of Merit (Malta), academic prizes awarded by the University of Malta, and commendations from international bodies including the ICOMOS and the European Heritage Label. Individual scholars associated with the Society have been honored with fellowships from the British Academy, grants from the Horizon 2020 programme, and awards presented by the Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies for work on classical connections to Malta.
Category:History of Malta Category:Learned societies