The south east of Malta and its defence up to 1614

Abstract

The object of this presentation is to give an overview of how the south-east of Malta comprising the Cappella of Sancta Catherina, that is the Parish of Ÿejtun, was geared for enemy attacks before 1530 and after the arrival of the Order of St John until the last invasion of 1614, whose fourth centenary is being commemmorated. It is shown how the coastal watch, the so-called Maoeras, for this district, originally organized by the Mdina Universitas came to be dependent on St Angelo towards the mid- fifteenth century and how, at about the same time, fortification of the old Parish Church was undertaken to defend the villagers, in view of the distance of the parish from Mdina. The dependent hamlet of Ÿabbar was one of the identified Dejma (land force as opposed to the coastal Maoeras) centres. It is suggested that one reason why the Port of Marsaxlokk appears to have been singled out by the Moorish corsairs for especial attention was retaliation for its use as the hub of Christian provocation, especially after 1530.