OAR@UM Collection:
https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/62929
2024-03-28T10:51:27ZThe state and development of the Hospitaller Grand Priory of Messina in the Seicento
https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/89785
Title: The state and development of the Hospitaller Grand Priory of Messina in the Seicento
Abstract: It was effectively a chain of events, one building on the other, that brought about the
usurpation of all the Hospitaller assets in Sicily in 1801. The agonizing closure came
when King Ferdinand I conferred the priory of Messina to his son Prince Leopold, done
with the blessing of Paul I of Russia, de facto Grand Master of the Order at that point.
This act ended what was almost seven hundred years of continuous Hospitaller presence
in Sicily, a saga enriched by successive historical, social, and political events which the
Order negotiated with equanimity and capability, maintaining its relevance throughout
the centuries. The original goal of this dissertation was to focus on one of these, a
century near the end of its lifetime, and one when the fabric of the Priory, including its
immobile assets, social interactions, and political clout, was at its zenith.
It is, however, the wider context which ultimately determines the nature, form, and
character of any phenomenon in history. The Grand Priory of Messina is one such
phenomenon which had reached the state it assumed in the seventeenth century through
a slow, long-term process of development. In a parallel fashion, the city of Messina also
evolved through the centuries, acquiring status and privileges which had also peaked in a
similar fashion. The Hospitaller Sicilian province did not exist in isolation or sprout
suddenly into existence in the seventeenth century. It is precisely the purpose of the
present dissertation to try to reconstruct this gradual process of change in order to
understand better this integral part of the Hospitaller institution. Like any other
phenomenon, the state the Grand Priory of Messina had reached in the seventeenth
century was the product of its past centuries. For this reason, it was felt indispensable to
trace its gradual, at times tortuous, stages of the whole process of its evolution, to
underpin the scope of this monograph.
It is by knowing the past, that one can better understand the present.
Description: PH.D.HISTORY2020-01-01T00:00:00ZThree generations of Anglo-Maltese connections : a family history
https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/63359
Title: Three generations of Anglo-Maltese connections : a family history
Abstract: My chief aims for this dissertation were to firstly investigate and document a Maltese family’s experiences during times of war and peace and also to gain a clear insight into Anglo-Maltese connections giving a specific focus to those who had served for the British forces or worked for the British establishment in Malta. For this dissertation I used a micro-historical approach which enabled me to take a closer and more personal insight into each individual family member’s history which in turn gave a wider macro understanding of the Anglo-Maltese interrelationships that occurred in those days especially with regards to Maltese serving In the British services. I hope that this dissertation will also give us a wider understanding of what many Maltese families had to endure during the World War Two. With regards to war and conflict this dissertation will mainly focus on the family’s experiences during the Second World War, thus also enabling a wider understanding of the tragedy and loss that saw Malta become the target for some of the most intensive, prolonged and destructive bombing raids in human history.
The research carried out for this dissertation came from multiple sources that were retrieved locally and also abroad from relatives and archives in the United Kingdom and United States of America. Primary sources included original documents, photos and archival evidence coupled with oral testimonies, whilst the secondary sources used came from various books, journals, magazines and online sources. Using this combination of sources I was able to delve into the unique stories and service histories of my family members which enabled me to give a clear insight into their lives and when, where and how they had served with the British services. This approach also enabled me to elaborate in detail on a number of tragedies that my family had experienced during the Second World War.
The first chapter of this dissertation gives a concise introduction into the topic containing a literature review and methodology, whilst also outlining the sources used and the contents of the following chapters. The second chapter documents the tragic story of some of the first victims of World War Two in Malta. While the third chapter tells us the story of a courageous member of the Mangion family who joined the Royal Air Force in order to avenge the deaths of his sister, two nephews and niece. The fourth chapter focuses on several family members who had served with the British Royal Navy and British Merchant Navy. Finally the fifth and final chapter documents the life and experiences of a member of the Farrugia family who had served for the British royalty in Malta and who later after obtaining a British passport decided to emigrate to the United States of America serving with honour during the Second World War for the United States Army and United States Navy.
Description: M.A.PREP.HISTORY2020-01-01T00:00:00ZThe unsinkable aircraft carrier : Malta’s offensive role during the Second World War
https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/63358
Title: The unsinkable aircraft carrier : Malta’s offensive role during the Second World War
Abstract: The aim of this dissertation is to shed more light on Malta’s offensive role
during the Second World War and also to try to explore Malta’s role and
its importance to the Allied cause in the Mediterranean theatre of
operations. Much has been written about the defensive aspect of Malta
during the Second World War and this is reflected in public memory, with
many being aware of said defensive aspect, yet very few are conscious of
the fact that Malta also launched offensive operations of its own against
Axis targets, especially against Axis convoys plying the waters between
Italy and North Africa. Very few people seem to know that Malta
operated a tiny yet highly successful submarine fleet. Very few seem to
know that Malta operated bomber and torpedo bomber squadrons,
which struck Axis shipping, ground targets and major harbours on an
almost daily basis.
It is hoped that this dissertation will provide a study of Malta’s offensive
exploits against the Axis, particularly the Italo-German convoys to Libya
and Tunisia, and an analysis of Malta’s effect on the ground campaign in
the North African desert and the Axis war effort in the Mediterranean in
general. Sources, both primary and secondary, from both sides of the
conflict have been cross-referenced and combined in order to attempt to
paint a clear and honest picture of the Second World War in the
Mediterranean and the hardships and sacrifices of all those who had to
endure it.
Description: M.A.HISTORY2020-01-01T00:00:00ZNew Spain : aspects of life in 16th-century colonial Mexico
https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/63353
Title: New Spain : aspects of life in 16th-century colonial Mexico
Abstract: Limiting this research to the sixteenth century made it possible to delve into more depth. This century was loaded with aspects of continuity and change, as it was the birth of Spanish colonialism in Mesoamerica and as such, it was the start of a new era; the era where the indigenous world of Tenochtitlan began to crumble and be replaced by a sense of superiority coming from the Spanish conquistadors. Hence, the following chapters will be showcasing aspects of continuity and change. In order to understand these aspects, the first chapter will delve into several aspects. It will provide the context of the dissertation by discussing what was happening in Europe that propelled the so called ‘Age of Discovery’, a brief overview of the conquest of Mexico itself and what the Aztec Empire was. It then moves on to deal with the historiography of the subject and it provides a concise description of the type of sources that were utilised for this study. The second chapter will then look at what life in Tenochtitlan was before the arrival of the Spanish. This will serve as an introduction to the complex society and culture of the Mexica people as it will look at elements of societal divisions, the family as a unit and the warrior culture that was so strongly exhibited. The third chapter will seek to give a description of how pre-Spanish Tenochtitlan appeared visually, by examining the city as an urban space, through its layout, streets and buildings. This analysis will then be compared to the architectural transformation that the city underwent after colonial subjugation, to highlight what changed, and what remained the same. Finally, the fourth chapter will deal with both elements of change and continuity in particular cultural aspects such as the imposition of Christianity on a society that believed in several deities. The second aspect that will be analysed is the creation of a society that is multiracial and multi-ethnic, and how this changed the power dynamics of Mexica society, introduced new struggles and undermined old indigenous power.
The discovery of the New World, known popularly as the Age of Exploration, or the Age of Discovery, is often depicted as a glorious era for Europeans; an era which brought fortune and fostered the creation of overseas European imperialism. Judging from its surface, perhaps one could perceive this era as something to be celebrated. After all, venturing out into the unknown oceans and discovering new lands was quite the achievement.2 However, the magnificence and wealth that these empires attained needs to be set next in parallel to the darker side of their history. The inception of European imperialism was achieved through the subjugation of thousands of people, tribes and ethnic groups and through the strong desire of eradicating non-European cultures and creating new societies that resembled European ones. This harsh reality of European imperialism of the early modern period is reflected, even epitomised, in the conquest of Mexico, and it is for this reason that this dissertation will be focusing on the effects that the collision of two different worlds, with two, extremely different cultures brought to Aztec Tenochtitlan.
The overthrow of the Aztec Empire in the heart of the Valley of Mexico by the Spanish conquistadors in the first half of the 16th century is a popular narrative, and an exciting and scary one at that. Whilst the Spanish expedition and entry into the beautiful, strong city of Tenochtitlan is an incredibly engrossing narrative, the history of how that city, and its native people evolved and adjusted as a Spanish colony is one which deserves more attention. When the Spanish with Tenochtitlan as its capital.3 By the 1540s onwards, the region was commonly referred to as Ciudad de México.4 Slowly, the Valley of Mexico began to look more European and less Nahua. However, whilst there are, without doubt several aspects of change that emerge as a result of the conquest of Mexico, there are also several continuities that transpire from pre-Hispanic times. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to show the two sides of the story, to create a better, and less biased picture of Mexican history.
Description: B.A.(HONS)GLOBAL HISTORY2020-01-01T00:00:00Z