The restoration of the Maltese Carmelite Provincial Archive

Abstract

The origin of the Archivum Provincice Fratrum Carmelitarum Melitensis (hereafter, APCM) goes back to 1819 when by order of the British Governor, Sir Thomas Maitland (1760-1824) - known among the Maltese as 'King Tom' for his autocratic ways - a decree was signed on 14 January ordering the Franciscan Minors, Franciscan Conventuals, and Carmelites, who up till then depended canonically on their respective Provinces in Sicily, to transfer under the jurisdiction of the Prior General in Rome. That same year, to further sever any Italian influence on the Maltese islands, the Governor closed the University of Malta, whose working language was Italian, and took under his direct control the importation of wheat from Sicily. In this manner, the British rulers effectively took control of the Maltese population's livelihood and education.