Aspects of Hospitaller material culture through a study of the 'Dispropriamenti' 1680-1720

Abstract

The main aim behind this dissertation is to take a look at the personal lifestyles of the Hospitallers as indicated through the treasured possessions they owned. This interest in Hospitaller material culture arose from a visit organised by Dr Emanuel Buttigieg during my first year of studies at the University of Malta in 2013, at the National Library of Malta, in Valletta. During this visit Ms Maroma Camilleri (National Library Archivist) emphasised the fact that the dispropriamenti volumes which contain lists of Hospitallers‟ belongings have not been looked at in much detail. Besides this, I always wanted to study a different perspective of the Hospitallers‟ life. Hence, I decided to concentrate on the Italian dispropriamenti of 1680-1720, with a particular emphasis on Italian Hospitallers who lived outside the Convent, that is away from Malta. This dissertation is divided into three chapters. Chapter one gives a historical outline of the Order of St John and a historiographical overview of the study of material culture. This is followed by a discussion about the primary sources: the dispropriamenti and spogli, in order to serve as a fundamental basis for the following chapters. The second chapter deals with the Hospitallers‟ domestic sphere, analysing their residence and their households. The third chapter looks at the Hospitallers‟ individual persona by studying their fine garments and other valuable possessions.