De Rohan's "Diritto Municipale”

Abstract

Throughout its stay in Malta, the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, like any other ruler, promulgated numerous laws. This branch of the Order's activity reached its zenith in de Rohan's Diritto Municipale. In 1781 Grand Master Emmanuel de Rohan entrusted the Neapolitan lawyer, Giandonato Rogadeo (or Giovanni Donato), with the task of compiling a systematic collection of the Maltese legislation as to avoid inconsistency and overlapping. Rogadeo had defended the Order with notable success in the various lawsuits that it had to face in Naples. In addition he was mainly responsible for the constitution of the Supremo Magistrato di Giustizzia, Corte d 'Appello in 1777. The success enjoyed by Rogadeo, especially in the latter instance, seems to have gone to his head and he looked down on Maltese lawyers and judges.