The war of the Spanish succession : the impact of the war and its long-term consequences in Malta and the order of St. John 1702 - 1724

Abstract

In the first chapter there is discussed briefly the causes of the Spanish Succession War and its short-term impact upon the Order of St. John and Malta. Chapters two to four focus upon the Order's issues when confronted with a change of dynasty in Sicily (17l3), of tratte diplomacy with the Palermitan Court and of the diplomatic manoeuvres that gave Sicily to Victor Amadeus II of Savoy. Chapter five discusses the diplomatic precedents and incidents the Order faced during the war in Sicily between 1718 and 1720. The last three chapters discuss the long-term consequences of the Sicilian war upon the Order. That war induced the Order to seek to establish the neutrality of the harbours of Malta. Another change of dynasty in Sicily (1720) motivated the Order to re-adjust its relations with Spain and the Emperor. A comparison of the Order's significance in international politics in the period under study is dealt with in the conclusion.