Economic and social aspects of South Eastern Malta before the knights, c. 1467-1530

Abstract

As a Maltese student of history, I was always interested in the history of my country. The medieval period has always fascinated me, especially the late medieval part since it marked a significant part of Malta's history. This is because the 15th century and the early years of the 16th Century give an insight into the lives of Malta just before the Hospitaller Order of St.John arrived in Malta. The social and economic history of the Maltese is important because it is the history of the people. It is the history of the inhabitants who form an essential part of the Maltese islands. South Eastern Malta on the other hand is a brilliant example of the life on the rest of the island especially the rural way of life. The area also drew my attention, since it is the area where I come from so I found it appealing to focus my research on this part of the island. Chapter 1, the introductory chapter of the dissertation, concentrates on the political situation of Malta during the late l 5th Century and how the municipal system of the island used to work. The second part of the chapter then is an introduction to the South Eastern villages which are mentioned in the dissertation. It distinguishes between those villages which are lost today and those which are still habitable nowadays. The 2nd Chapter then is based on the economic factors which characterised the Maltese Islands during the late medieval period. It focuses on how the land and agricultural products were a basic necessity for the South Eastern Maltese, just like the rest of the Maltese. The 3rd Chapter focuses on the social aspect concerning the inhabitants of South Eastern Malta. The first part relates to how women were a significant part of the Maltese society. lt also explores some common customs such as marriage and the dowry which were familiar with not only the South Eastern villagers but also with the rest of the Maltese of late medieval Malta. The Church was naturally an important aspect for the Maltese, and the second part of the social aspect concerns the religious aspect of the Maltese. It also focuses on the South Eastern parishes of Bir Miftuh and Zejtun. The concluding chapter is about how South Eastern Malta is a perfect example to get a clear picture of the social and economic history of the Maltese archipelago and how the arrival of the Order of St.John on the island brought significant changes to the Maltese Islands, especially the South Eastern part.