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On Tuesday 13th October 2026, Heritage Malta cordially invites you to a public lecture by Prof. Emanuel Buttigieg titled ‘Their native valour’: Aspects of the militia and the defence of Malta during the 17th century. The lecture will be held at Fort St Elmo, at 7pm, and will be conducted in English.Over the course of the 17th century, the Order of St John can be said to have developed a ‘formula’ to protect its convent-island of Malta. This consisted of a blend of Hospitaller brethren to act as the officer class, locally recruited militiamen to deal with regular threats, professional mercenaries recruited outside Malta to deal with threats of sieges, and an increasingly dense web of fortifications to enhance these human resources.
While some saw militia service as an imposition to be avoided, others thought of it as a source of social prestige. This lecture will explore some aspects of the militia and the defence of Malta between c.1614 and c.1714.
Tickets are available online here and at all Heritage Malta museums and sites.
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Event venue
Fort St Elmo, Valletta, Malta
Tickets
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