Rulers Of The Maltese Islands

Timeline for the rulers of Malta - Who governs Malta?

1500 B.C., the Phoenicians.

700 B.C., Greeks.

480 B.C., Carthaginians.

256 B.C., Romans.

Frustratingly, there are few signs of the Byzantine rule of Malta. In fact it receives little coverage from writers.

From 870 A.D. to 1091 A.D., the Maltese islands were almost exclusively Muslim by religion and inhabited by Maltese Arabs whose language survives in a modern form to this day. Ruled as part of the Fatimid Islamic Caliphate or al-Fatimiyyun.

1091 A.D., Roger the Norman.

Even after the Norman conquest, a significant Muslim segment in the society remained till the 13th century, since the initial Norman did not converted the Maltese Arab population, they just recognised them as Maltese.

Al-Idrisi was a Muslim Arab nobleman who worked in the court of Roger, and wrote his geography book and named it The Book of Roger - "Al-Kitab Al Rujari"

1090 to 1530 A.D., Malta is ruled as a feudal fiefdom, subject in turn to the House of Hohenstaufen, Swabian (Suabian), Aragon, and Castilian crowns.

The House of Hohenstaufen (or the Staufer) was a dynasty of German kings lasting from 1138 to 1254.

Swabia (sometimes Suabia or Svebia) (German: Schwaben, also Schwabenland or Ländle) is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in Germany.

The medieval kingdom of Aragon was located in northeastern Spain, the region comprises three provinces from north to south: Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel.

A former kingdom, Castile or Castilla, gradually merged with its neighbors to become the Crown of Castile and later the Kingdom of Spain with the Crown of Aragon and the Kingdom of Navarre.

A LIST OF THE GRAND MASTERS WHO GOVERNED MALTA FROM 1530 TO 1798

Details of Knights of St John Grand Masters - Order of St. John of Jerusalem - Knights Hospitaller

1. L'Isle Adam 1530

2. Peter Dupont 1534

3. Didier de St. Jaille 1536

4. John d'Omedes 1536

5. Claude de la Sangle 1553

6. Jean de la Valette 1557 - Founder of Valletta

The Great Siege of Malta 1565

7. Pietro del Monte 1568

8. Jean de la Cassiere 1572

1580 A.D., March 24, the Emperor Charles V. grants the Maltese Islands to the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem.

9. Hugo de Verdala 1582

10. Martin Garzes 1595

11. Alosius Vignacourt 1601

12. Louis Mendes Vasconcellos 1622

13. Anthony de Paule 1623

14. Lascaris Castellar 1635

15. Martin de Redin 1657

16. Annet de Clermont Gessan 1660

17. Ralph Cottoner 1660

1 8. Nicholas Cottoner 1663

19. Gregory Caraffa 1680

20. Adrian Vignacourt 1690

21. Raymond Perellos 1697

22. Mark Anthony Zondadari 1720

23. Anthony Manoel de Vilhena 1722

24. Raymond d'Espuig 1736

25. Emanuel Pinto 1741

26. Ximenes de Texada 1778

27. Emanuel de Rohan 1775

28. Ferdinand von Hompesch 1798

1798. June 12, Bonaparte enters Valletta.

1798. June 18, Hompesch leaves Malta. (The Decline of Malta 1565-1789)

1799. February 9, Sir Alexander Ball (image ref 1802) made President of the Maltese Provisional Government.

1800. September 8, Sir Alexander Ball enters Valletta at the termination of the French occupation.

BRITISH CIVIL COMMISSIONERS, GOVERNORS & GOVERNORS GENERAL OF MALTA

Governors of Malta list

1801. Sir Charles Cameron - Civil Commissioner

1802. Sir Alexander Ball

Sir Alexander John Ball, 1st Baronet (1757 – 20 October 1809) was a British Admiral and the first British governor of Malta.

Alexander John Ball was born in Ebworth Park, Sheepscombe, Gloucestershire.

He was the fourth son of Robert and Mary (Dickinson) Ball.

Ball died in the San Anton Palace on 25 October 1809 and was buried in Malta. In the Lower Barrakka Gardens in Valletta, the Maltese in 1810 built a monument in Ball's memory. Restored in 1884, this Neo-Classical monument remains a testament to the Maltese peoples' love and respect.

1810. Sir Hildebrande Oakes

1813. Sir Thomas Maitland

1824. The Marquis of Hastings

1827. Sir Frederick Ponsonby

1836. Sir Henry Bouverie

1841. Sir Patrick Stuart

1847. Right Hon. R. More O'Ferrall

1851. Sir William Reid

1858. Sir J. Gaspard Le Marchant

1864. Sir Henry K. Storks

1867. Sir Patrick Grant

1872. Sir C. T Van Straubenzee

1878. Sir Frederick Borton

1884. Sir Lintorn Simmons

1888. Sir H. D. O. Torrens

1890. Sir H. A. Smyth

1893. Sir A. J. Lyon Fremantle

1899. Lord Grenfell of Kilvey

1903. Sir C. Mansfield Clarke

1907. Sir Henry Fane Grant

1909. His Excellency General Sir H. M. Leslie Rundle, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., D.S.O.

1909 - February 1915. General Sir Leslie Rundle

1915 (Feb) - May 1919. Field-Marshal Lord Methuen

1919 - 1924 Field-Marshal Lord Plumer

1924 - 28 February 1927 General Sir Walter Norris Congreve

1927. General Sir John Philip Du Cane (28 February 1927 - 1931)

1931. General Sir David Campbell (June 1931 - 12 March 1936)

1936. General Sir Charles Bonham Carter (12 March 1936 - 1940)

1940. General Sir William Dobbie (April 1940 - 1942)

1942. Field Marshal the Right Hon. Lord Gort (1942 - 26 September 1944)

1944. Lieut.-General Sir Edmond Schreiber (26 September 1944 - 10 July 1946)

1946. Sir Francis Douglas (10 July 1946 - 16 September 1949)

1949. Sir Gerald Hallen Creasy (16 September 1949 - 3 August 1954)

1954. Lieut.-General Sir Robert Edward Laycock (3 August 1954 - 13 February 1959

1959. Admiral Sir Guy Grantham (13 February 1959 - 2 July 1962)

1962. Sir Maurice Henry Dorman (2 July 1962 - 21 September 1964)

Governors-General of Malta, 1964-1974

The Governor-General of Malta was the representative in Malta of Queen Elizabeth II as Queen of Malta between independence in 1964 until the declaration of the republic in the 1974. From 1813 until 1964 the office was that of Governor of Malta.

1964. Sir Maurice Henry Dorman (21 September 1964 - 4 July 1971)

1971. Sir Anthony Joseph Mamo (4 July 1971 - 13 December 1974)

PRESIDENTS OF THE REPUBLIC OF MALTA

The office of the President of Malta (Maltese: President ta' Malta), came into being on 13 December 1974, when Malta became a republic within the Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth II ceased to be head of state, and the last Governor-General, Sir Anthony Mamo, became the first President of Malta.

A person shall not be qualified to be appointed to the office of President if: He is not a citizen of Malta; He holds or has held the office of Chief Justice or other Judge of the Superior Courts; He is not eligible for appointment to or to act in any public office in accordance with articles 109, 118 and 120 of the Constitution.

The office of President shall become vacant: On the expiration of five years from the date of the appointment to that office; If the holder of the office is removed from office by Resolution of the House of Representatives of Malta on the ground of inability to perform the functions of his office (whether arising from infirmity of body or mind or any other cause) or misbehaviour.

Sir Anthony Joseph Mamo - 13 December 1974 to 27 December 1976

Anton Buttiġieġ - 27 December 1976 to 27 December 1981
- Bertu Hyzler (acting) 27 December 1981 15 February 1982

Agata Barbara - 15 February 1982 to 15 February 1987
- Pawlu Xuereb (acting) 15 February 1987 4 April 1989

Censu Tabone - 4 April 1989 to 4 April 1994

Ugo Mifsud Bonnici - 4 April 1994 to 4 April 1999

Guido de Marco - 4 April 1999 to 4 April 2004

Edward Fenech Adami - 4 April 2004 to 4 April 2009

Ġorġ Abela - 4 April 2009 - Incumbent