The title Barone di Benuarrat is a title of Nobility in Malta. It was granted in 1737 by a Grandmaster of the Order of Saint John during its rule over the Maltese Islands. The remainder of this title contains a power to nominate a successor. “Benuarrat” is also spelt “Benwarrad”.
Since 1975, titles of nobility are no longer recognized in the Republic of Malta by Act 29 of 1975 dated 17 October 1975.
ORIGIN AND NATURE OF TITLE
The title of Barone di Benuarrat was conferred by patent on the 18th August 1737, by Grand Master Despuig to the nobleman Saverio Gatto, and to such of his sons or daughters in perpetuum as should be named by the holder of the title, and in default of nomination, to the first-born male descendent, and in the failure of male issue to the first-born daughter. The terms of the patent of creation being similar to those in the charter of the "Barone di San Marciano" No land was attached to this title of nobility. The title was merely honorific and did not give rise to any right of possession of the land called Benuarrat.
After Saverio died, his eldest daughter Paola wife of Emmanuele Muscati was invested by Grand Master Rohan on the 20 February 1783.
PRECEDENCE ENJOYED BY THE HOLDER OF THE TITLE OF BARONE DI BENUARRAT
Some two years after this creation, the same Grand Master Depuig introduced in 1739 the concept of according a form of precedence to a holder of a title of nobility. The relative law is reproduced hereunder:-
Hosplis Mgr et Hierlem Sti. Sepulchri. - Per togliere le differenze di precedenze tra le persone che saranno promosse alla giurazie dell’ Universita’ della Notabile e della Valletta, vogliamo, ordiniamo e comandiamo che tutte siano precedue dagli infrascritti, e che fra queti si regoli la precedena call’ ordine seguente cioe’: Primieramente, chi fu Capitano della Verga della Sudetta Citta’ Notabile e nostra Isola di Malta.; Secondo. Il Titolato che ha un titolo fondato sopra un feudo in realta’ esistente qui, benche’ non lo possegga.; Terzo. Il titolato che non ha un titolo fondato sopra fondo realmente esistente nel nostro Dominio, registrato che sia il titolo nella Cancelleria nella nostra Religione e nella Gran Corte della nostra Castellania, e pagato per i rispettivi registramenti il diritto di scudi cento sedici di questa moneta, da dividersi per meta’ tra la Cancelleria e la Castellania sudetta.; Quarto. Il discendente per linea mascolina da chi fu Capitano della Verga, se vive colle proprie rendite, e se i di lui ascendente intermedie vissero pure colle proprie rendite.; Quinto. Il discendente per linea mascolina da un titolo con titolo fondato sopra un feudo qui realmente esistente, se vive colle proprie rendite, e se i suoi ascendenti intermedie cosi vissero; Sesto. Chi fu primo Giurato della Notabile; Settimo. Chi fu primo Giurato della Valletta; Ottavo. Il piu’ anziani di Giurazia di quella Universita’ della quale sara’ creato giurato.; Nono. Chi fu Giudice d’Appello Criminale o Civile della Gran Corte della Castellania e della Corte Capitanale e Governatoriale; Diecimo. Il Dottore di Leggi ed il Dottore di Medicina.: - Dichiariamo che fra le persone d’un stesso grado si deve attendere l’anzianita’ del titolo primordiale e che chiunque fu Giurato, se sara’ fatto Console di Mare, fra i quali s’attendera l’anzianita d’ufficio. Dat. In Palatio, die xvi. Septembris 1739 (f. Despuig)
On the basis of this enactment it follows that in 1737 all of Ignazio Bonnici’s male-to-male descendants (“Il discendente per linea mascolina”) were made automatically entitled to a precedence.
The latter enactment was amended in 1795 by the then Grand Master Rohan as follows:
Hosplis Magr. Hierlem. Sti. Sepulchri, et Ordinis Sti Antonii, Viennensis Essendo una massima universalmente ricevuto, che il maggior lustro della Nobilta’ principalmente dipende dalla sua maggiore antichita’, niente che il piu’ giusto e ragionevole che il piu’ antico Nobile preceda il piu’ moderno. Siamo pertanto venuti nella determinazione di Ordinare che nel regolarsi la precedenza tra le persone Nobile di questo nostro Dominio, cosi’ primogeniti che cadetti indistintamente, si abbioa ad avere unicamente riguardo alla maggiore o minore antichita’ del titolo che nobilito le loro famiglie, e cio tanto se il titolo sara’ stato concesso da Noi o Nostri predecessori, che se lo avessero ottenuto da Principi esteri, purche’ pero sara’ stato questo debitamente registrato nella Nostra Cancelleria e Gran Corte della Castellania; nel consorso pero’ di ugual data quello nella di cui persona concorreranno piu’ titoli dovra’ essere preferito, all’ altro che ne avesse meno, secondo la graduazione stabilita nel Chirografo Magisteriale del Nostro Predecessore Gran Maestro Despuig di Gl. Em. Del 16 Sept 1739, quale in quelle parti che non contradicono la questa nostra disposizione intendiamo di pienamente confermare. Datum in Palatio die xvii Martii 1795 (f.) Rohan
In view of the latter enactment the Barone di Benuarrat and his male-to-male
descendants were to rank before the holder of any title created after 18 August
1737 and respective descendants. Therefore, it follows that the Barone della
Culeja ranks before all the Counts and Marquises which were created by the Grand
Masters after 1737 even though all the latter titles purport a higher rank. The
same position holds in regard to the respective male-to-male descendants.
Conversely, the Barone di Benuarrat ranks after the older barons and the holders
of noble fiefs.
Grand Master Rohan is also credited with codifying various laws in Malta.
Amongst these, we find in the Code enacted in 1783 which states that the
determining criteria of primogeniture in Malta operate in the following order:-
Line (the first line excluding all the others), Degree (the closer degree of
relationship excluding the remoter) Sex (the male sex being preferred to the
female), and Age (the elder being preferred to the younger). For examples of
these rules’ application see Barone della Grua
and Conte della Catena
THE ROYAL COMMISSION APPOINTED TO ENQUIRE INTO THE CLAIMS OF THE MALTESE NOBILITY
After the Capitulation of the Order of Saint John the new French Rulers formally abolished all titles of nobility. (General Napoleon Bonaparte issued two orders dated 13 and 16 June 1798 prohibiting the use of any title. These read as follows:-
“Ordre (1) Quartier General de malte, le 25 Prairal, an VI (13 Juin 1798): Le General en Chef ordonne……(Article 2.)… Toutes les armoires seront abbatues dans l’ espace de 24 heures. Il est defendu de porter dest livrees, ni aucune marque et titre distinctif de noblesse. Ordre (2) Au Quartier General de malte, le 28 Prairal, an VI (16 Juin 1798): Bonaparte Membre de l’Istitut National, General-en-Chef ordonne…(Article Cinquieme)….Dix jours apres la publication du present ordre, il est defendu d’avoir des armoires soit dans l’interieur, soit a l’exterieur des maisons, de cacheter des lettres avec des armoires, ou de prendre des titres feodaux. ……(Article Douzieme)….Tous les contrevenants aux articles cidessous, seront condamnes pour la premier fois, a une amende du tiers de leurs revenus; pour la seconde fois, a trois mois de prison; pour la troisieme fois a un an de prison; pour la quatrieme fois, a la deportation de l’ile de Malte, et a la confiscation de la moitie de leurs biens. Il devra toujours y avoir 10 jours d’intervalle entre la recidive.”
Another Order was issued by Bosredon Ransijat, President of the Commission du Gouvernement dated 18 Messidor Year 6 (6 July 1798), where it was enacted that all honorary titles should be burnt on the 14th of that month and that every holder of a title should carry his patent at the Arbre de la Liberté.
The French in turn lost Malta in 1800 to a contingent raised by Captain Ball and Admiral Nelson. Malta later became a British Protectorate after the Treaty of Paris of 1814.
In time, the use of nobiliary titles was resumed. However, it appears that this use was unregulated.
In 1870 the Marchese Giorgio Crispo Barbaro published a compendium of the “Maltese Nobility and the Maltese Gentry holding Foreign Titles”. In that publication Giorgio Crispo Barbaro makes no reference whatsoever to the title of “Barone di Benuarrat”. - See full text of the Crispo Barbaro’s book at http://www.saidvassallo.com/SME/1870%20barbaro.pdf
COMMITTEE OF NOBLES’ OMISSION TO INCLUDE ANGIOLINO ATTARD MONTALTO AND HIS CLAIM TO THE TITLES OF BARONE DI BENUARRAT AND BARONE DI SAN PAOLINO
In 1876, the British Secretary of State for the Colonies commissioned a report on those titles alleged to have been conferred to Maltese families before the annexation of Malta to the British Dominions, namely 1800. The Commissioners’ Report and Supplemental Report were published in 1878 together with relative correspondence. See full text of the 1878 reports at www.saidvassallo.com/SME/maltesenobility1878.htm )
To facilitate the preparation of the report, an “ad hoc” Committee of Nobles was requested to provide a list of claimants. In that list, there is no mention whatsoever of the title “Barone di Benuarrat”. In fact the Commissioners’ Report states that a claim was made only in the course of the enquiry. It is not reported why the claimant was left out.
SUCCESSFUL CLAIM OF ANGIOLINO ATTARD MONTALTO TO THE TITLE OF BARONE DI BENUARRAT
The Commissioner’s described the claimant as Angiolino Attard, who descends from the first titled person, although through a female line, as appears from documents produced by him; and he is the first-born descendent in the primogenial line from the grantee.
The Commissioners explained that as females are also qualified to enjoy the title in subsidium, they had no hesitation to include Angiolino Attard as ‘Barone di Benuarrat’. Unlike the titles of Barone della Grua and Conte della Catena, females may come to hold this title.
LATER DEVELOPMENTS
Angiolino Attard’s claim was however later challenged by a relative of his. This claim was however dismissed because the Court found that once there was no nomination, the title was succeeded by the primogenial descendant. In that case, the court worked out the descent from the original grantee and concluded that Angiolino Attard was indeed the primogenial descendant of Saverio Gatto.
OTHER ENTITLEMENTS
For the purposes of precedence amongst the Nobility in Malta, this title ranks according to antiquity of creation. According to the 1878 Report, this title was considered before the title of Conte della Bahria granted by Grand Master Pinto to Don Ignazio Muscati Falsone Navarra on the 16 May 1743, and after the title of Barone della Culeja granted by Grand Master Despuig to Ignazio Bonnici on the 2 June 1737.
As from the year 1886, the holder of this title of Nobility became entitled to be styled “The Most Noble”. (See: History of “The Most Noble” at http://www.saidvassallo.com/SME/maltesenobility.htm
The presumed successor of this title is by custom entitled to be styled Baroncino di Benuarrat. (See: Value of the Maltese usage of “Marchesino, Contino and Baroncino” at www.saidvassallo.com/SME/deimarchesino.htm
Other descendants of the various holders of this title are by custom entitled to be styled dei Baroni di Benuarrat. (See Value of the Maltese usage of “dei Marchesi, dei Conti and dei Baroni” at www.saidvassallo.com/SME/deicontiebaroni.htm
PRESENT DAY
Since 1975, titles of nobility are no longer recognized in the Republic of Malta by Act 29 of 1975 dated 17 October 1975.
GENEALOGY
The Primogenial descent of the Barons of Benuarrat and relative succession, is as follows:
Original creation (1737)
· Saverio Gatto, 1st Barone di Benuarrat (died 1782)
· Paola Moscati Cassia (Saverio’s eldest daughter) 2nd Baronessa di Benuarrat
· Paolo Montalto de Ribrera, (Saverio’s younger daughter’s eldest son’s eldest son) 3rd Barone di Benuarrat
· Maria Antonia Attard (Saverio’s younger daughter’s eldest son’s eldest son’s eldest daughter) 4th Baronessa di Benuarrat
· Angiolino Attard Montalto (Saverio’s younger daughter’s eldest son’s eldest son’s eldest daughter’s eldest son) 5th Barone di Benuarrat
· Giuseppe Attard Montalto (Saverio’s younger daughter’s eldest son’s eldest son’s eldest daughter’s eldest son’s eldest son) 6th Barone di Benuarrat
· Maria Kitson (Saverio’s younger daughter’s eldest son’s eldest son’s eldest daughter’s eldest son’s eldest son’s eldest daughter) 7th Baronessa di Benuarrat
· Michael Kitson Attard Montalto (Saverio’s younger daughter’s eldest son’s eldest son’s eldest daughter’s eldest son’s eldest son’s eldest daughter’s eldest son) 8th Barone di Benuarrat
For full Genealogy of the Barons of Benuarrat please see http://www.maltagenealogy.com/libro%20d'Oro/benwarrad.html
PRIMARY REFERENCES (GRANT/S):
1. Grant of title of Barone di Benuarrat granted by Grand Master Despuig, to Saverio Gatto on the 18 August 1737. (Recorded in the Archives of the Order, National Library, Malta Ref. AOM 541, ff, 191r-191v)
2. Investiture by Grand Master Rohan on the 20 February 1783 of the title of Barone di Benuarrat originally granted to Saverio Gatto in 1737 in favour of Emmanuele Muscati on behalf of his wife Paola (Recorded in the Archives of the Order, National Library, Malta Ref.1194, ff. 49r-50r, 52r-57r)
SECONDARY REFERENCES (HISTORY):
(1) Correspondence and Report of the Commission appointed to enquire into the claims and grievances of the Maltese Nobility, May 1878, presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty (C.-2033.): (See: Full text at www.saidvassallo.com/SME/maltesenobility1878.htm
(2) Report of the Committee of Privileges of the Maltese Nobility on the claims of certain members of that body with the Secretary of State’s Reply, August 1883, presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty (C-3812) (See: Full text at www.saidvassallo.com/SME/maltesenobility1878.htm
(3) Copies or Extracts of Correspondence with reference to the Maltese Nobility (In continuation of C3812, August 1883), presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty May 1886 (C-4628a) (See: Full text at www.saidvassallo.com/SME/maltesenobility1878.htm
(4) John Montalto, “The Nobles of Malta 1530-1800” (Midsea Books, Malta, 1980)
(5) Judgement of Court of Appeal 13 November 1895
TERTIARY REFERENCES (PUBLISHED GENEALOGY):
(1) Crispo Barbaro "The Nobles of Malta, and The Maltese Gentry holding Foreign Titles as at present existing by Geo. G.C.’A. Crispo Barbaro Marquis of St. George” Malta:- A.D. MDCCCLXX (The Anglo-Maltese Press, Malta, 1870)" (See: Full text at http://www.saidvassallo.com/SME/maltesenobility1870.htm
(2) Charles Gauci "The Genealogy and Heraldry of the Noble Families of Malta" (Gulf Publishing, Malta, 1981)"
(3) Charles Gauci A Guide to the Maltese Nobility" (PEG Publications, Malta, 1986)
(4) Charles Gauci "The Genealogy and Heraldry of the Noble Families of Malta VOLUME TWO " (PEG Publications, Malta, 1992)
(5) Charles Gauci "The Genealogy and Heraldry of the Noble Families of Malta VOLUME ONE " (PEG Publications, Malta, 2002)
OTHER:
1. TABULAR VIEW OF PUBLISHED INCONSISTENCIES RELATING TO THE ORIGIN OF NOBILIARY TITLES CONNECTED TO MALTA http://www.saidvassallo.com/SME/maltesenobilityoverview.htm
2.
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE SEE:-
Said Vassallo, C.M.,Charles Said-Vassallo's Research site and Maltese Nobility
web site
http://www.maltagenealogy.com