Marie Benoit of the Malta Independent on Sunday (28 November 2010) says: “While so many here who are not of noble lineage are obsessed with nobility and are prepared to even purchase titles and, by hook or by crook, to be able to boast of ‘pedigree’”. http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=116102

Let us not fool ourselves. Some titles of nobility were purchased, locally or abroad.

The official registration note dated 1745 made in regard to the title of Marquis de Piro created in favour of Gio Pio De Piro, shows that the grantee paid more than half a million vellons for this honour. To succeed in that title an equivalent payment had to be made.

(“Lo Stesso Barone Giovani Pio Depiro ottenne poi da Filippo Re di spagna un Titolo in Castiglia di Marchese per se e tutti li suoi eredi, e successori, avendo pagato il Dritto di cinquecento e sessanta due mili, e cinquecento maravedi di Vellon; il quale dritto deve essere pagato da ciascun successore in questo titolo il quale per rescritto del G. Mro si trova registrato nel lib. Boll. Sottogli 8.8bre 1745” http://www.saidvassallo.com/SME/maltesenobility/nobility/Archivesofordervol627.html )

At least this was an honest purchase, not one traded for sexual favours. Many historians agree that Grand Master Rohan, creator of many new titles of Maltese nobility, was very good in bed. http://www.saidvassallo.com/SME/maltesenobility/Melita/classesofmaltesesociety.htm

Gio Pio also held the title of baron of Budaq (created by Grand Master Perellos in 1716) but the two titles have gone separate ways now. http://www.heraldica.org/topics/national/malta4.htm

This is explained by the fact Gio Pio’s descendants failed to meet the necessary payments and the title of Marquis de Piro had to be formally revived.

In 1870, Francesco Saverio de Piro, CMG who was one of the descendants of Gio Pio footed the bill and he became, by right, entitled to the honour of Marquis de Piro. This succession was accepted in 1878 by the British Government.  http://www.saidvassallo.com/SME/maltesenobility/marquisdepiro1.htm

We find record of an Application for a Royal Licence for the use of a Foreign title in Great Britain was filed by Francesco Saverio’s granddaughter Adelina in 1914 [Ref. HO 45/10702/237247] in respect of the ‘Title Marquis conferred by Philip V of Spain in 1742 and renewed in 1870 by the Regent of Spain’ described as “Title of Marquise granted to applicant by King of Spain on the death of her father”. In her application, she attached a memorandum as to the recognition in Britain of titles officially recognized in Malta, then a Colony. The application was refused by the office, giving the reason “No special circumstances alleged”. See also http://www.heraldica.org/topics/britain/TNA/HO_45_13725.htm

Although Britain might not have recognized the later successions, there is no doubt that in the Kingdom of Spain Adelina was considered the 4^th holder of this title originally created in 1742. http://www.saidvassallo.com/SME/maltesenobility/nobility/depiro/depiro-main.html

A more recent revival took place in 1987 when Anthony Buttigieg de Piro, who is another descendant of Gio Pio, was proclaimed by official decree of the Ministry of Justice of the kingdom of Spain at Kingdom in the rank and style of Hereditary Marquis in the kingdom of Spain. ((page 361-365 of Charles Gauci “The Genealogy and Heraldry of the Noble Families of Malta VOLUME TWO” (1992) ASIN: B0018V7SUA)

External link: http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=116102

For more information and references (this site): please see www.maltagenealogy.comand links from there

Depiro family (general) http://www.maltagenealogy.com/libro%20d'oro/depiro.html

Depiro family (marquises) http://www.maltagenealogy.com/libro%20d'Oro/depiro1.html

Depiro family (barons) http://www.maltagenealogy.com/libro%20d'oro/depiro2.html

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