Interview with a Maltese Noble or of Noble Descent

Interview with a Maltese Noble or of Noble Descent.

As part of the questionnaire, we hope you can be as detailed as possible. We aim to publish about one a month with a photograph of each interview upon publication. Ensure that you can send a photograph. The aim of providing a standard questionnaire associated to the Maltese nobility, which will form part of our living history. Use as much space as possible and ensure it’s not highlighted. Thank you

(Top) Family party. 2 (Middle) Principe e Principessa de Sayd e Bibino Magno. 3. (Bottom) Youngest Daughter, Nathalie.

Name (Include titles, knighthoods, styles): Don Giuseppe Said, Prince of Bibino Magno and Sayd, Viconte de Sayd, Barone di Ghajn Rihani, Bibino Magno and Signore (Lord) of Migarro (Mgarr), Count of the Byzantine Empire (Vassallo-Paleologo), Hereditary Knight of the Holy Roman Empire, Patrician of Rome, Venice, Naples,

Age: 57

Do you live in Malta?: NO, only several months each year.

Your profession? Investments and Securties.

Your association to the Maltese Nobility?: Only those of Italy we have had association from time to time, such as the Savoie’s, Bourbon-Deux and the Orleans.

Do you consider your noble connections of any essence today, why? Very funny question, but we try our best to meet those connected and old family friends in Malta and in Europe.

Today, do your noble connections prove to be a hinder or a benefit? We don’t use it in Australia nor ever in Malta.

Do you know your family history, its rise to nobility and thereafter? Yes

Do you believe under the Republic of Malta, the nobility were considered as high-class trash?, when did life improve? Mintoff ruin much of the lifestyle that the nobility were use to, though our family were not part of this. We never believed in associating with the English from the very start, so we were considered “Commoners”. Did bother us at all, we learnt when an ancestor was executed by Napoleon to kept a very low profile.

Do you believe in a class system today? Yes I do believe in merit and achievement, the nobility is merely carrying down either a tradition, or a legacy from the past. Doesn’t mean that they are better or higher people in any respect. I know many well bred people who don’t have two cents to their name. Should they be considered High Class?.

Do you believe Malta should pride itself in our glorious past? Yes very much so and I like your idea of “Libro d’Oro di Melita”., about time. Malta in the last 30 years has gone through a socialist period which rid the English and for the first time, they are ruling from within, until they elected to join the European Union.

If not why?

Our future, do you consider the Nobility in Malta to become an essential tool to our heritage, especially under EU? Can the Nobility as a whole serve any purpose? Never can serve any benefit to Malta. Same as the English, French, German and Italian nobility, merely a hindrance then a benefit.

Generally, how are the Nobility accepted by the general population, in your belief? Majority don’t even realise who they are, though the educated either admire or hate them assuming the nobility are wealthy.

Do the Maltese Politicians respect the Nobility? Should the Nobility be given similar rights to the pre-republic times? Similar to the general public, either aware with knowledge or aren’t aware of ones past. Though sometimes confused with those “self styled”.

What other benefits do you believe in today’s terms; the Maltese government should give the Maltese nobility? Setup a committee to control titles and knightly orders from Malta and abroad. Now one may find those that intermarry with foreign nobility, a central body could register them and perhaps have the right to use their titles officially but without any other rights or being above the law as such.

Do you pride yourself in your families past? Of course we do, though its taken one hundred years for our intermediate family to regain acknowledgement of our glorious past.

Do you ensure that your family are aware of its past? My son does with www.maltagenealogy.com and other works put together and some documents which were rediscovered from our archives.

Do you have any family heirlooms, which associate the glorious past? We have some manuscripts dating back several hundred years and some books. Apart from that, I believe it was duly split up with inheritance over the generations.

Any interesting stories of your family that you can recite here? Our ancestor Djem had taken over Turkey after his fathers death and proclaimed Sultan of Turkey when news which his elder brother whom made his way back to the Capital and fought a couple of battles till Djem fled to Egypt, then to the Knights of St John in Rhodes Island, later invited by Pope Alexander VI Borgia to Rome. Proclaimed a Christian and settled in at the courts of the Pope. Later, the Pope or a member of the Borgia family had poisoned Djem. Djem was initially buried outside Rome then later bought back to the Capital of Turkey where he lays rest. His son by a Roman noblewoman was created a Prince upon his birth which is carried on till this day. PRINCIPE DE SAYD.

Any other details you like to add? We are an ancient noble family acknowledged by the Present Head of the Imperial House of Osmani (Turkey) though our ancestors had laid claim to the Sultanate for a few centuries until the execution of an ancestor by Napoleon. Since then we have kept a low key life only enjoying immerse family history. This we are proud of and no one can take away from us.

Thank you for taking the time.

Best Regards

Charles Said-Vassallo