Cassia

The Noble Family of Cassia,

already possessing the territory of Uied Dueli and the garden Gineyna del Migiarro (1535) and many other lands and gardens including the two fountains which were exchanged for the orto di S. Antonio tal Ghimeri to enable the passage of water to Valletta, and acknowledged as Nobile (1535) later purchased from the Inguanez family the fief of Gharyexem et Tabia and succeeded the title of Barone di Castel Cicciano originally purchased from Francesco Mego.
This family is listed as a noble family in “Descrittione di Malta” (1647). Moreover this landed family was later to be invested (1678) in the fief of Ghariexem et Tabia, where they are styled as Baroni later (1878) taken as the basis for regarding the fief of Ghariexem et Tabia as a Barony. One of the members of this family was later to be granted the titles of Baronessa di Gomerino (1710) and Illustrissima e Nobile (1725).

Last update: 30-10-2024.

Calleja; Ventura; have moved.

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“Gaddo Cassia e’ l’Ascendente piu’ antico, ch’habbiamo in questa casa, visse introrno al 1450 mentre nel 1481 era uno de’ Giudici della nostra Citta; fu’ di lui figluolo Luca, che nel 1485 prende’ per moglie Agnese di Lenzo Barbara; Di Luca nacque un altro Gaddo, che visse nel 1536, e di questo si tiene, che fuse figliuolo Gilio, o’ sia Giulio Cassia, a’ cui si da’ titolo di nobile nel 1535 egli si fece padre di Pietro, dal quale nacque Antonio, che genero’ Gio Maria, padre del Barone Giacinto; quindi e’, che in una pietra sopra il sepolcro, ch’ha questa famiglia nella Chiesa Cattedrale si legge l’iscrittione, che segue. Iulius hoc tegitur sub duro Cassia faxo: Quem Perus fociat, qui tegit osa Patris: Hoc quoq, sub saxo Antonii sunt ossa sepulta: Qui iacet in gremio Patris, Auique simul: Proavo Avo, Patri suisq, posteris: Ionnes Maria Cassia fieri iusssit Kal. Martii: Anno Domini 1621 Giacinto poscia procreo’ Antonio, e Pietro, ch’hano per mogli Perna, & Eugenia, figliuole del Dottor Paolo Anastasio. Gio Maria Cassia fu’ Giurato nel 1589, 1593 & 1594 nella Notabile, e Capitano nel 1590 & 1591 e poscia di nuovo eletto all’ istesso officio, negli anni 1613, e 1614. Come anche piu’ volte essercito’ la carica di Giurato il figluolo Giacinto nell’ una e l’altra Universita’; e l’Avo Antonio nella Notabile di Giurato antiano l’anno 1582, questi fu’ Procuratore de’ poteri nella medesima, & il primo nell’ amministrtione del Cumolo della Carita’, soggetto molto pio, e che con larga mano istitui’ la fondatione per la predica, che si fa’ ogni domenica nella Chiesa parocchiale del Rabbato, & altri legati per honor del culto divino. Il medesimo porto’ in casa il feudo di Gharyexem, e Tabia, comprato dagli Inguanez, come altresi Avo suo Giulio possede fin del 1535 il territorio in contrada Vyed Dueli, & il giardino Gineyna del Migiarro. Hebbero quesi dell’ istessa famiglia molti altri poderi, e giardinii ch’al presente godono, & in particolare quello delle due fontane, che fu’ cambiato con l’orto di S. Antonio tal Ghimeri, per occasione dell’acque, che si sono condotte alla Citta Valletta. Gode anche di presente questa famiglia l’onorato titolo di Barone di Cicciano, il quale essendo stato gia’ comprato dal Dottor Francesco Mego nostro Cittadino, intorno al 1560, ritroviamo, che facendo egli una procura per conto del medesimo feudo, negli’ atti di Bonaventura di Bonetijs nel 1569 si qualifica in tal guisa. Uti Dominus utilis iurisdictionis criminalis, & mixta cum mero, mixtoque imperio, & gladii potestate, cognitioneo; primarum, & secundum causarum Castri Cicciani, constituit Procuratores Commendatarium eusdem Commenda, & Receptorem Neapolis, quivi nominati, & altri ad ratificandum quemcumque’ affectum factum dictae iurisdictionis criminalis, & adeandem exercendum iuxta forman cautelarum, & privilegiorum, qua & qua dictus Dominus constituens habet, & c. Da lui trapasso detto titolo nel Capitano Gregorio Xerri, e da questo in una sua grave infermita, non havendo figliuoli, fu’ lasciato al Dottor Ascanio Surdo suo cugino, il quale finalmente nell’atto matrimoniale tra’ Madalena sua figliuola co’ l predetto Giacinto Cassia glielo diede con gl’altri effetti della dote. Il sudetto feudo fu’ prima venduto da D. Vincenzo Caraffa del Duca d’Ariano a’ Pietro Antonio Spinello Conte di Seminara, e poi dal Duca Carlo suo figliuolo a’ Pietro Pignone di Napoli, e da questo a’ Christoforo Grimaldo, che lo vende’ al Dottor Mego, con assenso regio dato in Napoli da quel Vicere’ a’ 12 d’Agosto 1560. Nacque dalla medesima casa quel famoso Tomeo Cassia Piloto reale delel galee di questa Sacra Religione, che salvo’ quelle, e tutte l’altre dell’armata Cattolica, che lo seguirono in quell’ infausta terza giornata delel Gerbe l’anno 1560. Di lui hebbe il nascimento Narduccio, o’ Leonardo Giurato della Valletta nel 1583 di cui si figliuolo Bartolomeo, Capitano del S. Officio dell’ Inquisittione. E piu’ volte fu’ Giurato nell’istess Citta’ Pietro Cassia, marito d’Imperia Bonello, fondatore della cappella dedicate alla miabiliss. Assontione della B. Vergine, nella Chiesa de’ Reverendi Padri Osservanti della Valletta…. ” (From Abela’s “Della Descrittione di Malta del Commendatore Abela” (1647))

THE GENEALOGY OF THE CASSIA FAMILY:-

Il Miles Berguchio de Cassio e suoi legittimi discendenti ricevettero in feudo da Re Federico IV nell’agosto 1357 la meta pro indiviso del feudo casal Saraceno posto tra Agira, Nicosia, Gagliano e Cerami, gia appartenuto a Salvatore di Salvatore di Nicosia morto senza figli, e prima ancora a Giovanni Caltagirone. – [Repertorio della Feudalita Siciliana 1282-1390].

* Judge Gaddo I Cassia of Mdina, (“visse intorno al 1450, mentre nel 1481, era uno de’ Giudici della nostra Citta”), married to Lorenza Barbara, with issue.

1. Luca Cassia, married 1485 to Agnese Barbara, with issue
1.1. Demetrio Cassia, married Bartolomea …, with issue
1.1.1. Notary. Carlo Cassia, married 1571 at Matrice Gozo to Isabella Sansone, with issue.
1.1.1.1. Florio Cassia,  married 1584 at Matrice Gozo to Gerolama de Fantino, with issue.
1.1.1.1.1. Marietta Cassia, married (1) 1606 to Notary Paolo d’Arena, married (2) 1609 to Giovanni d’Armenia., married (3) 1639 to Melchiorre di Monte Albano., with issue.

1.1.1.1.1.1. (illegitimate late legitimised) Maria d’Armenia, married 1632 Valletta to Geronimo von Leo.
1.1.1.1.1.2. (First marriage) Don. Giuseppe d’Arena, dunm.
1.1.1.1.1.3. Petronilla d’Arena, married 1646 Vittoriosa to Giacomo Gimbert, with issue.
1.1.1.1.1.3.1. Baldassare Gimbert, married 1675 Valletta to Teodora Attard, with issue.
1.1.1.1.1.3.1.1. Agata Gimberto, married 1719 Mdina to Gaspare Ciantar.
1.1.1.1.1.3.1.2. Maria Margerita Gimberto, married 1690 Valletta to Don Vincenzo Platamone.
1.1.1.1.1.4. Flaminea d’Arena, married 1640 Vittoriosa to Michele Attard.
1.1.1.1.1.5. Girolama d’Arena, married 1645 Vittoriosa to Battista Attard.
1.1.1.1.1.6. Susanna d’Arena.
1.1.1.1.2. Gio Paolo Cassia., married (1) 1629 to Petronilla Xiriha., married (2) 1637 to Maruzza Pace.
1.1.1.1.3. Tomaso Cassia., married Laura N, with issue.
1.1.1.1.3.1. Grazia Cassia., married 1654 to Petruzzo Cremona.
1.1.1.1.3.2. Angelo Cassia., married 1656 to Andreanna Xicluna.
1.1.1.1.4. Speranza Cassia, married 1601 (Notary Giuseppe Caxaro) to Nobile Notary Petruccio Zammit.
1.1.1.1.5. Caterina Cassia, married 1592 Gudja to Pietro Fiteni.
1.1.1.2. Alessandro Cassia., married with issue.
1.1.1.2.1. Margherita Cassia., married 1662 at Valletta to Francesco Gregorio Romano.
1.1.1.3. Pietro Cassia, married 1610 Naxxar to Domenica Galea, with issue.
1.1.1.3.1. Carlo Cassia, married 1653 Mdina  to Maddalena Azzopardi, with issue.
1.1.1.3.1.1. Domenica  Cassia, married 1681 Naxxar to Ludovico Decelis.
1.1.1.3.1.2. Rosa Cassia.
1.1.1.3.1.3. Giorgio Cassia, married 1690 Naxxar  to Grazia Mifsud., with issue.
1.1.1.3.1.3.1. Maddalena Cassia, married 1719 Naxxar to Gio Domenico Busuttil., with issue.
1.1.1.3.1.3.1.1. Grazio Busuttil, married 1742 Naxxar to Nobile Maria Vassallo, with issue.
1.1.1.3.1.3.1.1.1. Paola Busuttil, married 1784 Mdina to Nobile Giulio Debono.
1.1.1.3.1.3.2. Paolo Cassia, married 1731 Naxxar to Maria Micallef, with issue.
1.1.1.3.1.3.2.1. Lucrezia Cassia, married 1768 Naxxar to Lorenzo Vella.
1.1.1.3.1.3.2.2. Caterina Cassia, married 1763 Naxxar to Orazio Muscat.
1.1.1.3.1.3.2.3. Margherita Cassia, married 1768 Naxxar to Gio Paolo Grima.
1.1.1.3.1.3.2.4. Rosa Cassia, married 1766 Naxxar to Giuseppe Debrincat.
1.1.1.3.1.3.3. Carlo Cassia, married 1741 Naxxar to Teresa Vassallo.
1.1.1.3.1.3.4. Maria Cassia, married 1721 Naxxar to Giuseppe Galea.
1.1.1.3.1.3.5. Caterina Cassia, married 1735 Naxxar to Giuseppe Galea. (Brother in Law).
1.1.1.3.1.4. Maruzzo Cassia, married 1700 Naxxar to Maddalena Sammut, with issue.
1.1.1.3.1.4.1. Lucrezia Cassia, married 1747 Naxxar to Gaetano Camilleri.
1.1.1.3.1.4.2. Carlo Cassia, married 1733 Naxxar to Margherita Muscat.
1.1.1.3.1.4.3. Caterina Cassia, married 1732 Naxxar to Giuseppe Zammit.
1.1.1.3.1.4.4. Maria Cassia, married 1729 Naxxar to Giuseppe Debono.
1.1.1.3.2. Leonardo Cassia, (Migrated to Messina Sicily), A Solider of the Sicilian Army, married 1661 Messina to Maria Christina NN, with issue.
1.1.1.3.2.1. Antonia Cassia, ‘Nun’.
1.1.1.3.2.2. Capt. Pietro Paolo Cassia, Sicilian Army, married 1694 to Scolastica de Naro, with issue.
1.1.1.3.2.2.1. Leonardo Cassia, ‘Priest’.
1.1.1.3.2.2.2. Cav Michele Cassia, Sicilian Army, married 1720 to Christina NN, with issue.
1.1.1.3.2.2.2.1. Cav. Pietro Paolo Cassia, (1721-78), Created Signore 1759., married 1750 to Sophia Eleanora NN, with issue.
1.1.1.3.2.2.2.1.1. M’Angelo Cassia, (1751-92), 2nd Signore., married with issue.
1.1.1.3.2.2.2.1.2. Leonardo Cassia, ‘Priest’.
1.1.1.3.2.2.2.1.3. Emmanuele Cassia, married with issue.
1.1.1.3.2.2.2.2. Leonardo Cassia, (1724-82), married with issue.
1.1.1.3.2.2.2.3. Amalia Cassia, ‘Nun’.
1.1.1.3.2.2.2.4. Giorgio Cassia, ‘Priest’.
1.1.1.3.2.2.2.5. Cav Tommaso Cassia, Cr: 1768 Signore, married 1758 to Maria Antonia NN, with issue.
1.1.1.3.2.2.3. Aloisea Cassia, ‘Nun’.
1.1.1.3.2.2.4.  Carlo Cassia, ‘Priest’.
1.1.1.3.2.2.5. Philip Cassia, (1704-29), Sicilian Army.
1.1.1.3.2.3. Philippa Cassia, ‘Nun’.
1.1.1.4. Bernarda Leonarda Cassia, married 1611 Valletta to Mro Demetro Scolaro, (s/o Leonardo Scolaro and Lucrezia de Baglio, Manumessa), with issue.
1.1.1.4.1. Daniele Scolaro, married (1) 1643 Vittoriosa to Marcica, formerwife of Domenico Cassar, married (2) 1651 Cospicia to Domenica, formerwife of Giorgio Grech, with issue.
1.1.1.4.1.1. (First marriage) Filippo Scolaro, married 1671 Cospicua to Eugenia Barbara, with issue.
1.1.1.4.1.1.1. Silvestro Scolaro, married (1) 1721 Cospicua to Evangelista Abela, married (2) 1730 Cospicua to Maria Ellul.
1.1.1.4.2. Baldassare Scolaro, married 1682 Cospicua to Graziulla Buchier, with issue.
1.1.1.4.3. Cosmano Scolaro, married 1571 Cospicua to Evangelista Zammit, with issue.
1.1.1.4.4. Antonia Scolaro, married 1660 Vittoriosa to Domenico Grech.
1.1.2. Giovanna Cassia, married Antonio Micallef, with issue.
1.1.3.  Laura Cassia., married 1574 to Ferdinando Ciappara.

1.1.4. Margarita Agata Cassia, married 1560 (Notary Brandano Caxaro) Tomaso Calleja.
1.2. Gaddo II Cassia,, married (1) to Giovanna Rapa, married (2) to Gugliarda Calabacchio, with issue
1.2.1. (Second Marriage) Margarita Cassia, married c.1490 to Giovanni Agius
1.2.2. Poala Cassia, married 1503 to Leonardo Cassar.

1.2.3. Giuliano Cassia,. (“Gaddo, che visse nel 1536 e di questo si tiene, che fuse figliuolo Gilio, o’ sia Giulio, Cassia”), married 1504 to Nobile Eleanora Hachem, with issue
1.2.3.1. Agata Cassia, married 1526 to Nicola Xara.
1.2.3.2. Margherita Cassia, married Matteo Abela.
1.2.3.3. Pietro Cassia, married 1533 to Isabella Baglio, with issue.
1.2.3.3.1. Antonio Cassia, Giurato anziano (1582), married 1560 to Nobile Caterina Cumbo, with issue
1.2.3.3.1.1. Gio Maria Cassia, (1st “Baron” of Ghariexem e Tabia  see footnote),  married (1) 1586 to Laurica Rosso dei Baroni di Cerami, married (2) to Nobile Caterina Cumbo, with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1. (First marriage)  Magnificus Giacinto Cassia, (died 1655) Giurato nell’ una e l’altra Universita’, (“Il medesimo porto’ in casa il feudo di Gharyexem, e Tabia, comprato dagli Inguanez, come altresi Avo suo Giulio possede fin del 1535 il territorio in contrada Vyed Dueli, & il giardino Gineyna del Migiarro.”) (2nd and last “Baron” of Ghariexem e Tabia  see footnote; “1st Baron of Ghariexem e Tabia” By virtue of Commissioners recommendation of 1878  see footnote) Married to Maddalena Surdo, 6th Baroness of Castel Cicciano, (“trapasso detto titolo nel Capitano Gregorio Xerri, e da questo in una sua grave infermita, non havendo figliuoli, fu’ lasciato al Dottor Ascanio Surdo suo cugino, il quale finalmente nell’atto matrimoniale tra’ Madalena sua figliuola co’ l predetto Giacinto Cassia glielo diede con gl’altri effetti della dote.”), with issue. 

1.2.3.3.1.1.1.1. (First Marriage) Magnificus Gio Antonio Cassia, (died 1658), “2nd Baron” of Ghariexem e Tabia, (being the person invested on 15 January 1655 as successor of a property acquired in fief by Giacinto Cassia on the 16 April 1638), 7th Baron of Castel Cicciano, Married to Perna d’Anastasio, and dsp.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.1.1. (illegitimate) Veronica de Cassia, married 1674 Valletta to Nobilis Francesco Pace.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.1.2. (illegitimate) Cilia, Orpheline de l’Hospital de Porto, married 1667 Valletta to Geronimo Camardi.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.1.3. (illegitimate) Maddalena, Orpheline, married 1670 Valletta to Ambrosio Vella.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2. Magnificus Pietro Cassia, (died 1686), “3rd Baron” of Ghariexem e Tabia, (being the person invested on 13 August 1658 as successor of a property acquired in fief by Giacinto Cassia on the 16 April 1638), 8th Baron of Castel Cicciano), married 1638 to Eugenia d’Anastasio, with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.1. Publio Maria Cassia, Baroncino di Ghariexem e Tabia, dunm.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.2. Maddalena Cassia, married to Bernardo Piscopo, Count of Mont’Alto, dsp.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.3. Celidonia Cassia, married 1688 (1) Pietro Paolo Falsone, Married (2) 1695 Valletta to Nobile Tomaso Portelli dei Baroni di San Giovanni.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.4. Beatrice Cassia, 9th Baroness of Castel Cicciano, Joint 1st Baroness of Gomerino, married Paolo Testaferrata, 1st Barone di Gomerino.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.5. Sister. Amodea Cassia, “Nun“, dunm.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.6. Domenica Cassia, (1640-1721), “4th Baroness” of Ghariexem e Tabia, (being the person invested on 21 August 1678 as successor of a property acquired in fief by Giacinto Cassia on the 16 April 1638), Married to Stanislao Xara, ‘Capitano della Verga of Malta’, with issue (in the investiture granted to Domenica Cassia, wife of Stanislao Xara, on the 21st August 1678, she is called filia vero quondam Magnifici Petri Cassia J.U.D. olim Baronis de Ghariescem et Tabia’), with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.6.1. Domenico Xara Cassia, Baroncino di Ghariexem e Tabia, (died 1703), married 1703 Valletta to Francesca Mamo, and dsp.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.6.2. Pietro Paolo Xara Cassia, (1669-1749), 5th Barone of Ghariexem e Tabia, (He was invested on the 28th August 1721, in which the following words occur:”quod quidem Pheudum ad eum uti dicta quondam Nobilis Baronissae Domonicae Cassia et Xara filium primogenitum pervenit, ad quod supradictum Nobilem Petrum Paulum Xara”), Married (1) 1701 Valletta to Antonia Bonici, married (3) 1722 Mdina to Nobile Maria Cecilia Xiberras Cassia, married (3) 1725 Zebbug to Costanza Leocata, with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.6.2.1. (Third marriage) Stanislao Xara Cassia, (1726-1794), 6th Barone of Ghariexem e Tabia, “Nobilis Stanislaus Xara quondam Nobilis Petri Pauli Xara Pheudi de Ghariescem et Tabia Baronis filius primogenitus”; in the years 1776 and 1777 the office of Giurato was bestowed on Magnificum et Nobilem Baronem Stanislaum Xara), married to Teresa Moscati-Sceberras, dei Marchesi di Xrobb il Ghagin, dsp.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.6.2.2. Maria Antonia Xara Cassia, (1730-62), married to Gregorio Bonici Platamone, with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.6.2.2.1. Pietro Paolo Bonici Platamone Xara Cassia, (1755-83), Baroncino di Ghariexem e Tabia, married 1783 to Johanna Perdicomati Bologna, 3rd Countess of Catena, and dsp.l.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.6.2.2.1.1. (illegitimate with Housemaid) Susanna Alunna di Pietro Paolo Bonnici Platamone Xara Cassia, married 1796 Valletta to Lorenzo Zrenzo.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.6.2.2.2. Felicita Chiara Bonici Platamone Xara Cassia, (1757-1821), Baroness of Ghariexem e Tabia, (in the records of investiture dated 20th August 1797, she is described as “Felicita Chiara Sant filia vero primogenita quondam Magnificae Antoniae Bonnici sororis secundogenita quondam Magnifici Stanislai Xara olim Baronis De Ghariescem et Tabia“, Married 1777 to Gio Francesco Sant, 2nd Count Sant, with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.6.2.2.3. Maria Bonici Platamone Xara Cassia, Married 1783 to Alessandro D’Amico Inguanez, 17th Baron of Djar-il-Bniet and Buqana, with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.6.2.3. Perna Bonici Platamone Xara Cassia, married 1754 to Lorenzo Moscati.

1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.6.2.4. (illegitimate with Housemaid) Angelica Alunna di Barone Pietro Paolo Xara Cassia, married 1728 Valletta to Francesco Farrugia.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.6.2.5. (illegitimate with Housemaid) Lorenza Alunna di Barone Pietro Paolo Xara Cassia, married 1747 Valletta to Lorenzo Zrenzo.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.6.3. Eugenia Xara, married (1) 1701 Valletta to Antonio Bonici, married (2) Dr Pietro Xeberras JUD.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.7. Polidoxa Cassia, married 1688 to Diego Moscati.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.8. (illegitimate with Giacobina Giatelomo) Lucrezia de Giatelomo, married 1668 Senglea to Antonio Phebo of Sicily.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.9. (illegitimate with N. Debono) Barbara di Bono, married 1665 Valletta to Don Tomaso Cottone of Sicily.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2.10. (illegitimate with Housemaid) Grazia di Azzopardi, Servant de Clara Azzopardi, Alunna, married 1671 Valletta to Raimondo Bugeja.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.3. Camillo Cassia, dunm.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.4. Laura Cassia, married (1) to Nobile Ugolino Cumbo Navarra, married (2) to Policaro Testaferrata.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.5. (illegitimate from Angelica N).  Luca de Cassia, married 1675 Naxxar to Maruzzua Camilleri, with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.5.1 Michele Cassia, married (1) 1700 Naxxar to Celistina Vella, married (2) 1757 Naxxar to Lucrezia Perotta.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.5.2. Carlo Cassia, married to Clara N, with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.5.2.1. Anna Cassia, married 1725 Naxxar to Andrea Gauci.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.5.2.2. Salvatore Cassia, married (1) 1730 Naxxar to Maria Xerri., married (2) 1738 Teodora Debrincat, with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.5.2.2.1. (First Marriage) Giuseppe Cassia, married 1755 Naxxar to Lucrezia Tonna, with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.5.2.2.1.1. Salvatore Cassia, married 1786 Naxxar to Angela Gauci, with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.5.2.2.1.1.1. Maria Cassia, married 1811 Naxxar to Giovanni Gauci, with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.5.2.2.1.1.1.1. Giuseppe Gauci-Cassia, married 1848 Naxxar to Domenica Sammut, with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.5.2.2.1.1.1.1.1. Rosa Gauci-Cassia, married 1880 Mosta to Giuseppe Camilleri..
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.5.2.2.2. (Second Marriage) Maria Cassia, married (1) 1757 Naxxar to Andrea Debono, married (2) 1759 Naxxar to Paulo Cutajar.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.5.2.2.3. Clara Cassia, married 1761 Naxxar to Andrea Galea.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.5.2.2.4. Rosaria Cassia, married 1775 Naxxar to Giuseppe Debono.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.6. (illegitimate from Angelica N) Paolina de Cassia, married 1655 Senglea to Giulio de Candia.
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.7. (illegitimate from Angelica N). Ursola de Cassia, married 1640 to Stamatello Ventura.

1.2.3.3.1.1.1.2. Teresa Cassia, married Giuseppe Senatio
1.2.3.3.1.1.1.3. (Second Marriage) Isabella Cassia, married 1645 to Agostino Agius.
1.2.3.3.1.1.2. Isabella Cassia, married (1) 1577 to Ugolino Navarra, Married (2) 1596 to Dr. Antonio Torrensi JUD.
1.2.3.3.1.1.3. Imperia Cassia, married 1576 to Gregorio Scerri (Xerri), 4th Barone di Castel Cicciano.
1.2.3.3.1.2. Giovanni Cassia, married (1) 1598 to Paola Delia, Married (2) 1613 to Giovanella Mizzi, with issues.
1.2.3.3.1.2.1. (First Marriage) Mariano Cassia
1.2.3.3.1.2.2. Mco. Gio Domenico Cassia, married (1) 1624 at Valletta to Lucrezia Debono., married (2) 1633 to Caterina Gauci., married (3) 1641  at Valletta to Marguerite Borg., with issue.

1.2.3.3.1.2.2.1. (Second Marriage) Giovanni Cassia, married 1668 Naxxar to Maruzza Mifsud, with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.2.2.1.1. Giovanni Maria Cassia, married 1701 Naxxar to Maruzza Muscat.
1.2.3.3.1.2.2.2. Pietro Cassia, married (1) 1651 Gharghur to Anna Micallef, married (2) 1698 Naxxar to Agata Sant (d/o Domenico and Grazia), with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.2.2.2.1. (First Marriage) Salvatore Cassia, married (1) 1682 Mdina to Agata Cauchi, married (2) 1719 Naxxar to Margherita Vella, with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.2.2.2.1.1. (First Marriage) Ubaldesca Cassia, married (1) 1710 Naxxar to Vincenzo Dimech, married (2) 1719 Naxxar to Paolo Agius.
1.2.3.3.1.2.2.2.2. Vittorio Cassia, married 1687 Gharghur to Andreanna Micallef, with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.2.2.2.2.1. Teresa Cassia, married 1713 Valletta to Ignazio Dalli.
1.2.3.3.1.2.2.2.2.2. Anna Cassia, married 1708 Gharghur to Giuseppe Galata.
1.2.3.3.1.2.2.2.3. Lorenzo Cassia, married 1696 Mdina to Evangelista Muscat, with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.2.2.2.3.1. Maria Cassia, married 1716 Gharghur to Giuseppe Gauci, with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.2.2.2.3.1.1. Antonio Gauci, married 1765 Mdina to Giuseppa Grima, with issue.
1.2.3.3.1.2.2.2.3.1.1.1. Maria Gauci, married 1802 Mdina to Saverio Dingli.
1.2.3.3.1.2.2.2.4. (Second marriage) Caterina Cassia, married 1718 Gharghur to Salvatore Aquilina.
1.2.3.3.1.2.3. (Second Marriage) Giacinto Cassia, married (1) 1630 at Valletta to Laura Bartolo., married (2) 1645 to Domenica Agius, with issue
1.2.3.3.1.2.4. Petruccio Cassia, married 1644 Cospicua to Lorenza Azzopardi, with issue
1.2.3.3.1.2.4.1. Vincenza Cassia., married 1676 to Giovanni Farrugia.

1.2.3.3.1.2.4.2. Antonio Cassia, married 1679 Zurrieq to Clerica Saliba, with issue.

1.2.3.3.1.2.4.2.1. Andrea Cassia, married 1715 Valletta to Rosa Cauchi, with issue.

1.2.3.3.1.2.4.2.1.1. Lorenza Cassia, married 1749 Valletta to Andrea Schembri.

1.2.3.3.1.2.5. Orsola Cassia, married 1646 Vittoriosa to Gio Domenico Calleja.

1.2.3.3.1.2.6. Elena Cassia, married 1647 Vittoriosa to Gio Domenico Calleja.
1.2.3.4. Isabella Cassia, married 1532 to Captain Nicola Sayd.
1.3. Giacomo Cassia, married Imperia Camenzuli, with issue
1.3.1. Giovanni Cassia, married 1552 Mdina to Nobile Agnese Montagu dei Signore di la Recona, with issue.
1.3.1.1. Giacomo Cassia, married to Nobile Agata Calava, with issue
1.3.1.1.1. Francesco Cassia, (1556-1615), ‘Priest priest of Qormi’, [Times of Malta].
1.3.1.1.2. Dr. Matteo Cassia, Medico Fisico, married (1) Antonella Macanujio, Married (2) 1607 (Notary Gio Domenico Debono) to Nobile Lorenza Xara, with issue
1.3.1.1.2.1. (Second Marriage) Amata Cassia, married 1648 to Baron Antonio Inguanez.
1.3.1.1.2.2. (Second Marriage) Agata Cassia, married 1649 Valletta to Dr Giuseppe Ducoss MD.
1.3.1.1.2.3. (First Marriage) Fra. Crillo Cassia.
1.3.1.1.2.4. (First Marriage) Fra. Agostino Cassia.
1.3.1.1.2.5. (First Marriage) Cosimo Cassia, “Priest”.
1.3.1.1.2.6. (First Marriage) Dr Giacomo Cassia JUD, married 1646 (Notary Michele Ralli) to Maria Cagnara, with issue.
1.3.1.1.2.6.1. Dr. Matteo Cassia, JUD.
1.3.1.1.2.6.2. Antonia Cassia, married 1677 to Dr. Pasquale Sceberras, JUD.
1.3.1.1.2.7. (Second Marriage) Celestina Cassia married 4 Sep 1650 Qormi to Bartolomeo Magro.
1.3.1.1.2.8. (First Marriage) Domenica Cassia, married 1636 Birkirkara to Mro Fabrizio Battista Lombardo, with issue.
1.3.1.1.2.8.1. Alessandro Lombardo, married 1688 Valletta to Geronima Cosenti, with issue.
1.3.1.1.2.8.1.1. Diana Lombardo, married 1710 Valletta to Francesco Libreri.

1.3.1.1.2.9. Veronica Cassia, married 1645 Birkirkara to Aloisio Tonna.
1.3.1.1.3. Giovanni Cassia, married 1620 Valletta to Laura Sguro., with issue.
1.3.1.1.3.1. Caterina Cassia, married (1) 1640 Valletta to Vincenzo Pirotta, married (2) 1642 Valletta to Gio Maria Micallef.
1.3.1.1.3.2. Notary Giovanni Cassia, married 1649 to Flaminea de Laimo.
1.3.1.1.3.3. Marco Antonio Cassia, married (1) 1664 Valletta to Francesca Pagnini, married (2) 1680 Valletta to Maruzza Agius, with issue.
1.3.1.1.3.3.1. (First marriage) Lorenza Cassia, married 1688 Valletta to Antonio Vella, with issue.
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.1. Aloisio Vella, married 1713 Senglea to Grazia Schembri.
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.2. Barbaro Pietro Vella, married 1713 Cospicua to Evangelista Magro, with issue.
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.2.1. Maddalena Vella, (1715 Bormla -1719 Valletta), d.inf.
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.2.2. Antonio Vella, (1717 Bormla -).
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.2.3. Margarita Vella, (1719 -).
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.2.4. Elisabetta Vella, (1720 -).
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.2.5. Michel Angelo Geronimo Pietro Vella, (1721 Valletta -).
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.2.6. Giovanni Andrea Vella, (1723 -).
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.2.7. Saverio Vella, (1725 -).
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.2.8. Pasquale Vella, (1726-1775), married 1747 Valletta to Maria de Sanctis, with issue.
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.2.8.1. Vittoria Elizabetta Vella, (1748 Valletta -1817 Senglea), married 1775 Valletta to Paolo Ellul.
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.2.8.2. Domenica Giovanna Giulia Vella, (1751 Valletta -).
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.2.8.3. Niccolo Vella, (1752 Valletta -).
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.3. Francesco Vella, married 1728 Mdina to Maria Galea.
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.4. Giovanni Vella, married 1728 Valletta to Caterina Bonello.
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.5. Francesca Vella, married (1) 1713 Cospicua to Francesco Magro, married (2) 1727 Valletta to Tomaso Schembri.
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.6. Angelica Vella, married 1723 Valletta to Francesco Calamatta, with issue.
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.6.1. Nicola Calamatta, married 1751 Valletta to Anna Catania, with issue.
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.6.1.1. Alfonso Calamatta, married 1775 Valletta to Angelica Casha.
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.6.1.2. Giuseppe Calamatta, married 1784 Valletta to Maria Zammit.
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.6.1.3. Francesca Calamatta, married 1780 Valletta to Giuseppe Despott.
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.6.1.4. Eugenia Calamatta, married 1780 Valletta to Francesco Calleja.
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.6.1.5. Liberta Calamatta, married 1803 Valletta to Fortunato de Pares, with issue.
1.3.1.1.3.3.1.6.1.5.1. Gaetano Calamatta, married 1850 Cospicua to Constanza Orlando.
1.3.1.1.3.3.2. Serafina Cassia, married 1694 Valletta to Salvatore Micallef, with issue.
1.3.1.1.3.3.2.1. Anna Maria Micallef, married 1722 Valletta to Ignazio Cappizzuto of Cartagene, Sicily.
1.3.1.1.4. Vincenza Cassia, married 1621 Birkirkara to Paolo Micallef, with issue.
1.3.1.1.4.1. Mario Micallef-Cassia, married 1647 Birkirkara to Caterina Borg, with issue.
1.3.1.1.4.1.1. Paolo Micallef-Cassia, married 1683 Zebbug to Anna Calafato, with issue.
1.3.1.1.4.1.1.1. Maria Micallef, married 1713 Birkirkara to Giuseppe Zammit.
1.3.2. Agnese Cassia, married (1) 1539 to Sigimondo Baglio, married (2) to Giovanni Moscati.
1.3.3. Bartolomeo Cassia, married 1549 to Marguerita dei Principi Sayd, with issues.
1.3.3.1. Agnese Cassia, married 1572 to Spirito sives Esprit sives Ippolito de Gourgion of Lungo, France, with issue.
1.3.3.1.1. Antonio Gourgion, married to Aloisea de Cosse, with issue.
1.3.3.1.1.1. Spirito Gourgion, married 1643 Valletta to Antoniette de Cosse, with issue.
1.3.3.1.1.1.1. Giovanni Gourgion, [UniMalta article]; married 1672 Valletta to Anna Elena Muscat-Pontremonli, with issue.
1.3.3.1.1.1.1.1. Anna Gourgion, married 1693 Valletta to Dr. Gio Pio de Piro, JUD.(1670-1752), 1st Baron di Budaq (Cr:1716), 1st Marquis de Piro.

1.3.3.1.1.1.1.2. Don Adriano Gourgion, Priest, dunm.

1.3.3.1.1.1.1.3. Agostino Giovanni Gourgion, Corsair.
1.3.3.1.1.1.2. Maria Gourgion, married 1667 Valletta to Dr Enrico Pace JUD, with issue.
1.3.3.1.1.1.2.1. Giuseppe Pace Gourgion, married 1699 Vittoriosa to Salvatora Cayetana Raimonda Tonna, with issue.
1.3.3.1.1.1.2.1.1. Margherita Pace Gourgion, married 1736 Senglea to Giacobo Monsalvo.
1.3.3.1.1.1.2.1.2. Grazia Pace Gourgion, married 1747 Senglea to Domenico Castagnola, with issue.
1.3.3.1.1.1.2.1.2.1. Maria Castagnola, married 1767 Senglea to Gioacchino Carta.
1.3.3.1.1.1.2.1.2.2. Fortunata Castagnola, married 1776 Senglea to Michele Ponz.
1.3.3.1.1.1.2.1.3. Aloisio Pace Gourgion, married 1736 Senglea to Maria Monsalvo, with issue.
1.3.3.1.1.1.2.1.3.1. Nicola Pace Gourgion, married 1766 Valletta to Teresa Calfa.
1.3.3.1.1.1.3. Margareta Gourgion, married 1663 Valletta to Floreno Dorell.
1.3.3.1.1.1.4. Teresa Gourgion, married 1671 Valletta to Nobile Gabriele Le Clerc.
1.3.3.1.1.1.5. Gabriele Gourgion sives Giorgenti, married (1) to Anna Maria Gaetana Matrensi Mamomessa, married (2) 1715 Valletta to Elisabetta N, with issue.
1.3.3.1.1.1.5.1. (Second marriage) Caterina Gourgion, married 1750 Valletta to Salvatore Martin, with issue.
1.3.3.1.1.1.5.1.1. Vincenzo Martin, married 1778 Valletta to Teresa Micallef.
1.3.3.1.2. Lucia Gourgion, married 1608 Valletta to Claudio Catona, with issue.
1.3.3.1.2.1. Giusto Catona, married 1635 Valletta to Angelica Cauchi.
1.3.3.1.2.2. Margherita Catona, married 1634 Valletta to Ugone Bertein.
1.3.3.2. Clara Cassia.
1.3.3.3. Antonio Cassia, married 1594 Vittoriosa to Caterina Rosso dei Baroni di Cerami.
1.3.3.4. Domenico Cassia, married 1602 Cospicua to Argenta Bianco, with issue.
1.3.3.4.1. Giulio Cassia, married 1632 Mdina to Giovanna Fenech d’Alagona, with issue.
1.3.3.4.1.1. Francesco Cassia, married (1) 1673 Cospicua to Eufemia Callus, married (2) 1697 Cospicua to Teresa Grech, with issue.
1.3.3.4.1.1.1. (First Marriage) Rosa Cassia, married 1751 Valletta to Gregorio Schembri, dsp.
1.3.3.4.1.1.2. (Second Marriage) Pietro Paolo Cassia, married 1742 Valletta to Anna Maria Grech, with issue.
1.3.3.4.1.1.2.1. Andrea Cassia, married 1769 Naxxar to Maria Vella, with issue.
1.3.3.4.1.1.2.1.1. Giovanni Cassia, married 1809 Lija to Maria Fenech.
1.3.3.4.1.1.2.1.2. Vittoria Cassia, married 1818 Naxxar to Michele Gauci.
1.3.3.4.1.1.3. Anna Maria Cassia, married 1718 Cospicua to Notary Gio Francesco Bagini.
1.3.3.4.1.2. Petruzzo Cassia, married 1678 Cospicua to Maddalena Grech, with issue.
1.3.3.4.1.2.1. Angeluzza Cassia, married 1703 Cospicua to Gio Luca Grech.
1.3.3.4.1.2.2. Anna Cassia, married 1704 Cospicua to Mario Sciogliat of Ragusa.
1.3.3.4.1.3. Giuseppa Cassia, married 1644 Cospicua to Geronimo Lude.
1.3.3.4.1.4. Caterina Cassia, married 1647 Cospicua to Antonio Arnaud.
1.3.3.4.1.5. Angelica Cassia, married 1657 Cospicua to Pietro Marmara.
1.3.3.4.1.6. Teresa Cassia, married 1653 Cospicua to Claudio Brunet.
1.3.3.4.2. Andrea Cassia, married 1633 Cospicua to Domenica Mallia

1.3.4. Pietro Cassia, married 1578 Qormi to Caterina Musci, with issue.

1.3.4.1. Agata Cassia, married 1603 Qormi to Matteo Calleja, with issue.

1.3.4.1.1. Pietro Calleja, married 1649 Qormi to Maria Bigeni, with issue.

1.3.4.1.1.1. Gio Paolo Calleja, married 1677 Valletta to Romualda Paias, with issue.

1.3.4.1.1.1.1. Petruzzo Calleja, married 1697 Valletta to Ubaldesca Sqoro, with issue.

1.3.4.1.1.1.1.1. Giuseppe Calleja, married 1736 Vittoriosa to Francesca Grech, with issue.

1.3.4.1.1.1.1.1.1. Maria Calleja, married 1756 Valletta to Giuseppe Dalmas sives Thalamas of Villanova, with issue.

1.3.4.1.1.1.1.1.1.1. Francesca Dalmas, married 1793 Valletta to Saverio Mifsud.

1.3.4.1.1.1.1.1.1.2. Aloisio Dalmas, married 1778 Balzan to Maria Abdilla, with issue.

1.3.4.1.1.1.1.1.1.2.1. Paolo Dalmas, married 1801 Valletta to Adeodata Mizzi.

1.3.4.1.1.1.1.1.1.2.2. Francesco Dalmas, married 1806 Birkirkara to Maria Falzon.

1.3.4.1.1.1.1.1.1.2.3. Teresa Dalmas, married (1) 1805 Valletta to Paolo Azzopardi, married (2) 1809 Valletta to Paolo Musucci.

1.3.4.1.1.1.1.1.1.3. Giuseppa Dalmas, married 1800 Attard to Grazio Casha.

1.4. Simone Cassia, married 1557 Naxxar to Margherita Camilleri, with issue.
1.4.1. Marietta Cassia, married 1593 Naxxar to Ferrando Felici.
1.4.2. Caterina Cassia, married 1595 Valletta to Giacomo Sammut.
1.4.3. Pietro Cassia, married 1594 Birkirkara to Agnese Borg, with issue.
1.4.3.1. Caterina Cassia, married 1630 Naxxar to Gio Maria Schembri.
1.4.4. Caterina Cassia, married 1578 Qormi to Mariano Azzopardi, with issue.
1.4.4.1. Lazzaro Azzopardi, married 1605 Zejtun to Domenica Cassar, with issue.
1.4.4.1.1. Alessandro Azzopardi, married 1643 Zejtun to Caterina Caruana, with issue.
1.4.4.1.1.1. Lazzaro Azzopardi, married 1671 Zejtun to Lazzarina Zammit, with issue.
1.4.4.1.1.1.1. Matteo Azzopardi, married 1696 Zejtun to Evangelista Magro, with issue.
1.4.4.1.1.1.1.1. Lazzaro Azzopardi, married 1720 Zejtun to Maria Abela, with issue.
1.4.4.1.1.1.1.1.1. Teresa Azzopardi, married 1759 Zejtun to Giuseppe Cachia.
1.4.4.1.1.1.1.1.2. Gio Paolo Azzopardi, married 1746 Zabbar to Maria Abela, with issue.
1.4.4.1.1.1.1.1.2.1. Salvatore Azzopardi, married 1783 Gharghur to Anna Camilleri, with issue.
1.4.4.1.1.1.1.1.2.1.1. Caterina Azzopardi, married 1823 Gharghur to Bartolomeo Muscat.
1.4.4.1.1.1.1.1.2.1.2. Grazia Azzopardi, married 1815 Gharghur to Flaminio Vella.
1.4.4.1.1.1.1.1.2.1.3. Teodoro Azzopardi, married 1819 Gharghur to Grazia Vella.
1.4.4.1.1.1.1.1.2.1.3.1. Giuseppe Azzopardi, married 1852 Gharghur to Caterina Portelli.
1.4.4.1.1.1.1.1.3. Angela Azzopardi, married 1738 Zabbar to Paolo Abela.
1.4.4.1.1.1.1.2. Agostino Azzopardi, married 1732 Zejtun to Teresa Abela.
1.4.4.1.1.1.1.3. Angelo Azzopardi, married 1732 Zejtun to Margherita Abela.
1.4.4.1.1.1.1.4. Francesco Azzopardi, married 1721 Kirkop to Caterina Ellul.
1.4.4.1.1.1.1.5. Caterina Azzopardi, married 1726 Zejtun to Giovanni Spagnol.
1.4.4.1.1.1.2. Giuseppe Azzopardi, married 1722 Zejtun to Caterina Farrugia.
1.4.4.1.1.1.3. Domenicuzza Azzopardi, married 1694 Zejtun to Gio Maria Caruana.
1.4.4.1.1.2. Gabriele Azzopardi, married 1674 Zejtun to Marietta Felice.
1.4.4.1.1.3. Giuseppe Azzopardi, married 1678 Zejtun to Palma Alunna di Fra Giovanni Maria Innocenzo Caravita.
1.4.4.1.1.4. Lucrezia Azzopardi, married 1667 Zejtun to Mariano Callus.
1.4.4.1.2. Angelica Azzopardi, married 1634 Zejtun to Gio Maria Buhagiar.
1.4.4.2. Giovanni Azzopardi, married 1615 Valletta to Clemenza Grech.
1.4.4.3. Paolina Azzopardi, married 1604 Qormi to Domenico Sayd.
1.4.5. Mariano Cassia, married 1608 Birkirkara to Enziona Schembri, with issue.
1.4.5.1. Argenta Cassia, married 1628 Qormi to Mgco Giacomo Felice, with issue.
1.4.5.1.1. Teresa Felice, married 1657 Qormi to Gio Paolo Muscat, with issue.
1.4.5.1.1.1. Ferdinando Muscat, married 1707 Cospicua to Natalizia Caruana, with issue.
1.4.5.1.1.1.1. Teresa Muscat, married 1738 Cospicua to Santo Metelin sives Mitelin.
2. Leonardo Cassia, married to Agnese N, with issue.
2.1. Dioniso Cassia, married 1557 (Notary Brandano Caxaro) to Agnese Schembri, with issue.
2.1.1. Marietta Cassia, married 1577 Qormi to Luca Zammit.

2.2. Dr Leonardo Cassia JUD, married c.1550 to Imperia Bonello, with issue.

2.2.1. Bartolomeo Cassia, married 1589 (Notary Antonio Sillato)  to Giovannella Portelli, with issue.

2.2.1.1. Dr Gio Angelo Cassia JUD, married 1617 Valletta to Scolastica Mamo, with issue.

2.2.1.1.1. Paolica Cassia, married 1645 Vittoriosa to Giacobo Borg.

2.2.1.1.2. Orsolica Cassia, married 1646 Vittoriosa to Mro Domenico Calleja.

2.2.1.1.3. Elena Cassia, married 1657 Vittoriosa to Antonio Calleja.

2.2.1.1.4. Maria Cassia, married 1653 Cospicua to Vincenzo Pano of France.

2.2.2. Angelina Cassia, married 1574 Vittoriosa to Nobile Vincenzo Cumbo.

Footnote: Gio Maria Cassia bought the fief of Ghariescem from the Inguanez family (Antonio Inguanez having originally bought the fief form Stefano Lo Blundo). However, Gio Maria’s son, Giacinto Cassia, was dispossessed of this fief in consequence of its having reverted to the Government of Malta, by a judgment dated the 18th June 1535, after the Rota Romana had, by various decisions (Decisiones S.R. Rom. Recentiores, Pars 6; Decis. 29, Decis, 212, Decis. 310, Decis. 314.), declared the feudal nature of the aforesaid land, which Giacinto claimed to hold in his own right. A deed of transaction was subsequently entered into between the said Giacinto and the Procurators of the Comun Tesoro of the Order. That deed was received by Notary Michele Ralli on the 14th April 1638, and was assented to by Grand Master Fr. Giovampaolo Lascaris de Castellar and his Council, on the 16th April 1638. By virtue of that transaction, the land ta ghariescem was ceded to Giacinto Cassia and to his children and to his descendants for ever, and the feudatories were to discharge the annuity which their predecessors were bound to pay. It was further agreed that the land should be possessed iure feudi; that it could not be transferred to and divided among the descendants of both sexes of Giacinto Cassia, without the Grand Master’s license, until the total extinction of the descent of Giacinto; and that the holders of it should annually pay into the Tesoro of the Order, fifty Sicilian ounces of general weight, equivalent to 10/.Sc. 4d sterling. Giacinto was to obtain the investiture, take the oath of fealty , and procure the Bulls from the Cancelleria, and all his successors in the fief were to receive the investiture from the Grand Master. See: 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.)  Regarding the title of Barone, see footnote below.

Footnote: Historically, there is no grant of a title of barone di Ghariescem et Tabia. However, the holder of the fief by that name was, by Custom, accorded the title of barone. In fact, the 1878 Commission reported that: “Although no particular title of nobility appears to have been conferred upon Giacinto Cassia and his descendants in 1638, we must, however, submit that since the date of the above-mentioned transaction, seven investitures of the fief “Ghariescem” and “Tabia” were granted under the government of the Knights. The first was given to Giacinto Cassia on the 27th April 1638; the second to Gio. Antonio Cassia, on the 15th January 1655; the third to Pietro Cassia, on the 13th August 1658; in which three investitures each of the feudatories is designated as Magnificus . The fourth investiture was granted to Domenica Cassia, wife of Stanislao Xara, on the 21st August 1678, in which she is called filia vero quondam Magnifici Petri Cassia J.U.D. olim Baronis de Ghariescem et Tabia’. The fifth to Pietro Paolo Xara, on the 28th August 1721, in which the following words occur: quod quidem Pheudum ad eum uti dicta quondam Nobilis Baronissae Domonicae Cassia et Xara filium primogenitum pervenit, ad quod supradictum Nobilem Petrum Paulum Xara” The sixth was granted to Stanislao Xara, styled Nobilis Stanislaus Xara quondam Nobilis Petri Pauli Xara Pheudi de Ghariescem et Tabia Baronis filius primogenitus”; and the seventh was given on the 20th August 1797, to Felicita Chiara Sant filia vero primogenita quondam Magnificae Antoniae Bonnici sororis secundogenita quondam Magnifici Stanislai Xara olim Baronis De Ghariescem et Tabia.”. Moreover, the Commissioners also noted that “From the records of the Cancelleria it appears that in the year 1659, by a Magistral Bull, the office of Capitano della Verga was conferred upon Nobili ac Magnifico Pietro Cassia J.U.D. Baroni de Ghariescem et Tabia and that in the years 1776 and 1777 the office of Giurato was bestowed on Magnificum et Nobilem Baronem Stanislaum Xara. “For these reasons, the Commissioners after having seen these explicit declarations of the Grand Masters from 1659 to 1797, made not only on the occasions of the investiture of the fiefs, but also of the appointment of some of the descendants of Giacinto Cassia to important offices under the Government of the Maltese islands, on which occasions they were styled barons and constantly designated as nobles, declared “we do not think ourselves justified in refusing to Conte Gio Francesco Sant the title of barone, notwithstanding the non existence of the authentic and original grant of the title, and his name will therefore be inserted in our list, not only with the addition of Conte but also with that of “Barone de Ghariescem e Tabia, though the family name Cassia will not be appended to the latter title. For the foregoing reasons the date of creation is stated to be the 16th of April 1638.” See: 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.)

SOURCES:-

1. MELITENSIA BOOK CLUB, Issue 1, Abela Commendatore Fra Gian. Francesco, Della Descrittione di Malta isola nel mare siciliano con le sue antichita’, ed altre notizie. Libr Quattro Facsimile edition. Malta, 1984.
2. Adami collection, Vol 72.
3. www.maltagenealogy.com

Footnote#1: Gio Maria Cassia bought the fief of Ghariescem from the Inguanez family (Antonio Inguanez having originally bought the fief form Stefano Lo Blundo). However, Gio Maria’s son, Giacinto Cassia, was dispossessed of this fief in consequence of its having reverted to the Government of Malta, by a judgment dated the 18th June 1535, after the Rota Romana had, by various decisions (Decisiones S.R. Rom. Recentiores, Pars 6; Decis. 29, Decis, 212, Decis. 310, Decis. 314.), declared the feudal nature of the aforesaid land, which Giacinto claimed to hold in his own right. A deed of transaction was subsequently entered into between the said Giacinto and the Procurators of the Comun Tesoro of the Order. That deed was received by Notary Michele Ralli on the 14th April 1638, and was assented to by Grand Master Fr. Giovampaolo Lascaris de Castellar and his Council, on the 16th April 1638. By virtue of that transaction, the land ta ghariescem was ceded to Giacinto Cassia and to his children and to his descendants for ever, and the feudatories were to discharge the annuity which their predecessors were bound to pay. It was further agreed that the land should be possessed iure feudi; that it could not be transferred to and divided among the descendants of both sexes of Giacinto Cassia, without the Grand Master’s license, until the total extinction of the descent of Giacinto; and that the holders of it should annually pay into the Tesoro of the Order, fifty Sicilian ounces of general weight, equivalent to 10/.Sc. 4d sterling. Giacinto was to obtain the investiture, take the oath of fealty , and procure the Bulls from the Cancelleria, and all his successors in the fief were to receive the investiture from the Grand Master. See: 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.)  Regarding the title of Barone, see footnote below.

Footnote#2: Abela in his “Descrittione” refers to Giacinto Cassia as a “Barone” but not on account of his holding the fief of Ghariescem et Tabia. Abela refers to Giacinto by this title because Giacinto had come to hold the the title of Barone di Castel Cicciano by reason of his marriage to the Surdo heiress.  However the 1678 investiture refers to Ghariescem et Tabia as a barony, see footnote below.

Footnote#3: Historically, there is no grant of a title of barone di Ghariescem et Tabia. However, the holder of the fief by that name was, by Custom, accorded the title of barone which was personal to the holder of the fief. The 1878 Commission reported that: “Although no particular title of nobility appears to have been conferred upon Giacinto Cassia and his descendants in 1638, we must, however, submit that since the date of the above-mentioned transaction, seven investitures of the fief “Ghariescem” and “Tabia” were granted under the government of the Knights. The first was given to Giacinto Cassia on the 27th April 1638; the second to Gio. Antonio Cassia, on the 15th January 1655; the third to Pietro Cassia, on the 13th August 1658; in which three investitures each of the feudatories is designated as Magnificus . The fourth investiture was granted to Domenica Cassia, wife of Stanislao Xara, on the 21st August 1678, in which she is called “filia vero quondam Magnifici Petri Cassia J.U.D. olim Baronis de Ghariescem et Tabia’. The fifth to Pietro Paolo Xara, on the 28th August 1721, in which the following words occur: “quod quidem Pheudum ad eum uti dicta quondam Nobilis Baronissae Domonicae Cassia et Xara filium primogenitum pervenit, ad quod supradictum Nobilem Petrum Paulum Xara” The sixth was granted to Stanislao Xara, styled “Nobilis Stanislaus Xara quondam Nobilis Petri Pauli Xara Pheudi de Ghariescem et Tabia Baronis filius primogenitus”; and the seventh was given on the 20th August 1797, to Felicita Chiara Sant filia vero primogenita quondam Magnificae Antoniae Bonnici sororis secundogenita quondam Magnifici Stanislai Xara olim Baronis De Ghariescem et Tabia.”. Moreover, the Commissioners also noted that “From the records of the Cancelleria it appears that in the year 1659, by a Magistral Bull, the office of Capitano della Verga was conferred upon Nobili ac Magnifico Pietro Cassia J.U.D. Baroni de Ghariescem et Tabia and that in the years 1776 and 1777 the office of Giurato was bestowed on Magnificum et Nobilem Baronem Stanislaum Xara. “For these reasons, the Commissioners after having seen these explicit declarations of the Grand Masters from 1659 to 1797, made not only on the occasions of the investiture of the fiefs, but also of the appointment of some of the descendants of Giacinto Cassia to important offices under the Government of the Maltese islands, on which occasions they were styled barons and constantly designated as nobles, declared “we do not think ourselves justified in refusing to Conte Gio Francesco Sant the title of barone, notwithstanding the non existence of the authentic and original grant of the title, and his name will therefore be inserted in our list, not only with the addition of Conte but also with that of “Barone de Ghariescem e Tabia”, though the family name Cassia will not be appended to the latter title. For the foregoing reasons the date of creation is stated to be the 16th of April 1638.” See: 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.)

Footnote#4: It appears that Beatrice Testaferrata transferred the title of Barone di Castel Cicciano  unto her son Fabrizio Testaferrata by means of a private transaction by a deed of donation stipulated before notary Benedetto Vassallo, on the 8th February 1695. Royal assent from the relative foreign sovereign was however achieved some months later and the transaction was therefore legitimated. The said assent was entered on the 28th September of the same year was entered in quinternionibus Regiae Camerae, in virtue of a decree of the 13th September 1695.

Footnote#5: It appears that in 1734 the widowed Beatrice Testaferrata transferred the title of Barone di Gomerino to the second born Ercole Martino by means of a private transaction by a deed of donation stipulated before notary Tommaso Gatt on the 5^th November 1734. Royal assent from the sovereign was however achieved in 1737 and the transaction was therefore legitimated. The property of Gomerino that Beatrice had received from her father had already been transferred to her elder son Fabrizio by means of an earlier deed made in 1713.

* Bottari’s attempt to identify the murderer of Gio Maria Cassia, last of the barons Cassia 

In some historical novels, the accuracy of the historical elements has been questioned. When M.A. Bottari wrote his Romanzo storico (historical novel) in 1857 he must have been aware of this risk because he made a conscientious effort to add some notes at the end of his 19th century novel. His clear purpose was to ensure his own deliberate anachronisms would not exculpate who he suspected was a murderer.

The novel is called  “Giammaria ovvero L’ultimo dei baroni Cassia” (Translation: Giammaria or The last of the barons Cassia).

Giammaria is the name of the very rich boy-heir who disappeared. Cassia represented by Giammaria’s father Pietro, is the name of one of the principal families of Malta.

By year 1647 this family already possessed the territory of Uied Dueli and the garden Gineyna del Migiarro, the orto di S. Antonio tal Ghimeri, the fief of Gharyexem et Tabia as well as the barony with mixed civil and criminal jurisdiction of Castel Cicciano in Naples.

Bottari’s novel is dedicated to Sig. Augusto dei baroni Testaferrata Abela (see picture) a descendant of Pietro Cassia through his younger daughter Beatrice wife of the Roman patrician Paolo Testaferrata.

The damning notes are found at the end of the book. Here we find Bottari’s absolute belief Giammaria Cassia, brother of the yet-unmarried Beatrice, did not just disappear but was in fact murdered, probably by a close relative.

Bottari identifies the 18 October 1667 as the date of Giammaria’s disappearance. He also proves that in June of that year Giammaria got engaged to Faustina Falzon. Bottari argues that only one person could have had enough motive to prevent Giammaria inheriting the riches of the Baron Pietro Cassia.

The author finds the evidence so conclusive he even goes as far as accusing the historian Ciantar of having deliberately covered up this atrocious crime by deliberately ignoring the existence of Giammaria for fear of offending the descendants of the main suspect, those who in Bottari’s brazen words “were enjoying the fruits of the murder”.

Suspicion weighs heavily on Pietro Paolo Xara husband of Giammaria’s other sister Domenica or even Domenica herself.

Some 4 years after Giammaria’s disappearance, his fiancée Faustina found solace in another man, Didico (or Diego) Cassar. Bottari implies there were no descendants of Giammaria who could have inconvenienced the Xara’s dastardly plan.

The following is a translation. The original text is reproduced in the picture below.

“Tradition gives us differing versions about Giammaria Cassia. Some simply say that one day he was seen riding towards the marina and that he we never seen again. Others maintain that wanting to get married to a girl, he was one day involved in a heated discussion with his father, the baron Pietro, who wanting to have his son marry another threatened to prohibit his son from marrying the one he chose. The obstinacy of the son and the imposing pride of the other poisoned their souls so much that Pietro, going beyond every limit, blinded by anger, kicked his son with such terrible force in the nether region that the son died. Another version says that Giammaria was burnt alive in an oven or otherwise killed by a close relative who hoped to inherit the greater part of the riches of Pietro Cassia because he would not have had any male heirs.

Although at first sight these three versions may appear discrepant, they are in depth one and the same. Tradition is oral history; it is only inferior by reason of not being recorded in symbols or writing and by being so it is subject to confusion and change. It is therefore up to the critic to separate the truth from the falsehood, purging the facts from all thar ignorance or malice has imposed on it.

Regarding the first version which explains the disappearance of Cassia need not even be discussed because it does not contradict in any way the other two versions. It could well be that the last time someone may have seen him was when he was riding to the marina before not knowing any more about him. The other two versions give two different facts, which however should have some connection, because otherwise they would not have been confused in such a way both come to the same end, that is the death of Giammaria. This end being imputed to two distinct and necessarily different persons, brings about a real difference; hence the necessity to research who was really guilty of having killed Giammaria.

In truth the human heart runs away from the idea that a father could for a reason not so frivolous take the life of his own son. On the other hand there are many examples of similar inhumanity which by themselves will not be enough to exculpate Pietro Cassia of the accusation of parricide, had indisputable documents not victoriously come to his defence.

It was Pietro Cassia who was the first to file a formal report to the courts about his son’s disappearance and the government imposed severe penalties on any person who withheld facts known to him. This results from a Bando (Public Notice) which judging by its year must belong to the time of Grand Master Cottoner, which says:-

“ BANDO 
Having arrived the news to HSH Ruler by particular and private information as well as by the news given to the Great Court of the Castellany by the Baron Pietro Cassia of the disappearance of Gio Maria Cassia his son, which occurred since the 18 October last and has not been seen since in this dominion and nor having certainty of his whereabouts, and having the duty for many worthy respects of finding out the said Gio Maria may be.
Therefore HSH by this present Bando orders and commands every person of any grade, sex and condition who may have had in the past or in the present have any news and knowledge, or has been informed of the whereabouts of the said Gio Maria, whether he is alive or dead, or whether he has left from this dominion must absolutely give such information to the Great Court of the Castellany within the period od three days counting from the day this present Bando is published, failing which he will be punished without remission by having to pay the fine of one thousand onze of general weight payable unto the fiscal officer of HSH in the case of a person who is civil and has the means to pay such fine, and in the case of an ordinary person or whoever does not have the means to pay condemned to row the oars of the galleys for ten years without any pay. Also promising to the informant the seal of secrecy, and a reward of one hundred piastres even if he is a slave or female slave. But if the relevant slave or female slave belongs to principal who is guilty of the above or fails to give information, or is an accomplice, instead of the said reward he or she will be given his liberty and moreover is promised immunity from being tried as an accomplice in the case such slave shall have made such revelations and solved the case, save however if they were the principal delinquents.
Die V Novembris 1667 publicat”

This document is quite important – because in addition to attesting the ineluctability the disappearance of Giammaria Cassia, it establishes the year month and day – see page 109 of manuscript 149 existing in the public library of Valletta; which volume is a collection of bandi published by the gerusalimitan government of this island.

I owe knowledge of this document to the great courtesy of Doctor Giovanni Antonio Vassallo, whose friendship I am not sure is a reward or an honour, who did not spare any time to make effort to help me in my very boring research of documents which might in some way concern the last boy of the house of Cassia.

I understand this last document does not completely purge the Baron Pietro from the accusation of parricide; he could have resorted to using an astute plan which is not new by requesting the help of the government to find the son precisely to distance himself from any suspicion. However this doubt is soon dismissed by another solemn document which is in fact the testament of the said Baron Pietro. In this act after the initial formulas used by law:

“And because said Signor Pietro, testator doubts or in not certain if the Noble Signor Publio Maria sive Gio Maria Cassia his son is alive, or dead, or is even sure where he is, therefore and for better caution and for purposes of validity and corroboration of this present will of his, hereby constitutes creates makes and orders as particular heir the aforesaid Noble Sig. Publio Maria sive Gio Maria Cassia his legitimate son born and procreated by the testator and by his aforesaid wife Signora Donna Eugenia (however in the case said Sig. Pubblio Maria is alive) in all the chattels and fiefs of Gariexem and Tabia with their title etc etc”

And this doubt on the true fate of Giammaria is repeated continuously at every period, in such a way that it reveals the bitterness that poisoned the heart of that poor father. Had Pietro’s hands been covered with the blood of his son, why would he have nominated him in the testament? Would he have dug up a fact that renders him infamous after so much time had already passed enough to weaken any remembrance?

The testament is found in the acts of the Notary Benedetto Vassallo under the date of 30 August 1686; Pietro died on the 7 September of the same year, as is shown by the death certificate which I had extracted from the registers of the parish of Saint Mary of the Safe Harbour. Pietro therefore made his will seven days before dying. Who dies does not lie. When one is just about to appear before God one does not increase one’s sins with new lies, with impudent hypocrisies. The testament made at one’s death bed is the truth, like the word of the person dying murmurs in the ear of the confessor.

Having exculpated the father from Giammaria’s murder, one can have no doubt about the other tradition which attributes the death to the greed of a close relative. Therefore one must see what are the proofs that substantiate this part of the tradition, even if such proof is not as clear as the bando of Cottoner and the testament of Cassia, on the mystery that swallowed the unfortunate fate of Giammaria; and therefore one must research who was the person who really extinguished his life even though his name may have escaped the investigator of the story.

Vincenza Matilde dei conti Perdicomati Bologna wife of Paolo Testaferrata, to whom Paolo Testaferrata husband of Beatrice Cassia was grandfather, was widowed and mother of a posthumous child, grandfather of the present Testaferrata Abelas, made the effort to send to Rome this her only son as soon as he was adolescent, for fear that like Giammaria he would fall victim to the greed of some relative. She certainly would have learnt this from her husband, who naturally would have learnt from his father and he must have heard many times over from the mouth of Paolo about the case of Giammaria. And I think I do not risk much by saying that Testaferrata being husband of Beatrice would have learnt so much about his brother in law’s fate he would have been certain. In any case this shows how much the death of Cassia was on people’s minds.

The (historian) Ciantar when updating the genealogy of the family Cassia as published by Abela, makes additions to the entry of Baron Pietro by adding the daughters, the husbands and the children begotten by them. However he keeps the most rigorous silence about Giammaria. Is it possible that Ciantar known to be such a detailed and precise collector of memories, ignored the existence of Giammaria? Could anyone writing ignore this so close to the time when the unhappy youth had disappeared, when maybe they were still talking about it? Is Ciantar’s silence therefore not voluntary? How would one recall the sons of the daughters of Cassia without making the slightest mention in passing of the last male child of that family? Could he have let himself fall into the superfluous and left out what was indispensable to give an exact genealogical record? By remaining quiet about the name and existence of Giammaria does this not show evidently that he was abstaining so as to not offend someone, to the heirs that were enjoying the fruits of the murder? Ciantar being unable to mention Giammaria without saying some words which would have been opprobrious to a rich and reputable family, avoided the issue by not mentioning any word almost as if the boy never existed. His silence even for the most skeptical of critics cannot have had much weight.

Who murdered Giammaria Cassia? The tradition says: by a close relative, to whom the life of the boy was an impediment from accessing with great probability the riches of the house of Cassia. Who could this be?

Most of Pietro’s possessions were free of fidecommissary ties and in fact at the time when his son wanted to get married, Pietro had a wish to establish a primogeniture. With Giammaria dead, the baron Pietro would have most probably left all his unfettered chattels to the daughter who had children of her own. At the time of Giammaria’s disappearance, all of his sisters were either nuns or unmarried with the exception of Domenica who was married to Stanislao (Xara); therefore it was she who could have had hopes to inherit – as she in fact inherited – for her own children the chattels of Cassia, because she of all the others would have stood to gain. And here it is noted that in my novel Paolo Testaferrata is set as being already married to Beatrice Cassia at the time of Giammaria’s disappearance, but this is an anachronism which I have created. The true fact is that (Paolo) married Pietro’s daughter seven years later that is to say the day 20 of 1674 as per matrimonial instrument made in the acts of Notary Francesco Zammit. Therefore Stanislao could have had no one to share with either the inciteful hopes, or the very crime.

Of the marriage arranged by Pietro for Giammaria and which gave rise to passions when everything was concluded, it is documented the nuptial writing between Giammaria Cassia and  Faustina Falzon in the acts of Notary Gio Battista Corvisier of the 8 June 1667. Confronting this document with the testament of Pietro and considering the above arguments, I had arrived at the proof that this marriage did not take place even though from the date of the nuptials to the date of Giammaria’s disappearance there had elapsed about four months. However these were indirect proofs and negative, and as such not completely satisfactory. Many searches were spent to discover a direct and positive proof; but I would not have managed ha it not been for the insightful and accurate diligence of the distinguished archivist Sig. Paolo Gera who with much experience in these affairs managed to find what I could not. In the acts of Notary Luca Mamo of the 15 December 1671, he found the act of marriage between Didico Cassar and Faustina Falzon who is described as the legitimate natural and virgin daughter of Mattiolo Falzon.

There is therefore, no part of the tradition that is not proven by solemn documents, and in my novel I wanted to follow it step by step. Only in those parts which were confused did I reclarify and where it was incomplete I added some facts which, if not strictly happened that way, could not be but very similar.”

With Giammaria gone in 1667, the Cassia family became extinct in the male line upon Pietro’s death in 1686, a fact later to be emphasized by Ciantar.

Pietro Cassia was survived by Domenica wife of Stanislao Xara (Bottari’s suspects) and Beatrice wife of Paolo Testaferrata.

In 1780 the Count Giovanni Ciantar published Malta Illustrata which is widely accepted as the successor of Gianfrancesco Abela’s Descrizione di Malta (1647). Both books contain detailed genealogies of Malta’s notable families. As indicated by Bottari, Ciantar appears to have made only selective updates to Abela’s work because there is no mention whatsoever of Giammaria.

Copies are reproduced below.

Interestingly only some of Beatrice’s descendants are mentioned but none of Domenica’s are mentioned except for one who is referred to only as a husband of one of Beatrice’s descendants.

Therefore Bottari’s insulting reference to certain descendants can only be construed in regard to those mentioned by him that is to say Michele Sceberras husband of the Baroness of Castel Cicciano Chiara Testaferrata, the Baron Pasquale Sceberras, husband of Lucrezia Dorell Falzon, Geltrude wife of the Baron of Marsa Gianfrancesco Dorell Falzon, Gelrtude wife of Diego Muscat, the Marquis of Xrobb il-Ghagin Claudio Muscat husband of Saveria Testaferrata, the nun Beatrice, Teresa wife of Baron Stanislao Xara and Diego husband of Elisabetta Dorel Falzon.  – All this is a contradiction: Bottari says the descendants are enjoying the fruits of the murder but the persons mentioned by him are not descended from the alleged murderer.

Domenica’s family of Xara Cassia is also extinct in the male line but was represented for a time by the Bonnici Platamone family which in turn was succeeded by the Sant family. This is being stated to clarify that the Bottari’s claim of descendants indulging in the fruits of a murder cannot be taken to refer to the Sant family as these stem only from Felicita Chara’s marriage in 1777 to the Count Gio Francesco Sant.

On the 20th August 1797 that is to say well after Ciantar’s publication, Felicita Chiara Bonnici Platamone was invested as baroness of the fief of Ghariescem et Tabia.

Bonnici Cassia Magca e Nobe Clara Felicita legma moglie del Magco e Nobe Conte Gio. Francesco Sant, per Decreto del Consiglio, seguita la morte del Nobe Barone Stanislao Xara della Baronia de’ Feudi di Gariexem, e Tabia, fu’ investita la dta Nobe Clara Felicita, e dal nomto di Lei Marito Conte Sant, cme Procuratore, fu’ fatto il solito giuramento di fedelta’. 20. Agosto 1797, fo.

From this marriage descend the three lines of Sant Cassia, Sant Manduca and Sant Fournier. Of these only that of Sant Cassia displays the Cassia arms on its shield but this in itself does not change the fact they are only descended in a double distaff line from Domenica.

Beatrice Cassia succeeded her father in the barony of Castel Cicciano which she relinquished in favour of her son Fabrizio in 1695 (he was invested that same year). She later also received the barony of Gomerno first created in 1710 which she eventually relinquished in favour of her other son Ercole Martino in 1734 (invested 1737). Fabrizio’s male line became extinct but Beatrice still has many descendants in her male line through the other son Ercole Martino who although appending surnames different to Cassia still maintain their origins by displaying above their heraldic Testaferrata bull, three gold stars on a blue background which is reminiscent of the Cassia shield.

It seems Bottari was so blinded by his scathing attack on Stanislao and Domenica Xara that he overlooked the fact that Faustina’s own daughter Antonia Cassar Falsone married Fabrizio son of Beatrice Testaferrata. Recent research (Montalto 1980) shows that describes Antonia as of “a modest, unprivileged background”. It appears the marriage was strongly opposed by Fabrizio’s parents who disinherited him on the 12 November 1703, the day of his wedding resulting in the revocation of a number of donations including the lands of Mgarr il-Genwini and Cincini, as well as the villa known as ta’ Cagliares and a palace situated in Valletta. However during the following decade they gradually came to accept Antonia as a member of the family and eventually reinstated Fabrizio as their general heir enabling him to regain in 1713 not only the properties he had forfeit but also other lands and estates which included the gardens of Gomerino.

In view of this it is plausible that the first version of Giammaria’s fate was somehow confused with what befell Fabrizio in 1703 and Bottari’s interpretation of events was completely without basis.

A further reason for arriving at this conclusion is that Fabrizio’s father Paolo died in 1714. According to his tombstone he died aged 59 which even for his time and given his societal position was relatively young. Could this early death have been as a result of an altercation between the two after the reconciliation which somehow entwined itself with the first folkloristic version of Giammaria? It is significant 20 years later the widowed Beatrice ensured Fabrizio would never have succeeded the title of Baron of Gomerino. Was this as a result of some other incident with Fabrizio?

These questions will probably remain unanswered. In any case the descendants of Domenica and of Beatrice’s sons must have gone their separate ways. This said one cannot help noting the status maintained by the Cassia descendants remained apparent till even after the change to British administration. In fact one finds no less than three representatives of Pietro’s descendants, viz the Count Gio Francesco Sant, the Baron Pasquale Sceberras and the Baron Pietro Paolo Testaferrata being appointed Lord Lieutenants by Governor Maitland.

Like Bottari or not, there seems to be an element of truth about Ciantar having some kind of agenda to downplay the importance of the Cassia family. It is apparent that whilst Ciantar records only selected female descendants in the Cassia entry does not make any reference whatsoever about succession of the titled fief of Gariexem et Tabia, which are recorded in the Order’s archives as follows:-

Nobe Pietro Paolo Xara figlio della Nobe Domenica Cassia Baronessa del feudo di Gariexem e Tabia, e del Nobe Stanislao Xara fu ebbe l’investitura di d. Baronia, e presto’ il giuramento di fedelta’ come primogenito di da Nobe Domenica Cassia, in seguito del Decreto del Sagro Conso emanate li 21. Agosto 1721 sotto l’obbligo dell’ annua ricognizione di once cinquanta del peso genta e sei misure di biada a tenor della transazione Citata nella Bolla d’Investitura sped. a favor di da Nobe Domenica come nel lib. Boll. 1687 f. 174. La Bolla d’Investitura suda a favor di questo Nobe Pietro Paolo fu spedita li 28. Agosto 1721, f. 119 p. 2
Nobe Stanislao Xara figlio del Sudo Nobe Pietro Paolo successe nella Baronia, avendo preso l’investitura, e prestato il giuramo di fedelta’ gli 8. Aple 1749, f. 132.

A 20th century historian by the name of Herbert Ganado (translation by Refalo M.) who describes himself a descendant of both Augusto and Fabrizio, gives a version to those recounted by Bottari.

According to Ganado,
“Ghammieri Palace is steeped in history. The underground cellars, hewn into the rock, where according to the story Gianmaria was imprisoned by his father and left to rot in a dark and damp dungeon, can still be seen, as can the small aperture through which the slave girl who tok pity on Gianmaria, had passed food to him. What had Gianmaria Cassia done to deserve this?
In the year 1667, Baron Pietro Cassia, a pround and rich man, held the title to the barony of Gheriexem and Tabia in Malta and of Castel Cicciano in Sicily. He is a widower, has one son, Gianmaria and many daughters. The Baron is anxious ot see his son,a strappig youth, settled and married to a wealthy girl of good birth. The Baron’s choice falls on Faustina Falzon the daughter of a rich and respected gentleman and he therefore sets about making plans to arrange his son’s marriage to the lady.
Gianmaria does not show much enthuiasm for the match but still goes along with his father’s plan. Faustina and Gianmaria are betrothed and it is while Gianmaria is engaged to Faustina that he meets and falls mafdly in love with an eighteen year old beauty. She is not Maltese, lives at Red House on the outskirts of Rabat and is waited upon by a female companion. He past is shrouded in mystery. Dolores, for that is her name, had given birth to an illegitimate daughter fathered by a young Maltese who frequently travelled to Spain. Her father, a very righ manm had died cursing her and Dolores follows her love child to Malta. She lives under constant threat that she and her child would be killed if the identity of the man who took her honour and abducted her daughter is revealed.
Dolores and Gianmaria meet and pledge their love to each other but when she discovers that he is already betrothed Dolores tries to end the affair. Stanislao, a stingy, greedy man who is married to one of Gianmaria’s sisters is strongly opposed to his marriage to Faustina, as he wants to protect his son’s claim to primogeniture. With the help of Doctor Scarrifigna, a skinny, penniless, crooked lawyer, Stanislao tries to find a way to disrupt the match. Somehow Scaraffigna discovers that Gianmaria and Dolores meet in secret. On the wedding day, as guest begin to arrive, he sends word to GIammaria that Dolores was about to leave Malta. A distraught Gianmaria rushes off to the Red Palace. The weddign is disrupted and Baron Pietro Cassia, beside himself with rage, makes a public spectacle of his errant son and punishes him for the shame and humiliation he has brought upon the family. GIanmaria is thrown and locked up in a damp, worm-infested, dark cellar beneath the palace. Fatima, a North African slave girl to whom in his youth Gianmaria had shown kindness, saves his life and helps him escape. The lovers meet secretly for the last time and Gianmaria escapes from Malta. Since that meeting GIanmaria neither sends word nor writes to Dolores of his whereabouts.
Baron Pietro, broken by sorrow and remorse, prays for Gianmaria’s return. Heart broken, Dolores never gives her love to another man. She cannot understand why Gianmaria has forgotten her. “Only God knows what fate has befallen him! Does he still remember me?” are the doucts that prey and torture Dolores. Years pass and word spreads that Stanislao is the father of Dolores’s love child. Baron Pietro was getting on in years, feels that death is close and therefore asks Fr. Zaccharias to call on Dolores and invite her to visit him. When they mett, he begs her forgiveness.
Many years later Gianmaria, who in the meantime has been taken prisoner by pirates and jailed in Tripoli, manages to escape and returns to Malta. He immediately seeks out and goes to Dolores. He tells her all that had befallen him since their last secret tryst. His adventures can make the subject of yet another novel. Dolores warns Gianmaria not to trust Stanislao. She is proved right and when they meet, Stanislao sets upon Gianmaria in a fight to the death. Gianmaria catches Stanislao by the throat and a tearful Dolores, frightened and scared, sees that Stanislao carries a sword. She does her best to save Gianmaria but Stanislao frees himself of Dolores’ grasp and rush his sword through Gianmaria. Dolores cries at Stanislao, “You have killed him! You have killed him!” Stanislao’s fury is uncontrollable and he turns his sword upon Dolores and pierces her heart. Stanislao lives on for a few years longer but dies a terrible death.
During my childhood, whenever I heard this story, I would feel uneasy and sad.”

Ganado does not mention either Cottoner’s Bando or Pietro Cassia’s testament. As a descendant of Augusto to whom Bottari’s novel is dedicated, Ganado is likely to have been aware of Bottari’s diatribe. In fact Ganado, a lawyer by profession, earlier refers to Bottari (Ganado calls him Bottani) as one whose novel was translated into English.

However and although clearly aware of the contents of Bottaru’s work, Ganado instead gives his own version of events. As a descendant of Fabrizio he might have had reason to change the story in some detail but one could conjecture Ganado had some motive of creating a false impression that Gianmaria Cassia was actually found; This in itself would have posed some potential and very serious property issues for the Xara Cassia family and their claim to the fiefs of Gariescem et Tabia.

Ganado’s version gets no support from Bottari or even the documents quoted above. More to the point, why would Ganado concoct such a story? It seems the answer is more arcane than previously thought. In the same chapter, Ganado makes double effort to assert Augusto Testaferrata Abela’s claim to being a baron. As seen in Bottari’s work, Augusto was addressed as Sig. Augusto dei Baroni Testaferrata Abela implying Augusto was not the titleholder. Further documentation at the archives of the Order shows that the title of Baron of Gomerino was succeeded by Ercole Martino Testaferrata and not by Fabrizio who as seen above received only the property of Gomerino in 1713.

Morti li di Paolo, Testaferrata e Beatrice Cassia Coniugi, il Nobe D. Erole Martino Testaferrata come figlio legmo e naturale di essi, e percio discendente dalla med. Beatrice, nominato a questa Baronia in atti del Notaro Tommaso Gatt sotto li 5 9bre 1734 prese l’investitura e presto’ il giuramo di fedelta Sotto il primo Maggio 1737. f. 184p

It appears that in 1744 Fabrizio bequeathed the Gomerino property to his brother Ercole Martino, who was already the Baron.

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.

To facilitate the preparation of the report, an “ad hoc” Committee of Nobles was requested to provide a list of claimants. In that list, two individuals are named as holding the same title of “Barone di Gomerino”, namely Pietro Paolo Testaferrata Abela Moroni and the same Augusto Testaferrata Abela.

Testaferrata Abela Moroni was descended in a more senior line to Augusto and claimed the title was his by right of descent and also because he was the holder of the entail to which Beatrice had annexed the baronial title (as seen above). On the other hand Augusto’s claim was that he was the possessor of the garden and lands of Gomerino and also because he was appointed to the title by Francesco by a testament published on the 12 January 1861.  Although the Commission of 1878 held the title of Barone di Gomerino as a valid title, it did not attempt to make a decision on these claims.

A lawsuit decided on the 9 January 1882 upheld Augusto’s claim to the title of Baron of Gomerino in the sense that it upheld a series of private nominations of the lands of Gomerino, stemming from the aforesaid deed of 1713 after Fabrizio reconciled with his parents. In effect, to uphold the argument that a title could be willed away by a private testament, the court ignored the 1737 investiture. As a result of this decision, Fabrizio Testaferrata is noted as the 2nd Barone of Gomerino who succeeded in 1713, whilst Ercole Martino is regarded as the 3rd Barone who succeeded in 1744, without any reference to the 1737 investiture.

By the time of Ganado’s writing (Ganado lived 7 April 1906 – 8 April 1979), he as a descendant of Augusto whose claim to a title of nobility hinged on a private nomination would not have had any interest to make use of Bottari’s arguments which could have put Fabrizio in a poor light. Ganado instead adapted the circumstances similar to those of Fabrizio’s disherision of 1703 to suit his own version of the story of Giammaria.

Bottari’s detective work might be unfair on the Xara Cassia family but it is a less unlikely tale than Ganado’s.

The question that remains unanswered is what really happened to Giammaria?

REFERENCES:-
“Giammaria, ovvero L’ultimo dei baroni Cassia, romanzo storico”, M.A. Bottari, 1857
“La descrizione di Malta del Commendatore Gio Francesco Abela”, 1647
“Malta illustrata… accresciuta dal Conte G.A. Ciantar” 1780
Old and Notable Families described by G.F. Abela in 1647.
“From the original volumes of the Archives of the Order: The definitive lists of Titles of Nobility in Malta in Volume 627” at Cassia family.