Invisible Borders in the the Maltese Archipelago under the Sicilian Shadow: ENTANGLED HISTORIES II-2

Join us for the next session of the Entangled Histories Seminar Series 2026–2027 with Agostino Zito (University of Messina).

Explore how the Maltese archipelago navigated a complex "invisible border", balancing the Order of St John’s sovereign mission with its pragmatic, feudal dependence on the Kingdom of Sicily.

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Abstract

This paper examines the singular institutional configuration of the Maltese archipelago under the rule of the Order of Saint John, analysing the "border" not as a mere geographic demarcation, but as a complex legal and feudal apparatus.

Although the settlement of the Knights in 1530 established a state entity endowed with sovereign prerogatives, Malta formally remained a sub-fief of the Kingdom of Sicily. This research explores how this "invisible border" necessitated a constant renegotiation between the Order’s institutions and the Sicilian viceregal administration.

Through the study of grant diplomas (gratie), viceregal correspondence, and normative acts, this talk investigates how feudal dependency influenced the political and material sustainability of the island. The jurisdictional border manifested through symbolic rituals, such as the famous annual tribute of the Maltese falcon, and pragmatic constraints, including the regulation of Sicilian grain exports and access to the Kingdom’s appellate courts.

Ultimately, the Maltese case offers a privileged perspective for understanding early modern border dynamics, where territorial stability depended on managing fragmented sovereignty and navigating overlapping spheres of normative authority.

About the Speaker

Agostino Zito is a PhD Candidate and subject specialist in the History of Institutions at the Department of Political Science of the University of Messina, as well as a Visiting Researcher at the University of Malta. He holds a degree in Law from the Kore University of Enna and has been a national council member of SIDRI (Italian Society for Doctoral Studies) since 2025. He is the author of articles published in specialist journals in the fields of legal and institutional history, alongside his work as a legal consultant in agri-food law.