Sant Cassia

The Sant Cassia family of Malta are Counts Sant and Barons of Ghariexem e Tabia (Order of St. John), titles of Maltese nobility.

There are various accounts of the origins of the Sant family. According to one account, the Sant family originated with Nicola Santu (1534-1579), the illegitimate son of Principe Nicola de Sayd (1505-36), and Antonia, an Ethiopian slave. De Sayd was a descendent of Mehmed II (r. 1448-81), Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Antonia was granted freedom along with her children, taking the name of Santu (from Santi, the name of one of the Principe's residences). Her son Nicola later became an Arbitant in Casal Lia and resided in Ghargur, Malta. His son, Alberto, bore the name Sant. The alternative theory is that the Sant surname originated as Assant, which is recorded once in the place-name Casali Tamim Assant.

In 1770, Salvatore Baldassare Sant, Nobilis melitensis, a Jurat of Notabile, was created a hereditary Count in Vienna by the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, in recognition of the 'heroic deeds of his ancestors' who had occupied many important offices and had also accompanied King Ferdinand I (1503-1568) and Emperor Charles V (1500-1558) in naval expeditions against the African corsairs and the Ottoman invaders. Maria Theresa required him to purchase a fief in Lombardy, and to pay the dues of 3000 florins to the crown for his title. The confirmation of the Holy Roman Empire title was granted to Salvatore Baldassare Sant and to all his male descendants in the male line. Not only are they able to style "dei Conti" but also can use the title of COUNT.

In 1777, the 2nd Count Sant, Gio Francesco Sant (b 1748), married Chiara Bonici-Platamone-Cassia, 7th Baroness di Ghariexem e Tabia, and sired several children, one of whom, Reverend Publio Maria Sant, became the bishop of Malta (r1847-57). Another son married an heiress, Countess Fournier, their descendents bearing the name of Sant Fournier, and the titles of Count Fournier and Barone de Pausier. One of the younger sons of the 2nd Count married a daughter of the Marquis di San Giorgio and their descendants use the surnames of Sant-Manduca or Sant-Barbaro. Gio Francesco Sant purchased a large amount of property in Valletta, such as Casa Rocca Grande, Casa Rocco Piccola, Palazzo Messina, and Palazzo Marina. An astute businessman and a survivor, he led the Maltese aristocracy in the burning of their patents of nobility during the French occupation. Three of his sons were selected for education in France, but managed to buy themselves out. He was inside Valletta during the seige. Sant had been a Capitano della Verga under the Order, then a Lord Lieutenant under Sir Alexander Ball, to whom he would eventually present the sword of Honour.

Gio Francesco Sant was succeeded by his eldest son, Luigi Sant Cassia (1778-1867), who became 3rd Count Sant and 8th Baron di Ghariexem e Tabia, In 1805, he too married into the nobility -- to Angela dei Marchesi Testaferrata-Olivier. Luigi was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George for his service to the British in Malta. He was the first in his line to use the name of 'Sant Cassia'. He was renowned for his wealth, but his reputation was exaggerated. He quarreled with his father, who left much of the family wealth to his other sons, and kept a chapel in the Palazzo Rocco Grande. Under the French occupation, the parents had to pay 800 livres for their sons' board and lodging, and 600 livres for their passage on board French warships. The chosen students had to wear 'blue trousers and waistcoats, red cuffs, and facing and white pipings'. Those families who refused to send their sons to France were to be fined 1000 scudi. Among those who were initially chosen were the young Count Fontani, the three sons of Count Sant, and four other boys whose fathers were respectively Baron Galea, Marquis Mallia, Count Manduca, and Marquis Testaferrata.

Luigi died in 1867 and was briefly succeeded by his son Gio Francesco Sant Cassia (1806-78) as 4th Count Sant and 9th Baron di Ghariexem e Tabia. Gio married in 1830 to Giovanna Rosa Apap-Bologna dei Marchesi di Gnien-Is-Sultan. He had an unhappy marriage, and his wife Giovanna Rosa left him and 'escaped' to Floriana. Gio Francesco led an unusual life, having extra-marital affairs in his life with both sexes. But he is remembered as a hero of the poor especially in the country and around his properties, and traveled to Europe regularly.

Gio Francesco died in 1878, and was succeeded by his son, Giovanni (1849-1903). In 1883, Giovanni married Maria Anna Galea, a country girl. Giovanni was a splendid Victorian eccentric; he would travel to Siggiewi at night arriving at about 2 A.M. and demand a haircut for his son, for which he would pay a gold sovereign. An amicable and boisterous character, he was known to shoot wine bottles with the approval of publicans while stopping on his night rides. He always paid the bill. He was the owner of the Roman Villa and fought Count Strickland physically when the villa was acquisitioned in the public interest. (Strickland was first Secretary to the Government). Sant Cassia bought Guarena Palace with the proceeds from the sale of Mtarfa Bridge to the Government. Because of him, 1st class on the Malta train was divided into 'Official' and 'Otherwise'.

In 1903, his son, Francesco Sant Cassia, became the 11th Baron di Ghariexem e Tabia and 6th Count (1889-1947), being only 13 years old at the time. He was brought up by the Baroness di Djar-il-Bniet e Buqana. In 1910, he married Mary Manduca-Piscopo-Macedonia dei Conti MontAlto, with whom he fathered three daughters. After Mary's death, in 1915 he married her sister, Concetta, and fathered five sons and four daughters with her. He entertained George V to lunch at St Paul's Bay. He was one of the first Maltese owner-drivers of a car and he even owned a bus in which to carry all of his twelve children. He left the island for Australia and returned. It was Francesco who sold the Casa Rocco Piccola to Antonio Cassar-Torreggiani O.B.E in 1918.

Francesco died in 1947 and was succeeded by his son, Francis Sant-Cassia as 12th Baron and 7th Count (1920-88), Francis had served with the Royal Malta Artillery as Captain, and was President of the Committee of Privileges of the Maltese Nobility from 1984 until 1988.

In the year 1984 Francis renounced his titles and nominated (inter vivos) his son John to succeed him. The Committee of Privileges could hardly fail to ratify this act of nomination inter vivos by its own President, although this was controversial. Francis was murdered on October 27, 1988, a still unsolved case. John’s heirs are his sister to the Barony di Ghariexem e Tabia, and his uncle to the title of Count Sant, which will bring an end of the joint partnership of these two titles.

External links

• [Charles Said-Vassallo's Research site (http://www.maltagenealogy.com)]
• [Maltese Nobility web site (http://www.maltesenobility.org)]

(Text originally based on that of a website by Charles Said Vassallo, by permission.)