Albert Ganado MATTEO PEREZ D`ALECCIO`S ENGRAVINGS OF

Albert Ganado
MATTEO PEREZ D'ALECCIO'S
ENGRAVINGS OF T H E S I E G E OF MALTA OF 1565 *
The G r e a t Siege of Maita of
of Christian Europe.
1565 w a s of vital importance for the survival
Since the fall of Constantinople in 1453 the T u r k s had trebled the area
of their Empire. Under Solyman the Magnificent, Belgrade w a s captured in
1521 and Hungary was overrun a few years later. In 1529, the T u r k i s h forces
were halted at the gates of Vienna, but, by that time, Islam was in control
of the Mediterranean coast through Bosnia, Serbia and Greece, northwards
through the Balkans halfway to the Baltic Sea, through A s i a Minor and the
Holy L a n d , E g y p t and along the North A f r i c a n coast to T u n i s and Algiers.
Malta was the obstacle to the closing of the pincer from the south and
to the freedom of movement of the T u r k i s h fleet in Mediterranean waters. In
1564, when he was 70 years old, Solyman decided to invade the island.
T h e state of mind of the Knights of St. John w a s not then of the highest
order. It is true that, since they settled in Malta in 1530, they had been
gradually regaining mastery over the Central Mediterranean. But their successful exploits at sea could not erase the bitter memory, still vivid, of their defeat
at Rhodes in 1522. Although they had fought like lions in their endeavours to
overcome the onslaughts of the T u r k i s h hordes, they were humbled into surrendering an extremely strong fortress which had been their home for over
two hundred y e a r s .
Besides, the Knights looked upon Malta merely as a temporary home, and,
when the T u r k i s h armada appeared on the horizon, they were still licking the
wounds they had suffered through the loss of Tripoli and the Dragut raid
on Gozo in 1551.
F o r the Knights, therefore, the victory of September 1565 came as the
apotheosis of their glory as a military Order. Undoubtedly, the Maltese and
the relief forces sent over from S i c i l y had played a decisive part. But the
Knights were still the main protagonists, and they were determined that their
resounding victory be visually commemorated in a proper and fitting manner,
as an eternal testimony to the triumph of the white cross over the crescent.
T h e artist entrusted with the task was Matteo Perez de Ale ccio.
*
For the abbreviations used in references see the Bibliography given in Appendix IV.
Because of printing difficulties abbreviations in the quoted texts are marked by full
stops.
125
The artist
It was said unt'l recently that Matteo w a s bom in Rome in 1547 to Antonio
Perez de Alesio and a Madama Lucente. He w a s thought by some to have
been a native of L e c c e , on the assumption that d'Aleccio w a s a corruption
of d a L e c c e . However, a modem art historian, Alfredo Petrucci (1), has written,
quite convincingly, that Perez
was his father's surname, betraying the Spanish
origin of his family, whilst d'Aleccio was an indication of his birthplace, namely, Alezio, a small Italian town in the hinterland of the Gallipoli district (reg'on
of Puglia), known in remote times as Aietium. Its parish church is dedicated
to S a n t a M a r i a d e l l ' A l l e z z a .
A s the town of Alezio is practically unknown
whilst Lecce, which happens to be in the same region, appears on most maps
of Italy, it is understandable that some writers have identified A i e t i u m w'th
L e c c e instead of Alezio ( l a ) .
Matteo was heavily built and he loved company as well as good
food. Wherever he went, he rarely missed to take part, on feast days, in a
wrestling match or a p a l i o race, a l w a y s showing great determination to c a n y
off the spoils of victory.
In the early days of his artistic career, he seems to have absorbed the
strong influence of Venetian painters. He associated, as a young man, with
Palrna il Giovane (1544- 1628), a Venetian painter of the School of Tintoretto,
who left us the only known portrait of Matteo, dated Rome 1568 ( l b ) . It appears that he arrived at R o m e during the reign of Pius V (1566—1572) and
became a disciple of the school of Michelangelo (2). One of his his most intim1. Petrucci
la. Gere, p. 150; Gere and Pouncey, p. 125. The confusion of Alezio and Lecce goes
back at least to the 18th century when Luigi Lanzi wrote that Matteo's appellative
Lecce
was corrupted to Alesio
during Matteo's sojourn in Spain (Lanzi, L . . Storia
frittorica
delta
Italia.
Bassano, 1795-96. T . I , p. 144 and T. I I . pp. 406 and 409. Quoted by Bern i • - p. 223). Lanzi also thought thai Matteo had added Peru
\0 his
name consistently used by Matteo himself both In Rome and in Maita ISee infra.
Kef.
8) proves Lanzi wrong on both counts. It should be borne in mind that Matteo
invariably made use of his appellative with the prefix .41 (e.g. Allecio,
AlTecci,
Alteiio
etc.); only third parties seem to have dropped the prefix to make the appellative read Lecxo, or Leiio
or
Lecce.
lb. Gere, p. 150 and Fig. 2. The portrait is here reproduced on P I . 14.
2, Most writers seem to have taken it for granted that d'Aleccio was a pupil of Michelangelo (Bryan, Vol. I , p.17; Benezit, Vol. I , p. 104; Scicluna, Church, p. 153; Sammut. p. 57) and one even wrote that he actually assisted the great master to paint
the frescoes for the Sistine Chapel (NMM, p. 3). This is not possible if d'Aleccio effectively went to Rome between 1566 and 1572. as Michelangelo died in 1564. There
seems to be no evidnce pointing to a date earlier than 1566.
The Bendzit edition of 1976 still states that d'Aleccio was born and died in Rome.
This is almost certainly incorrect. All the evidence shows that he died in Peril and
that he was not a Roman by birth.
126
ate friends was the architect Ottavio Mascherino. He earned the protection of
Charles d'Angennes de Rambouillet (Cardinal on 17 May 1570) and he was
probably commissioned to work for Pope Gregory X I I I (1572—1585). In 1573
he became a member of the A c c a d e m i a di S a n L u c a (3).
Three years later, after destroying with his own hand, for reasons unknown, an E c c e Homo he had painted in the O r a t o r i o del C o n f a ' . o n e he fled
from Rome to Naples and later to Malta (3a) where he became the 'official'
painter of the Order. During the next five years he painted several canvases
for the Co-Cathedral of St. John's and other churches (4), but his magnum opus
was, without doubt, the siege of Malta as represented in the frescoes decorating
the frieze of the S a i a del Maggior Consigtfo at the Grand Master's Palace in
Valletta. H i s w o r k went down well with his patrons for, when he left Malta in
1581,
he proudly carried with him a certificate from the Grand Master, Jean
Levesque de la Cassi&re, which praised the beauty and perfection of his design
and certified him eccellente n e l l a s u a p r o f e s s i a n e (5). It was dated 28 June
3.
in.
4.
5.
Petrucci. Soria, Vol. IV, pp. 126-128.174. Bernales. pp. 222-224. The following paintings in Rome are attributed to d'Aleccio: a fresco over the door of the Sisline Chapel
showing a scene from the life of St. Anthony (originally painted, according to some,
by Francesco Salviati); the altarpiece at Santa Calertna
delta
Rota:
• fresco of David
and two other figures at the Oratory
ut SS. Pietro
e Paolo
del Gonfalone;
a Madonna
and Saint above the main altar at San Eligio
degli
Orefiei.
Bernales, p.225 and Gere. p.151. In 1697 another Italian Master. Michelangelo Merisi
da Caruvaggio, also fled from Rome to Naples and ended up in Malta to serve the
Order.
He painted the Baptism ol Christ, the main altar-piece at St. John's, later replaced
by tbe marble group of the Baptism by Giusepjie Mazxunli, The painting is now
in the sacristy ot the church, where another painting (Christ in Limbo) is preserved
which has lately been attributed to d'Aleccio (Cauchi, p. 13). In 15S0 he painted
the Shipwreck of St. Paul for the Church of St. Paul In Valletta (Azzopordi 1981.
pp. 14-16). and a St; Ciifhezini! lot the parish church ol the village of 7-urrieq (Axzopardi 1979; Buhagiar 1979. pp. 116-117 and pi. 14).
It is surprising, to say the least, that some modern historians have written that
d'Aleccio's frescoes o! the siege were painted during the reign of Grand Master Alof
de Wignacourt (1601-1622) (Schrrmcrhom, p. 53; Scicluna. Order, pp. 119. 125).
NLM. Arch. 439. Uber
0 Hilar urn
1579-1581. L27Jrv. Petrucci has described him
eccellent'usimo
artitta
and he praised his buan disegno.
fantasia
e veloce
operare.
During his stay in Malta, d'Aleccio lived in a house at the eastern end of St. Christopher Street, in Valletta, overlooking the Grand Harbour: it is indicated on his
plan of Valletta [FOGUO
DECIMO
QVARTO)
as Casa di Mattia
P'Uiore.
The modellos for the frescoes, at one time in the collection of Charles I of England, are now preserved at tht Greenwich National Maritime Museum. They are in
oil on canvas and are highly detailed "and have spontaneity and vigour of handling eminently suited to large wall decora Lions". D'Aleccio's depictions of the battles
"depart from strictly Renaissance illusionism and revert to a more archaic or primitive form which was well suited to the narrative content of the pictures. The partial
127
1581
(6).
The etchings
In 1582(7), Matteo published in Rome a collection of etchings reproducing
his paintings of the siege. In all, there are fifteen plates in the book, entitled:
I V E R I R I T R A 7 T I / delta guerra, et dell'assedio, et a s s a l t i dati a ( = / t a Jsota
di M a l t a / Dall'armata Turchesca ('anno .1565. ne( P a . t i f t c a t o d e l t a / S a n t a
m e m o r i a di PIO I W D E ' M E D I C I et s o t t o it felice
g o u e m o / del u i t t o r i o s a Cap i t a n o , et g r a n M a e s t r o di M a l t a / E R A G I O V A N N I P A R 1 S O T T O DI V A L L E T T A
I F a t t i gia in d i u e r s i q u a d r i di P i t t u r a dal Mag.co/M, Matteo Perez d'Aleccio (8)
6.
7.
8.
adoption ot an aerial viewpoint and the variable scale of the figures are strongly
reminiscent of Turkish miniature paintings found in chronicles of the time, which
he may have had an opportunity of seeing. Perez paints most ot his scenes as if
viewed from the Turkish lines, and only in two of the paintings do the defenders,
the Knights of St, John, themselves appear in the foreground as the principal subject matter" (NMM. p. 1).
See plate
In that same year. d'Aleccio was elected a member of the C o n g r e g a x t o n e d e t Vtrtuojt
del P a n t h e o n
(5oria, p. 127; also Petrucci).
This is the form commonly used in Malta to render the artist's name. D'Aleccio
himself used different versions in the book being described, as may be seen hereunder
Matteo Perez d'Aleccio (in the title just quoted)
Matteo Perez di Allccio (in the dedication).
Matteo Perez D'Allecio (in the imprint and on pi. 8)
Matteo Perez de Allecio (plates 3, 7]
Matteo Perez di Allecci (in the legend dedicated to Grand Master Verdala on pi. 141
Mattheo Perez de Allecio (plates. 2, 12. IS)
Mattheo Perez D'Allecio (plate 3, 13)
Mattheo Perez de AHexio (plates 4, 6)
Mattheo Perez D'AUezio (plate 10)
Petrucci is incorrect when be writes thai llie rendering ol the name on plate 6 ii
* d e A t U t i o , unless he was examining a different edition of the book which the author
has not seen. So far as is known, however, there is only one edition of the book.
La Cassitre's certificate used the version M a t t h e o d e A l e c c i o , whilst Bishop
Gargallo in 1579 referred to him as M a t t e o d a L e e i o .
After his return to Italy from Malta, d'Aleccio published it number ut engravings on which his name is similar to that used on the siege engravings. Thus we
findMatthaeuB Perez de Allecio (on a picture of St. John the Baptist — 1582)
Matthaeus Pjerez] de Alecci (on the Martyrdom of St. Catherine)
Matthaeus P[erez] F[ecit] (on the Virgin and Child — 1583)
M[atthaeus] PferezJ de Aleccio (on the Conversion of St. Paul — 1583).
A document drawn up in Peril in 1616 after his death refers to him us M a t e o
P i r e x d e A l e c i o . Spanish writers refer to him as M a t e o P e r e i d e A l e s i o which tallies
with the entry of his marriage (3 January 1598) in the parochial records of the
Cathedral in Lima; he is registered as the legitime son of Antonio Perez de Alesio
and Madama Lucente (Bemales, p. 234).
n e l l a g r a . s a l a del P a — J l a z z o d e l l ' l l l . m o G r a n M a e s t r o in M a l t a , e r i d o t t i c o n /
a c c u r a l . m a diligenza
dal m e d e s i m o in q u e s t a f o r m a / O n e d i s t i n t a m e n t e si oss e r u a n o t u t t i i s u c c e s s i delta b a t t e r i e , / e t assalti dati
per M a r e , et per
Terra,
et dei soccorsi, et u i t = / t o r i e o t t e n u t e . C o n gli norm si delta f o r t e z z e ,
come
de' I principali
C a u a l i e r i , et altri
u a l o r o s i S o l d a t i che u'interuen/nero. T h e
title is in a large oval at the centre of a sumptuous architectonic frame with
allegorical figures. It is flanked on the left by the dedication to Cardinal Ferdinando de Medici, and by a long description of the siege on the right (9).
Alfredo Petrucci commented as follows on this frontispiece: II frontespfzio,
r i c c a m e n t e f i g u r a t o , £ u n m o d e l l o irreprensibite
d ' i m p a g i n a z i o n e , di a r m o n i a , di
e l e g a n z a , in c u i s f o c i a n o c o n t e m p e r a n d o s i
le p i u d i s p a r a t e e s p e r i e n z e a r c h i t e t t o n i c h e e grafiche
del s e c o l o (10). T h e frontispiece is followed by a map of
Malta illustrating how the island presented itself to the T u r k i s h attackers
when they started disembarking on the 18th May. T h e next eleven plates are
'picture-maps' showing the salient incidents of the siege, whilst the new city
of Valletta, founded in 1566, is depicted in detail on plate number 14. T h e
last engraving in the book shows a plan of Notabile (the old city) at left and
a plan of the Gozo citadel at right (11).
Unlike many other 16th century painters, d'Aleccio practised and cultivated the art of copper-engraving. T h e r e is evidence to show that when he
left Europe for good he took with him a complete collection of DUreris prints
A number of engravings signed by d'Aleccio are extant, and others w e r e executed by Pierre Pen-et after d'Aleccio's drawings (12).
It is considered that d'Aleccio's fame per I ' i n v e n z i o n e ,
prestezza
dell'o p e r a r e et i n t e l l i g e n z a
delle
figure
rests mainly on his engravings, foremost
among which the series of the Trionfo
di C r i s t o and the series Assedio di
M a l t a which is even more original and homogenous. Although the captions
in the style of cartoons detract from the beauty of the engravings of the siege,
as an ensemble they constitute "uno dei n t o n u m e n t i ptu carattertaticf defl'mctsione i t a l i a n a d e l l a s e c o n d a m e l d del C i n q u e c e n t o , ed £ un peccato che non
sieno conosciute q u a n t a m e r t t e r e b b e r o " . T h e moto irresistibita evident in his
plates bears testimony to what has been written that at scene time in his
career d'Aleccio was influenced by Venetian art, and, in particular, by Tintoretto's paintings in the Ducal Palace (13).
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
The dedication and the description of the siege are reproduced in full in Appendices
I and I I .
Petrucci. T r a u l . — Enriched with figure*, the frontispiece i* a perfect example of
lay-out, harmony and elegance, in which the most varied architectonic and graphic
style* of the century find an outlet and become one whole.
For a detailed description of the plate*, see Appendix I I I .
Staatny, p. 13.
Petrucci. He further comment* a* foblows:
c h e d i e r o t c o e d i m a e s t o s o , dx n o b i l a
sopratutlo.
attravenrsa.
in
u n a luce
d'Apocalisse,
certe
scene,
come
quelle
d e l set-
128
129
Apart from being the designer and the engraver of the plates, d'Aleccio
was also the publisher of the book, as m a y be gathered from the imprint: IN
ROMA. APPRESSO
MATTEO
PEREZ
D ' A L L E C I O . Whether he had his o w n
printing press is not known (14), However, the copyright of his engravings
was protected for ten years: C u m Priuitegio / G R E G . X I I I . P O N T . M A X . / A d
Decennium / M D L X X X f J .
the fame of the Order or to add lustre to the Medicis — of that there w a s
no need — but per parermi questa una convenrente occasione di mostrar (oro
I ' a n i m o g r a t o , et in particolare a quefl'Isota, et d q u e i signori
Gran
Croci,
et C a v a l i e r i c h e d e l l ' e s s e r io s t a t o s e m p r e g r a n d e m e n t e f a v o r i t o d a essi, merttre
in lor servitio m i s o n o a d o p r a t o ;
Io ne t e n g o , et terrb
fresca et p e r p e t u a
memoria (17).
D'Aleccio dedicated the book to his patron Cardinal Medici describing
him "...uero P R O T E T T O R E d ' o g n i s o r t e di uertii,
et p a r t i c o l a r t n e n t e di q u e l l a
del D I S E G N O . . . " (15). He also recalled that, during the siege, together with
Philip of Spain, it w a s the House of Medici that gave the most valid help to
the island; both Pius I V and his father Cosimo de' Medici, Grand D u k e of
T u s c a n y , d'Aleccio emphasised, had expended large sums of money to free
Maita from the T u r k i s h assault, riguardando a q u a n t o d a n n o s a r e b b e
stata
sottomessa ia Christ iam'ta, quando tai iuogo fosse s t a t o e s p u g n a t o
dal
Turco (16).
The siege of Malta has been described as the greatest siege in modern
history. It w a s certainly the most famous in the annals of Christendom. T o
quote Voltaire; R i e n n'est plus c o n n u q u e le stage de MaXte.
T h i s explains
why, during the successive decades, enterprising editorial houses in Italy were
still issuing original 'picture-maps' published in the year of the siege. A map
of 1565 by Pietro Paolo Palombi w a s reprinted by Gaspar Albertus; a plan
by Nicold Neili w a s again published in the 1570s by Claudio Duchetti; maps
and plans by Antonio L a f r e r i were re-issued by Pietro de Nobili in the 1580s,
by Giovanni Orlandi in 1602 and again later by Henricus v a n Schoel.
W h e n he decided to undertake the heavy work involved in the production
of the engravings, D'Aleccio explained, it w a s not because he intended to spread
Luclni's engravings
timo,
del nono.
ioni
dirt
ria,
del decimo
opposte,
cavalli
tremtnti.
la
decit'wo.
irrvertto
eui
lo
quello
spirilo
di
prevalcntententt
lance
e de! duodecimo
e
rematori
come
Matteo.
picche
agli
scaltnl,
un fiutne
in piena
vago
di
omamentale
piit
foglio,
a jascio,
tra masse
cimieri.
dall'arrivo
del
correre
ed allegorica
d'uom'mi
del "prima
"Gran
che di
tnarcianti
corazxe,
di
soccorso"
Soccorso":
stare,
del frontespizio.
a
un tnondo,
aderisce
in
artiglte-
meglio
Transl. —
quelcioi.
che a
There
in something heroic and majestic, noble most of all-, which, in an Apocalyptic light,
travels across certain scenes, such as those of plates seven, nine, ten and twelve,
between masses of men marching in opposite directions, a disorderly array of pikes
and lances, plumed helmets, armour, artillery pieces, trembling horses, oarsmen at
the rowlocks, from the arrival ol the "first relief" to the decisive arrival of the "Great
Relief", turbulent like a bursting river: a world, in brief, to which the spirit of
Matteo, hankering after roaming rather than staying, is more kindred than to what
is found in the markedly ornamental and allegorica] frontispiece.
Another Italian writer has described the artist of the siege engravings
spiritoso.
e focoso
(Borroni Salvadori, pp. L X X X I , L X X X I I i
Hi* name is not mentioned in Masetti Zannini.
Transl, —
true PROTECTOR of all kinds of connoisseurship, and particularly
of that of DRAWING
It has been written that, by publishing the book, d'Aleccio incurred the anger
of the then Grand Master, Hugo de Loubenx Verdala. who suppressed it. Possibly.
Verdala was displeased that the book was not dedicated to him. However, d'Aleccio
paid homage to the "Great Verdall" in the legend accompanying the plan of the
new city of Valletta (pi. 14] and, apart from including his coat of arms, together
with that of L a Valerie, Del Monte and De L a Cassiere, on the same plate, he re.
served a special place for Verdala's escutcheon in the elaborate cartouche on the
next plate.
hxxzarro
14.
15.
16.
130
Transl. — keeping in mind what a lot of harm Christianity would have had to suffer,
if such place were to have been taken by the Turk,
It is no wonder, therefore, that, in 1631, sixty-six years after the siege, d'Aleccio's 'picture-maps' found one of the most elegant Italian engravers of the
seventeenth century who decided to copy and reproduce them. It appears that
then d'Aleccio had been dead for some fifteen years. He had left Italy for
Spain in about 1584 (18) and four years later he abandoned Europe and settled
in Perii, where he immediately became the official painter of the V i c e r o y (19).
He w a s then about 41 years old. It has been recorded that d'Aleccio w a s still
active 40 years later (20). However, it seems that the year 1628 w a s associated
with him due to a printing error. Recently, a document has come to light
w h i c h proves that in 1616 d'Aleccio had already passed a w a y (21).
His copper-plates of the siege must have been by then either destroyed,
lost or inaccessible, for Anton Francesco L u c i n i re-engraved the whole lot,
adding another plate with a complete series of portraits of the Grand Masters
of the Order of St. John from F r a Gerardus (c.1099-1118) to Antonius de Paula
(1623-1636).
]/,
18.
19.
20.
21.
Transl. — because I consider this to be a good opportunity to show them my gratitude, and, especially, to show it to that Island and to those Grand Crosses and
Knights who had showered upon me so many favours while I was working in their
service; they are still fresh in my memory, and so they will always remain.
Stastny, p. 9,; Soria, p. 127,
D'Aleccio followed the footsieps of Bernardo Bitti who settled in Lima in 1575. A
few decades later, Angelino Medoro also established himself in Peril. These three
Italian painters exercised a very strong influence on South American art by introducing the style and ideas of European schools of painting.
Soda, p. 128, quoting R. Vargas Ugarte (1947) and G. Lohman Villena (1940).
Stastny, pp. 11-12.
131
L i k e d'Aleccio, L u c i n i did not dedicate the book to the reigning Grand
Master. It w a s dedicated to Cardinal Antonio Barberini Priore delta M a g i o n
di B o l o g n a e N i p o t e di N . S . U r b a n o VIII,
who would undoubtedly be glad,
Lucini wrote, to see his B E E S (22) hovering above the white armorials of Malta,
in the same way as they were resting in glory "on the sails of the Sacred
Ship of Peter".
The first edition of L u c i n i ' s engravings w a s published in Rome by Nicolfi
Allegri. Although he copied faithfully the beautiful frontispiece of d'Aleccio,
Lucini changed the title w h i c h became: D I S E G N I / D E L L A G U E R R A , / ASS E D I O E T A S S A L T I / D A T I D A L L' A R M A T A
T V R C H E S C A / A L L T S O L A DI
M A L T A / L'ANNO .MDLXV. / SOTTO I L G O V E R N O DI FR. GIO. PARISOTT O / D I V A L L E T T A G R A N M A E S T R O / Dipinti gia nella gra. Sala del Palaz.o
di Malta / da Matteo Perez d'Aleccio. / E t hora Intagliati con accuratiss.ma
di =/lige.za da Anton Fran.co L u c i n i Fiorent.o.
Lucini's album must have been v e r y much in demand, as it w a s soon
followed by two other editions. Of these two editions, I have not yet established with absolute certainty which came first; but the indications are that
the "Negroponte" edition preceded that of " D e R o s s i " .
De R o s s i w a s very active in the second half of the 17th Century as a printer
and publisher, and the plates of De Nobili and Orlandi, among others, had
passed to him (24).
In this edition, no alteration w a s made to the plate portraying the Grand
Masters. No alteration would have been needed if this edition came out, like
the previous one, during the reign of L a s c a r i s . T h i s is highly probable, as
Lascaris reigned for nineteen years.
Lucini's date of death is not known, but he w a s still active in 1661 when
he saw to the publication of the second edition of the maritime atlas A r c a n o
del Mare by S i r Robert Dudley (24) for whom L u c i n i had engraved the plates.
A number of copies a r e extant of both d'Aleccio's and L u c i n i ' s albums
of the siege. T h e former is the more difficult to come by (25).
" A thing of beauty is a joy for ever". This may well be said of d'Aleccio's
illustrated w a r reports, four hundred years after their creation.
The frontispiece of the first edition suffered some changes in the Negroponte edition:
1.
2.
R o m a w a s erased and substituted by Bologna;
T h e imprint Appresso Nicolo Allegri w a s substituted by A u g u s t i n u s
s i n u s E.t.;
Pari-
24.
3.
A n additional imprint w a s inserted: to: B a p . t a Negro Pontes Forma.
These alterations show that ownership of the plates passed from L u c i n i to
GioBatta Negroponte, who published them in Bologna from the printing press
of Parisinus. F o r m a (or formis)
indicates the owner of the plates, usually a
merchant dealing in prints; E.t probably stands for e x c u d i t which indicates
the printer (23).
In
Although the year 1631 (of the Rome edition) remained unaltered, this
Bologna edition could not have been published before 1636. Indeed, the portrait of Ioannes Paulus L a s c a r i s Castellar w a s added to the plate representing
the Grand Masters, and L a s c a r i s succeeded De Paula in 1636.
In the second Bologna edition, the name of Parisinus is preserved, but
the imprint of Negroponte is substituted by that of De Rossi as follows: nella
S t a m p e r i a dl / Gio. Giacomo de Rossi / in Roma a l i a P a c e . It appears, therefore,
that this edition w a s also printed by Parisinus in Bologna, but this happened
when De Rossi had acquired the plates from Negroponte. Giovanni Giacomo
22.
23.
132
A reference to the bees upon the Amu of the Barberini.
Excudit
1* not to be confused with excidit,
which has the same meaning as tnridit,
indicating the engraver. We know that the plates in question were engraved by
Lucini; therefore. E.t could only mean excudit.
In 17th century Rome, there were two publishing houses by the name of de
Rossi,
one of which carried on business at Piaxxa
delta
Pace,
the other at Pinna
Navona,
The former was by far the more important of the two. It was run by Giuseppe Rossi
from at least 1613 until his death in 1639; Giovanni Giacomo de Rossi flourished
between 1649 and 1691; he was succeeded by Domenico (fl. 1691c-172(fc) and then
by Lorenzo Filippo (fl1. 1720c-1738). In 1738, the whole collection of plates amassed
by the family was sold to the government of the Papal States. The business address
Alia
Pace
became .411a Pace all'insegna
di Parigi
some time after Gian Giacomo
took over the business (Ehrle, pp. 24, 68; also Tooley, p. 549).
1686, Gian Giacomo de Rossi published a highly decorative map of Malta:
ISOJLA
titie,
MAL.TA/GOZZO
in
Data
in
luce
alia
Con
Pace
conforme
dhettitme
all'tnsegna
E
Giacomo
map is found in the atlas
mondo
Pont.e
COMINO
Gio,
Priu.o
del
S.
da
The
parti
del
luce
Con
Roma
23.
DI
e data
I'anno
le
1686.
Mercurio
tavote
% euro
di
Parigi
COMINOTTO/cauata
de Rossi/dalle
Fran.s
Donia
Geograjico
geograjiche
di
Gio
Giacomo
con
Prist.'
dalle,
sue
stampe
piu
in
Messanensis
Sculp.
overo
geograf
del
Sansone
de
del
guida
S,
Rossi
Pont,
no-
alia
Pace
403 x 545mm
ica
Baudrand
nelta
recenti
Roma
sua
in
tutte
e
stamperia
le
Caxtelli.
in
(c.1690),
Sir Robert Dudley, styled Duke of Northumberland and Earl of Warwick (1573-1649),
naval commander, inventor, engineer and geographer. He left England in 1605 and
later settled in Florence. Famed for his ingenuity as a ship-builder and mathematician. In 1646.7 he published in Florence Arcano
del Mare,
the first sea atlas by
an Englishman and the first sea atlas of the whole world. It is divided in sis
books; the sixth is a collection of geographical maps. Lucini's maps are outstanding examples of the finest quality of Italian engraving and calligraphy, he spent on
them twelve years of his life (DNB, Vol. X V I , pp. 122-124; Bolaffi, Vol. V I I , p. 63;
Porter, p. 6).
133
APPENDIX I
Dedication in the frontispiece
PLATE I
A L L T L L V T R I S S I M O E T R E V E R E N DIS SIMO
FERDINANDO CARDINAL DE' MEDICI
/
SIGNORE
/
IL
SIGNOR
C e r t a cosa £ Ill.mo et R.mo Sig.r che nella guerra successa nell'Isola di M A L T A
I'Anno .1565. f r a T u r c h i , et Christlani, che dopo I'aiuto, et soccorso che le
dette il Catholico et inuittissimo R E F I L I P P O , il maggiore, et il principale fu
quelle che hebbe dalla c a s a de' M E D I C I , non hauendo guardato la Santity di
P I O .1111. insieme con il Seren.mo Signore suo padre C O S M O D E ' M E D I C I
G R A N D V C A D I T O S C A N A k nissuna sorte di spesa (anchorche grande) per
liberare la religione di S. G I O V A N . l d a quel terribile, et sanguinoso assedio; riguardando k quanto danno sarebbe stata sottomessa la Christianity, quando tai
luogo fosse stato espugnato dal Turco Per tali cagioni adunque, et per la
particolare affettione che io sempre ho portatci a .V.S.Ill.tna come k uero
P R O T E T T O R E d'ogni sorte di uertii, et particolarmente di quella del D I S E G N O ,
Ho giudicato che k nessuno meglio, et piu propriamente poteuo indrizzare questa
mia opera, che a . V . a S.ria IH.ma; sapendo bene che comparendo al mondo
con il Sigillo in fronte del suo celebratissimo nome, ella sard uolentieri da
ogniuno riceuuta, et hauuta cara. Supplico .V.S.Ili.ma et Reuer.ma ad accettarla
con benigno animo, secondo che dal sincerissimo affetto mio, pieno di riuerentia
le uien presentata.
Al.a quale Iddio conceda lunghi et felicissimi annj; D. V S. Ill.ma et
humile et affettionatis.o Seruitore Matteo Perez di Allecio
R.ma
L a fatica che io mi son presa in mandare in luce la presente opera: non e
stata perche mi dessi k credere di aggiungere fama con essa alia Religione,
et al successo di si nobil guerra, et crescer nome alia chiaris.a c a s a de' Medici:
essendo elleno per se stesse famosis.e et chiaris.e Ma per parermi questa una
conuenfente occasione di mostrar loro I'animo mio grato, et in particolare il
quell'Isola, et k quei Signori G r a n C r o c i , et Caualieri, che dell'esser io stato
sempre grandem.te fauorito da essi, mentre in lor seruitio mi sono adoprato;
Io ne tengo, et t e n * fresca et perpetua memoria.
Molte furono le cagioni che mossero Soliman Ottom.ano x i j , G r a n T u r c o k
uoler far la impresa di Malta, che per non esser tedioso le taccio; Dicendo
solamente, che il suo principale intento era (oltie al uoler uendicarsi di tanti
danni hauuti dalle galere di S . Giouanni) pigliato c h a u e s s e quell'Isola, pigliare
poi la Sicilia, et Io Regno di Napoii, con animo di uenir in brieue padrone del
Mondo. E t fatto il maggior apparato di guerra, che g'amai alcun de' suoi
antecessor! per 1'adietro hauesse fatto, fece generale di terra Mustafa Bascta,
huomo di ualore, et esperienza grandiss.a et del mare fe Generale Piali suo
parente; quail si partirono da Costantinopoli alii .4. d'Aprile, et fatto alto alii
Castellj s e gli affondO una naue carica di assai munitione. A l i i .ii. poi di Maggio tutta I'armata si troud i n Nauarino, quale era di .158. uascelli d a remo,
undici Naui, et noue Maoni, e tre Caramusali; et fu fatto giuditio che in tutto,
l'essercito ariuaua al numero di ottanta mila pc-rsone, con prouisione per tre
mesi per il uitto, et per l a guerra; et portauano .60. Cannoni di batteria che
tirauano Ottanta libre di palla fra li quali erano cinque Basilischi, che ne tirauano .i60. et due Murlacchi di estrema grandezza, portati apposta perche
con il grande terremoto che faceuano, hauessero a rompere le cisterne tira.do
.300. libbre di palla, con prouisione di poluere, et balle per cento mila tiri;
Con gli legni acconci per fare gli gabbioni per l'Arteglieria; et diuersi altri
istromenti per cauare, et far bastioni; et altre uarie materie per empir' i fossi.
I I Generale dell'Arteglieria era Topgi. Bascta, et haueua seco cinque Ingegnieri.
L a Capitana generale era di . 3 1 . banco, et eranui cinque huomini per banco et
haueua tre fanali. Quella di Mustafa era di .28., et quella del G r a n T u r c o di
.27. sebene egli non u'era in persona. E r a n o saperbamente dorate, et dipinte;
Quali alii .18. di Maggio in Venerdi si trouorono in Malta, doue dettero fondo
h un luogo chiamato il Mugiaro, et nel uoler mettere in terra furono alle mani
co i nostri; et poi la notte del Sabato partitisi, uenero a M a r z a Syrocco, et
messero in terra, doue k un casale detto di S.ta C a t a r i n a scaramucciorno con
gli nostri, et l'altro giorno si accostorno alle fortezze, doue fu fatto quasi un
fatto d'arme: per cio che ne morirono da mille de i loro, con poca perdita de'
nostri; et uenuti poi ad accamparsi alia M a r z a , ui condussero per terra Tarteglieria, et la munitione, et alii .28. del medesimo assediomo Sant E r m o , battendolo con .30. pezzi, doue furono tirate diciotto mila cannonate. Onde dopo
cinque assalti datili (nei quali morirono piu di .4000. Turchi de' megliori, CO.
molti Arais, fra' quali morl Dragut famosissimo ccrsaro ferito k caso nella
masciella da una scheggia di pietra fracasata da un tiro darteglieria che uenne
di C a s t e l ,S. Angelo) finalme.te presero S. E r m o la uigitia di .S. G i o u a n i ; hauen-
APPENDIX II
Description of size in the frontispiece
PLATE I
Brieue ritratto de i successi & assalti dati dalla Armata del T u r c o alia Isola
di Malta l'anno i565.
134
doui tenuto l'assedio .29. giomi, doue us
n gran crudeltA sopra q u e i i pochi
Caualieri che ui trouorno, et hauendo dopo assicurata I'armata nel porto di
Marzamuscietto; A l i i .29. di Giugno cominciorono ad assediare i'lsola di .S.
Michele, et il Borgo, mettendo in piu batterie .40. Can.oni; M a con tutto cio
alii cinque di luglio la notte entrarono nel Borgo lor mal grado da .600. de'
135
nostri in soccorso, quali inuero furon la salute dell'lsola; di che auedutosi i
T u r c h i subbito nel medesimo luogo detto ii Saluatore, di doue erano entrati,
piantarono .20. Can.oni, che in tutto faceano il numero di .60. pezzi, quali
batteuano giorno, e notte con tanto terrore, et spauento che pareua uolesse
finir il mondo. A l i i .15. poi del medesimo essendo d i g i i tutta la cortina, et la
fronte di .S. Michele a terra; Vennero all'assalto di esso per mare, con certi
loro barconi, et per terra alia fronte con impeto si fiero, che pareua uolessero
subbissare ogni cosa; M a come piacque k Dio gli nostri d'ogni banda hebbero
uittoria, pigliando sei barche grandi, e quattro piccole con una fregata, et sei
bandiere am.azzandone piu di .800. M a continouando essi tuttauia di battere
alia posta di castglia, diedero molti assalti fra' quali il principale fu quello
delli .21. d'Agosto doue si trouO il C r a . Maestro in persona F R A G I O V A N N I
DI V A L L E T T A k dar animo alii suo-i, quali si porlorono si uolorosamente,
che al soltto ributtoron' gli nemici. Vedendo dunque il B a s c i a che no. gli riusc i u a cosa ch'egli uolesse; Andd per riconoscere la Citta uecchia, doue era
gouematore fra Pietro Meschitta Portughese; ma essendogli stati am.azzati iui
alqua.ti de' suoi s e ne torn6 continouando sempre di battere, et dare assalti.
FQ tanto il ualore de' Nostri che ripara.dosi sempre, et difendendosi gagliardamente, si mantenero per insino alii .7. di Sette.bre. N e l qua! tempo Don G a r z i a
con .60. galee gli soccorse mettendo in terra da .8000. soldati. Quali venendo
poi alle mani con i T u r c h i et ammazzata gran quantita di loro; G l i costrinsero
finalmente k fuggire, et imbarcarsi, et partire alii .i3. di detto. come distintamente nelli seguenti fogli si puo uedere; hauendoui aggiunto oltre di cio, la
Pianta della Citth nuoua chiamata V A L L E T T A , et l a pianta della Citta uecchia,
insieme con quella della Fortezza dell'lsola del Gozo.
Vergine madre di Christo appresso / a l i a Sarctissima Trinita et del Beatissimo
Santo Giovan.i Battista, et del Santissi/mo Appostolo Pao/o, et delta benedetta
S a n t a C a t e r i n a q u a l j h a n . o in protettione et C u s . a q u e s t a I s o l a . I n margin along
foot: V E R I S S I M O
DISEGNO
DELTSOLA
DI M A L T A C O N TVTTI
LI P O R T /
F O R T E Z Z E C A S A L I ET LI M A L T E S I CHE C O N L E L O R O R O B B E S I C O N D V C A N O IN S I C V R O V E D E N D O
VENJRE L'ARMATA D E L TVRCO L A Q V A L E
NON P/GLIO PORTO A M A R Z A S I R O C C O
/ PER IL M A R G R O S S O M A
GIRANDO
L T S O L A VENNE A D A R F O N D O , A L M V G I A R R O
IN V E R D I A D I
18 D ' M A G . O ET VI STETE
IL S A B A T O S C A R A M V C C I A N D O
C O N LI N O S T R I
C A V L I ET F E R . O N O
PR/GIONE VN C A V A L I E R F R A N C E S E C H I A M A T O L A
RIVIERA.
N E L A N N O . M D L X V . Imprint: I N R O M A . A P R E S S O .
MATTHEO
PEREZ
DE A L E C C I O (bottom left corner in sea area) F O G L I O S E C O N D O
.1582.
(bottom right c o m e r in sea area).
315 x 449 mm. Map of Malta, without graduation or scale. Rose with 16
wind directions, the main ones being marked T , G , + , S , O, L , P, M. Orientation: south west (Libeccio) at top,
The following legends are scattered around the map to pinpoint the opening gambits of the siege:
1.
2.
Cinque galere della religione alia bocca del porto.
Galera mandata per riconoscere/11 Porto di mana Sirocco et per che era/gran Maretta
c6 un tiro ne fa segno.
3. L'armata Turcheaca che gira 1 isola no. / 1i concedendo il tempo pigliar porto i mar/ia
Scirocco.
4. Porto del mugiaro doue in prima messe in terra l'ar = /mata Turchesca, et uengono alle
mani con li nostri/Cavalli, et fu fatto Sciavo un Caugliero, c.to la riuiera.
5. L a Citta Vecchia che/fa segnale co, il Fumo,
A P P E N D I X HI
Detailed description of the plates
Contents
Two
other legends show respectively the site of St. Paul's grotto at Rabat
and the place where Valletta was built after the siege:
1.
Chieain de San Paulo solo alia quale/* la Grolia doue si caua la pieira die */ centra
Veleno.
2. In queslo/loco hoggi/e la noua/Citt*.
PLATE II
D I S E G N O D E L L ' / S O L A DI M A L T A ET L A VEN VTA
D E L L ' / A R M A T A TVRCHESCA
A D / .XVZ/L DI M A G G I O
. M . D . L X V 1 . (along head, separated by a
group of figures, surrounded by clouds, representing the Holy T r i n i t y , the
Virgin, St. Catherine, St. John the Baptist and St. Paul). T h e presence of this
group is explained by a legend below the group, in a scroll placed just inside
the coastal area of the island lying at the top: Si p u o P i i s s h n a m e n t e
Credere
che M a l t a era per Perdersi
se n o . / f u s s e r o s t a t e le i n t e r c e s s i o n s de la G l o r i o s a
The map is very rich in place-names which are given hereunder (Appendix
III), in a comparative table w i t h the map painted by d'Aleccio at the Palace,
Valletta, and the map by Antonio L a f r e r i published i nRome in 1551. The latter has
been chosen for purposes of comparison because it is the most detailed and
most accurate map of Malta before d'Aleccio's. T h e author has included in
the table the place-names as shown on the map published by the W a r Office
of the United Kingdom in 1954 (Ref. G S G S 3859, Sheet 2, Edition 4), with
the addition of a few notes where appropriate.
136
137
PLATE III
UARMATA
TVRCHESCA
CHE M E S S E
IN T E R R A
A MARZA
SIROCCO
A D I JCX. DI M A G G I O .
(along head). LI M A L T E S 1 N O N C R E D E V A N O
CHE
V A R M AT A SI F E R M A S S E , ET P E R T A N T O NON F E R N O Q V E L L A D E L I G E N Z A
C H E B I S O G N A V A I N R A C O G L I E R E I L G R A N O E T C O . D V R R E I N S A L V O IL
B E S T I A M E CHE E R A DI G R A N D I S S M O
A 1 V T O A L L I TVRCHI
SI P O
DIRE
(along foot). I N R O M A . A P P R E S S O . M A T T E O PEREZ
DE
ALLECCIO.
FOGLIO TERZO.
1582. (along foot inside picture area, between right corner
and centre).
317 x 454 mm. W i n d rose as on first map. Orientation: north-east at top.
A long legend in large oval cartouche occupies the centre of the picture. Together with other legends spread here and there, it describes the initial stages
of the siege.
The map extends from Monte S. E r m o to Marsaxlokk and the following
place-names are given in situ:
Borgo, II
Coradino. II
L'iaola dj 5a. Michel?
MARZA SCHALA
Monte della Calcara
Monte de Santo Ermo
Ponta delle Forche
Porto di Marza Sirocco
San Niccolo
San Tomaao
Sant'Angelo
Serra. L a
Zabban, C.
PLATE IV
L'ASSEDIO
£ B A T T E R IA
DI , S . E R M O
A D I .XXVII.
DI M A G G I O
(along
head). I N Q V E S T A F O R M A S T A V A L A B A T T E R / A D I N T O R N O A S. E R M O
CHE
L ' B A S S A M V S T A F A V O L S E CHE F V S S E L A PRIMA
IN PRESA PER
GVADAGNA/—RE
IL P O R T O DI M A R Z A
M V S C E T T O A CIO
UARMATA
A V E S S E L O C O S I C V R O . (.1582.)
IN R O M A . A P P R E S S O . M A T T H E O P E R E Z
D E A L L E Z I O . F O G L I O Q A R T O (along foot).
315 x 453 mm. W i n d Rose as on first map. Orientation: north-north-east
at top. A legend in two lines in scroll at top left corner explains the movement
of eighty T u r k i s h ships to St. George's Bay on the 30th May. Piace-names
are indicated by a key in a cartouche on the night towards centre; explanation
of military action in progress is also given:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
Castel ,S. Angelo
II Borgo
L a Burtnula
L isola di ,S. Michel
Sanct'Ermo
Dui Batterie una di Can .14. 1 altra di .10,
G.
Luoco doue s'accamporono mcntre batteuano .5. E.mo
H. L artegliaria che condticano per .S. E.mo
I.
Padiglione del Baas* Mustafh
K. Turchi che niarciano uer«o .5. Ermo
L. Cala di .S.G. donde il Baasa fece smo,ta/re di molte Munition].
M. L i doi Bass* di mare et di terra con 1 ochiali C.ro
N.
Turchi che conducano li legni per far Ij Gabbionj all'artegliena
O. Scaramucce oue li noslrj piu uolte hebbero Vittnria.
P. Scaramucce doue furono morti alcuni Turchi.
The
map shows what is happening around the harbour area. These place-
names are given m situ:
G.no de Cianterena
L'isolotto
Ponta de le Forche
Ponta di Dragut con .4. Can.onj
Renella. L a
Saluatore, II
S, Giouan
Santa Margherita
PLATE V
LA
P R E S A DI SANT'HERMO A D I X X I I I D E GIVGNO .NEL M.D.LXV.
(along head). I N Q V E S T A F O R T E Z Z A
G L I TVRCHI
VI T R O V O R N O
27
PEZZI
DI B R O N Z O
CHE SVB1TO
INCOMINCIORNO
C O N V N O A T I R A R E A .S.
A N G E L O E T E N T R A T O CHE V I F V D E N T R O IL B A S C I A M A R A V I G L I A N D O S I
D I S S E H A L L A G / O V E O D/O S E I L / F I G L I O L O C H E E S I P I C C O L O CI H A
D A T O T A N T O CHE F A R E CHE F A R A IL P A D R E Q V A L E E SI G R A N D E
E
C O N GRAN FVRIA C O M A N D O
CHE A N E S S V N O SI S A L V A S S E
L A V/TO.
ET SVB.TO NE AVISO IL GRAN TVRCO. CON S I R O C O
CORSARO
(along
foot). I N R O M A . A P P R E S S O . M A T T H E O PEREZ
D ' A L L E C C I O . F O G O QVINTO.
(along foot of left comer, inside the picture area). M D L X X X / I (bottom right
comer, inside picture area).
316 x 450 mm. Legend in panel in centre towards the top describes the
fall of St. Elmo. A key in rectangle at bottom left c o m e r reads as follows:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
K.
L,
M.
N.
S. Angelo sopra al quale si uide il can.o/ne che amazzo Dragut.
Monte del Saluatore.
Ponta de le forche,
il forte di S. Hermo
S. hermo doue li turchi entrano;
ttltta Parmata turchesca che aaluta .S. Hermo/entrando in marza muaetto
d'reuelino
Dragut fcrito di .S. Angelo.
batteria di iO cahoni
batteria di i4 cannon i.
il Bascia Mustafh general di terra
il general di mare piali Baacih,
Io Occhiali calaurese
138
139
0.
P.
Q.
R.
S,
T,
V.
Marza musetto
ponte per done si da 1'assalto,
trincea de turchi intorno di .S, Hermo,
barconi et fregatle armate a la bocca/del porto per impedire il Soccorso/che ueniua
a .S. Hermo,
alchuni che si saluano notaudo.
dui pesst che tirauano k le barche/che ueniuano co. soccorso.
il galeone che se piglii 4, turchi il/quale era de) Capi.o Aga portiero maggiore del
gran Turco, che/iu gran mezzo a fare che uenisse/l'armala. sopra Malta.
The
following explanations are given in situ:
Bardie le qual torn ami per no. hauer possuto lasser/soccorso in ,S. Elmo
Corpi de Cauaglieri gettati in mare legati insieme senza teste.
PLATE VI
L'ASSEDIO
E BATTERIA
DELL'ISOLA
DI S A N M I C H E L E
A D I XXVUL
DI G I V G N O (along head). D O P O I L A P R E S A DI S. E R M O F V G I R N O M O L T !
R E N E G A T 7 D A L L I Q V A L I SE INTESE
CHE I L B A S C I A
VOLEVA BATTERE
L E F O R T E Z Z E C O N . L X . PEZZI
INMA
GINANDOSI
I N POCHI
/ G I O R N I RID V R L E T V T T E I N P O L V E R E . (along foot). I N R O M A . A P P R E S S O . M A T T H E O
PEREZ
DE A L L E Z I O . F O G . O S E S T O (along foot in left bottom corner, inside
the picture area). M D L X X X I I (bottom right corner, inside picture area).
315 x 453 mm. On the left, towards the centre, there is a key to placenames as hereunder:
A.
B.
.C.
.D.
Castel S. Angelo,
n Borgo,
Posta di prouenza,
.S.Margarita, doue atauano sei Canoni/et un basalisco che batteuano la fronte di
.i./Michele, et Prouenza,
. E . la burmula doue stauano doi C.ni che tirauan/4 .S. Angelo et al borgo.
,F. la fronte delilTsola. di S.M.
.G.
la Mandra Con .3. Cafioni che batteuano/ .S. Michele,
.H.
il Coradino doue stauano i3. C.ni che/batteuano S.M. ciou* la Cortina.
1.
Barche condutte per terra per dar'/l'aasalto al Sperone.
.K.
batteria di .3. C. che tirano al Spero' dell'isoln
X . I'armata del turco de.tro de marza musetto
.M. Artegliaria ch. conducano da .S, ermo
.N.
Batteria di .3. C. ch batteuano il/borgo et S. A.
.0. Ponte dargul/doue stauano 4/can.oni ch batteuano/ .S. Ermo.
.P.
S. Ermo gii/preso da/turchi.
Besides, these indications are given in
archabugieri alia scarpa del fosso
Catena
140
situ:
Catena di anleiie fatta da
II galeone che f* pigliato
L isolotto
Ponte che si passaua dal
II Saluatore
II Sperone de I isola et
nostri
a' turchi
borgo k 1 isola
le moline
PLATE VII
IL S O C C O R S O
PICCOLO
A L B O R G O DI NOTTE
A D I .V. DI L V G L . ' O . (along
head). Q V E S T O P R I M O S O C C O R S O D I .600. S O L D ATI
S M O N T O A L L A PIETRA N E G R A A D I .29. D I G I V G N O C O N D O T T O C O N . 4 . G A L E R E D A L , S . D .
G I O , DI C A R D O N A
ET D O P O I L ' A V E R S I F E R M A T O .6. GIORNI
A L L A C TTA
VECHIA
/ DI N O T T E SI C O N D V S S E A L S A L V A T O R E D O V E E R A N O C O
DIVERSE BARHE IL CAPITAN R O M A G A S ,
E FANTONE. C H E S V B I T O L O
TRASSPORTORNO
A L B O R G O . C O M E SI VEDE NEL PRESENTE
DISEGNO.
(in margin, along foot). I N R O M A . A P P R E S S O . M A T T E O PEREZ
DE A L L E C I O .
F O G L I O . S E T T I M O (along foot of picture area, left corner). M D L X X X I I (bottom
centre).
315 x 453 mm. A list of names is given in two panels, one at top left,
the other at centre right, with these headings: L I C A V A G L I E R I D I M A L T A
CHE V E N . E R O CO. I L / PRIMO S O C C O R S O
(43 names). V E N T V R I E R I S P A G N O L I (16 names) V E T U R I E R I I T A L I A N I (12 names) T O D E S C H I
(3 names) ING L E S ! (2 names). T h e following place-names are shown in s i t u :
C.L S. A N G E L O
CITTA V E C . L A
Curadino, II
I N F E R M E R I A . L A . P E R DOVE E N T R A I L 50C.
M del L isollo
Other indications in
POSTA D I A L V E R N I A
POSTA D I CASSTIGLIA, L A
Kabato, II
SALVATORE, I L
S. F[aolo]
situ:
II C. Grauina Prcsso.
II Sig.r Alfk-r Mugnator
I] Sig.r Mastro di ca/Robles. et il Slg.r F . Vincenzo Carrafa, priore dTn/ghcrla Cap! del
prese.te Soccorso.
PLATE VIII
ASSEDIO
E BATTERIA'
A L BORGO
E ALLA POSTA
DI C A S T I G L I A
ADI
.VI. DI L V G L I O . (along head). C o m e s'auiddero gli turchi che era entrato soccorso a l Borgo
s u b i t o a n d o r n o m o l t i di essi
per la medesima s t r a d a che gli
nostri
e r a n o uenuli et ui i n c o n t r o r n o per p r i m o a d o d e c i s o l d a t i , et il Comend a t o r e G r a u i n a che per essere
troppo
grauato de a r m i n o n p u o s e s e g u i t a r ' gli
141
altri;
il q u a l e e fioggi prior, de l o m b a r d i a ;
(in margin, along foot). JN R O M A .
APPRESSO. M A T T E O PEREZ D ' A L L E C C I O .
F.o O T T A V O (along foot, inside
picture area, bottom right corner).
1582
(left bottom corner).
in
319 x 452 mm. K e y to place-names and military events in three columns
large panel at the top on the right, preceded by five lines of text:
Subito
non
sarebbe
entrato
lischi,
fosse
dm
come
Mustafd
il/nnmero,
padron
rt
uatore,
A.
.B.
che V liajcid
si sapendo
del
messa
tutto.
la
murlachi,
i.
chtnro
generate
di
terra
morirsi
di
sdegno,
f i per
comandd/eon
maggior
d'ogni
sbarcati
nel
gran
di
ultra
alcune
presenle
intese
furia
battt
navi
che
= /ria
grosse
che
net
e rabbia.
nel
era entrato
fi
soccorso,
confortandosi
medesimo
quale
che
borgo
ma
di
tuoco
che
per
.16 Cannon),
stauano/puoco
lontano
doue
dm
dal
presto
era
basaSal-
foglio;
Cartel' di .S. Angelo,
il borgo, ct la porta di Castiglia
C. moline dc I isola.
D. il monte di S. Hermo
E . marsa muaetto doue rtaua =/I'armata,
f-. ponta di dragut.
G. Sant'Hermo piglcato da turchi,
.11. il ponte del saluatore doue lit messa la piile batteria de 20 pezii.
.1.
Barconi che conducono l'arlegliaria a] Saluatore.
.K.
ponta de le forche
,L. naui grosse da li quale si sbarca = /I'artegliaria,
,M.
II BasciA mustafA G.le di terra =/et II Bascia piali general' di mare.
,N.
giannizieri de la guardia d.l gran , T ,
.O.
il monte de la calcara doue stauano/doi cannoni ch. batteuano p. tutto il borgo
.P. beluedcre doue era il corpo di guardia del/bascia G.le di terra, e doue staua il suo
padigl.ne
-Q. Capitani et offitiali pricipali d.l Campo,
.R. guastalori chiamati ciachali.
PLATE IX
L ' A S S A L T O PER M A R E E PER T E R R A A L L ' I S O L A
DI . S . M . A D ' . . X V . DI
L V G L I O , (top centre). I N Q V E S T O A S S A L T O A L S P E R O N E L I N O S T R I MANDORONO
A F O N D O .VI. B A R C H E G R A N D I
.1111 P I C C O L E
ET
PIGLIORNO
VNA
F R E G A T A C O N A L Q V A N T I T V R C H I A Q V I S T A N D O .VI. B A N D I E R E (in
margin, along foot). I N R O M A . A P P R E S S O . M A T T H E O P E R E Z D ' A L L . O F O G o
N O N O (bottom centre, inside picture area, separated by a large panel with
key to place-names and military events).
DE
A.
B.
C.
142
317 x 453 mm. T h e title of the key is I N D I C E D E L L / N O M ! E
LOCH1
and it is followed by:
Castel di .S. Angelo.
II Borgo
II = Gran Mastro intesta at Ponte
COGNOMI
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
K.
L.
M.
N.
O.
P.
Q,
It.
S.
T.
V.
II Galeone. che le Galere di .S. Gioanj pigliorono A Turchj.
la Posta di Aluernia,
la Posta dj Prouenza.
Beluedere doue II BassA Mustafa haueua i] Padiglione.
la Mandra con .3. Cannoni che batteuano .S.M.le
I'Assalto alia fronte di £ Michele.
Porta d.l Borgo che su uA alia Burmula.
II Giardino del Gran Mastro
le Moline doue il nostri haueuano .7. Pezii
le Guardie in cima al Ponte acio le genti no. si partissero.
Piatta forma de doue furno tirati alquanti colpi, che mandorno
la Catena di legno, che si po dire che sal no Vlsola.
I| Coradino doue staua la Batteria di .13. can.oni.che batteuano
Barconi che Ij Turchj condusscro per 1'assalto del Sperone da
Batteria sopra al Monte d: .S. Ermo di .13. Caiionj
MustafA General di terra zi pela la Barba
Piali BassA General di Mare, et Agi Machsur. Capitano, et altri
Other indications in
a fondo delle Barche
la Cortina dell'lsola.
marza muszetto.
ti strugono di dolorr.
situ:
ADOHNO
L ochialj Greco che/fu il primo a tugtra
Naue de Genouesi
PLATE X
L ' A S S A L T O G E N E R A L E A L L A P O S T A DI C A S T I G L I A A D I . X X I . D I A G O S T O
MDLXV.
(along head). S u b i t o che il G r a n M a e s t r o intese
c h e ii Turchi
g'.a
e n t r a u a n o n e l l a p i a z z a di C a s t i g l i a ,
p i g l t a t a u n a P i c c h a ui s ' a u i o c o n a n i m o
p r o n t i s s i m o di c o m b a t t e r e , et a r r i u a t a c o n allegra
fronte
disse
ad a l t a u o c e ;
Cauglieri
m i e i . q u e s t o e il tempo di mostrare la f e d e . et il u a l o r e u o s t r o : et
fu di t a n t o aguto il suo par/are, c h ' o g n ' / u n o
pigliando
grandtssimo
a n i m o , ribatterno q u e l l a g r a n q u a n t i t a di C a n a g l i a ,
q u a l e gia h a u e u a n o
messo
sette
B a n d i e r e a l i a p o s t a deli C. B o n i n s e g n a , n o n senza gran sangue d ' a m b e d u a le
p a r t i . Et nell istesso tempo li C a u a l l i d e l l a C i t t a V e c c h i a u e n n e r o a l i a M a r z a
et a m a z o r n o q u a n t i Turchi ut trouorono. (in margin, along foot). IN R O M A .
A P P R E S S O . M A T T H E O P E R E Z D ' A L I . E Z I O . F.o D E C I M O . (inside picture area,
left bottom corner). n.d.
319 x 453 mm. K e y to place-names in large scroll towards the top
corner as hereunder:
A.
II Gran Maestro Fra Gio Parisotto/de Valetta.
B. II suo Maestro di Casa Fra Luis/Saquinuille.
C. Canone ttrato da] C.n Itomagass./che fece grandissimo efetto
D. Luogho duoue de gli nostri (u atna=/zalo il Commend a tor deTArterie.
E . L a retirata de doue gli nostri uaio = /rosaraente offendeuauo i Turchi.
F. Posta de gli Genouesi
left
143
G.
H.
L
K.
L.
M.
N.
0.
P.
Q.
R.
S.
T.
V.
X.
Posla de Aluernia
Santa Margarita con la batteria di sei/Can.onj. et un Basilisco.
Bekiedere doue staua il corpo di/Guardia del Bassa co. il suo Padiglione.
In questo luogho lj Turchj entrorono,/et fu il di periculoso a jwrdersi
Soldato che sopra alia cortina corre/piii uolte grida.do Vittoria, Vttloria
Questo Turco ammazzi molti d'i nos/tri tira.do di sot to ad un inbasla
Trincea di Turchi, dalla quale/grandemente offendeuano.
L Occhiali Greco, che fu causa/chc lj suoi si retirassero al Sperone.
Batteria di Sedici Cannonj./dui Murlachi et doi Basilschi.
Teste d; Cauaglieri.
Trincee che/sicuramente si poteua catninare.
II monte della Calcara co. dui i Can = /noni, che faceuano gran danno.
Braccio di mare, che diuide il Bor = /go del no.te del Saluatore.
Bandiere piantate da Turchj sopra la muraglia.
L a Posta de Bon'/Insegna.
PLATE XI
DIMOSTRATIONE.
D . T V T T A . L A . G V E R R A . (in margin, top centre). N E L
PRESENTE
DISEGNO
SI VEDENO
CHIARAMENTE
TVTTl
I LOCHI
DELLE
TRINCEE7
BATTERIE
A S S A L T I N V M E R O DI PEZZI
ET LI P O R T ! E ' FORT E Z Z E . (in margin, along foot). IN R O M A .
APPRESSO M A T T H E O
PEREZ
D'ALLECIO.
FOGLIO
VNDECIMO.
(inside picture area, bottom centre), n.d.
312
x 451 mm. K e y to place-names and military events in panel at bottom
left corner captioned D E S C R / 7 T I O N E D E L L E C O S E N O T A B I L I , with a scale
at the bottom of the panel: Scofa de C a n n e n u m e r o 400. T h e key runs as
follows:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Castel -S. Angelo co. la Catena che va al Sprone dell'lsola.
Borgo con il ponte per il quale si passaua allTsola.
Burmola dove stauano doi pezzi grossi che tirauano a .S. Ang.lo
Isola di .S. Michele co. la catena di legno accio le barche de tur/c.hi non s'accostasseno.
S. Margarita doue atauano .6. Cafioni at ™ basilisco, cho/bottcunno .S.M ct la posta
di prouenza.
F. Beluedere doue era accarapato il generale Mustafa con il/corpo della sua guardia.
G. L a Mandra con .3. Canoni che batteuano la lro.te di .S. Michele
H.
II Coradino con .13. Cannoni In tre poste dalli quali/era battuta la cortina del Isola
de .S. Michele.
L
Barchoni trasportati da Marza moscet per Tassa I to./dell'lsola fatti per acqua.
K. Due Batterie di .6. Cannoni che batteno 1'isola et parte del bor.o
L. Batteria di .5. pecci che batte ,S. Angelo.
M. Due Batterie 1 una di .14 Cafioni, faltra di .10: che batt.o S . ermo,
N. Santermo con il reuelino, et il forte, et trincee, latte da turchi.
O. II monte della Calcara, doue erano .2. cafioni che tirauano alla = /posta di Castiglia.
P.
II monte del saluatore, doue stauano in piu batterie .16. Caii = /ni dui basilisci et dui
murlachi.
Q. Cala doue stauano molti uascclli grossi, che sbarcorono l'ar = /tegliaria per il saluatore
R. Ponta delle Forche
144
5. Ponta di Dragut doue atauano quattro Cannoni che bat=/teuano II forte di S, enno
T. Marsa muscetto. doue staua I'armata dopo, la presa di .5. ermo
V. L'isolotto, in mezo Al porto, di Marza Mussetto.
X. Luoco, donde si puo guazzare, per andare all'Isolotto.
Besides, the following indications are given in situ.
Catena di antene fatta da Turchi
Benella, L a
Vigna di Paulo miccio
PLATE XII
LA V E N V T A D E L G R A N S O C C O R S O A D I .VII. D I S E T T E M B R E . D E L . M D L X V .
(along head, but broken up in three places with a scroll with legend, vessels
of the Christian fleet and panel with legend). D o n g a r z i a d o p o I a u e r f a l t o
d i s b a r c w e d a o t t o Milia
Christiani
se ne Torrid in M e s s i n a d o u e c o n G . m a
D i l i g e n z a ne fece r i n b a r c a r e A l l e m e d s i m e G a l e r e d a altri t a n t i Infra
li q u a l i f u r o n o
m o l t i Signori
6 C o l o n e l l i c o n r e s o l u t i o n e in ogni
m o d o d i s c a c c i a r II T u r c h i da
M a l t a q u a l i i n n a n z i il s u o rftomo c o n lor molto dan.o et v e r g o g n a di Norte
s'erano Fugitj.
Adi Tredici
di S e t t e m b r e c h e F u in Giouedi del 1565. (in margin,
along foot). I N R O M A . A P P R E S S O M A T T H E O PEREZ
DE A L L E C I O F O G L I O
. D V O D E C / M O . .1582. (inside picture area, between left bottom corner and
centre).
319 x 451
O n the right,
with elliptical
tember, 1565.
The following
mm. W i n d rose as on first map. Orientation: north east at top.
the centre is taken up by a long legend in a decorated frame,
sides describing the arrival of the relief force on the 7th SepThis is supplemented by five other legends scattered around.
place-names are shown in s i t u :
Madalena, L a
Nacuar, C.
Porto deli Mugiaro,...,., II
P.o delle Saline Vechie
Sabug. C.
Salamun
Saline Noue. Le
Sjanl Giorgi
S. Paolo
S[anta] Maria della Melccha
S. Maria Talpualei
Alfaruut
Alucha, C.
Bel Calcara. C.
Beluan, C.
Ben ho no rate
Cala di Marco
Cala di San Paolo
Galii
G[iardin]o della Maria
Gibir, C,
Grcgor, C.
Lacharas
PLATE XIII
LA
FVGA
TEMBRE
E PARTENZA
DELL'ARMATA
TVRCHESCA
ADI
.XIII.
DI
SET-
. M D L X V . (along head, separated in the centre by a wide stretch of
145
sea with numerous shipping). L ' A R M A T A
D E L T V R C O DOPO L ' E S S E R E FVGG I T A D I : M A L T A A L L I .XIII.
DI S E T T E M B R E B A D O ' PER I N S I N O A L L ? .DC.
DI N O V E . B R E D ' A R R I V A R E
I N COS T A N T1NOPOLI
E T SJ T R O V O ' C H E MANC A V A N O PIV DI . X X X . M I L I A AN1ME
CHE F V R O N O C A G I O N E / D I L V T T O
E T P I A N T O G R A N . S S I M O N O N S O L O I N CONSTANTINOPOL!
M A PER
T V T T A T V R C H I A ET I L G R A ' T V R C H O S O L I M A N O
FV P E R M O R I RE DI
SDEGNO.
(in margin along foot). I N R O M A . A P P R E S S O . M A / T T H E O
PEPEZ
(sic) D ' A L L E C I O (bottom centre, inside picture area). F O G L . ' O D E C I M O
TERZO.
(right bottom corner).
317 x 448 mm. W i n d rose as on the first map. Orientation: east at top.
Four legends, two of which are very long, describe the final stages of the
siege. One place-name is given in s i t u : L a C i t t a V e c c h i a .
PLATE XIV
L A N V O V A C I T T A E' F O R T E Z Z A DI M A L T A C H I A M A T A V A L L E T T A , (along
head). Questa n u o u a CittA
et F o r t e z z a fu f o n d a t a d a l l ' I U . m o Sig.r
Gran Maestro
F R A G I O V A N = / N I P A R I S O T T O DI V A L L E T T A et d a iui c h i a m a t a V A L L E T T A ,
Q u a l e fu d a l l ' I U . m o s u o s u c c e s s / s o r e F R A PIETRO
D E ' M O N T ] in b u o n term i n e l a s c i a t a , et p o i d a l l ' I l l m o G r a n M a e s t r o p a s s a t o / FRA G I O V A N N I L E VESQVE DE LA C A S S I E R E
poco meno che f i n i t a , et o r n a t a di m o l t i
edifit'j
c o m e di u n / n o b i l i s s . o t e m p i o d e d i c a t o al Glorioso S . Giouanni B a t t i s t a , et
un Mag.co et gran P a l a z z o , n e l l a c u i m a g g i o r s a l a fece
dtptn=/gere in m o l t i
q u a d r i r a p p r e s e n t a t i in q u e s t ' o p e r a , Vordine
d e l l a g u e r r a , de i s u c c e s s i , et ass a l t i d a t i d a l l ' a r m a t a T u r c h e s c a all' / I s o l a di M a l t a l a n n o
1565, et
altri
edifttij
n e c e s s a r i j , et si tien per c e r t o c h e d a l l ' I U . m o Sig.r
Gran Maestro F R A
H V G O L O V B E . X / V E R D A L L A Scelto p e r d i u i n a p r o u i d e n z a fra t a n t i
nobiiissimi
Sig.ri
G r a n C a p i t a n i p e r a t t i s s i m o a l i a c o n s e r u a t i o n e , et
accrescimento
d e l t a I c e l e b r a t i s s i m a R e l i g i o n e di . S . G I O V A N N I I E R O L O S O M I T A N O
habbia
A rfdursf a U ' u l t l m a s u a p e r f e t t t o n e , et b e U e z z a , per u e d e r s i / di gid che S. S . r i a
l l l m a ci fa a t t e n d e r e con q u e l l a s o l l e c i t u d i n e ,
et a c c o r t e z z a c h e a buono, et
religioso
Principe
si c o n u i e n e , et che cosf c o m e / dal glorioso
VALLETTA
h e b b e felice
p r i n c i p i o , c o s i dal G r a n d e V E R D A L L pari
in uirtit
s i a per h a u e r
feliciss.o
fine;
et cost
I'humile suo / seruitore M A T T E O P E R E Z D I A L L E C C I
le prega da D I O lunga et felice
u i t a , p e r questa et simrlt altre gloriose imp r e s e . (in the upper half of a cartouche at bottom left corner. T h e lower half
contains a key to place-names). I N R O M A . A P P R E S S O . M A T T H E O . P E R E Z D E
A L L E C I O . F O G L I O D E C I M O Q V A R T O . (inside picture area, bottom centre,
separated by a vessel).
315 x 452 mm. W i n d rose as on first map. Orientation: south east (Scirocco) at top. Scale at extreme right, in centre: S c a l a di c a n n e S e s a n t a . Ornamental cartouche at top left corner inside which are the Order's Arms, as
146
well as those of the four G r a n d Masters mentioned in the legend reproduced
above. The map is a bird's eye view of the new city of Valletta founded in
1566. T h e key to place-names is captioned: L ' I N D I C l DE I N O M I E T C O G N O M l
DE L O C H I N O T A B I L I and reads as follows:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
K.
L.
M.
N.
O.
P.
Q.
K.
S,
T.
V.
X.
Y.
Z.
AA.
BB.
CC.
DD.
EE.
FF.
GG.
llll
II.
KK.
LL.
MM.
NN.
OO.
PP.
QQ.
RR.
S5.
li.
W.
XX.
YY.
ZZ.
Chiesa Principale di .5. Giouanni.
C.sa Catedrale di S. Paolo
C.sa di Santa Maria de porto taluo
C.ia de la Nunciata del Carmine
C.sa di S.ta Maria della Vitoria
C.ia di S. Maria dellj Greci.
C.sa di San Francescho
C.sa di S.to Aguitino
Cappella di S.ta M.a d. roezo A.o
Cap.a d, S.ta Caterina dTta.a
Oratorio del Kosario
Oratorio di S, Vince.zo
L infermaria Nuoua et la Vechia.
Chiesa di S. Nicola di Greci.
Caprlla in casa del Vescouo
Albergio di Prouenza
Albergio de Alucrnia
Albergio dl Franza
Albergio d'ltalqa
Albe.o de Arragona et il Priorato
Alb.o di Castiglia et il Priorato
Albergio de Allemagna
La Castcllania doue si tien lusticia
la Casa dellj S.ri Cateliano et altri
1« Moline de la Poluere.
Case d. S.ri duero e poio et altri.
Case del dotor fra mo.tana, et al.i
Case del S.r Ballio d. taqula * altri
II Forno d.la Signoria et I'Arroaria
Casa del m. pietro gianberi et For.o
Casa del Ingegniero et Arch.o
loco oue si conserua il TTesorn
C.e d.l S.r do. Antonio da Bologna
Casa del S.r Prior di Napoli.
Casa del S.r. Auogadro
G e d r.i S.ri P.ri d' C.sa Vescovo et la Co.a
C.e d. S.ri Ghirale grac.craci * Caspe.
Case de S.r Don Pietro la Kocca.
C.a del. Co.ri Genori et Borgogne.
C.e d. S.r Pietromelcio. et S.r P.r S. Gil.o
C.a d. S. Cbmo.dator Sadie. uiDa.
Casa del S.or Romagai
C.a de fra Angelo Pelegrino
C.a d.l S.r Sa.tobino, et Scag.a
C.a di fra Simo. Preos.te
C.a del S.ri Ladosa e lu.no
147
The
following
place-names are given in
L'ARSENALE
Bii s i 11 sc ho/T urchescho
BVCC1RIA, LA
Casa de inasl.ro Tomaso
Casa di Mattia Pittore
C A S T E L L O E T / F O R T E Z Z A D I / S ERMO
Fontana
FORTE, I L
Foiae et Magazeni/de Graao
situ:
L'i n f ermeri a nou a
MANDRACHIO, I L
Piazza del/mal canto/ne
P. d. ludei
PORTA D E MONTE
P O R T A / D E .S. GIORGIO
Porta del Mandraccho
PORTO DI MARZA MVSCETTO
Prigio/ne di Sthiaui, L a
Stale
Names of bastion are also given in s i t u :
S. ANDREA
S. CHRISTOFORO
S. GIORGIO
SANTO GIOVAN.I
S. IACOBO
Other indications in
S. LAZARO
S. M I C H E L E
. S . / P I E T R O E PAO/LO,
SANTA BARBARA
situ:
Barche clie paasano al Borgo
B A R C H E Q V A L E PORTANO BRVSCA E ' / P I E T R E D A L GOZZO
Le Galere che rimhurchiano una Gemia Turche.a
PLATE XV
P I A N T A D E L L A C I T A VECH1A
/ DI M A L T A (left of centre, towards the top,
inside the city w a l l s ) . P I A N T A D E L L A F O R T E / Z A D E L L T S O L A D E L G O Z O
(right of centre, towards the top, inside the city walls). A P P R E S S O M A T T H E O
PEREZ
D E ALLECCIO FOGLIO QVINTO
D E C I M O ET V L T I M O .
IN
ROMA.
MDLXXXII.
(in margin, along foot). N e l l a p r e s t m t e C I T A d i t t a L A
VECHIA
mentre duro 1 assedio ui fu G o u e r n a t o r e fra p i e t r o / M e s q i t a Portoge.se quale
con molta p r u d e n z a l a dtfese,
et c o s t o d i t r o u a n d o s i c o . lui m o l t i / C a u a g l i e r i
q u a l i c o n la C a u a l l e r i a ferno
g r a . m o g i u a m e n t o , et a u e n d o s i d a p o i
considerato
c h e I q u e s t a C i t t a e di g r a n c i r c u i t o , et la m a g g i o r p a r t e di e s s a £ s o t t o p o s t a
ad ogni
offesa
si per la m a / l a s u a f o r m a c o m e a n c o per r i s p e t t o d e l l a s u a
f o r t e z z a o u e s o n o certi
b a l u a r d i fatti
a l l ' a n t i c a l o n t a n i / t a l m e n t e fra di
loro
che n o n possono darsi a t u t o I ' u n Valtro,
et per Io mal disegno
loro
n o n possono / fiancheggiare assieme. et il s u o f o s s o £ in argine di Terra
senza forma
ueruna, et a difenderla
sarebbe bi=/sogno
di g r a n d i s s i m o n u m e r o di g e n t e , et
di g r a n d e p r o u i s i o n e , e m u n i t i o n e . et p e r c h e si nel u o l e r fortificarla
/ lascladola
148
nella m e d e s i m o c h e hora u e n e , c o m e a n c o per p o t e r l a difendere,
la S p e s a sar e b b e g r a n d i s s . a / et fuora di proposito; Pertanto s i £ d e l i b e r a t o di r e s t r i n g e r l a ,
e ridurla
in f o r m a d ' u n f o r t e c o n farli
u n a f r o n t e s o l a / c o n d u e b a l u a r d i , et
u n fosso r e a l e , et t u t t o il r e s t a n t e del c i r c u i t o s i a s o p r a u n s a s s o u i u o , q u a l e
di s o t t o s i a scoscieso / et h a b b i a g r a n d e p e n d e n t i a , per to che u e n g a d e t t a p a r t e
q u a s i a s s i c u r a t a d ' o g n i p e r i c o l o , et c h e t u t t a I ' o p e r a u e c = / c h ( a c h e r e s t e r a
fuori
del disegno nuouo si d e b b a s p i a n a r e , a c c i o c h e c o n gli medesfmi m a t t o n i ,
et s a s s i , si p o s s a / fare £1 nuouo disegno; et r i d o t t a che s a r a in q u e s t a f o r m a
si p o s s a in u n b i s o g n o m e t t e r dentro da .300. h u o m i n i i n s i e m e c o n la C a u a l l e ria d e l l ' l s o l a , / et c o n q u e s t a g e n t e si possa difendere
s e n z a hauer d dar disfurbo a gli altri
l u o g h i , et g i u n t o c h e s i a Tlnimico
in q u e s t a I s o l a la d e t t a
C a u a l l e r i a / gli s i a per d a r e gra.dissimo disturbo, et d a n n o . et t u t t i i l u o g h i
n o t a b i l i di d e t t a C i t t a si n o t a n o per a l f a b e t o c o m e al p r e s e n t e s o p r a si u e d e .
(bottom left corner in an elaborate cartouche flanked by two allegorical figures
and surmounted by the coat of arms of F R A H V G O L O V B E N X
D'VERDALA.
The legend is followed by a key to place-names).
319 x 455 mm. A rose w i t h 32 wind directions is depicted left of centre,
within the city w a l l s , the main directions being marked as on the first map.
The planimetric map of the old city (Mdina) is oriented with south south-west at
the top. A scale is also given: S c a l a de c a n . e n . r o .50. Another rose on the
fight towards the centre, within the walls of the Gozo fortress, has 16 w i n d
directions like that on the first map. T h e planimetric map of this fortress is
oriented with south (Ostro) at the top. T h e scale is: S c a l a de Can.e n.ro .60.
The key to place-names in the old city, based on a scheme to shorten its
enceinte, reads as follows:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
II.
I.
il disegno Vecchio che deue Spia/narsi
1'Argine di Terra, o I O M O da spianarai
il nuouo disegno co. gli suoi lossi.
il foajui pirrolo Anrio li Raluarrii
il Ponte ouero porta della fortezza
la piazza grande nella Contrascarpa da/starui huon n.n di huomoni * caualo.
le due Pinxze nella Contrascara/ritonde per tenerui ITchibugieri
la chiesa parochiale di S. Paolo.
Iu muro ueechio (ondalo sopra la rncca uiua sicuru da pericolo.
Sources
Between 1536, when the first printed map of Malta was published, and 1576,
when d'Aleccio painted his fresco map, quite a number of maps of Malta were
produced, mostly in Italy. T h e y fall roughly into three distinct groups: roundshaped, oval-shaped and fish-shaped. T h e odd map, such as A. Thcvet's siege
map of 1565, has an indefinite, distorted shape.
In the first group, the map by Johannes Quintinus (1536) was followed by:
149
1.
ISOLA
DI MALTA
(c. 1551?), possibly by G.A. Vavassore;
2. G . Gastaldi, I S O L A D E M A L T A (C. 1551?);
3.
J . Honterus, M E L I T A (1561); later used for Munster's Cosmograhpia;
4. A series of maps issued during the siege of 1565, of which series the first
one w a s published in Rome with a bilingual title: I N S V L A E M E L I T A E
VERA
DESCRIPTIO
— NVOVO E T VERISIMO RITRATTO D E L ISOLA DI M A L T A ,
and the last ones by the Palombis, probably Pietro Paolo and Ascanio: (a)
NVOVO E T VERISSIMO RITRATTO D E L ISOLA DI M A L T A , P a l u m b i
Nouarien.
c u r a b a n t R o m a e , 21 d. S e t t e b r e 1565: (b) N O V 1 S S 1 M O ET VLT1MO
RTTRATTO
(sic) D E L ' I S O L A DI M A L T A , A . p a . F e c i t Romae. T h i s series includes a French
map: I isle de MaUe situee..., w h i c h could be attributed to Pierre de Bouzey
Woeiriot.
A t least six maps belong to the second group. The early ones have the
legend Medta insula a6 sicitia
d i s i u n c t a , preceded in some cases by D E M E L I T A
I N S V L A ; one of the latter has the imprint Apud C a m o c i u m
(26) and another
one may have been published by Ferdinando Berteili in about 1562. T h e last
one of the series carries a different title: Intiera
descrittione de L'isola de
M a l t a a s s e d i a t a di Turchi
c o . el n u m e r o de L e s s e r c i t o d e s s i (probably 1565).
A F r e n c h may by Woeiriot dated 10 Novemberl565 and entitled L ' I S L E D E
M A L T E , E T L A V I C T O R I E des Chrestiens c o n t r e le Turc
roughly follows the
same outline.
The prototype of the third group is Antonio Lafreri's map of 1551 published in Rome: M E L I T A Insula, quam hodte M A L T A M u o c a n t . It was copied
faithfully and published in Venice by Donato Berteili, in the 1550s: I I uero
disegno dell Isola di M a l t a , as well as by Nicold Nelli in 1565: I L V E R O R'T R A T T O DE L ' I S O L A D' M A L T A — M E L I T A I n s u l a , q u a m h o d i e M A L T A u o c a n t .
A number of maps portraying the siege, apart from Lafreri's own siege maps,
adopted the same shape: L'Vitimo disegno de I'isoia di M a l t a by Domenico
Zenoi; A S S E D I O DE L ' I S O L A D ! M A L T A .1563. by Zenoi, published by Paolo
Forlani in 1567 in his book on cities and fortresses; the maps published respectively in C i r n i ' s (1567), Viperano's (1567) and Balbi da Correg o's (1568)
accounts of the siege. Ortelius (1570) and Porcacchi (1572) followed more or
less the same pattern.
D'Aleccio's map (Plate II) could be assigned to this third group. Although
this map is derived from a direct source, it is not unlikely that d'Aleccio was
influenced by Lafreri's map when he d r e w the island's coastline. D'Aleccio's
bays and inlets are more pronounced and the coastline is slightly more elaborate. Besides, the contours are much better rendered in d'Aleccio's map by the
sharp contrast between hilly terrain, plains and valleys. T h i s is due to the
fact that d'Aleccio sketched the island from an aerial view-point.
26.
Plate 16 in: Tooley, R.V..
Maps
iinrf mufs-makrrt,
Roberto Almagte had this to say on the geographical details of this map:
M a r e a p u n t i ; orografla
con u n particolare disegno prospetttco che m e t t e bene
in l u c e l a l t e r n a n z a di rilievi,
di p i a n i , di valloni
profondi. A b i t a t i c o n
rappres e n t a z i o n i p r o s p e t t i c h e a s s a i e s p r e s s i v e ; edifici
isolati, cftiese, giardini,
fonti
e c c . ... II contorno d e l l ' l s o l a £ grossolano, m a la r a p p r e s e n t a z b n e
dei
centri
a b i t a t i £ mo!to r l c c a ed a n c h e e s p r e s s i v a ; la t o p o n o m a s t i c a £ di n o t e v o t e int e r e s s e . (27)
Directly or, after 1631, through L u c i n i ' s work, d'Aleccio's map served as a
model or exercised a strong influence on several other maps that came later.
It w a s copied, probably by Philippe Thomassin, for the Statutes of Verdala
(1st ed. 1584 c.) and it served as a basis, among others, for the maps of Henry
Raignauld (1629), Horatius Marinarus (1645), Jean Boisseau (1645), Jan Jansson
(1650), Nicolas Sanson (1656), Joan Blaeu (1663), Pierre D u V a l (1667), Oliver
Dapper (1668), John Ogilby (1670), Robert Morden (168(1), Nikolaus Visscher
(c. 1680), Alain Manneson Mallet (1683), Vincenzo Coronelli (1689), Frederick
de W i t (c. 1690), Gilles Robert de Vaugondy (1748), Robert Benning (1750).
Some of these maps also betray the influence of the map drawn on the spot
by the Maltese historiographer Giovanni Francesco Abela and published in
1647 in his book on Malta. Abela's map also belongs to the third group.
Of all these maps, the most clearly d'Aleccian are those by Marinarus,
Blaeu, Dapper and Ogilby because of the fashion in which the contours are
depicted. T h e Blaeu map includes also the monographic vignette of d'Aleccio's
map.
The plan of Valletta (plate X I V ) has a well-known, fundamental source.
The new city of Malta was founded immediately after the siege by Grand
Master L a Valette who had engaged for the purpose the services of an Italian
engineer, Francesco Laparelll (1521—1570). His plans for the construction of
the fortress-city are still extant in Italy, in the archives of the Laparelli family
at Cortona. They were published by Paolo Marconi (28) in 1970 and they show
that, despite modifications over the years, the Valletta fortifications remained
fundamentally as he designed them (29). But even at the time they w e r e made
Laparelli's plans w e r e given wide publicity in Italy. In 1566, A . Lafreri in Rome
and P. Forlani in Venice published the design for the new city of Malta. Both
There are two states of Lafreri's plan, with three editions of the second
27.
28.
29.
Almagii, Vol. I I , p. 106. Transl. —- The tea is rendered by stippling; orography
baaed on a particular bird's-eye-view design which strongly brings out the difference
between hills, plains and deep valleys. The dwellings are shown in an expressive
perspective; isolated buildings, churches, gardens etc
The outline of the island
it rough, but the map is rich and expressive in the representation of inhabited
centres: the place-names are highly interesting.
Marconi, pp. 353-386.
Hoppen. pp. 37-38.
(Ixindon. 1949).
151
150
There are two states of Lafreri's plan, with three editions of the second
state (30), and two states of Forlani's plan. T h e second state of Forlani's plan
(later again placed on the market with F . Bertelli's imprint) shows the deep
ditch cut right across the neck of the peninsula from Grand harbour to Marsamxett harbour, as well as the ditch dug around F o r t St. E l m o , with one arm
protruding to Marsamxett harbour. These ditches are indicated by the words
Taglio
f a t t o di n o u o and graphically represented by heavy hatching. The same
motif is repeated in Forlani's plan of 1567 V A L L E T T A N O V A C I T T A D I M A L T A
(later re-published by the Bertellis and Camocio in their books on cities and
islands) and in Giulio Ballino's plan of 1569 V A L E T T A N O V A C I T T A D I
M A L T A . It is also present in d'Aleccio's engraved plan.
W h i l s t the outline of the enceinte demonstrates Laparelli's design, the
buildings and other details shown on d'Aleccio's plan must have been filled in
on site, presumably by d'Aleccio himself. It is possible, however, that some
plans existed at the time in the possession of the Order's resident engineer
or of the capomaslro which recorded the progress of development in the new
city and the projects still to be carried out (31). Incidentally, d'Aleccio indicated
on the plan both the house of the engineer and architect of the Order and the
house of m a s t r o T o m a s o , who might have been the capomastro.
L i k e his map, d'Aleccio's plan of Valletta w a s used by several cartographers during the next century-and-a-half. It was copied for the Statutes of
Verdala and, soon after, the plan was utilised by Daniel Speckle for his book
Architectura von Festungen (1589). It also served as the model from which
the following plans were derived: Cit£ de Valete de M a l t h e in the Summary
of the Privileges of the Order by A . de Naberat w h i c h were printed in I. Baudoin's history of the Order (1st ed. 1629); V a l e t t a , die n e w e S i a t t in M a l t a
in a b o o k by J . F . Breithaupt (1632); G . Lauro's Citta V e c h i a (sic) di M a l t a
(probably 1635); Blaeu's Valletta C i t t a et F o r t e z z a n e l l ' i s o l a
di M a l t a (1663);
A. A v e l l n e ' s L a nouvelle vitle de Malte, n o m m & e Vallette (1665); P. Mortier's
Valletta o n V a l e t t e ville
forte
de FJsUs de M a l t a (1704); G. Bodenehr's Malta
od. V a l l e t t a auf der I n s u l M a l t h a (c. 1740); M. A. Salmon's L a c i t t a d e l l a Valetta nell'isola
di M a l t a (1757).
The plans of the old city of Mdina and of Gozo were the first of these
places ever to appear in print. F o r these plans. d'Aleccio must have made use
of drawings existing at the lime in the Order's archives. When Laparelli came
to Malta, he visited Mdina in January 1566 and drew up plans for work to be
carried out there, but it seems that his recommendations remained a dead
letter. H e also visited Gozo on 8 September 1567 and might have d r a w n up
30.
31.
152
Ganado, p. 39, no. 89.
For instance. L'Arienale
and /( Mandracchio
shown on d'Aleccio's plan remained
on the drawing-board for all time. Yet. they are equally shown on the plan* of Valletta produced in the tBth century derived (ram d'Aleccio's engraving.
a plan to modernise the castle. T h e possibility, therefore, that the plans shown
on plate X V represent projects by Laparelli cannot be discounted; however,
we may be guided here by A l i s o n Hoppen who has studied deeply the fortifications of Malta: she opined that neither of them appeared to be in Laparelli's
style (32).
For the rest of d'Aleccio's book, namely, the battle scenes, the material
at hand w a s copious. B y the time d'Aleccio came to Malta, numerous detailed
accounts of the siege had been published and he certainly had first-hand information from several people who had played a part in the events he depicted.
Moreover, he surely had before him the 'picture-maps' or broadsheets of the
siege that had been published in Italy, Germany and France. Suffice it to say,
that in Italy alone, in 1565, at least 54 maps of the siege (including variants)
came off the presses in the two main centres of production. Rome and Venice.
Watermarks
Four different watermarks are present in a copy of d'Aleccio's engravings
which the author had occasion to examine, namely, pilgrim in circle, hammer
and anvil in circle, ladder w i t h three rungs in elongated shield with star above
and chevron with two parts in shield within a circle with crown above.
Only the last two watermarks are present in the copy existing at the
National L i b r a r y in Florence w h i c h was described in a book by F a b i a Borroni
Salvadori on the maps in the Lafreri atlases that belong to the L i b r a r y . T h e
book also gives a tracing of the watermarks (Borroni Salvadori, plate X X V ,
nos. 79 and 81). One of the plates in this particular copy has no watermark.
Reproductions
I n this century, the frescoes and the modellos as w e l l as the two sets of engravings have been used to illustrate a number of books, mostly on the siege.
The twelve frescoes were reproduced in full colour by Lochhead and B a r l ing in The Siege
of M a l t a 1565 (London, 1970), whilst some of them appeared
in black and white in the following books:
1. Balbi di Correggio. F . . The Siege of Malta
1565. Translated from Spanish by H. A.
Balbi, published by O. F . Gollcher and O. Rostock (Copenhagen, 1961). Ten of the
fescoe* reproduced, number* 6 and 8 having been left out.
2. Scicluna, H., The Church
of St. John
in Valletta.
(Rome. 1955). Seven frescoes reproduced; numbers 2, 6, 7, 8, 12 left oot.
3. Enget, C . E . . L e grande
sitge.
Malte.
1565-1965. (Paris, 1965). Six frcscoe* reproduced:
numbers 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10 left out.
The
eight modellos were published in: National Maritime Museum, The
maritime
32.
siege
df M a l t a
(London, 1965).
Hoppen, pp. 100, 115, 201 (ftn. 7), 204 (ftn. 5) and plate 10.
153
The same book of the
etchings, leaving out only
IV, V I I , I X , X , and X I I I )
t'oned above, but not all
National Maritime Museum published also d'Aleccio's
plates X I and X I V . S i x of the etchings (plates I I .
w e r e published by C l a i r e Engel in the book menin full-piate.
Lucini's engravings were used to illustrate the book by C . Sanminiatelli
Zabarella: Lo assedio di M a l t a (Torino, 1902); only the last two plates, namely,
the plan of Valletta and the plans of Mdina and Gozo, w e r e left out. Seven
of L u c i n i ' s siege-maps (plates V , V I , V I I , I X , X I , X I I , X I I I ) were published
in: The siege
of M a l t a 1565 by F . Balbi di Correggio, translated by E r n i e Bradford (London, 1965).
•J)
O
z
The
whole set of L u c i n i ' s engravings w a s published by D. Calnan and
G.E. Testaferrata Abela with the title: The true d e p i c t i o n of the investment
and assault on the i s l a n d of M a l t a 1565 by M a t t e o Perez
d ' A l e c c i o . (Malta,
1965). In the frontispiece the authors stated: First
E d i t i o n R o m e 1582; S e c o n d
E d i t i o n B o l o g n a 1631; T h i r d E d i t i o n M a l t a 1965. O n the one hand, they seem
to have been ignorant of the fact that L u c i n i ' s first edition, namely, that of
1631, w a s printed in Rome and that there were two subsequent ed tions, both
printed in Bologna after 1635. On the other hand, they should have called their
publication a facsimile edition of Lucini and not a third edition of d'Aleccio.
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APPENDIX IV
Petrucci:
Bibliography and Abbreviations used in the References
Atmag&H:
AlmagiA, R., M o n u m e n t a C a r t o g r a p h i c a
V a t i c a n a (CittA del Vaticano. 1948).
Azzopardi (1979):
Azzopardi, J . , " T i n s a b 1-Ircevuta tal-Kwadru Titulari l-Qadim
ta' S. K a t a r i n a " in Programm tal-Festi S . K a t a r i n a V.M. Zurrieq
27 t a
A w i s s u — 2 ta' S e t t e m b r u 1979 (Malta 1979).
A z z o p a r d i (1984):
Azzopardi, J . , In-nawfragju.
ta' S a n Pawl
fl-arti
(Malta, 1984).
B6n6zit:
Benezit, E . , D i c t i o n n a i r e
des p e i n t r e s , s c u l p t e u r s ,
d e s s i n a t u e r s et
g r a v e u r s (Paris, 1976).
B e r n a l e s : Bernales Ballesteros, J . M a t e o
S e v i l l a y L i m a (Sevilla, 1973).
P&rez
de A l e s i o ,
pintor
romano
en
Bolaffi:
Bolaffi, G., Dizionario e n c i c l o p e d . c o dei p i t t o r i e degii
incisori
italiani
dall'XI
al X X s e c o i o (1975).
Borroni S a l v a d o r i :
Borroni Salvadori, F . , C a r t e , p i a n t e e stamps storiche
delle
r a c c o l t e L a f r e r i a n e d e l l a B i b l i o t e c a N a z i o n a l e di F r e n z e (Roma, 1980).
Bryan.'
Bryan's d i c t i o n a r y
of
painters
a n d engravers
(London,
Petrucci, A., V i t a ed opere
di a r i i s t i :
li m a g n i f i c o
M a t t e o . in I I Mes-
s a g g e r o (Roma) 25 Aprile, 1957.
Potter: Potter, J . , Fine, decorative and rare old maps. C a t a l o g u e .
Autumn 1984
(London, 1984) p. 6.
S a m m u t : Sammut, E . , The glory of St. John's, in The Order of St. John in
Malta with a n e x h i b i t i o n of p a i n t i n g s by M a t t i a Preti
(Malta, 1970).
Schermerhorn: Schermerhorn, E.W., M a l t a of t h e K n i g h t s (England, 1929).
Scicluna, C h u r c h : Scicluna, H., The C h u r c h of St. John in Valletta (Rome,
1955).
S c i c l u n a , Order:
1969).
Scicluna, H., The Order
of S t . J o h n
Sorio.- Soria, M.S. Pintores italianos en S u d a m e r i c a
e m e m o r i e di s t o r i a d e t l ' a r t e (Firenze, 1974).
of J e r u s a l e m
(Malta.
e n t r e 1575 y 1628, in Saggi
Stastny:
Stastny, F . , Perez de Alesio y la p i n t u r a del siglo X V I : separata de
A N A L E S , n. 22, del Instituto de Arte Americano e Investigaciones E s t e t i c a s ,
de l a Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo (Buenos A i r e s , 1969).
Tooley:
Tooley, R.V., Dictionary of m a p m a k e r s
(1979).
1920).
B u h a g i a r : Buhagiar, M., St. Catherine of A l e x a n d r i a : Her C h u r c h e s ,
Paintings
a n d S t a t u e s in the M a l t e s e I s l a n d s (Malta 1979).
C a u c h i : Cauchi, J.A., S t , John's: worfes of a r t r e c o n s i d e r e d , in The C h u r c h of
S t . J o h n in V a l l e t t a 1 5 7 8 — 1 9 7 8 (Valletta, 1978) ed. by J . Azzopardi.
DNB:
Dictionary
of n a t i o n a l
biography
(London,
1908—1909),
Ganado:
Ganado, A., Description of a n early
V e n e t i a n s i x t e e n t h c e n t u r y coll e c t i o n of m a p s a t the C a s a n a t e n s e
Library
in R o m e , in Imago Mundi
(London), V o l . 34 (1982). pp. 26-47.
Gere: G e r e , J.A., A drawing by Matteo Perez da L e c c e , in M a s t e r
Drawings
(New Y o r k , X I , 1973, pp. 150-154.
Gere and Pouncey: Gere, J.A., and Pouncey, P, I t a l i a n d r a w i n g s in the D e p a r t m e n t of p r i n t s a n d d r a w i n g s in t h e British
M u s e u m . Artists working in
R o m e c.1550
to c. 1640. C a t a l o g u e (London, 1983) p. 125.
Hoppen: Hoppen, A., The fortification of M a l t a by the Order
of S t . J o h n
1 5 3 0 — 1 7 9 8 (Edinburgh, 1979).
Lochhead and Barling: Lochhead, I.C. and Barling, T . F . R . , The Siege of
1565 (London, 1970).
Masetti Zannini:
Masetti Zannini, G . L . , Stampatori
c o n d a m e t d del c i n q u e c e n t o (Roma, 1980).
NLM:
National Library of Malta Mss.
NMM:
National Maritime Museum, The m a r i t i m e
1965).
160
siege
e librai
a Roma
Malta
n e l l a se-
of M a l t a 1565 (London,
161
Plate 14
Giacomo P a t m a 11 G i o v a n e :
Pierpont Morgan L i b r a r y
Portrait
of
Matteo Perez D'Aleccio, New
York,
b
2
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Part of Puglia (Italy) which includes Alesio (marked with an inscribed asterisk)
and Lecce. Novara, Istituto Geografico De Agostini, S.p.A.
V> O f
Plate 17
Frontispiece of D'Aleccio's engravings of the siege
Malta National Library
Plate 18
D'Aleccio's map of Malta, 1582 (See Appendix I I I , pi. II). Malta, National Library
Plate 19
D'Aleccio's composite picture showing various stages of the siege (See App-III, pi. X I ) . Malta, National Library
Plate 20
D'Aleccio's plan of Valletta. 1582 (See Appendix I I I , pi. X I V ) Malta, National Library