Arab Heritage in Malta

Just came back from a holiday to Egypt, north Africa, Malta and Sicily. Maltese people don't look anything like the africans/Arabs. There were a lot of similarities between the Maltese and sicilians in terms of the peoples appearances,culture, cuisine and way of life. But I really saw no similarities between Malta and africa/middle east. Very different places and people. Maybe the language is the only small connection.. But that doesn't really mean much. I'm a Chinese living in the uk who speaks English.. But that doesn't make my background British.

Ref Encyclopaedia Uni of Malta
Facts: Semitic = Descendants of Shem son of Noah = Phoenicians, Jews. Arabs
Facts: Malta was inhabited by Phoenicians (Carthagians), and Siculo-Arabs.
Fact: By intonation and word meanings = Maltese is very close to Lebonese and Egyptians (both seafaring peoples)
Fact: Since neolithic times the Maltese woman was fertilized by numerous seafaring sailors and indigenous male farmers
Fact: The Maltese mother passed on thoughts and words from generation to generations onto its natives
Fact: Maltese is doumneted in Serracino-Inglott's and Joseph Aquilina's Dictionaries - unlike Arab dialects which are not permitted by Koran to use modern terms but to retail the Classic arabic meaniongs
Fact: We have had the prehistoric temples - Boulder for Worshipping El Kabir - the creator - Fertility, eternal spiral design,the temples facing the Sunset (Sommerset, Gharb (ewrop) (Ewrop-a -the Phoenician goddess roving the West) - We welcomed St Paul with goodness (god-ness) and we were goodwilled people was welcomes shipwrecked sailors -MALAT = a sure place - shelter, Porto Salvo - un sur place - a safe haven.
Fact: No invader paid him to kill the inhabitants and the Arabs would kill the males and not the females

Now = Carthaginians were most probably ousted from Tunisian ports and sent to the mountanious dessert by the invading Turks (not Arabs)- Berbers (Bedouins) were ancient Carthaginians or Phoenicians.

Coming to Saliba = according to Dr Borg (University of Tel Aviv) a linguist staed that Saliba = Cross The = ie.e the Cross. Maybe Abela = The Abels (Jewish origins) _ I had read somewnre that there are alot of Abela tombs on top of Jewish burial places.
Spathari = Swordmen under the Bysantine empire Therefore Spiteri (Coat of arms bearing a lion wioth a sword) were bodyguards of the Empire - fighters
Bu Marrda
Bu Tigieg
Bu Suttil (Stallion)
Bu Hagar

Ladies and gents, thanks for this very interesting discussion. I am not an Arab and I was born Muslim. I do not speak Arabic at all. (I am of East Indonesian stock). Whenever I look at Maltese or hear it, I must say that it sounds like it's derived from Arabic. (I'm familiar with the sound of Arabic through reading the Quran). Yes, I know that Maltese is not "Quranic" and I know I'm not an expert. I just felt that I'd like to give my opinion as a neutral outsider. I can also clearly see the modern inlfuence of Italian and English on the language. We all know that people cannot be forced to be what they don't want to be. Therefore, I find it strange how some Maltese here almost militantly do not want to be Arabic. Nobody but nobody can make you an Arab, SO TAKE IT EASY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. I think the original discussion was basically about the Arabic influence on Malta.

The Arabic language is today spoken by millions of folks who some centuries ago spoke other languages. Iraq, Egypt, Syria etc all had their own languages and today they've adopted Arabic. In today's Middle East, probably only Iran, Turkey, Some Syrian groups, Berbers and the Kurds did not adopt Arabic. So technically that would make a huge part of the Arabic speaking world, "non-Arab". But what's the big deal...? I do not have mongoloid features. I have dry kind of hair. I have a bearded face and I'm quite tall. However, because Malay is the main language of my people, (despite us having our own languages), I'm identified generally as Malay. That's cool isn't it? I know that I'm "Orang Maluku", but again I ask. What's the big deal?

I find the history of Malta and its language really interesting. It's definitely a place where I would like to have been when all that history was being made.

why is every 1 offended by the comments in this article. Im lebanese Muslim and my best friend is Malties we live in Australia we respect each others religions. but malties is very similar to arabic when i speak arabic he always has a clue of what i said and i find it funny. live in peace

tat-tifigh fi-dahk ( maltese)

burst out in laughter( english)

ta2 fa2i3 fil douhik ( lebanese)

technically the same as maletese but some different pronunciation!
does morrocans and tunisians say this ??

Some comments in this site make references to a certain self styled historian/Count/Prince? Charles Said Vassallo (when applicable DE BRANCHEFORTE SAID).

This is an extract from Mr Said Vassallo's website (maltagenealogy.com) regarding Sultan Djem Osman: A small though familiar Maltese surname established on the Maltese Isles since the 16th century. Established the future for the Knights of the order of St John, which history hasn’t documented so well, which was of relevance to the next several centuries. A family of Imperial blood that played importance’s in Europe as the heirs of the Ottoman Empire. Sultan Djem Osman, the younger son of Sultan Mehmed III, though elder son born during the reign of his father, took the reins of the Empire. His eldest brother and heir were furious and left his governing province for the Empire’s capital to inherit what he had assumed his rightful legacy. Battle took place, brother against brother, though Djem failed to secure his believed rights of the Ottoman Empire. Djem fled first to Egypt, under the protection of the Sultan of Egypt, then to Rhodes Islands. The orders of St John were Masters of the Isles and had hoped to gain help to resecure his claim age. Djem stay on the Rhodes Islands was interesting as his union with an Italian Noblewomen produced several descendants. After several years, Djem found that he was no closer than when he arrived, so upon an invitation to the Papal States and the grace and favour of Pope Alexander VI Borgia which started Djem and his descendants their pretension of the Ottoman Empire in Europe. The Pope had acknowledged Djem’s sons as Princes of Royal and Imperial blood, with the title of “Prince de Sayd” in 1492.
Sultan Djem’s invitation to Rome was the start of his European tour to gain support for his “Christian” conversation of the Ottoman Empire from the European powers such as France, Holy Roman Empire, Spain and the Italian States and Kingdoms. During his tour he gained many acknowledgements and honours though support for a “Crusade” was lacking and uninteresting to the European Powers.

Mr Said Vassallo with all due respects has now become self styled Count Charles Said Vassallo. He notes that Sultan Djem was recognized by several Monarchs as H.I.H, Prince and Sultan Djem Sayd of the Ottoman Empire.

Self styled Count Charles Said Vassallo continues: Upon his return to Rome, he (Sultan Djem) settled his family outside Rome. His eldest son had married a daughter of a Genoese diplomat in Rome. Djem’s son, the Principe de Sayd moved to the Neapolitan capital of Naples. Djem was dead, poisoned by the Borgia household, though some suspect that it could have been the Pope or his sister. But this has been unproven, but sources have stated that Djem’s brother, the Sultan had paid off the Pope to kill Djem ‘off’.
The Knights of St John fought and lost Rhodes Islands then moved to the Neapolitan Kingdom waiting for a defence to retake their lost island. But under the Spanish succession, Malta, seemed to be the likely place where the Knights could move. Malta was a fief under the Spanish Neapolitan kingdom and was given as a token to the Knights. The family of Sayd had established in Malta by this stage, with the younger branch of the 1st Prince de Sayd. Initially the Younger branch established at Birgu, and then moved to Santi, and Zebbug.
Another family in Malta were of Arabic origin whom were scattered throughout Malta, a small family, which only a branch succeeds today. The descendants of Djem arrived in two stages. The elder branch moved from Naples to Sicily and the younger branch moved to Malta about the 1500’s. The elder branch was claimants to the throne of Ottoman Empire and intermarried with Sicilian families. In the mid 17th century, the head of the Imperial House moved to Malta and lived at Mdina as grace and favour of the Grand Masters. Though the elder line died out during the late 17th century, though in Sicily, an illegitimate heir took upon his pretensions to his claimant. The importance of having such Imperial family living in Malta was considered as a safe haven, but also as bait to the Ottoman Turks.

Within several years of the Princely family settlement in Malta, the Grand Siege of Malta had begun. The Ottoman Empire knew the threats of the pretentsive family and what it meant to an Empire that was strong and mighty. All enemies to an Empire were needed to be exhausted.
The Grand Master knew of what fate lay ahead, though through determination and strength from the Maltese, Knights and the European powers to overpower the Turks once and for. Success was achieved eventually and the Turks left to never be heard of again. Upon the succession of the Grand Siege of Malta, the imperial family lost favour and respect. There was no further need of them and slowly and eventually moved into civilian life. The elder line died out at the end of the 17th century, with succession and acknowledgement by the Grand Master of Malta, of Salvatore Sayd, as the Prince de Sayd e Bibino Magno with rights as “His Highness”, instead of “His Imperial Highness”. (Mr Charles Said Vassallo has purposely forgotten to insert footnotes. Actually the only reference submitted by the self styled Count Charles Said Vassallo is the book "History of Malta-convictions and conjectures volume four" pages 80-84, by Giovanni Bonello, Patrimonju Publishing, Malta, 2003, which does not have a whiff of a mention of any connection with the said family).
Mr Charles Said Vassallo continues that fortunately (for himself, maybe), the elder line kept key documentation and data, which survived, to the present family. Moreover, he continues that today, acknowledgement has been plenty some (referring to the letter of acknowledgement received by Baron George Said Zammit in 2002 from the late Head of the House of Osman). Further yet Mr Vassallo claims to be the Head of the family...

Self styled Count Charles Said Vassallo, The Most Noble one, the educated historian didn’t have the decency and politeness, or perhaps he failed to remember to safeguard the Baron’s privacy by putting the letter of acknowledgement from the present Heir (http://www.maltagenealogy.com\libro d'Oro\said2.html) online without even covering the Baron’s address. Where is the privacy Mr Charles Said Vassallo!

Moreover, interestingly enough two thirds of the Maltese population descends from Nicolai Sayt and /or Prince Djem (http://www.maltagenealogy.com/libro%20d'Oro/said.html).

Let it be known that half of the family trees included in maltagenealogy.com are fictional, story-bound, and illusory whereas several other legitimate ones are depicted as illegitimate, (published family trees endorsed by genealogist Mary Lanfranco), yet I do humbly pray that pristine and accurate data be published in his destined site…

N. Said