It was Napoleon Bonaparte who suggested to the French minister for foreign affairs – the celebrated Charles Maurice de Talleyrand – to seize Malta and proceed to occupy Egypt.

Talleyrand was appointed foreign minister by the French Directory in 1797 and supported Napoleon’s foreign policy until he grew convinced that the policy could only lead to disaster for France.

Events moved at a fast pace.

On his death bed, Grand Master Emmanuel de Rohan recommended Ferdinand von Hompesch as his successor. Hompesch was assigned several onerous posts in the Knights Order. He was diplomatic envoy of the imperial court of Vienna at the time of his election as grand master in 1797. He enjoyed the protection of Emperor Josef II of Austria, whose sister, Maria Carolina was married to King Ferdinand of Naples, who had the right of sovereignty on Malta, should the Order leave the island.

In France and on the continent, the political situation continued to escalate. At this time, Hompesch received a despatch from Bailiff Franz Anton Schoenau, the minister plenipotentiary of the Order at the congress in session at Rastadt.

“I have to acquaint you that the formidable expedition is intended for the capture of Malta and Egypt. I have this information from the secretary of Monsieur Treilhard, one of the French republican ministers at the congress. You will most assuredly be attacked. Take all the steps necessary for your defence. All the ministers of the various powers attending this congress, friends of the Order, have the same intelligence, but they also know that the fortress of Malta is impregnable, or at least capable of resisting a three months’ siege.

“The honour of your eminence and the preservation of the Order are at stake, and if you surrender you will be dishonoured in the eyes of all Europe. However, this expedition is regarded here as a disgrace inflicted upon Bonaparte, who has two powerful enemies in the directory, who fear him, and have so arranged that he should now be removed to a distance. These members of the directory are Rembell and La Revelliere Lepaux.”

But Hompesch did not believe that Napoleon would attack Malta.

The French fleet sailed from Toulon on May 19, 1798, under the command of Bonaparte. It was indeed a formidable fleet of 470 ships carrying a force of 38,000 men. It appeared off Malta on June 10.

On the following day, a ‘convention’ was signed on board the flagship Orient.

Bailiff of Turin Nicholas Frisari, who was a signatory to the ‘convention’, wrote against his name: “Without prejudice to the rights of domination which belong to my sovereign, the King of the Two Sicilies.”

The French ruled high-handedly and arrogantly

Bonaparte reacted ironically enough: “You can make any reservations you like; we will know how, if we must, to nullify them by cannon shot.”

On June 12, Napoleon set foot on Malta. During his one-week stay in Malta, Napoleon decreed not less than 10 orders with 98 articles, as if he wanted to ensure that the island from now on firmly belonged to the French republic.

The orders included the expulsion of all foreign priests, the reduction of Maltese priests and Church convents, the removal of immunity for the clergy, the abolition of slavery and of the Inquisition, the lifting of titles of nobility, defacement of coats-of-arms of the Order of St John, expropriation of gold and silver objects of the Order, and all Maltese citizens had to wear the blue-white-red cockade of France.

Napoleon left Malta on June 18, 1798, sailing eastwards.

The situation was indeed difficult for Hompesch: the majority of the knights were French and unwilling to fight against their fellow countrymen as they would consider themselves as traitors; the Maltese intelligentsia generally sided with the republic; Hompesch was reluctant to fight a Christian country and to shed blood in vain; intrigues and treason were rife; and aid from the King of Naples was not readily forthcoming.

Admiral Lord Nelson (1758-1805), by Lemuel Francis Abbott, National Maritime Museum.

The French ruled high-handedly and arrogantly, besides looting and plundering private and Church property.

Capt. Thomas Troubridge, “one of Nelson’s band of brothers”, informed Admiral Lord Nelson of the precarious situation in Malta. From on board his flagship Vanguard on June 20, Nelson wrote to Hompesch: “It is with particular satisfaction I have the honour to acquaint you [that] I am making all possible [the] dispatch with the squadron of His Britannic Majesty under my command towards Malta, with a full determination to prevent your island from falling into the hands of the common enemy.”

However, Hompesch by then had left Malta on June 17, 1798 ‒ a Sunday, early at night ‒ so as not to provoke any improvised revolt by the people. He was accompanied by some 20 knights who were very close to him. He sailed on an Austrian freighter to Trieste. Hompesch would abdicate on July 6, 1799.

Hompesch’s nephew, doctor of medicine Xavier Bourguend Chrestien, took care of the personal archives of the grand master, which included the original of the convention signed by Napoleon and the Order, correspondence with popes, cardinals, generals, ministers and the original letter by Nelson addressed to Hompesch. These precious documents are now deposited for safe-keeping and preservation at the Order’s headquarters in Rome.

Alexander John Ball (1756-1809) by Henry Pickersgill, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

Nelson had, meanwhile, arrived at Naples with some of his victorious ships, which were badly in need of refits to repair the damage sustained in the complete and devastating victory over Napoleon’s fleet at Aboukir Bay, Egypt.

In September, the King of Naples sent reinforcements to the Maltese under the command of the Portuguese Rear-Admiral, the Marquess de Niza. Many years later, a commemorative marble plaque was installed at the Upper Barrakka Garden, Valletta, “to honour the memory of Admiral Marquis de Niza and the Portuguese sailors under his command who died fighting, side by side, with the Maltese during the popular insurrection against the French”.

On October 4, 1798, Nelson instructed Capt. Alexander Ball, “one of Nelson’s band of brothers”, to proceed in the Alexander off Malta “and to use your best endeavours to blockade the forts of that island so as to prevent any supplies getting in them for the French troops, as well as to prevent the escape of the French ships now in that place”.

On October 12, Ball arrived and wintered at anchor off the coast of Malta out of reach of the guns. He relieved the Portuguese ships.

The blockade of Malta started in earnest and effectively. During most of the blockade, Ball lived on shore.

Landing of Napoleon in Valletta (Marinet, Paris)

In September 1798, a provisional government, led by Dun Saver Cassar, archpriest of the Matrice, was set up in Gozo as the island was seized and garrisoned by French troops.

Nelson arrived in Gozo on October 24 when he met on board his flagship a Maltese deputation, from which meeting Nelson sent a demand to the French garrison to surrender. General Claude Henri Belgrand de Vaubois, commanding the French troops, refused.

Four days later, the French capitulated when the island was taken possession of in the name of the King of Naples. It is generally believed Dun Saver, as leader of the Gozitan insurgents, met Nelson on this occasion.

A document signed on behalf of Nelson laid down the conditions for the surrender of the French forces in Gozo.

Archpriest Cassar and three commanders signed the document, which concluded: “the admiral does not intend being involved in the internal affairs of the island but accords his full protection in the said island. Given on board the vessel Vanguard on October 24, 1798”.

Nelson sailed to Naples on October 30. He made two other visits to Malta: in 1803 and in 1805 (seven months before the Battle of Trafalgar); on both visits he stayed with Ball at San Anton Palace, Attard.

The French troops, under General Vaubois, pressed by dearth of provisions and unable to withstand the siege any longer, surrendered on September 4, 1800. The blockade had ended.