Patriot
The primogenito of Gilberto Testaferrata, Mario Testaferrata studied at the Colleggio Nazzareno in Rome, and in 1757 came back to Malta and became Luogotenente delle Milizia Urbane. He was giurato for Valletta, Vittoriosa and Senglea from 1775 to 1777, and for Notabile between 1778 and 1780.
Testaferrata left for Messina to visit his brother and both of them proceeded to London.
In November 1801, Marquis Testaferrata together with Filippo Castagna, Dom Emmanuele Riccaud, Don Pietro Mallia, Michele Cachia, and Antonio Mallia were elected to proceed to London to present the petition of the Maltese. In London the delegation had an interview with Lord Hobart, the Minister of War and the Colonies.
In January 1803 he was again elected giurato and in November 1804, he sat on the Comitato di Salute. On 6 November 1805 he was Captain Alexander Ball’s delegate to give the oath to elected magistrates.
In 1806 he was president of the Biblioteca Committee and for some time, also president of Monte di Pietà.
He married Anna Viani on 25 April 1762. He died in Villa dei Marnesi in Żejtun.
This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.