Heritage Malta has acquired a letter by Napoleon Bonaparte ordering one of his generals to prepare for the invasion of Malta in 1798.

It bought the letter for €60,000 at an auction by Sotheby’s.

In the letter, Napoleon instructs General Desaix to gather his troops and set sail towards Malta, which was under the Order of the Knights of St John.

“This letter has great significance for Maltese history,” Liam Gauci, the Maritime Museum’s principal curator said. “In it, one can also observe Bonaparte’s strategic military mind at his peak, just prior to his Egyptian campaign.”

Culture Minister Jose' Herrera said this document was a crucial part of the Maltese history.  

“Bonaparte’s Egyptian campaign brought together the largest expeditionary fleet ever assembled in the Mediterranean,” explained Mario Cutajar, Heritage Malta’s Executive Director. “This letter will therefore be displayed within the context of the Maritime Museum.”