Professor Alain Blondy arrived in Malta on Sunday and will be giving his presentation “The Order of St John and the Emergence of a Maltese State,” as part of the cultural presentations organised monthly by Din l-Art Helwa on Thursday.

The eminent French historian, professor at the universities of the Sorbonne and Bordeaux, specialises in Mediterranean history and culture and his particular interests are Malta between the 16th and the 18th century and the Barbary Regencies and corsair activity in the Mediterranean from the 16th to the 19th century. He is known and respected as a most scrupulous and meticulous researcher and has published numerous books and studies both in Malta and abroad.

Of particular importance is the magnificent biographical work Hughes de Loubens de Verdalle 1531-1582-1595, Cardinal, Grand Master of the Order of St John. Other publications of note are the Guide Culturel de Malte, (Arthaud 1997), The Commerce of Oranges between Malta and France in the 18th Century (Bouchere 2003), The Order of Malta in the 18th Century (Bouchere 2002) and numerous studies published in the Melita Historica such as Gozo in late Roman, Byzantine and Muslim times, The First Draft of a Maltese Constitution, (1995) and Paul 1 of Russia, the Order of Malta and Catholicism, (1998). In his presentation at Din l-Art Helwa, Professor Blondy will trace the role and decline of the Order of St John, but also the emergence and development of the economic, social and diplomatic role of the Maltese archipelago.

The lecture will commence at 6pm at the Judge Caruana Curran Hall at 133 Melita Street, Valletta, headquarters of Din l-Art Helwa. Since space is limited,l those intending to participate are invited to be seated by 5.45pm.