My friend and veteran Gozitan poet Gianninu Cremona launched his third poetry book Il-Ballata ta’ l-Assedju ta’ Ghawdex 1551 (The Ballad of Gozo’s Siege 1551), at the Citadel’s St John’s demibastion on Friday 25 July. It was really an enjoyable evening as presenters, readers, guitarists and performers did their very best to please the audience present.

The literary composition of the lyrics was very good as attested by Joe Camilleri’s analytical commentary. Being a literary work I did not mind the insertion of legendary episodes in the historical narrative. What I did not like was the overall impression that the tragedy that ensued after the siege of 1551 was the outcome of treason planned by Governor de Sesse and the ruling Gozitan aristocracy. The man who was really to blame for the disaster, and who was also duty bound to avoid it or at least to minimise it, was not even mentioned, either directly or indirectly.

The man responsible for Gozo’s defence was no one else but the ruling Grandmaster Juan d’Omedes (1536-1553). He was responsible not only for carrying out defensive works, providing armaments and sending emergency reinforcements, but was also expected to do his utmost to protect women and children from falling into slavery. This he did not do. Rather he refused blatantly to send any aid to help the beleaguered Gozitans. Conscious of the impending disaster, the Gozitan leaders sent women and children to take refuge behind the safer walls of Birgu in Malta.

But d’Omedes was not only negligent but also cruel and heartless. When the women and children entered the Grand Harbour he threatened the desperate Gozitans that if they did not turn back to Gozo he would sink their boats. To add insult to injury, he rationalised his cruel decision by concluding that the Gozitan males would fight more bravely with their women by their side! So Grand Master d’Omedes not only turned his back on the poor Gozitan refugees, but also tried to mock them.

The Gozitan leaders’ decision to try to spare the lives of the ruling elite looks like treason. I dare say it was asking for the impossible. In war the victorious side usually always does its utmost to kill or capture the leaders of their enemies. In our case, Gozo’s elite were worth handsome sums of money to be paid for their ransom. How could anyone expect them to be let free? That is why they were taken into slavery. So Sinsam Pasha’ left behind 40 decrepit old people according to the agreement and, out of kindness, a woman who was about to give birth.

Neither was Fr Bartholomew Bonavia a traitor who only did his best to save his skin, as some people might think. Fr Bonavia was the emissary or intermediary who pleaded on behalf of the Gozitans with the Turkish invaders. So according to custom he was to suffer no harm. That is why he was not taken into slavery.

If Gozo’s elite were spared, Gozitans in bondage would have had leaders at home who could do their best to have them ransomed and to have them back in Gozo in the shortest time possible. But this did not happen and only those quite well off could afford to pay for their own freedom. Incidentally, one of these was Don Lorenzo de Apapis, the parish priest of St George’s parish church at Rabat. Fr Nicola Castelletti, the parish priest of the Matrice suffered too much and it is said he died on his way back to Gozo. In fact, he never returned.

Anton F. Attard

Victoria