The Archives of the Order of Malta
Section 11: The Hospital
(Archive 1713-1749)
46 volumes
1590-1798
Abbreviated: AOM
An electronic finding aid for the microfilms of the Malta Study Center, prepared by Theresa M.
Vann. Sponsored by the Malta Study Center, Hill Museum & Manuscript Library. Microfilms at
Hill Museum & Manuscript Library, Collegeville, MN, USA Originals in the National Library of
Malta, Valletta, Malta. Reproduction of microfilms requires the consent of the National Library
of Malta
Section 11 of the archives of the Order’s Hospital in Valletta in the National Library of Malta
comprises forty-six volumes, dating from 1590 until 1798. Six volumes of the archive contain
information about the administration of the hospital; thirty-eight volumes register the wills of
patients of the Sacra Infermeria between 1590 and 1798.
The Hospitaller, a high-ranking official of the Order who held a seat on the council of the Grand
Master, was the head of the Sacra Infermeria. The Infirmarian, the second in command, came
from the French langue and was responsible for the well-being of the patients and other
inmates. Each year the grand master and the council chose two comptrollers, or
prud’hommes. The comptrollers provisioned the Sacra Infermeria with food and equipment,
took inventory, and executed the wills of patients who died in the hospital. In addition to the
statutory personnel, the knights in residence in the convent, including the grand master, took
regular turns visiting the sick. Novices served in the Sacra Infermeria once a week. Members of
the order served as physicians as well as spiritual caretakers.
The Rule of the Sacra Infermeria (AOM 1713) contains information about the staff of the
Infermeria, its inventory of silver and tapestry, and the building's physical layout. The scribes
and notaries of the Sacra Infermia recorded the patients’ testaments in thirty-eight surviving
volumes (AOM 1720-1758). The inhabitants of the hospital included members of the Order,
Maltese men, women and children, and foreign visitors and sailors. Their names from each
volume are listed in the printed catalogue:

J. Mizzi, Catalogue of the Records of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in the Royal
Malta Library, vol. 11 (Malta, 1969).
Related materials:

Paul Cassar, "A Note on Three Libri Mortuorum of the Holy Infirmery, the Civil Hospital
of Valletta and the Central Civil Hospital of Floriana," Proceedings of History Week
1981 (Malta, The Historical Society, 1982): 86-93. Three volumes of the Liber
The Archives of the Order of Malta, Section 11: The Hospital
mortuorum, one from the Sacra Infermeria, now held at the Medical Records Office at St.
Luke's Hospital, Gwardamanga.
Archives of the Sacra Infermeria
AOM 1713 Notizia della Sacra Infermeria, e della Carica delli commissari, delle povere Inferme
(Rome, 1725), 19 pp. Printed work, later edited and translated by W. K. R. Bedford, The
Regulation of the Old Hospital of the Knights of St. John at Valletta (Edinburgh, 1882). Also
translated and corrected by Edgar Erskine Hume, Medical Work of the Knights Hospitallers of
Saint John of Jerusalem (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press, 1940), pp. 136-148; ibid.,
“Regulations for the Sick Poor of Malta,” pp. 159-165.
AOM 1713A Regole della Sac. Congregat. Sotto Titolo della Sstsa Trinita, Eretta nel Sac. Spe.
Dale del Sacr’ Ordine di S. Giovani Gerosolimitano (December 1704) 27 ff. 18th-century
handwritten copy of a printed book. The volume contains handwritten notes of a visitation upon
the sodality in 1736, which changed rule number eight, from the selection of one procurator from
the chaplains to two procurators selected from the fraters and the chaplains. The book concludes
with an indulgence granted by pope Clement XI to the sodality.
AOM 1714, Regolamento per il Governo Spirituale, Politico, ed Economico del Sacro Ospedale
del S. Ordine Gerosolimitano, f. I+vii+215. 18th century. Hand-written copy of AOM
1713. The text of the volume is written on the right hand side of the page, leaving the left side of
the page for notes and annotations. The owner of the volume used the space to note changes in
the rules and in the procedures of the hospital. This section is followed by a copy of a 1699
magisterial bull of Raymond Perellos y Roccaful concerning physicians and surgeons.
AOM 1715, Officciali del Sagro Ospedale che si passorono in Tesoro dal primo Settembre 1777
, 28 ff, is divided into fourteen “cartas.” With the exception of Cart 2, each carta contains
information about salaries from 1777 until 1795. Carta 2 is a note, dated 1777, stating that the
Chapter General had suppressed all the salaries, pensions, recompense, and charity that had been
paid in denaro and in kind from the S. Infermeria; and that it has been decided that the new
wages would be paid only in money; that the coming salaries be paid according to the lists that
will be submitted monthly to the Prodomo and to the Treasury.
AOM 1716 Conto del S. Ospedale dal 1 Maggio 1795 fino a tutto Aprile 1796, 31 pp. an
account of the purchases of the hospital, which includes the amount of monthly salaries, pensions
to retired physicians, and the purchase of food.
AOM 1720, Registro dei Testamenti dall'Anno 1590 al 1634 e Registro dei Morti dall'Anno 1590
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The Archives of the Order of Malta, Section 11: The Hospital
al 1634, 217 folia. Registers the laity and Knights who died in the Sacra Infermeria; also,
registers the wills of the laity and the disposition of goods made by the Knights.
AOM 1721, Registro dei Testamenti dall'Anno 1634 al 1650 e Registro dei Morti dal 1635 al
1676. Parte I: Registro dei Testamenti dall'anno 1635 al 1650. Parte II: Registro dei Testamenti
dell'anno 1634 e 1635 e registro dei morti dall'anno 1633 al 1676. 105 + 201 folia. Part one
records the testaments and dispositions of goods made by those members of the Order and laity
who died in the Sacra Infermeria between 1635 and 1650. Part two lists the names of all the
Knights and laity who died in the Sacra Infermeria between 1633 and 1676.
AOM 1722, Registro dei Testamenti dall' Anno 1666 al 1693 e Dispropriamenti dei Signori
dell'Abito dall'Anno 1661 al 1684. Parte I: [Titulo:] Les testaments ou derniers volontes des
seculiers et autres personnes morts a la S. Infirmerie. Parte II: Depoullements des biens faits par
les religieux freers de l'Ordre de St. Jean de Jerusalem et testaments des novices depuis l'annee
1666 jusqu' a 1684. 342 pages + 1-18+26-42 pages. Part I contains the wills or last wishes of
the lay (and other people) who died in the Sacra Infermeria; Part II contains the disposition of
goods made by the members of the Order, including the wills of the novices, between 1666 and
1684.
AOM 1723, Registre des Testaments Commencant au Mois D'Aout 1693 [-Nov. 1742], 571
pages. Register of the wills made by the laity in the Sacra Infermeria.
AOM 1724, Registro delli Testamenti che si Fanno nel Sacro Ospedale Principiato il 1 Gennaio
1743 [-14 Dec. 1767], 650 pages. Register of the wills made by those who died in the Sacra
Infermeria between 1741 and 1767.
AOM 1725, Registro dei Testamenti: 1767-85, 710 pages. Register of the wills made by those
who died in the Sacra Infermeria between December 4th, 1767, and January 16th, 1785. Pages
669-703 contains an alphabetical index.
AOM 1726, Registro dei Testamenti 1785 [-19 Apr. 1798], 672 pages. Pages 633 to 667 contain
an alphabetical index.
AOM 1727, Libro dei Testamenti fatti nel S. Ospedale per mano dei Notari. 13 aprile 1773, 282
pages. Pages 233-250 contain an index of the names.
AOM 1728, [Raccolta di Testamenti Originali: 1666-1679], 146 folia. Title supplied.
AOM 1729, [Raccolta di Testamenti Originali: 1680-1689], 271 folia. Title supplied.
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The Archives of the Order of Malta, Section 11: The Hospital
AOM 1730 [volume missing]
AOM 1731, [Testamenti Originali, 1700-1709], 233 folia. Title supplied.
AOM 1732, [Testamenti Originali 1710-1719], 431 folia. Title supplied.
AOM 1733, [Testamenti Originali, 1720-1729], 388 folia. Title supplied.
AOM 1734, [Testamenti Originali, 1730-1739], 357 folia. Title supplied.
AOM 1735, [Testamenti Originali, 1740-1744], 204 folia. Title supplied.
AOM 1736, [Testamenti Originali, 1750-1752], 180 folia. Title supplied.
AOM 1737, [Testamenti Originali: 1753-1756], 197 folia. Title supplied.
AOM 1738 [Testamenti Originali, 1757-1759], 272 folia. Title supplied.
AOM 1739 [Testamenti Originali, 1760-1763], 288 folia. Title supplied.
AOM 1740, [Testamenti Originali: 1764], 84 folia. Title supplied.
AOM 1740a, [Testamenti Originali: 1764-1766], 170 folia. Title supplied.
AOM 1741, [Testamenti Originali: 1766-1769], 247 folia. Title supplied.
AOM 1742, [Testamenti Originali: 1770-1774], 300 folia. Title supplied.
AOM 1743, [Testamenti Originali: 1776-1779], 219 folia. Title supplied.
AOM 1744, [Testamenti Originali: 1780-1784], 262 folia. Title supplied.
AOM 1745, [Testamenti Originali, 1786-1789], 282 folia. Title supplied.
AOM 1746, [Testamenti Originali: 1790-1795], 276 folia. Title supplied.
AOM 1747, [Testamenti Originali: 1795-1798], 197 folia. Title supplied.
AOM 1748, [Testamenti, 1747], 53 folia. Title supplied.
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The Archives of the Order of Malta, Section 11: The Hospital
AOM 1749, [Testamenti, 1775], 76 folia. Title supplied.
Updated: April 13th 2012 by tv
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