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The Sant Cassia family of Malta are Counts Sant and Barons of Ghariexem e Tabia (Order of St. John); titles of Maltese nobility.

There are various accounts of the origins of the Sant family. For example, according to one account, the Sant family originated with Nicola Santu (1534-1579), the illegitimate son of Principe Nicola de Sayd (1505-36), and Antonia, an Ethiopian slave. The other is given as it origins as Assant recorded once in the place-name Casali Tamim Assant. Reference by G.Wettinger

Contents 1 Origin of title 2 Succession 3 References 4 External links

In 1770, Salvatore Baldassare Sant, a Jurat of Notabile, was created a hereditary Count in Vienna by the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria. The Empress required him to purchase a fief in Lombardy, and to pay the dues of 3000 florins to the crown for his title. The title was granted to Salvatore Baldassare Sant and to all male descendants in the male line.

In 1777, the 2nd Count Sant, Gio Francesco Sant (b 1748), married Chiara Bonici-Platamone-Cassia, 7th Baroness di Ghariexem e Tabia, and fathered several children, one of whom, Reverend Publio Maria Sant, became the bishop of Malta (r1847-57).

Gio Francesco Sant was succeeded by his eldest son, Luigi Sant Cassia (1778-1867), who became 3rd Count Sant and 8th Baron di Ghariexem e Tabia. In 1805, he too married into the nobility -- to Angela dei Marchesi Testaferrata-Olivier. Luigi was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George for his service to the British in Malta. He was the first in his line to use the name of 'Sant Cassia'.

The 3rd Count died in 1867 and was briefly succeeded by his son Gio Francesco Sant Cassia (1806-78) as 4th Count Sant and 9th Baron di Ghariexem e Tabia. Gio Francesco died in 1878, and was succeeded by his son, Giovanni (1849-1903). In 1903, his son, Francesco Sant Cassia, became the 11th Baron di Ghariexem e Tabia and 6th Count (1889-1947), being only 13 years old at the time.

In 1910, he married Mary Manduca-Piscopo-Macedonia dei Conti MontAlto, by whom he fathered three daughters. After Mary's death, in 1915 he married her sister, Concetta, and fathered five sons and four daughters with her. He entertained George V to lunch at St Paul's Bay. He was one of the first Maltese owner-drivers of a car and he even owned a bus in which to carry all of his twelve children.

Francesco died in 1947 and was succeeded by his son, Francis Sant-Cassia as 12th Baron and 7th Count (1920-88), Francis had served with the Royal Malta Artillery as Captain, and was President of the Committee of Privileges of the Maltese Nobility from 1984 until 1988.

In the year 1984 Francis renounced his senior title and nominated (inter vivos) his son John to succeed him. The Committee of Privileges could hardly fail to ratify this act of nomination inter vivos by its own President, although this was controversial. Francis was murdered on October 27, 1988. The case is still pending in the Maltese Law Courts.

The Sant title noted as the primogeniture went to Lazzaro Sant and his descendants and several documents state that the Count title belongs to the Sant Fourniers. This providing a possibility that all male to male descendants of the 1st Count Sant are entitled under the Germanic system as Counts (Graf) within the order of primogeniture. All male to male descendants can style Counts (Graf) and daughters can style Countess (Contessa, Grdfin), but not their descendants. Though in the direct line, inheritance may be accepted via female line as the Count Sant of the Holy Roman Empire and in Malta. Another example is the Head of the Sant Manduca line, John Mary dei Conti Sant Manduca was accepted by HRH, Duca di Calabria as Count, thus pushing further the acceptance to all male descendants. All Spouses can style Countess (Contessa, Grdfin).

Both in Malta and under the Germanic Empire (Austria Lombardian was part of) would naturally accept one holder as the head of the lineal descent, and further acceptance by descent for all existing male descendants in the legitimate line as Counts, Grdf.. Reference to succession

• Said Vassallo, C.M., Unpublished research papers.
• Said Vassallo, C.M.,Charles Said-Vassallo's Research site and Maltese Nobility web site.
• Montalto, J., "The Nobles of Malta-1530-1800", Midsea Books Ltd, Malta, 1980.
• Burkes Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage of the UK.- 1914 ed.
• Cassar Desain, Marchese L.A., " Genealogia della famiglia Testaferrata di Malta." Malta, 1880.
• Gauci,C.A.," The Genealogy and Heraldry of the Noble Families of Malta", Gulf Publishing Ltd, Malta, 1981.
• Gauci,C.A.," The Genealogy and Heraldry of the Noble Families of Malta, Volume Two", Publishers Enterprises Group (PEG) Ltd, 1992.
• Gauci,C.A and Mallet, P.,"The Palaeologos Family- A Genealogical Review" ,Publishers Enterprises Group (PEG) Ltd, 1985
• Gauci, C.A.," A Guide to the Maltese Nobility", Publishers Enterprise Group (PEG) Ltd, Malta, 1986.
• Giles Ash, S., "The Nobility of Malta", Publishers Enterprises Group (PEG) Ltd, 1988.

• Charles Said-Vassallo's Research site
• Maltese Nobility web site