After the Great Siege of 1565, one of Malta's and Europe's most successful victory, Grand Master La Valette was given a great and epic sword and dagger like no other.

For his heroic abilities, King Philip II of Spain gave La Valette an ornamental gold sword and dagger, weapons that were originally his, for winning the Siege against the Ottomans. The 1565 siege could have altered the Europe’s culture and religion significantly.

The King inscribed ‘PLUSQUAM VALOR VALETTE VALET’ on the sword, meaning Grand Master La Valette was more valorous than valour itself.

Both weapons were put out on display every year for the 8^th September Victory Day festivities till 1797.

That is until Napolean took over the Maltese islands and had different plans…

Somehow both the dagger and sword ended up in Paris some time during those two years of the French occupation in Malta.

The dagger was loaned to Heritage Malta and put on display in 2017 but the sword was too fragile to be transported to Malta.

All of the items that were looted during the Napoleonic wars were meant to be returned back to their rightful country yet it seems the sword and dagger never made their way back to Malta.

It is now displayed in the Louvre in Paris.

Facebook/Attivitajiet Malta & Facebook/Kosarev Antiques