HISTORY OF MALTA.

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rossa. Malta was erected into a county and marquisate; butit was depopulated by the havock of war, and its trade entirelyruined, which reduced it to a state of the greatest misery. Fora considerable length of time it was inhabited by soldiers alone,and had no other capital than the fortress which defended theport ; but at length Frederick II. having taken possession of Ce^lano in Calabria, in 1224, sent to Malta the unfortunate inha-bitants of that place, who, by dint of industry both by land andsea, once more, in some degree, enriched the island. Historytakes notice, that William, surnamed the Fat, admiral of Sicityjand his descendants, were counts of Malta; but it does notappear that any of its lords contributed to the happiness oftheir vassals. The Maltese remained seventy-two years subjectto the emperors of Germany.

Charles of Anjou, brother of Lewis IX. king of France,who was king of Sicily, made himself master of Malta ;and it was in this island that John Procida formed the con-spiracy, which was followed by the well-known affair of theSicilian Vespers. A change of sovereigns immediately tookplace in Sicily, but Malta continued faithful to the French.I wo years after, Roger admiral of Arragon attacked Corneille,who commanded the fleet of Charles, near Malta; and the deathof the French general decided the battle in favour of the Arra-gomans, who took advantage of their situation to disembark inthe port Marsa Musceit, and possessed themselves of the wholeisland. 3 he inhabitants of the town surrendered at discretion;