An unknown Russian map of Malta
In the collection of the Vernadsky National Library in Kiev, Ukraine, there is a rare pamphlet that incorporates a map of Malta and a plan of Valletta together with the explanation of the most important buildings and places found in the capital city.
In the exemplar found in Kiev, the pages are separate and their edges have been extended with paper for the protection of the original edges. The unnumbered pamphlet was published in St Petersburg in 1801 when Emperor Paul I had assumed the role of Grand Master of the Order of St John of Malta after the expulsion of the Knights of St John from Malta by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1798.
On the title page [page 1] of the small unnumbered pamphlet, there is the title and the imprint in French and Russian. In French it says: Carte de Malthe, de Commino et de Gozzo avec la Vue de la Ville de Malthe vers l’Orient. Le Plan de la Capitale la Valette, de ses Forts etr de ses Ports, et l’explication du Plan en François et en Russe. The map of Malta is Plate 1 and the plan of Valletta is Plate II.
The map of Malta, titled Carte des Iles / de Malthe / du Goze / et de Commino (sic) /1801, is marked as Plate I. The size of the engraving is 39 x 48cm,...