Podcasts · The Story of Malta: The Fortress Island of the Mediterranean — Fexingo History

The Knights' Slave Market: Valletta's Hidden Shame

26 Aug 2026 · 6:56 · S5 E212

In this episode, Lucas and Luna pull back the curtain on a grim chapter of Maltese history: the slave market at the heart of Valletta. While the Knights of St John are often remembered as defenders of Christendom, they also presided over a bustling trade in human beings. We walk through the Piazza degli Schiavi, the square where captives from Ottoman raids and corsair voyages were auctioned off, and we meet the men who made it all possible — the carcerieri who ran the bagnio, and the captains who brought in their human cargo. We hear the story of a young girl sold for a few scudi, of a Muslim scholar who bought his freedom with a poem, and we trace the complex web of ransoms, conversions, and escapes that defined the lives of the enslaved. We also confront the uncomfortable reality that this system was not a sideshow but a central pillar of the island's economy, and we ask what it means for our understanding of the Knights' legacy. It's a sobering conversation, but an essential one for anyone who wants to see the fortress island in full.

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