# The Maltese Corsairs: Privateers of the Mediterranean

An episode of [The Story of Malta: The Fortress Island of the Mediterranean — Fexingo History](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1895465859), 19 Jul 2026, 9:38.

Audio: https://audio.fexingo.com/history/the-story-of-malta/episode-0166.mp3

In this episode of The Story of Malta, Lucas and Luna explore the world of Maltese corsairs—privateers sanctioned by the Knights of St. John to raid Muslim shipping in the Mediterranean. They delve into the legal and moral framework of the corso, how it funded the island's defenses and built Valletta, and the lives of the men who captained these ships. The conversation touches on figures like Fra' Mathurin d'Aux de Lescout, the corsair who became a knight, and the controversial practice of enslaving captured crews. Lucas explains the intricate rules of the corsair license, the role of the Sacre Infermeria in treating wounded corsairs, and the fine line between piracy and legitimate warfare. The episode also highlights the economic impact of corso on Malta, including the bustling slave market at Piazza degli Schiavi. This is a nuanced look at how a small island nation thrived on the edge of empires by mastering the sea. #Corsairs #KnightsOfStJohn #Corso #Malta #Valletta #SacreInfermeria #PiazzaDegliSchiavi #FraMathurinDAuxDeLescout #Privateering #MediterraneanHistory #BarbaryCorsairs #OttomanEmpire #SlaveTrade #GrandHarbour #FexingoHistory #History #MaritimeHistory #IslandHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

## Transcript

Lucas: So we've talked a lot about the Knights as defenders of Christendom, as fortress builders, as slave masters even. But there's one aspect of Maltese life under the Order that we haven't really touched on, and it's absolutely central to how the island survived and even thrived: the corsairs.
Luna: Corsairs — you mean like pirates, but with a license?
Lucas: Exactly that. The Knights called it the corso — a system of state-sanctioned privateering. Any knight or even a Maltese captain could apply for a license from the Grand Master to arm a ship and go out and raid Muslim shipping. And I mean, this wasn't just tolerated — it was the economic engine of the island.
Lucas: Think about it: Malta has almost no natural resources. No timber, no minerals, not enough farmland. So how do you fund a massive fortification program, build a city like Valletta, maintain a fleet? You take it from the enemy. The corso was basically venture capitalism with a cross on it.
Luna: So it's like the Knights were running a pirate kingdom.
Lucas: In a way, yes, but they were very careful to distinguish themselves from outright pirates. The corso had strict rules. You could only attack ships belonging to the Ottoman Empire or the Barbary states — Muslim powers. Christian ships were off-limits. And you had to bring your prizes back to Malta to be judged by the Court of the Armament, which would decide if the capture was legal. If it was, the cargo was auctioned off, and the crew and the Order split the proceeds.
Luna: So there was a legal framework. But I imagine it got messy.
Lucas: Oh, constantly. There were disputes over whether a ship was truly Muslim-owned, or if it carried Christian cargo, or if the captain exceeded his license. And then there was the human cost. The crews of captured ships were enslaved. They'd be sold at the slave market in Valletta — the Piazza degli Schiavi, which we've mentioned before. Thousands of men, women, and children passed through that square.
Lucas: But the corso also created a class of wealthy Maltese captains. One of the most famous was Fra' Mathurin d'Aux de Lescout, a knight from the Auberge d'Auvergne. He started as a simple corsair captain and became so successful that he was eventually admitted into the Order — a rare honor for a commoner.
Luna: Wait — a corsair became a knight? That's like a pirate becoming a naval officer.
Lucas: Exactly. He was so effective at raiding Ottoman shipping that the Order basically said, 'You're one of us.' He captained the Order's own galleys later. And his success wasn't just about brute force — it was about intelligence. The corsairs had a network of spies in ports like Tripoli and Algiers, reporting on when rich ships were sailing.
Lucas: And the Sacre Infermeria — the great hospital in Valletta — wasn't just for knights. It also treated wounded corsairs. There are records of surgeons removing arrows and treating gangrene from battle wounds. The hospital was a direct beneficiary of corso profits.
Luna: So the whole island economy was built on this.
Lucas: Pretty much. The corso funded the construction of Valletta's fortifications, the upkeep of the fleet, even the lavish decorations of St. John's Co-Cathedral. In a way, every stone of Valletta is stained with the profits of plunder and slave labor. But it's also what kept Malta independent — without the corso, the island couldn't have afforded to defend itself.
Lucas: And it wasn't just knights. Maltese commoners could get licenses too. There's a famous case from the 17th century of a Maltese fisherman who captured a Turkish galley and became wealthy overnight. The Order encouraged this — it meant more ships raiding the enemy, and more money flowing into the treasury.
Luna: But what happened when the corso declined? I mean, by the 18th century, the Ottomans weren't as powerful at sea, and European powers started cracking down on privateering.
Lucas: That's a great question, and it's one of the reasons the Order's finances started to crumble. By the 1700s, the corso was less profitable. The Barbary states were still active, but the big Ottoman convoys were rarer. The Order tried to adapt — they even raided some Christian ships illegally, which caused scandals. But by the time Napoleon showed up in 1798, the corso was a shadow of its former self.
Lucas: And here's something that ties into our earlier episodes: the slave revolt of 1749 that we mentioned — that was partly about the corso. Some of the slaves were corsairs who had been captured themselves, and they plotted to take over the island. The corso created a volatile mix of wealth, violence, and enslaved people living right in the heart of Valletta.
Luna: It's like a whole ecosystem of raiding and slavery.
Lucas: Exactly. And it's one of those uncomfortable truths about Maltese history that the Knights — who were also hospitalers, remember — were simultaneously running a hospital and a slave market. But that's the reality of the Mediterranean in that era. Every major power did it — the Ottomans had their own corsairs, the Barbary states, even the Venetians. Malta just did it under a religious banner.
Luna: So the Maltese corsairs were basically the privateers of Christendom.
Lucas: That's a perfect way to put it. And they were feared. There are accounts from Ottoman sources of Maltese corsairs being particularly ruthless — they rarely took prisoners except for ransom, and they were known for their skill in boarding actions. The Maltese galleys were fast and maneuverable, and the crews were experienced.
Lucas: One of the most successful Maltese corsair captains was a man named Francesco de Rohan, but he wasn't a knight — he was a Maltese noble. He commanded a squadron of four galleys and in one campaign alone captured over 500 slaves. His name is still remembered in Maltese folklore.
Luna: And what about the Barbary corsairs? They were raiding Christian coasts too, right? It wasn't one-sided.
Lucas: Not at all. The Barbary corsairs from Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli were just as active. They raided the coasts of Sicily, Italy, and Spain, taking thousands of Christian slaves. The Knights saw themselves as the avengers — they'd go out and rescue Christian captives when they could. But in practice, it was a cycle of violence. Both sides were doing the same thing.
Lucas: And here's a detail I love: the Maltese corsairs sometimes used small, fast vessels called 'felucca' — lateen-rigged boats that could sail close to the wind. They'd lie in wait near shipping lanes, often at night, and board unsuspecting merchant ships. It was a dangerous life — many corsairs died in battle or were captured and enslaved themselves.
Luna: So the corso was both a lifeline and a curse for Malta.
Lucas: Absolutely. It brought wealth and independence, but it also made Malta a target. The Ottomans tried to invade in 1565 partly because of the corso — they saw Malta as a nest of pirates. And after the Great Siege, the corso only intensified. The Knights were even more emboldened.
Lucas: You know, this conversation reminds me — and this is a quick honest thing — a handful of listeners chip in monthly through buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo, and that's literally what funds making episodes like this. No ads, no sponsors, just people who care about history. It's a small group, but it keeps us going.
Luna: Yeah, and we really appreciate that. It means we can dig into these niche topics without worrying about commercial breaks.
Lucas: Exactly. So anyway — back to the corsairs. One of the most interesting aspects is how the corso shaped Maltese identity. The Maltese language absorbed words from Arabic, Italian, and Turkish — many related to seafaring and trade. Words like 'xini' for ship, 'kaptan' for captain — they all come from this maritime world.
Luna: So the language itself is a record of that history.
Lucas: Exactly. And the corsair tradition lasted well into the 18th century. The last major Maltese corsair expedition was in the 1790s, just before the French occupation. After that, Malta became a British colony, and the British cracked down on privateering. The corso faded into history.
Lucas: But its legacy is everywhere in Valletta. The Auberge de Castille, which we've talked about, was built with corso money. The Sacre Infermeria treated corsair wounds. The slave market square is now a parking lot, but the name — Piazza degli Schiavi — still echoes. The corso is a thread that ties together so many of the stories we've told.
Luna: It really does. And it's one of those things that makes Maltese history so unique — this tiny island running a globalized enterprise of raiding and trade.
Lucas: Yeah. And next time you look at the fortifications of Valletta, remember that they were paid for by the spoils of the sea. It's a complicated legacy, but it's authentically Maltese.

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