Betrayal and Vengeance: The Slaves’ Conspiracy of 1749 in 19 historical drawings

Join Heritage Malta in commemorating the 275th anniversary of the failed slaves’ conspiracy revolt of 1749 with the exhibition ‘Betrayal and Vengeance: The Slaves’ Conspiracy of 1749 in 19 Historical Drawings’. The exhibition will be held at the Inquisitor’s Palace and National Museum of Ethnography in Birgu, from the 20th of September 2024 until the 31st of March 2025.

The exhibition analyses one of the most intriguing and tumultuous periods in Maltese history, through more than 58 news sheets exchanged between the Inquisitor and Apostolic Delegate Paolo Passionei and the Vatican between 1748 and 1751.

It features a collection of 19 contemporary drawings, each vividly depicting the intense and often brutal aftermath of the conspiracy. These rare illustrations, recently restored by Heritage Malta, serve as the centrepiece of a narrative that delves deep into the political, social, and cultural dynamics of 18th-century Malta.

Visitors to the exhibition will explore the dramatic events that were set in motion with the arrival of the mutinied Ottoman galley named ‘Lupa of Rhodes’ into the Grand Harbour on February 2nd, 1748. The exhibition delves into how the subsequent attempts at escape and revenge of the galley’s owner, Mustafà, the high-ranking Pasha of Rhodes, could have dramatically altered the trajectory of Malta’s history.

The exhibition also offers insight into the broader themes of power, diplomacy, treason, and the complex relationships between the West and the East during this period. Historical documents, including contemporary reports, sermon sheets and more recent literature on the subject, will provide rich context and deepen visitors’ understanding of the era and the impact that this episode had on collective memory.

Entrance to the exhibition will be included in the Inquisitor’s Palace and the National Museum of Ethnography experience. Persons with impaired mobility may find access to the exhibition hall challenging, given the historic building’s structural limitations.