The Surrender of Malta to the French Republic 1798.
Source: Boisgelin, Louis De, Knight of Malta, ANCIENT AND MODERN MALTA, G & J Robinson, London, 1804, Volume 3, Book 3, pages 94 - 96

The Surrender of Malta to the French Republic by the Order of Malta.

ARTICLE I.- The knights of the order of St. John of Jerusalem shall give up the city and forts of Malta to the French army; at the same time renouncing in favour of the French republic all right of property and sovereignty over that island, together with: those of Goza .and Cumino.

ARTICLE II.- The French republic shall employ all its credit at the congress of Rastadt, to procure a principality for the: grand-master equivalent to the one he gives up ; and the said republic engages to pay him in the mean time an annual pension of three hundred thousand French livres, besides two annats of the pension by way of indemnification for his personals. He shall also be treated with the usual military honours during the whole of his stay in Malta.

ARTICLE III.- The-French knights. of the order of St. John of Jerusalem actually resident; in Malta, if acknowledged as such by the commander in chief, shall- be permitted to return to their own country;- and their residence in Malta shall be considered in the same light as if they inhabited France. The French republic w ill likewise use its influence with the Cisalpine, Ligurian, Roman, and Helvetian republics, that this third article may remain in force for the knights of those several nations.

ARTICLE IV.-The French republic shall make over an annual pension of seven hundred French livres to each knight now resident in Malta ; and one thousand livres to those whose ages exceed sixty years. It shall also endeavour to induce the Cisalpine, Ligurian, Roman, and Helvetian republics, to grant the same pension the knights of their respective countries.

ARTICLE V.-The French republic shall employ its credit with the different powers, that the knights of each nation may be allowed to exercise their right over the property of the order of Malta situated in their dominions.

ARTICLE VI: The knights shall not be deprived of their private property either in Malta or in Goza.

ARTICLE VII.-The inhabitants of the islands of Malta and Goza shall be allowed, the same as before, the free exercise of the Catholic, Apostolic, and Roman religion : their privileges and property shall likewise remain inviolate, and they shall not be subject to any extraordinary taxes.

ARTICLE VIII:-All civil acts passed during the government of the order, shall still remain valid.

Done and concluded on board the Orient
off Malta; on the 24th Prairial, the
6th year of the French republic ( 12th
June, 1798).

The commander Bosredon de Ransijat (who had
forsaken the order).
The bailiff Marie Testa Ferrata,   )
Doctor Jear Nies Muscat,           )
Doctor Benoit Schembri,             } all Maltese.
Counsellor Bonani.                      )  
The bailiff de Turin Frisani, without prejudice to
the right of dominion which belongs to my
sovereign the king of the Two Sicilies.
Chev . Philippe Amat, the Spanish chargé-d'affaires.

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