The Heiress of Bahria — John Cilia La Corte

The central theme of the play is based on a true episode in the life of Contessina Maria Teresa Muscati Falsoni Navarra, heiress of the first Count of Bahria. The action takes place in the 18th century on three islands: Malta, Sicily and Corfu, at a time when the Order of St John held sway in Malta and the Ottoman Empire controlled most of the Balkan Peninsula. It revolves around the effect a Chaplain of the Order of St John has on the young heroine after he enters her life. A love story in which the protagonists are brutally separated, the plot follows the events of their lives and moves from the romantic surroundings of the family home in Notabile (Mdina) to adventures on the high seas, from Barbary pirates to Grandmasters, with scenes of love and tenderness contrasting with others of slavery and fiendish cruelty. The work is illustrated by the author and includes genealogical tables.