Żejtun Batteries

Artillery batteries in Malta

Żejtun Batteries

Batteriji taż-Żejtun

Part of the French blockade batteries
Żejtun, Malta

A cannon used by one of the batteries

Coordinates| 35°51′18.6″N 14°32′00.0″E﻿ / ﻿35.855167°N 14.533333°E﻿ / 35.855167; 14.533333
Type| Artillery batteries
Site history
Built| c. 1798
Built by| Maltese insurgents
In use| c. 1798–1800
Materials| Limestone
Fate| Demolished
Battles/wars| Siege of Malta (1798–1800)

The Żejtun Batteries (Maltese: Batteriji taż-Żejtun) were a series of artillery batteries in Żejtun, Malta, built by Maltese insurgents during the French blockade of 1798–1800. They were part of a chain of batteries, redoubts and entrenchments encircling the French positions in Marsamxett and the Grand Harbour.[1]

At least six small batteries were built:

* Della Croce Battery: This was located close to the parish church.
* Tal-Caspio Batteries: These were two batteries located close to St. Clement's Church. They were armed with two 8-pounder cannon.
* Tal-Fax Batteries: These were three batteries located close to St. Gregory's Church. They guarded the road to Marsaskala.

The architect Michele Cachia had a leading role in the construction of the batteries.

The Żejtun Batteries, like the other French blockade fortifications, were probably demolished soon after the end of the blockade. No traces of any of the batteries has survived.[2] However, a cannon used in one of the batteries still survives and is now found on the side of the Parish Church of the city, next to the Olive Tree Millennium Monument.[3]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "French Batteries" (PDF). wirtizzejtunartikli.files.wordpress.com. Retrieved 17 Dec 2022.
2. ^ Spiteri, Stephen C. (May 2008). "Maltese 'siege' batteries of the blockade 1798–1800" (PDF). Arx – Online Journal of Military Architecture and Fortification (6): 29–30. Retrieved 30 March 2015.29-30&rft.date=2008-05&rft.aulast=Spiteri&rft.aufirst=Stephen+C.&rft_id=http://www.militaryarchitecture.com/images/stories/Arx/arx6-2008.pdf&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Żejtun+Batteries" class="Z3988">
3. ^ "The Millennium Monument - The Olive Tree". Zejtun Local Council. Retrieved 8 June 2016.

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Batteries in Malta

Sovereign Military
Order of Malta|

* Aħrax Tower & Battery
* Arrias Battery
* Balbani Battery^
* Buġibba Battery^
* De Guiral Battery
* Delimara Tower & Battery^
* Dellia Battery^
* Elminiech Battery^
* Fedeau Battery^
* Ferretti Battery
* Għallis Battery^
* Lembi Battery^
* Low Battery
* Maħsel Battery^
* Mistra Battery
* Orsi Battery^
* Pinto Battery
* Qalet Marku Battery^
* Qawra Tower & Battery
* Qolla l-Bajda Battery
* Ramla Left Battery^
* Ramla Right Battery^
* Riħama Battery
* St. Anthony's Battery
* St. Julian's Tower & Battery
* St. Lucian Tower & Battery^
* St. Mary's Battery (Comino)
* St. Mary's Battery (Marsalforn)^
* St. Thomas Tower & Battery
* Saluting Battery
* Tombrell Battery^
* Vendôme Battery
* Westreme Battery
* Wied Musa Battery
* Wignacourt Tower & Battery
* Wilġa Battery

National Congress
Battalions|

* Capuchin Convent Battery^
* Corradino Batteries^
* Għargħar Battery^
* Jesuit Hill Battery^
* Marsa Battery^
* St. Peter's Battery^
* San Rocco Battery^
* Sliema Batteries^
* Ta' Għemmuna Battery^
* Tal-Borg Battery^
* Tas-Samra Battery^
* Żabbar Batteries^
* Żejtun Batteries^

British Empire|

* Cambridge Battery
* Della Grazie Battery
* Garden Battery
* Lascaris Battery
* Night Practice Battery^
* Pembroke Battery^
* Rinella Battery
* San Giovanni Battery
* St. Paul's Battery
* Sliema Point Battery
* Spinola Battery^
* Tarġa Battery
* Wardija Battery
* Wolseley Battery
* Żonqor Battery

^ Demolished/ruins

* v
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French occupation of Malta

Background|

* French Revolution
* Decline of the Order of St John
* Mediterranean campaign of 1798
* French invasion of Malta

Occupation|

* Reforms
* Commission of Government
* Journal de Malte

Siege of Malta|

* National Congress Battalions
* Battle of the Malta Convoy
* Action of 31 March 1800
* La Nazione Gozitana

Fortifications|

| French|

* Valletta (Saluting Battery)
* Floriana Lines (Porte des Bombes)
* Cottonera Lines
* Fort Manoel
* Fort Ricasoli
* Fort Tigné

|

Maltese
& British|

* Capuchin Convent Battery
* Corradino Batteries
* Għargħar Battery
* Jesuit Hill Battery
* Marsa Battery
* Mdina
* Saint Julian's Tower and Battery
* Saint Lucian Entrenchment and Redoubt
* Saint Peter's Battery
* San Rocco Battery
* San Rocco Redoubt
* Sliema Batteries
* Ta' Għemmuna Battery
* Tal-Borg Battery
* Tas-Samra Battery
* Windmill Redoubt
* Żabbar Batteries and Redoubt
* Żejtun Batteries

Notable figures|

| French|

* Napoleon
* Claude-Henri Belgrand de Vaubois
* Michel-Louis-Étienne Regnaud
* Jean de Bosredon de Ransijat
* Sylvain de Bosredon
* Louis Masson

|

Maltese|

* Emmanuele Vitale
* Francesco Saverio Caruana
* Vincenzo Borg
* Dun Mikiel Xerri
* Saverio Cassar

British|

* Horatio Nelson
* Alexander Ball
* Thomas Graham
* Henry Pigot
* Thomas Troubridge
* George Martin

Aftermath|

* Malta Protectorate
* Treaty of Paris

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