Oliver Starkey
Encyclopedia
Sir Oliver Starkey was an English knight
who lived in the 16th century. He was the only English knight present at the siege of Malta
, and is the only knight to be buried in the crypt
of St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valetta who was not a Grand Master
of the Knights Hospitaller
.
Oliver Starkey's parentage and date of birth are uncertain. Although there are other possibilities the strongest evidence is that he was the illegitimate son of Hugh Starkey of the township of Oulton Lowe in the ancient Cheshire parish
of Over and that he was born in the 1520s. Hugh Starkey had fought at the battle of Flodden
and subsequently had connections with the court of Henry VIII
.
In about 1550 Oliver Starkey was admitted to the Order of the Knights of Malta. In 1558 he was involved in the establishment of the English Langue
of the Order and in November of that year was appointed as a joint proctor of the Langue. In 1560 he was elected to be Lieutenant Turcopolier
of the Order. The following year he was authorised to establish an English Auberge in Birgu
, and he lived in the house next door.
Starkey was involved in the siege of Malta which lasted from May to September 1565, and was the only English knight to have played a part in it. As Lieutenant Turcopolier he was responsible for a section of the coastal defences around Birgu. At the same time he was Latin Secretary to the contemporary Grand Master, Jean Parisot de la Valette
. Valette died in 1568 and ten years later his remains were moved to a tomb in the crypt of the newly completed co-cathedral of St John. Starkey composed the Latin
inscription on his tomb. In 1569 he was appointed Bailiff of Eagle, the fourth highest dignity in the English Langue and in 1578 he was made Grand Prior of the Order of St. John in England. He continued to carry out further duties for the Order, serving under a total of four Grand Masters, until he died in the spring of 1588.
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
who lived in the 16th century. He was the only English knight present at the siege of Malta
Siege of Malta (1565)
The Siege of Malta took place in 1565 when the Ottoman Empire invaded the island, then held by the Knights Hospitaller .The Knights, together with between 4-5,000 Maltese men,...
, and is the only knight to be buried in the crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
of St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valetta who was not a Grand Master
Grand Master (order)
Grand Master is the typical title of the supreme head of various orders of knighthood, including various military orders, religious orders and civil orders such as the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Orange Order...
of the Knights Hospitaller
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
.
Oliver Starkey's parentage and date of birth are uncertain. Although there are other possibilities the strongest evidence is that he was the illegitimate son of Hugh Starkey of the township of Oulton Lowe in the ancient Cheshire parish
Ancient parishes of Cheshire
The Ancient Parishes of Cheshire refers to the group of parishes that existed in Cheshire, roughly within the period of 1200–1800. Initially, the ancient parishes had only an ecclesiastical function, but reforms initiated by King Henry VIII, developed by Queen Elizabeth I and expanded by...
of Over and that he was born in the 1520s. Hugh Starkey had fought at the battle of Flodden
Battle of Flodden Field
The Battle of Flodden or Flodden Field or occasionally Battle of Branxton was fought in the county of Northumberland in northern England on 9 September 1513, between an invading Scots army under King James IV and an English army commanded by the Earl of Surrey...
and subsequently had connections with the court of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
.
In about 1550 Oliver Starkey was admitted to the Order of the Knights of Malta. In 1558 he was involved in the establishment of the English Langue
Tongue (Knights Hospitaller)
Tongues or langues were the geographic-cultural subgroupings of the members of the Knights of Rhodes/Maltese Knights from the 14th to the 18th century...
of the Order and in November of that year was appointed as a joint proctor of the Langue. In 1560 he was elected to be Lieutenant Turcopolier
Turcopole
In the Crusades, turcopoles, turcoples, turcopoli or turcopoliers were locally recruited mounted archers employed by the Christian states of the Eastern Mediterranean.-History:...
of the Order. The following year he was authorised to establish an English Auberge in Birgu
Birgu
Birgu is an ancient city in Malta. It played a vital role in the Siege of Malta in 1565. Its population stood at 2,633 in December 2008.-History:...
, and he lived in the house next door.
Starkey was involved in the siege of Malta which lasted from May to September 1565, and was the only English knight to have played a part in it. As Lieutenant Turcopolier he was responsible for a section of the coastal defences around Birgu. At the same time he was Latin Secretary to the contemporary Grand Master, Jean Parisot de la Valette
Jean Parisot de la Valette
Fra' Jean Parisot de Valette was a French nobleman and 49th Grand Master of the Order of Malta, from 1557 to 1568. He succeeded La Vallette as grandmaster and continued the construction of Valletta...
. Valette died in 1568 and ten years later his remains were moved to a tomb in the crypt of the newly completed co-cathedral of St John. Starkey composed the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
inscription on his tomb. In 1569 he was appointed Bailiff of Eagle, the fourth highest dignity in the English Langue and in 1578 he was made Grand Prior of the Order of St. John in England. He continued to carry out further duties for the Order, serving under a total of four Grand Masters, until he died in the spring of 1588.