Henry, Count of Malta

Henry, Count of Malta was a Genoese Lord of Candia ( at birth count Enrico de Candia in the Canavese, Piedmont), adventurer, privateer and pirate active in the Mediterranean at the beginning of the thirteenth century. He is known as Enrico or Henrico Pescatore (Pescatore, 'fisherman' in Italian, being a nickname), or Pistore of the House of Candia.

The title Count of Malta was created by Tancred of Sicily some years before, for Margaritus of Brindisi and then was taken over by Emperor Henry VI, Tancred's opponent in Southern Italy and Sicily. Henry’s irregular acquisition of the title is attributed to his relationship as son-in-law to the previous holder, Guglielmo Grasso, Henry VI's and then Emperor Frederick II’s admiral, around 1204.

He took control of large parts of Crete from 1206 [ [http://www.sfakia-crete.com/sfakia-crete/historyb.html] , [http://assets.cambridge.org/97805217/82357/sample/9780521782357ws.pdf PDF] , p.12.] , but was pushed out a few years later by the Venetians [ [http://www.veneto.org/history/serenissima2.htm Veneto.Org ] ] . The Genoese held onto Chania.

He was employed with imperial galleys in the Eastern Mediterranean, in particular in 1225 transporting Yolande of Jerusalem to marry the Emperor Frederick. [ [http://www.the-orb.net/textbooks/crusade/jerusalem.html ORB: The Online Reference Book for Medieval Studies ] ]

References

*David Abulafia, "Henry count of Malta and his Mediterranean activities : 1203-1230", in "Italy, Sicily and the Mediterranean, 1100-1400" (1987)

Notes