The Barony of Ghariexem e Tabia is one of the oldest titles of Maltese nobility. The current grant dates from 1638 when the Grand Master of Malta, Jean Paul Lascaris de Castellar, created Gincinto Cassia a Baron over Ghariexem e Tabia, a fief which his father Gio Mario Cassia had bought in 1568 from the Inguanez family. The Inguanez family had held the fief and used the title earlier, and it was among the fiefs that Antonio Inguanez inherited in 1442.
The earliest record of the Cassia family is from 1481, and the family claimed descent from the d'Aragona's, who were Kings of Sicily and Aragon. Gincinto Cassia's wife was Baroness of Castel Cicciano, a fief in Naples, and the Cassia family held both titles until 1686, when the third Baron Gharliexem died without sons. His eldest daughter inherited the title of Baroness of Castel Cicciano, and it passed into the Testaferrata family. The younger daughter, Domenica Cassia, became the 4th Baroness Ghariexem, with the title passing into the family of Xara Cassia.
The Xara Cassia male line ended again in 1794 when Stanislao Xara Cassia, the 6th Baron Ghariexem e Tabia and Secreto to Grand Master de Rohan, died without children. His sister's eldest daughter, Chiara Bonici-Platamone-Cassia, then became the 7th Baroness di Ghariexem. In 1777, she had married Gio Francesco Sant, the second Count Sant, and the two titles were united in the Sant Cassia family, remaining so down to the present day. For further history of the line, see the Sant Cassia article.
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(Text originally based on that of a website by Charles Said Vassallo, by permission.)
