Set the scene.
Known as la Senese because of her connection with Siena, Scappi financed Malta’s first hospital exclusively for women. Its small scale gave it the name ospedaletto.
Here’s the twist.
Her early life remains poorly documented. Historians cannot confidently fill every gap about when or why she reached Malta: missing evidence is part of the story.
Why it still matters.
Her tomb slab in Valletta’s Carmelite church was preserved when the old church was demolished in 1958. A surviving stone keeps a benefactor’s name visible.
🧠 One to think about +
What does this story change about the way you see Malta today? Pick one detail you’d tell a friend — then check its source below.