Maltese Patriot. Żebbuġ born Dun Mikiel Xerri studied at different universities in Europe, including those of Naples and Montepellier. Professor of philosophy at the seminary and of mathematics at the University of Malta, Dun Mikiel was hailed as one of the foremost academics of his times. In June 1798, French forces led by Napoleon Bonaparte took over the islands of Malta from the increasingly oppressive rule of the Knights of Saint John. Initially, the populace accepted the change, believing in the possibility of having better governance, however, in the months that followed months, the French dissolved the Maltese nobility and strongly restricted the ecclesiastical authority, which was also stripped of its treasures. After three months of French rule, the Maltese, no longer willing to tolerate Napoleon's tyranny, started to resist the French occupation. On September 2, 1798, the Maltese rose against the French garrison in Città Notabile. Soon both islands were in a state of full rebellion and the Maltese formed a National Assembly. The French forces retreated in the fortified cities around the harbour, while the Maltese petitioned for help from the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and Great Britain. During the cities' blockade, hundreds of people were dying from starvation and deprivation, including many of the French Troops. Elements from within the fortress hence decided to risk their life in order to resolve the situation, and these were led by Xerri, who was convinced that a revolt was the only way to regain the people's rights. The Maltese planned an attack against the French forces in Valletta and in Cottonera, but the French discovered by chance the plot. Among the forty nine persons captured in the ensuing investigation, were Dun Mikiel Xerri and among others, Guliermo Lorenzi, Reverend Miju Zarb, and Mattew Pulis. In the morning of January 17, 1799, the Bishop of Malta, Msgr. Vincenzo Labini visited Xerri and his companions in Saint Elmo's Fort and blessed them. The prisoners were taken from Fort Saint Elmo to Freedom Square, where a platoon of soldiers was already waiting for them. On their way to the Square, Dun Mikiel encouraged his companions, and when they arrived in the square, he demanded a few minutes to talk to them. After they fortified themselves with prayers, and asking for remission of their sins, Xerri gave a silver watch to the official on duty and asked him to shoot him in the heart. Then he turned on the crowd in the Square, and with the others he shouted: "May God have pity on us! Viva Malta!" They were then shot in the Square, but they were then taken to the chapel of Saint Rocco, where they were finished off. Buried in the public cemetery adjacent to the crypt of Saint Publius's church in Floriana, the exact location of his vault is been since lost as the crypt suffered considerable damages during the Second World War and due to a fire in the 1970's. A monument in their memory was erected in Valletta in 1986.