 It seems that at around 1221 he may have lost the fief due to dispute with the crown although whether he regained it or not is not known.Afterwards the title and fief were regained by his son Niccolò de Malta in 1232.Throughout the period during which he uses the title (1232–1266) though there seems to be present in Malta a number of royal governors including Paulino de Malta (1239–1240) and Gililberto Abbate (1240-?)