First documentary evidence with regards to windmills in Malta refers indirectly to “Fundazione Lascaris” (1636-1657) which seems to have built five windmills including one in Gozo. The “Fundazione Cotoner” (1660-1680) and the “Fundazione Caraffa” (1680-1690) showed significant activity with the building on Malta of ten and six more windmills respectively.

The “Fundazione Perellos” (1697-1720) and the “Fundazione Manoel” (1722-1736) record the building of another two and six windmills respectively on Malta and one and three new ones in the sister islands of Gozo.

All those windmills belonging to the Order, which were the large majority, were usually let on a short lease. In 1798, Bonaparte came on his way to Egypt and expelled the Knights from Malta. The French remained until 1800 and were replaced by the British until Independence in 1964.

From the records of leases between 1808 and 1814, Twenty-six windmills on Malta and five others on Gozo were in working condition and leased out during this period. Almost all the windmills were built on the same plan. Their architecture combines the military preoccupation of the Knights with an efficient use of the wind where they were located. Grandmaster Carafa (-1680 – 1690) built the Santa Katerina windmill at the outskirts of Qrendi.