Marlowe's portrayal of Malta in his play The Jew of Malta departs from the traditional view of the island held by Elizabethan readers and theatergoers. While most writings on Malta at the time emphasized Christian partisanship against the Ottoman threat, Marlowe presents a heterodox representation of the island and its rulers, the Knights of Malta. This article suggests that Marlowe may have drawn inspiration from two works by Celio Secondo Curione, an Italian humanist and Protestant reformer. Curione's Pasquillus ecstaticus (1544) and De Bello Melitensi a turcis gesto historia nova (1567) both criticize Catholic institutions, including the Knights of Malta. Curione's works present a contrarian view of Malta, which aligns with Marlowe's portrayal. The article argues that Marlowe could have found in Curione's writings a rare dissenting perspective on Malta that influenced his own depiction of the island. This alternative view of Malta challenges the prevailing Christian narrative and offers a more critical interpretation of the Knights of Malta.