List of Grand Masters of the Knights Hospitaller
Knights of Malta
Table:
Nr

Title

Picture

Name

Time in office

Notes

43/44

Magister

Philippe Villiers de L'Isle-Adam

1521–1534

Siege of Rhodes (1522), headquarters moved to Malta in 1530

44/45

Magister

Piero de Ponte

1534–1535

45/46

Magister

Didier de Saint-Jaille

1535–1536

46/47

Magister

Juan de Homedes y Coscon

1536–1553

Malta was attacked by an Ottoman fleet in 1551. The attack was repelled, but the Ottomans captured the island of Gozo, and later also the order's stronghold in Tripoli. De Homedes began a program improve the fortifications at Malta

47/48

Magister

Claude de la Sengle

1553–1557

Continued the improvement of fortifications, expanding Fort Saint Michael into a major bastion and completing Fort Saint Elmo.

48/49

Magister

Jean Parisot de Valette

1557–1568

Valette became the Order'smost illustrious leader, commanding the resistance against the Ottomans at the Great Siege of Malta in 1565.

49/50

Magister

Pierre de Monte

1568–1572

Continued the construction of the new capital Valletta. Strengthened the order's fleet, and participated in the Battle of Lepanto of 7 October 1571.

50/51

Magister

Jean de la Cassière

1572–1581

Crisis in the wake of the Protestant Reformation. Expulsion of the Order of Saint John (Bailiwick of Brandenburg) in 1581.

Lieutenant

Mathurin Romegas

1577–1581

Anti-Grand Master

Mathurin Romegas

1581

51/52

Magister

Hugues Loubenx de Verdalle

1581–1595

52/53

Magister

Martin Garzez

1595–1601

53/54

Magister

Alof de Wignacourt

1601–1622

Constructed the Wignacourt towers and the Wignacourt Aqueduct. Repelled the last serious Ottoman attempt at capturing Malta in 1614.

54/55

Magister

Luís Mendes de Vasconcellos

1622–1623

55/56

Magister Magnus

Antoine de Paule

1623–1636

56/57

Magister Magnus

Giovanni Paolo Lascaris

1636–1657

Caribbean possessions

57/58

Magister Magnus

Martin de Redin

1657–1660

58/59

Magister Magnus

Annet de Clermont-Gessant

1660

Died less than four months after his election, on 2 June 1660.

59/60

Magister Magnus

Raphael Cotoner

1660–1663

Commissioned the Italian Baroque artist Mattia Preti to start painting Saint John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta.

60/61

Magister Magnus

Nicolas Cotoner

1663–1680

Siege of Candia + Mattia Preti's work at St John's Co-Cathedral completed.

61/62

Magister Magnus

Gregorio Carafa

1680–1690

Renovation of Auberge d'Italie in the Baroque style, improvement of Fort Saint Angelo and Fort Saint Elmo. Ottoman attacks were still expected, but there were no longer any notable engagements.

62/63

Magister Magnus

Adrien de Wignacourt

1690–1697

Instituted a widows pension for the widows of those fallen in the Ottoman wars.

63/64

Magister Magnus

Ramon Perellos y Roccaful

1697–1720

Organised the Consulato del Mare (Consulate of the Sea). Established relations with imperial Russia. Fought corruption within the Order. Engagement against Ottoman pirates.

64/65

Magister Magnus

Marc'Antonio Zondadari

1720–1722

65/66

Magister Magnus

António Manoel de Vilhena

1722–1736

Restored the city Mdina, constructed Fort Manoel and significantly improved the fortifications of Malta in general. Built Casa Leoni and Palazzo Parisio, and renovated Verdala Palace. Manoel Theatre (1731). Conducted peace negotiations with the Ottomans, without result. Declared neutrality in the War of the Polish Succession.

66/67

Magister Magnus

Ramon Despuig

1736–1741

Improved the fortifications of Mdina, modernised legislation, renovated the Co-Cathedral of St. John. Naval engagements with Ottoman Algeria.

67/68

Magister Magnus

Manuel Pinto da Fonseca

1741–1773

Expelled the Jesuits from Malta. In 1753 proclaimed the sovereignty of the Order on Malta and a dispute started with the Kingdom of Sicily under King Charles V. Normal relations were resumed the next year, with the Order retaining de facto control over Malta as a sovereign state.[8]

68/69

Magister Magnus

Francisco Ximenes de Texada

1773–1775

Rising of the Priests (1775), bankruptcy of the order.

69/70

Magister Magnus

Emmanuel de Rohan-Polduc

1775–1797

Instituted the Anglo-Bavarian langue and the Russian Grand Priory.

70/71

Magister Magnus

Ferdinand von Hompesch
zu Bolheim

1797–1799

First German elected to the Office. Abdicated 6 July 1799 following the French invasion of Malta.

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