List of grand masters of the Knights Hospitaller


This is a list of grand masters of the Knights Hospitaller, including its continuation as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta after 1798. It also includes unrecognized "anti-grand masters" and lieutenants or stewards during vacancies.
In lists of the heads of the Order, the title "grand master" is often applied retrospectively to the early heads of the Order. The medieval heads of the Order used the title of custos of the hospital. The title magister is used on coins minted in Rhodes, beginning with Foulques de Villaret. The first to use the title grandis magister was Jean de Lastic. Later grand masters in Rhodes used magnus magister.
In 1607 Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II created the grand master a prince of the Holy Roman Empire. This grant was renewed by Emperor Ferdinand II on July 16, 1620. On March 20, 1607, Pope Paul V granted the grand master the style of His Eminence and precedence at the Court of Rome immediately after the cardinals.
In 1880 the title of Fürst was recognised in Austria by the Emperor Franz Joseph I.
On February 2, 1929, the title of principe and the style of Altezza Eminentissima were recognised in Italy by King Victor Emmanuel III.
The style currently used by the grand master is:
Numbered lists of the heads of the Order were published beginning in the early 17th century, with updated editions appearing throughout the 18th century. The numbering of masters and grand masters published in the 1719 Statutes of the Order lists Blessed Gerard as founder without number, Raymond du Puy as 1st Master, and Ramón Perellós as 63rd grand master. The numbering currently used by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta lists Blessed Gerard as 1st master, Raymond du Puy as 2nd master, Ramón Perellós y Rocafull as 64th grand master, and Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto as 80th grand master.

Knights Hospitaller (1099–1310)

TitleNameTenureNotes
1Founder and Rector of the HospitalBlessed Gerard1099/1113–1118/20Order established in 1099 and given papal recognition by Paschal II in his bull Pie postulatio voluntatis in 1113
2GuardianRaymond du Puy1118/20–1158/60Succeeded Gerard after Pierre de Barcelona and Boyant Roger served in ad interim capacity. Began the use of the Hospitallers as a military force in the Holy Land and codified rules of conduct for the Order. Introduced the Order's Great Seal.
3GuardianAuger de Balben1158/60–1162/63
4GuardianArnaud de Compsc. 1162–1163Historicity uncertain. Arnaud de Comps is today considered by some as a master who never existed, his name having appeared in the chronological lists placed at the top of the statutes, but his rank is still maintained in the lists of the grand masters.
5GuardianGilbert of Assailly1163–1169Supported Amalric of Jerusalem in the Crusader invasions of Egypt
6GuardianGastone de Murolsc. 1170–1172
7GuardianJobert of Syriac. 1172–1177Acted as regent for king Amalric of Jerusalem in 1172. In 1174, opposed Miles of Plancy in favour of Raymond III of Tripoli.
8GuardianRoger de Moulins1177–1187Killed at the Battle of Cresson. Commander William Borrel was appointed grand master ad interim, and he was killed at the Battle of Hattin, 3 months later.
9ProvisorArmengol de Aspa1187–1190Grand master ad interim during the loss of Jerusalem in 1187, headquarters moved to Acre. Included in the canonical list of grand masters compiled in the early modern period. After the capture of Acre and the consolidation of the order, Armengol abdicated, and Garnier de Nablus elected as grand master.
10GuardianGarnier de Nablus1190–1192Supported Richard I of England in the Third Crusade.
11GuardianGeoffroy de Donjon1193–1202After his death, succeeded by Pierre de Mirmande as grand master ad interim.
12GuardianAfonso de Portugal1202–1206Resigned in 1206
13GuardianGeoffroy le Rat1206–1207First structured the Order by nationality, or Langues.
14GuardianGuérin de Montaigu1207–1228Fifth Crusade.
15GuardianBertrand de Thessy1228–1231Sixth Crusade.
16GuardianGuérin Lebrun1231–1236Conflict with Bohemond IV of Antioch.
17GuardianBertrand de Comps1236–1240Barons' Crusade, Headquarters moved to Jerusalem.
18GuardianPierre de Vieille-Brioude1240–1242Battle of Gaza, conflict with the Templars.
19GuardianGuillaume de Chateauneuf1242–1258Fall of Jerusalem in 1244, headquarters at Acre, Krak des Chevaliers and Margat. Captured at La Forbie in 1244. Jean de Ronay served as grand master ad interim, dying in 1250 at Mansurah. De Chateauneuf was released by the Ayyubids on 17 October 1250.
20GuardianHugues de Revel1258–1277Loss of Krak des Chevaliers in 1271
21GuardianNicolas Lorgne1277–1285Loss of Margat in 1285. Upon his death, Grand Commander Jacques de Taxi served as grand master ad interim until his successor Jean de Villiers arrived in the Holy Land.
22GuardianJean de Villiers1285–1294Siege of Acre.
23GuardianOdon de Pins1294–1296Headquarters moved to Limisso, Cyprus.
24GuardianGuillaume de Villaret1296–1305
25GuardianFoulques de Villaret1305–1310Nephew of Guillaume de Villaret. Headquarters moved to Rhodes in 1310.

Knights of Rhodes (1310–1530)

TitlePictureNameTenureNotes
25MasterFoulques de Villaret1310–1319Headquarters moved from Cyprus. Resigned at request of Pope John XXII in 1319. Died 1327.
Anti-MasterMaurice de Pagnac1317–1319
26MasterHélion de Villeneuve1319–1346
27MasterDieudonné de Gozon1346–1353
28MasterPierre de Corneillan1353–1355
29MasterRoger de Pins1355–1365
30MasterRaymond Berengar1365–1374
31MasterRobert de Juilly 1374–1376
32MasterJuan Fernández de Heredia1376–1396Appointed by Pope Gregory XI. Later supported Antipope Clement VII. Deposed by Pope Urban VI in 1382. Continued as Anti-Master at Rhodes until his death.
33MasterRiccardo Caracciolo1383–1395Appointed by Pope Urban VI in 1382.
34MasterPhilibert de Naillac1396–1421
35MasterAnton Flavian de Ripa1421–1437
36Grand MasterJean de Lastic1437–1454Siege of Rhodes (1444); first use of the title "Grand Master".
37Grand MasterJacques de Milly1454–1461
38Grand MasterPiero Raimondo Zacosta1461–1467
39Grand MasterGiovanni Battista Orsini1467–1476
40Grand MasterPierre d'Aubusson1476–1503Siege of Rhodes (1480)
41Grand MasterEmery d'Amboise1503–1512
42Grand MasterGuy de Blanchefort1512–1513
43Grand MasterFabrizio del Carretto1513–1521
44Grand MasterPhilippe Villiers de L'Isle-Adam1521–1530Siege of Rhodes (1522); headquarters moved to Malta in 1530.

Knights of Malta (1530–1799)

TitlePictureNameTenureNotes
44Grand MasterPhilippe Villiers de L'Isle-Adam1530–1534Headquarters moved from Rhodes in 1530.
45Grand MasterPiero de Ponte1534–1535
46Grand MasterDidier de Saint-Jaille1535–1536
47Grand MasterJuan de Homedes1536–1553Malta 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 to improve the fortifications at Malta.
48Grand MasterClaude de la Sengle1553–1557Continued the improvement of fortifications, expanding Fort Saint Michael into a major bastion and completing Fort Saint Elmo.
49Grand MasterJean Parisot de Valette1557–1568Valette became the Order's most illustrious leader, commanding the resistance against the Ottomans at the Great Siege of Malta in 1565.
50Grand MasterPierre de Monte1568–1572Continued the construction of the new capital Valletta. Strengthened the order's fleet, and participated in the Battle of Lepanto of 7 October 1571.
51Grand MasterJean de la Cassière1572–1581Crisis in the wake of the Protestant Reformation. Expulsion of the Order of Saint John (Bailiwick of Brandenburg) in 1581.
LieutenantMathurin Romegas1577–1581
Anti-Grand MasterMathurin Romegas1581
52Grand MasterHugues Loubenx de Verdalle1581–1595
53Grand MasterMartín Garzés1595–1601
54Prince and Grand MasterAlof de Wignacourt1601–1622Constructed the Wignacourt towers and the Wignacourt Aqueduct. Repelled the last serious Ottoman attempt at capturing Malta in 1614.
55Prince and Grand MasterLuís Mendes de Vasconcellos1622–1623
56Prince and Grand MasterAntoine de Paule1623–1636
57Prince and Grand MasterGiovanni Paolo Lascaris1636–1657Hospitaller colonization of the Americas.
58Prince and Grand MasterMartin de Redin1657–1660
59Prince and Grand MasterAnnet de Clermont-Gessant1660Died on 2 June 1660, less than four months after his election.
60Prince and Grand MasterRafael Cotoner1660–1663Commissioned the Italian Baroque artist Mattia Preti to start painting Saint John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta.
61Prince and Grand MasterNicolás Cotoner1663–1680Siege of Candia. Mattia Preti's work at St John's Co-Cathedral completed.
62Prince and Grand MasterGregorio Carafa1680–1690Renovation 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.
63Prince and Grand MasterAdrien de Wignacourt1690–1697Instituted a widows pension for the widows of those fallen in the Ottoman wars.
64Prince and Grand MasterRamon Perellós1697–1720Organised the Consulato del Mare. Established relations with imperial Russia. Fought corruption within the Order. Engagement against Ottoman pirates.
65Prince and Grand MasterMarc'Antonio Zondadari1720–1722
66Prince and Grand MasterAntónio Manoel de Vilhena1722–1736Restored 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. Conducted peace negotiations with the Ottomans, without result. Declared neutrality in the War of the Polish Succession.
67Prince and Grand MasterRamón Despuig1736–1741Improved the fortifications of Mdina, modernised legislation, renovated the Co-Cathedral of St. John. Naval engagements with Ottoman Algeria.
68Prince and Grand MasterManuel Pinto da Fonseca1741–1773Expelled the Jesuits from Malta. Proclaimed the sovereignty of the Order on Malta in 1753 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.
69Prince and Grand MasterFrancisco Ximénez de Tejada1773–1775Rising of the Priests ; bankruptcy of the order.
70Prince and Grand MasterEmmanuel de Rohan-Polduc1775–1797Instituted the Anglo-Bavarian langue and the Russian Grand Priory.
71Prince and Grand MasterFerdinand von Hompesch
zu Bolheim		1797–1799First German elected to the office. Abdicated on 6 July 1799 following the French invasion of Malta.

Sovereign Military Order of Malta (since 1798)

TitlePictureNameTenureNotes
72Grand Master de factoPaul I of Russia1798–1801Elected by the Priory of St. Petersburg in September 1798. Election not confirmed by Pope Pius VII.
Lieutenant de factoNikolai Saltykov1801–1803De facto Lieutenant in Saint Petersburg.
73Prince and Grand MasterGiovanni Battista Tommasi1803–1805Appointed by Pope Pius VII. Residence in Messina and Catania.
LieutenantInnico Maria Guevara-Suardo1805–1814Headquarters in Catania.
LieutenantAndrea Di Giovanni y Centellés1814–1821Headquarters in Catania.
LieutenantAntoine Busca1821–1834Headquarters in Ferrara.
LieutenantCarlo Candida1834–1845Headquarters moved to Palazzo Malta, Rome.
LieutenantFilippo di Colloredo-Mels1845–1864
LieutenantAlessandro Borgia1865–1871
LieutenantGiovanni Battista Ceschi a Santa Croce1871–1879
74Prince and Grand MasterGiovanni Battista Ceschi a Santa Croce1879–1905Restoration of the office of Grand Master after a 75-year interregnum, confirmed by Pope Leo XIII.
75Prince and Grand MasterGaleas von Thun und Hohenstein1905–1931
76Prince and Grand MasterLudovico Chigi Albani della Rovere1931–1951
LieutenantAntonio Hercolani Fava Simonetti1951–1955
LieutenantErnesto Paternò Castello di Carcaci1955–1962Constitutional Charter approved by Apostolic Letter of Pope John XXIII, June 24, 1961.
77Prince and Grand MasterAngelo de Mojana di Cologna1962–1988
Lieutenant ad interimJean Charles Pallavicini1988
78Prince and Grand MasterAndrew Bertie1988–2008Constitutional Charter and Code revised by the Extraordinary Chapter General 28-30 April 1997.
Lieutenant ad interimGiacomo dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto2008
79Prince and Grand MasterMatthew Festing2008–2017First Grand Master elected under the new constitution of 1997. Resigned in 2017.
Lieutenant ad interimLudwig Hoffmann-Rumerstein2017
Lieutenant of the Grand MasterGiacomo dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto2017–2018
80Prince and Grand MasterGiacomo dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto2018–2020
Lieutenant ad interimRuy Gonçalo do Valle Peixoto de Villas Boas2020
Lieutenant of the Grand MasterMarco Luzzago2020–2022
Lieutenant ad interimRuy Gonçalo do Valle Peixoto de Villas Boas2022
Lieutenant of the Grand MasterJohn T. Dunlap2022–2023
81Prince and Grand MasterJohn T. Dunlap2023–presentFirst Grand Master following the 2022 revision of the Order's constitution.