Order of Malta: Grand Masters and Locum Tenentes: 1530-1601The beginning of each term of office corresponds to the date when the Grand Master took the oath of office following his election. During the interregna, a Locumtenens vacantis Magistratus exercised the functions of Grand Master. The title of the Grand Master in full: Dei Gratia Sacrae Domus Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani et militaris Ordinis Sancti Sepulchri Dominici Magister humilis pauperumque Iesu Christi custos. The phrase et militaris Ordinis Sancti Sepulchri Dominici ceased to be effective 4 Nov 1497, but was not deleted. |
|
| Magnus Magister | |
| 13 Nov 1530 - 21 Aug 1534 | Philippe de Villiers, s. de l'Isle-Adam
election: 22 Jan 1521 (in Rhodes); landed in Malta (near the present city of Birgu): 26 Oct 1530; ceremony of enfeoffment of Malta (outside Mdina, also known as Città Notabile): 13 Nov 1530; end of tenure: 21 Aug 1534 (died) |
| Locumtenens vacantis Magistratus | |
| 24 Aug 1534 - 26 Aug 1534 | Giovanni de Boniface
election: 24 Aug 1534; end of tenure: 26 Aug 1534 (election of Grand Master del Ponte) |
| Locumtenens absentis Magni Magistri | |
| 27 Aug 1534 - 10 Nov 1534 | Giovanni de Boniface
election: 27 Aug 1534 (acting for the absent Grand Master del Ponte); end of tenure: 10 Nov 1534 (arrival and swearing-in of Grand Master del Ponte) |
| Magnus Magister | |
| 10 Nov 1534 - 17 Nov 1535 | Pierino di Antonio Giovanni del Ponte
election: 26 Aug 1534 (in absentia); arrival and swearing-in: 10 Nov 1534; end of tenure: 17 Nov 1535 (died) |
| Locumtenens vacantis Magistratus | |
| 19 Nov 1535 - 22 Nov 1535 | Jacques de Pelloquin
election: 19 Nov 1535; end of tenure: 22 Nov 1535 (election of Grand Master de Saint-Jaille) |
| Locumtenens absentis Magni Magistri | |
| 23 Nov 1535 - 21 Jan 1538 | Jacques de Pelloquin
[1]
election: 23 Nov 1535 (acting for the absent Grand Masters de Saint-Jaille and de Omedes); end of tenure: 21 Jan 1538 (arrival and swearing-in of Grand Master de Omedes) |
| Magnus Magister | |
| 21 Jan 1538 - 6 Sep 1553 | Johan de Omedes i Coscón
election: 20 Oct 1536 (in absentia); arrival and swearing-in: 21 Jan 1538; end of tenure: 6 Sep 1553 (died) |
| Locumtenens vacantis Magistratus | |
| 9? Sep 1553 - 11 Sep 1553 | Claudi (Claude) de Gruel de la Bourelh |
| election: 9? Sep 1553; end of tenure: 11 Sep 1553 (election of Grand Master de La Sengle) | |
| Locumtenens absentis Magni Magistri | |
| 12 Sep 1553 - 1 Jan 1554 | Claudi (Claude) de Gruel de la Bourelh
election: 12 Sep 1553; end of tenure: 2 Jan 1554 (arrival and swearing-in of Grand Master de la Sengle) |
| Magnus Magister | |
| 2 Jan 1554 - 18 Aug 1557 | Claude de la Sengle
election: 11 Sep 1553 (in absentia); arrival: 1 Jan 1554; swearing-in: 2 Jan 1554; end of tenure: 18 Aug 1557 (died) |
| Locumtenens vacantis Magistratus | |
| 19 Aug 1557 - 21 Aug 1557 | Jean de Valetta, s. de Parisot
election: 19 Aug 1557; end of tenure: 21 Aug 1557 (election of Grand Master himself) |
| Magnus Magister | |
| 21 Aug 1557 - 21 Aug 1568 | Jean de Valetta, s. de Parisot
election and swearing-in: 21 Aug 1557; end of tenure: 21 Aug 1568 (died) |
| Locumtenens vacantis Magistratus | |
| 22 Aug 1568 - 23 Aug 1568 | Claude de Glandèves
election: 22 Aug 1568; end of tenure: 23 Aug 1568 (election of Grand Master di Monte) |
| Magnus Magister | |
| 23 Aug 1568 - 26 Jan 1572 | Pietro di Francesco di Monte
original name: Pietro di Francesco Guidalotti Ciocchi; election and swearing-in: 23 Aug 1568; end of tenure: 26 Jan 1572 (died) |
| Locumtenens vacantis Magistratus | |
| 27? Jan 1572 - 30 Jan 1572 | François de Panisses
elected: 27? Jan 1572; end of tenure: 30 Jan 1572 (election of Grand Master Levesque de la Cassière) |
| Magnus Magister | |
| 30 Jan 1572 - 6 Jul 1581 | Jean Levesque de la Cassière [2]
election and swearing-in: 30 Jan 1572; end of tenure: 6 Jul 1581 (effectively deposed) |
| Locumtenens Magisterii | |
| 6 Jul 1581 - 11 Sep 1581 | Mathurin d'Aux-Lescout, dit de Romegas
election: 6 Jul 1581; end of tenure: 11 Sep 1581 (resigned) |
| Nuntius et Vicarius Apostolicus | |
| 11 Sep 1581 - 12 Jan 1582 | Gaspare Visconti
appointed: 8 Aug 1581 (by a littera apostolica); commencement of tenure: 11 Sep 1581 (littera apostolica is presented to the Council); end of tenure: 12 Jan 1582 (election of Grand Master Verdala) |
| Magnus Magister | |
| 12 Jan 1582 - 4 May 1595 | Hugo de Loubenx de Verdala (Hugues de Loubens de Verdalle) (created cardinal on 18 Dec 1587)
election and swearing-in: 12 Jan 1587; end of tenure: 4 May 1595 (died) |
| Locumtenens vacantis Magistratus | |
| 6 May 1595 - 8 May 1595 | Esteve (Esteban) Claramonte
election: 6 May 1595; end of tenure: 8 May 1595 (election of Grand Master Garcés) |
| Magnus Magister | |
| 8 May 1595 - 7 Feb 1601 | Martín Garcés
election and swearing-in: 8 May 1595; end of tenure: 7 Feb 1601 (died) |
| Locumtenens vacantis Magistratus | |
| 9 Feb 1601 - 10 Feb 1601 | Jacques du Blot Viviers
election: 9 Feb 1601; end of tenure: 10 Feb 1601 (election of Grand Master Wignacourt) |
- Acting for the absent Grand Masters: 1) Didier de Saint-Jaille, dit Tholon, who was elected in absentia on 22 Nov 1535, but never took office, dying in Montpellier, France, on 26 Sep 1536; 2) Johan de Omedes i Coscón, who was elected in absentia on 20 Oct 1536 and took office on 21 Jan 1538.
- La Cassière was effectively deposed by a decision of the Council on 6 Jul 1581, which also ordered his custody on 8 Jul 1581. He was imprisoned from 11 Jul to 11 Sep 1581, when he was released by order of the papal nuncio Visconti who had been given extraordinary authority by Pope Gregorius XIII. However, Visconti did not reinstate him to office, instead arranging his travel to Rome for a papal audience. La Cassière departed Malta on 25 Sep 1581 and remained in Rome until his death on 21 Dec 1581.
Last update: 08 May 2025