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Sovereign Military Order of Malta
 
[Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of Malta (SMOM)]
Adopted 15 Feb 1113
[Flag of the Grand Master of the Knights of Malta]
Flag of the Order's Works Adopted c.1305

Map of SMOM headquarters Hear SMOM Anthem
"Ave Crux Alba"
 (Hail, thou White Cross) 		Text of SMOM Anthem
Adopted c.Nov 1932
(composed 1930)
 		Constitutional Charter
(3 Sep 2022; in Italian)
---------------------------------
Former Constitutions
(21 Nov 1956; 27 Jun 1961;
 1936; in Italian)
Headquarters:
Palazzo di Malta
Via Condotti 68
(Rome, Italy)
(Jerusalem 1113-1244;
Acre 1244-1291;
Limassol 1291-1310;
Rhodes 1310-1522; Valletta
26 Oct 1530 - 12 Jun 1798;
Messina 1803-1805; Catania
 1805-12 May 1826; Ferrara
12 May 1826 - 2 Jun 1834)
 Currency: Maltese Scudo
(1530-1798 and from 1961)
National Holiday: 24 Jun
(Nativitas Sancti Johannis
Baptistae/Natività
di San Giovanni Battista)
  (Nativity of St. John the Baptist)
 Citizens: 3 (2022)
Total Members Worldwide: 13,191 (2023)
Budget: $N/A
Income: $N/A
Expenditures: $N/A
Religion: Roman Catholic 100%
International Organizations/Treaties: APM (observer), AU (observer), CE (observer), CPLP (observer), CTBTO (observer), ESCAP (observer), EU (observer), FAO (observer), IADB (observer), IAEA (observer), ICRC (observer), ICRM (observer), IFAD (observer), IFRCS (observer), InOC (observer), IOM (observer), IPU (permanent observer), OAS (observer), OIF (observer), PAM (associate), SICA (observer), UN (observer), UNEP (observer), UNESCO (observer), UNHCR (observer), UNIDO (observer), WFP (observer), WHO (observer)
Sovereign
Military Order
of Malta
Chronology
 
c.1099                     The Roman Catholic Order of Saint John is founded
                             under the abbey of St. Mary of the Latins in
                             Jerusalem.
15 Feb 1113                Pope Paschal II approved the establishment of the
                             Fraternal Order of the Hospital of Saint John of
                             Jerusalem by Papal Bull Pie Postulatio Voluntatis
                             (The Most Pious Request) as a separate Roman
                             Catholic religious order (Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis
                             Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani).
1244                       Fall of Jerusalem, headquarters moved at Sainct-
                             Jehan-d'Acre (Akko), Krak des Chevaliers (Hisn
                             al-Akrad)(fell 1271), and Château de Margat
                             (Marqab)(fell 25 May 1285).
21 May 1291                Fall of Acre (Akko) to Muslim forces.
1291                       Headquarters moved to Limassol (Lemesós), Cyprus.
27 May 1306                Vignolo de' Vignoli ceded by contract his rights on
                             Kós (Coo) and Léros (Lero) to the Hospitallers,
                             with the right of retaining Lardos and one more
                             estate of his own choice on Ródos (Rhodes).
20 Sep 1306                Hospitallers captured the Feraklos Castle on the
                             eastern coast of the island of Rhodes.
 5 Sep 1307                The Pope issued an act confirming the Hospitallers'
                             possession of the island of Rhodes.
15 Aug 1310                The Knights Hospitaller occupy the island of Rhodes
                             (Sacred Order of the Knights of Saint John
                        Hospitaller of Jerusalem [Latin: Ordo Sacrae
                        Domus Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani]).
Apr 1383 -  5 Jun 1409     During the Great Schism in the Papacy, the Order on
                             Rhodes, under Grand Master Fernándes de Heredia,
                              recognizes the Papal court at Avignon. As a
                              consequence the Pope in Rome declares Heredia
                              deposed and appoints Lieutenants in his place
                             who were not recognized on Rhodes. 
1400 - 1404                Mystras (Mistrás)(and from 1397 Corinth [Kórinthos])
                             in the Morea, Greece leased to the Order by the
                             Despot of Morea.
24 Dec 1522                The Knights are expelled from Rhodes by the Ottoman 
                             Empire.
24 Mar 1530                The islands of Malta and Gozo, and the city of
                             Tripoli (now in Libya), are ceded as a perpetual
                             fief by the King of Two Sicilies to the Order in
                             accordance with a deed signed in Castelfranco.
25 Apr 1530                The grant of the fief is accepted by a decree
                             approved by the Council of the Order.
26 Oct 1530                Knights of St. John Hospitaller take possession
                             (formal ceremony of enfeoffment 13 Nov 1530).
14 Aug 1551                Tripoli (in modern Libya) lost to the Ottomans.
 18 May 1565 -  8 Sep 1565  Ottoman siege of Malta.
16 Jul 1620                Grand Master is invested with the title of Prince
                             (reichsfürst) of the Holy Roman Empire and the
                             style of "Serene Highness" (durchlaucht).
 6 Sep 1629                Modern Palazzo dell'Ordine di Malta building on Via
                             Trinitatis (now Via Condotti), Rome is bequeathed
                             to the Order by Antonio Bosio (b. 1575? - d. 1629)
10 Jun 1630                Grand masters awarded ecclesiastic equality with
                             Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church by Pope
                             Urban VIII, with the style of "Most Eminent
                             Highness" (Eminentiae celsitudo).
24 May 1651 -  4 Jan 1666  Caribbean islands of Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-
                             Christophe, Saint-Croix, and Saint-Martin are
                             administered by the Order.
12 Jun 1798                Sovereignty over the islands of Malta, Gozo and
                             Comino is renounced by the Order in favor of
                             France by a convention signed aboard the French
                             ship Orient.
24 Nov 1798-23/24 Mar 1801 Russian Emperor Paul I assumed the office of the
                             Grand Master by a proclamation of 24 Nov 1798;
                             formally installed at a ceremony held in the
                             Winter Palace of St. Petersburg on 10 Dec 1798;
                             imperial manifesto on the assumption of the office
                             of the Grand Master was published on 27 Dec 1798.
 8 Sep 1800                British occupy Malta (making it a colony in 1813).
25 Mar 1802                Treaty of Amiens between U.K. and France under
                             article X stated that Malta, Gozo and Comino to
                             be restored to the Knights Hospitaller and to be
                             declared neutral under the protection and
                             guarantee of Austria, France, Prussia, Russia,
                             Spain, and the U.K. (article never applied).
 9 Feb 1803                Notional re-establishment of the Order after the
                             loss of Malta. Sovereign Military Hospitaller
                             Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of
                             Malta (in Italian: Sovrano Militare Ordine
                             Ospedaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme, detto
                             di Rodi, detto di Malta).
14 Dec 1822                By the Treaty of Verona the Order is recognized as
                             a sovereign state.
  2 Jun 1834                Headquarters of the Order moved to the Palazzo di
                             Malta in Rome.
1869                       The Palazzo di Malta and the Villa Malta receive
                             extraterritorial rights, in this way becoming
                             the only "sovereign" territorial possessions of
                             modern the Order.
21 Nov 1956                Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John 
                             of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of Malta (Italian:
                             Sovrano Militare Ordine Ospedaliero di San
                             Giovanni di Gerusalemme, detto di Rodi, detto di
                             Malta [Latin is used in the Apostolic Letters of
                             21 Nov 1956 and 27 Jun 1961 promulgating the
                             Constitutional Charters: Sacer Ordo Fratrum
                             Militum Hospitalis Sancti Joannis
                             Hierosolymitani]).
11 Jan 1969                Autonomy granted to the Order resident in Rome
                             by Italy.
24 Aug 1994                Permanent observer status at the United Nations
30 Apr 1997                Italian designated as the official language of the
                             Order in the amended Charter (Italian was the
                             language of the Constitutinal Charters of the
                             Order promulgated in 1956 and 1961).
 1 Nov 2001                Malta government grants SMOM the use, with limited
                             extraterritoriality, of the upper portion of
                             Fort St. Angelo in the city of Birgu for 99 years.
Heitersheim
Principality
 (1248-1806)
SMOM website
Diplomatic
Recognition List


 
 
 
 
 
Note: Though without a territory since 12 Jun 1798, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta still regards itself, and is regarded by the states that give it diplomatic recognition¹, as a sovereign state. The Knights of Malta (full style Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of Malta [SMOM]) now functions as a Roman Catholic charitable organization with limited diplomatic status as a "sovereign entity", complete with passports, coinage (via the world's smallest national mint), license plates, ITU amateur radio license prefix (1A) and a post office.

Rector
1113 -  3 Sep 1120         Geraudo (Gérard)("Blessed Gerard")     (b. c.1040 - d. 1120)
Custodians (Custos)
1120 - af.25 Oct 1158      Raimond Dupui (du Puy)                 (b. 1083 - d. 1160)
bf.29Nov1160-af.11Mar1162  Auger de Balben                        (d. c.1163)
1162 - 1163                Arnaud de Comps [uncertain]            (d. 1163)
bf.19 Jan 1163 - 1169/1170 Gilbert de Sailli (d'Aissailli)        (d. 1183)
1169/1170 - 1172           Gastone de Murols                      (d. 1172)
1172/1173 - Oct 1177       Joubert de Sirie                       (d. 1177?)
1177 -  1 May 1187         Roger des Moulins                      (d. 1187)
1187 - 1189/1190           Ermengard d'Aps (Emengarde Daps)       (d. 1192)
                             (provisor?)
1190 - af.Jun 1192         Garnier de Napoli (Garnier de Naplouse)(b. 1147 - d. 1192)
1192 - 1202                Geofroi de Duisson                     (d. 1202) 
1203 - 1206                Fernando Afonso de Portugal, mestre    (b. 1135 - d. 1207)
                             de Avis
1206 - af.22 May 1207      Geofroi Le Rat (Gothofredus Mus)       (d. 1207)
bf.Oct 1207-af.11 Nov 1227 Gerin de Montaigu                      (d. 1230)
bf.1 Mar 1228 - 1231       Bertrand de Thercy (Thessy)            (d. 1231)
bf.1 May 1231-af.May 1236  Gerin Lebrun                           (d. 1236)
                             (died in Egyptian captivity)
bf.20 Sep 1236-1239/1240   Bertrand de Comps                      (d. 1240)
1239/1240 - 17 Sep 1242    Pierre de Villebride (Vieille-Brioude) (d. 1242)
 31 May 1243-af.24 Jun 1258 Guillaume de Chasteauneuf              (d. 1258)
                             (Khwarezmian prisoner 18 Oct 1244 - 17 Oct 1250)
18 Oct 1244 - 11 Feb 1250  Jean de Ronay                          (d. 1250)
                             (Lieutenant during the captivity of Chasteauneuf)
bf.9 Oct 1258 - 1 Apr 1277 Hugue de Revel                         (d. 1277)
Masters (Magister)
bf.4 Aug 1277-12 Mar 1284  Nicolas de Lorgue (Lorgne)             (d. 1284)
bf.Sep 1285 - 20 Oct 1293  Jean de Villers                        (d. 1293)
bf.30 Sep 1294-17 Mar 1296 Odon de Pins (Eudes de Pin)            (d. 1296)
26 Mar 1296 - 1305         Guillaume de Villaret                  (d. 1305)
                             (Guilhem del Vilaret) 
bf.3 Nov 1305 - Sep 1317   Foulques de Villaret (1st time)        (d. 1327)
                             (Folco del Vilaret)
18 Sep 1317 - 1319         Gérard de Pins (Lieutenant)
1317 - 1319                Maurice de Pagnac (in dissidence)      (d. 1322)
                             (anti-Master; election not recognized by Pope)
1319 - 13 Jun 1319         Foulques de Villaret (2nd time)        (s.a.)
18 Jun 1319 - May 1346     Hélion (Elie) de Villeneuve            (b. c.1270 – d. 1346)
May 1346 -  3 Dec 1353     Dieudone de Gozon                      (d. 1353) 
                             (until 28 Jun 1346, Lieutenant)
 8 Dec 1353 - 24 Aug 1355  Pierre de Corneillan                   (d. 1355)
Aug 1355 - 28 May 1365     Roger de Pins                          (d. 1365)
 1 Jun 1365 - 16 Feb 1374  Raimundo Berenguer (Raimond Bérenger)  (d. 1374)
Feb 1374 - 1376            Robert de Juliac (Robert de Juilly)    (d. 1377)
24 Oct 1377 - 1396         Juan Fernándes de Heredia              (b. 1310 – d. 1396)
                             (prisoner of Gjin Bua Shpata Despot
                             of Angelokastron Apr 1378 - May 1379)
Apr 1383 - 18 May 1395     Riccardo Caracciolo                    (d. 1395) 
                             (anti-Master, appointed by Pope Urban VI in Rome)
1395 - 25 Apr 1405         Bartolomeo Carafa della Spina          (d. 1405) 
                             (anti-Lieutenant, appointed by Pope Urban VI in Rome)
1405 - 1409                Nicola Orsini di Campodifiore    
                             (anti-Lieutenant, appointed by Pope Innocent VII in Rome)
 6 May 1396 - Jun 1421     Philibert de Naillac                   (d. 1421)
 1 Jul 1421 - 26 Oct 1437  Anton Flavian de Ripa                  (d. 1437)
Grand Masters¹
 6 Nov 1437 - 19 May 1454  Jean de Lastic                         (b. 1371 - d. 1454)
 1 Jun 1454 - 17 Aug 1461  Jacques de Milly                       (d. 1461)
24 Aug 1461 - 21 Feb 1467  Pere Ramón Sacosta                     (b. 1404 - d. 1467)
28 Feb 1467 -  8 Jun 1476  Giovanni Battista Orsini               (d. 1476) 
17 Jun 1476 -  3 Jul 1503  Pierre d'Aubusson                      (b. 1423 - d. 1503)
                             (from 9 Mar 1489, Pierre Cardinal d'Aubusson)
10 Jul 1503 - 13 Nov 1512  Emeri d'Amboise, dit Chaumont          (b. 1434 - d. 1512)
22 Nov 1512 - 24 Nov 1513  Guy de Blanchefort                     (b. 1446 - d. 1513)
                             (died on the way to Rhodes)
15 Dec 1513 - 10 Jan 1521  Fabrizio Del Carretto                  (b. 1455 - d. 1521)
22 Jan 1521 - 21 Aug 1534  Philippe de Villiers, seigneur de      (b. 1464 – d. 1534)
                             l'Isle-Adam   
23? Aug 1534 - 10 Nov 1534 Giovanni de Boniface  (Locum tenens)
10 Nov 1534 - 17 Nov 1535  Pierino di Antonio Giovanni del Ponte  (b. 1462 - d. 1535)
                             (elected in absentia 26 Aug 1534)
19 Nov 1535 - 21 Jan 1538  Jacques de Pelloquin  (Locum tenens)
22 Nov 1535 - 26 Sep 1536  Didier de Saint-Jaille, dit Tholon     (b. 14.. - d. 1536)
                             (elected in absentia, did not take office)
21 Jan 1538 -  6 Sep 1553  Johan de Omedes i Coscón               (b. 1473 - d. 1553) 
                             (elected in absentia 20 Oct 1536)
8? Sep 1553 -  2 Jan 1554  Claudi (Claude) de Gruel de la Bourelh
                             (Locum tenens)
 2 Jan 1554 - 18 Aug 1557  Claude de la Sengle                    (b. 1494 – d. 1557)
                             (elected in absentia 11 Sep 1553)
20? Aug 1557 - 21 Aug 1568 Jean de Valetta, seigneur de Parisot   (b. 1494 - d. 1568)
                             (Locum tenens to 21 Aug 1557)
22 Aug 1568 - 23 Aug 1568  Claude de Glandèves (Locum tenens)
23 Aug 1568 - 26 Jan 1572  Pietro di Francesco di Monte           (b. 1499 - d. 1572)
                             (= Pietro di Francesco Guidalotti Ciocchi)
27? Jan 1572 - 30 Jan 1572 Antonio Cressino (Locum tenens)
30 Jan 1572 - 21 Dec 1581  Jean Levesque de la Cassière           (b. 1503 - d. 1581)
                             (deposed and held in custody 12 Jul 1581 - 11 Sep 1581,
                             departed Malta and died in Rome)
 6 Jul 1581 - 3/4 Nov 1581 Mathurin d'Aux-Lescout, dit de Romegas (b. c.1525 - d. 1581)
                             (Locum tenens; in dissidence, departed
                             Malta for Rome on 28 Sep 1581)
 8 Sep 1581 - 12 Jan 1582  Gaspare Visconti -Papal Legate         (b. 1538 - d. 1595)
21 Dec 1581 - 12 Jan 1582  Vacant
12 Jan 1582 -  4 May 1595  Hugo de Loubenx de Verdala             (b. 1531 - d. 1595)
                             (Hugues de Loubens de Verdalle)
                             (from 18 Dec 1587, Hugo Cardinal de Loubenx de Verdala)
 6 May 1595 -  8 May 1595  Esteve (Esteban) Claramonte
                             (Locum tenens)
 8 May 1595 -  7 Feb 1601  Martín Garcés                          (b. 1526 - d. 1601)
 9 Feb 1601 - 10 Feb 1601  Pèire (Pierre) d'Esparvez (Esparbez)
                             Lussan (Locum tenens)
10 Feb 1601 - 14 Sep 1622  Aloph (Alof) de Wignacourt, seigneur   (b. 1547 - d. 1622) 
                             de Lits
16 Sep 1622 - 17 Sep 1622  Pedro de Urrea y Camarasa              (b. 1555 - d. 1624)
                             (Locum tenens) 
17 Sep 1622 -  7 Mar 1623  Luís Mendes de Vasconcelos             (b. 1542? - d. 1623)
 9? Mar 1623 - 10 Mar 1623 Balthazar (Balthazard) d'Agoult (Agout)
                             de Mouriès (Locum tenens)
10 Mar 1623 -  9 Jun 1636  Anthoni de Paula (Antoine de Paule)    (b. 1552? - d. 1636)
 9 Jun 1636-12/13 Jun 1636 Honoré de Quiqueran de Beaujeu         (b. 1572 - d. 1642)
                             (Locum tenens)
12/13 Jun 1636-14 Aug 1657 Johan Paul Lascaris-Castellar          (b. 1561 - d. 1657)
15 Aug 1657 - 17 Aug 1657  Flaminio Balbiano, di Chieri           (b. 1576 - d. 1669)
                             (Locum tenens)
17 Aug 1657 -  6 Feb 1660  Martín de Redín y Cruzat               (b. 1590 - d. 1660)
 7 Feb 1660 -  9 Feb 1660  Antonio Tancredi, di Siena 
                             (Locum tenens)
 9 Feb 1660 -  2 Jun 1660  Annet Clermont de Chattes Gessan       (b. 1587 - d. 1660)
 3? Jun 1660 - 5 Jun 1660  Charles de Montagnac, dit l'Arfeuillère
                             (Locum tenens)
 5 Jun 1660 - 20 Oct 1663  Rafael Cotoner i d'Olesa               (b. 1601 - d. 1663)
21 Oct 1663 - 23 Oct 1663  Ottaviano Bandinelli, di Siena 
                             (Locum tenens)
23 Oct 1663 - 29 Apr 1680  Nicolau Cotoner i d'Olesa              (b. 1608 - d. 1680)
30 Apr 1680 -  2 May 1680  Arnau Serralta (Locum tenens)          (d. 1696)
 2 May 1680 - 21 Jul 1690  Gregorio di Girolamo Caraffa (Carafa)  (b. 1615 - d. 1690)
                             d'Aragona, (de' Principi della Roccella)
22? Jul 1690 - 24 Jul 1690 Carlo Caraffa (Carafa) d'Aragona
                             (Locum tenens)
24 Jul 1690 -  4 Feb 1697  Adrien de Wignacourt, seigneur         (b. 1619 - d. 1697)
                             de Lits        
 5? Feb 1697 -  7 Feb 1697 Gasparo Carnero (Locum tenens)
 7 Feb 1697 - 10 Jan 1720  Ramon Rabassa de Perellós i de         (b. 1637 - d. 1720)
                              Rocafull (dels senyors de Benetússer
                             i Barons de Dosaigües)
11? Jan 1720 - 13 Jan 1720 Ramon Despuig i Martínez de Marcilla   (b. 1670 - d. 1741)
                             (1st time) (Locum tenens)
13 Jan 1720 - 16 Jun 1722  Marc'Antonio di Ansano Zondadari       (b. 1658 - d. 1722)
17? Jun 1722 - 19 Jun 1722 Ramon Despuig i Martínez de Marcilla   (s.a.)
                             (2nd time) (Locum tenens)
19 Jun 1722 - 12 Dec 1736  António Manuel de Vilhena              (b. 1663 - d. 1736)
13? Dec 1736 - 15 Jan 1741 Ramon Despuig i Martínez de Marcilla   (s.a.)
                             (Locum tenens to 16 Dec 1736)
                             (3rd time)
16 Jan 1741 - 18 Jan 1741  Pietro Francesco Federico Roero di     (b. 16.. - d. 1750)
                             Guarene (Locum tenens)
18 Jan 1741 - 24 Jan 1773  Manuel Pinto da Fonseca                (b. 1681 - d. 1773)
26 Jan 1773 - 28 Jan 1773  Giovanni Battista d'Afflitto
                             (Locum tenens)
28 Jan 1773 -  9 Nov 1775  Francisco Antonio Ximénez de Tejada y  (b. 1703 - d. 1775)
                             Eslava
 9 Nov 1775 - 12 Nov 1775  Ferdinando Rosselmini, di Pisa
                             (Locum tenens)
12 Nov 1775 - 13 Jul 1797  François-Marie-des-Neiges-Emmanuel de  (b. 1725 - d. 1797)
                             Rohan 
14? Jul 1797 - 17 Jul 1797 .... (Locum tenens)
17 Jul 1797 - 26 Aug 1798  Ferdinand Joseph Hermann Anton         (b. 1744 - d. 1805)
                             Freiherr von Hompesch zu Bollheim
                            (left Malta 17 Jun 1798; declared deposed
                             at a meeting of the Russian Grand Priory
                             in St. Petersburg, Russia 26 Aug 1798;
                             abdicated 6 Jul 1799, but continued to use the title)
24 Nov 1798 - 24 Mar 1801  Pavel I (= Pavel Petrovich)            (b. 1754 - d. 1801)
                            (also Emperor of Russia Pavel I)
                            (formally installed on 10 Dec 1798)
Deputy to the Grand Master
24 Mar 1801 -  9 Feb 1803  Graf Nikolay Ivanovich Saltykov        (b. 1736 - d. 1816)
                             (took office 10 Apr 1799, solely in Russia)
1802 -  9 Feb 1803         Giuseppe Caracciolo dei marchesi di    (b. 1762 - d. 1839)
                             Sant'Eramo (Locum tenens)
                            (in opposition, appointed by the Pope)
Prince and Grand Master
 9 Feb 1803 - 13 Jun 1805  Giovanni Battista Tommasi de Cortona   (b. 1731 - d. 1805)
Lieutenant of the Grand Master (acting as Grand Masters)
15 Jun 1805 - 25 Apr 1814  Innico Maria Guevara Suardo            (b. 1744 - d. 1814)
                             (confirmed 5 Dec 1805)
Prince and Grand Master
17 Jun 1805 - 10 Feb 1809  Giuseppe Caracciolo dei marchesi di    (s.a.)
                             Sant'Eramo
                             (canonically elected, but not confirmed)
Lieutenants of the Grand Master (acting as Grand Masters)
26 Apr 1814 - 10 Jun 1821  Andrea Di Giovanni e Centelles         (b. 1742 - d. 1821)
                             (confirmed 25 Jun 1814)
11 Jun 1821 - 19 May 1834  Antonio Busca Arconati Visconti        (b. 1767 - d. 1834)
23 May 1834 - 12 Jul 1845  Conte Carlo Candida                    (b. 1762 - d. 1845)
                             (= Carlo de Candida dei Normanni)
 15 Sep 1845 -  9 Oct 1864  Philipp Graf von Colloredo-Mels        (b. 1779 - d. 1864)
                             und-Waldsee (confirmed 30 Sep 1845) 
26 Feb 1865 - 13 Jan 1872  Alessandro Ponsian Borgia              (b. 1783 - d. 1872)
14 Feb 1872 - 28 Mar 1879  Baron Giovanni Battista Ceschi à Santa (b. 1827 - d. 1905)
                              Croce, conte di Cavedine
 Princes and Grand Masters
 28 Mar 1879 - 24 Jan 1905  Baron Giovanni Battista Ceschi à Santa (s.a.)
                              Croce, conte di Cavedine
 24 Jan 1905 -  6 Mar 1905  Alessandro Capranica dei marchesi      (b. c.1830 - d. 1915)
                             Capranica del Grillo                 
                            (ad-interim lieutenant; acting)
  6 Mar 1905 - 26 Mar 1931  Galeazzo Maria Graf von Thun und       (b. 1850 - d. 1931) 
                             Hohenstein
                             (elected in absentia 6 Mar 1905, arrived
                             in Rome 8 Mar 1905, confirmed 14 Mar 1905;
                              left Rome for Austria 18 May 1915 - Oct 1920)
 18 May 1915 - Oct 1920     Bernardo Lambertenghi, conte           (b. 1839 - d. 1929)
                              Lambertenghi 
                            (grand chancellor acting for absent Grand master)
 1929 - 30 May 1931         Pio Franchi de' Cavalieri              (b. 1869 - d. 1960)
                            (acting for Grand master to 26 Mar 1931;
                              then ad-interim lieutenant)
30 May 1931 - 14 Nov 1951  Ludovico Chigi Della Rovere Albani,    (b. 1866 - d. 1951)
                             principe del Santo Romano Impero,
                             principe di Farnese, di Campagnano e
                             di Soriano, duca di Ariccia e di Formello,
                             marchese di Magliano Pecorareccio,
                             signore di Castelfusano, Cesano, Scrofano
                             e dell'Olgiata, principe romano e nobile
                             romano coscritto
 14 Nov 1951 - 25 Apr 1955  Conte Palatino Antonio Hercolani Fava  (b. 1883 - d. 1962)
                             Simonetti
                             (ad-interim lieutenant; acting)
25 Apr 1955 - 12 May 1962  Ernesto Vittorio Maria Vincenzo Luigi  (b. 1882 - d. 1971)
                             Paternò-Castello dei duchi di Càrcaci
                            (lieutenant of the grand master; acting)
12 May 1962 - 18 Jan 1988  Angelo De Mojana dei signori di        (b. 1905 - d. 1988)
                             Cologna
18 Jan 1988 - 12 Apr 1988  Giancarlo Pallavicini                  (b. 1911 - d. 1999)
                             (ad-interim lieutenant; acting)
12 Apr 1988 -  7 Feb 2008  Andrew Willoughby Ninian Bertie        (b. 1929 - d. 2008)
  7 Feb 2008 - 11 Mar 2008  Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di      (b. 1944 - d. 2020)
                             Sanguinetto, conte di Sanguinetto
                             (ad-interim lieutenant; acting)
                             (1st time)
 11 Mar 2008 - 28 Jan 2017  Robert Matthew Festing                 (b. 1949 - d. 2021)
 28 Jan 2017 - 30 Apr 2017  Ludwig Franz Xaver Irenäus Joseph      (b. 1937 - d. 2022)
                              Peter Raimund Maria Hoffmann von
                             Rumerstein
                             (ad-interim lieutenant; acting)
 30 Apr 2017 - 29 Apr 2020  Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di      (s.a.)
                             Sanguinetto, conte di Sanguinetto
                             (as lieutenant of the grand master,
                             acting to 3 May 2018) (2nd time)
29 Apr 2020 -  8 Nov 2020  Ruy Gonçalo do Valle Peixoto de Villas (b. 1939)
                              Boas (1st time)
                            (ad-interim lieutenant; acting)
 8 Nov 2020 -  7 Jun 2022  Marco Luzzago                          (b. 1950 - d. 2022)
                            (lieutenant of the grand master; acting)
 7 Jun 2022 - 14 Jun 2022  Ruy Gonçalo do Valle Peixoto de Villas (s.a.)
                              Boas (2nd time)
                            (ad-interim lieutenant; acting)
14 Jun 2022 -              John Timothy Dunlap                    (b. 1957)
                            (as lieutenant of the grand master;
                             acting to 3 May 2023)

Chancellors3 (Piliers of the Langues of Castille and Portugal alternate)
bf.29 Nov1469-c.18 Jan1476 Gonsalvo Aries del Rio
c.29 Jan 1476-31 Aug 1478  Payas (Pelagius) Correa
 7 Nov 1478-bf.16 Feb 1499 Pedro Modarra                          (d. 1499)
16 Feb 1499 - 15 Jul 1508  João Coelho                            (d. 1511)
24 Mar 1511 - 23 Jul 1521  André d'Amaral                         (d. 1522)
1523 - 1525                Diego Nuñez del Aguila
1525 - 1531                Alvaro Pinto
1531 - af.1538             Diego Briceño
1538 - c.1539              Guglielmo Ramón Beneit (Benitez?)
                             (lieutenant/regent in 1539)
1542 - 1551                Christovão de Solis Farfan             (d. 1551)
1551 - 1558                Lope Fernandez de Paz                  (d. 1558)
1558 - 1569                Christovão de Sernache Pereira
Grand Chancellors3 (Piliers of the Langues of Castille and Portugal alternate to 1799)
1569 - 1574                Ferdinando de Alarcón                  (b. 1510 - d. 1582)
1574 - 1577                Alonso de Solis
1577 - Oct 1582            Antonio Maldonado
1582 - 1583?               Francesco Guiral
158. - 1584                Luis de Quintanilla
1584 - 1585                Francisco de Valencia
1585 - 1592                Martin de Nietto
1592 - 159.                Alfonso de Texeda
c.1595                     Hernando Ruiz del Corral (1st time)
                             (lieutenant)
c.1596 - 1597              João de la Rocha Pereira
1597 - 1599                Antonio de Toledo
1599 - 1606                Hernando Ruiz del Corral (2nd time)
1606 - 1609                Gonsalvo de Porras
1609 - 1611                Pedro Gonzales de Mendoza
1611 - 1613                Antonio Centeno Guiral
1613 - 1614                Diego Brochero
1614 - 1620                Diego de Guzman y Toledo
1620 - c.1625              Rodrigo Tello de Guzman
c.1622                     Luis de Brito (lieutenant)
162. - 1628                Ferdinando Giron
1628 - 1630                Lourenço de Figueroa
18 Nov 1630 - 1631         Alonso del Castillo y Samano            (d. 1648)
1631                       Rafael Ortiz de Sottomaior
                             (Sotomayor?)
1631 - 1634                Thomas de Hoces
1634 - 1638                Miguel Solis de la Rocha
1638 - 1639                Gonçalvo de Saavedra
1639 - 1643                Ferdinando de Aldana
1643? - 164.               Antonio del Encina (Elenzina)
c.1647 - c.1648            Juan de Zúñiga
1648 - 1649?               Juan de Tordesillas
1649? - 1651               Alvaro de Ulloa
1651 - 1653                Gaspar de Alderete
1653                       Diego Pereira de Melo
12 Dec 1653 - 16 May 1656  Lope Pereira de Lima
16 May 1656 - 17 Jan 1663  Juan Ximenes de Vedoja
1663                       Diego de Villalobos
1663 - 1664                Diego de Morales
1664 - 1665                Francisco de Torres Pacheco y Cardenas
1665 - 1671                Iñigo de Velandia Arce y Arellano      (b. 1609 - d. 1684)
1671 - 1675                Lourenço Muñoz de Figueroa
1675 - 1678                Diego de Bejarano y Orellana
1678 - 1680                Antonio Pereira Brandao
1680 - 1681                Bernardo d'Almeida
1681 - 1687                Antonio Correa de Sousa Montenegro
1687 - 1...                Felipe de Escobedo y Aboz
1... - 1702                Felix Zapata                           (b. 1630? - d. 1708)
1703 - 1706                Antonio Manuel de Vilhena
 2 Apr 1712 - 17 Dec 1713  Diego Velez de Guevara
17.. - 17..                Martinho Pinto da Fonseca
1713 - 1736                ....
12 Nov 1736 - 31 May 1744? José Peixoto da Silva                  (b. 1676 - d. 1744)
bf.1750                    Manuel Antonio de Souza e Almeida      (b. 1689 - d. 1750)
bf.1788                    Manuel Ballesteros                     (d. 1788)
c.1798                     Felipe Sarzana (Zarzana)
1798 - 10 Apr 1799         Hyacinthe Laurent Victor de La Houssaye(b. 1760 - d. 1800)
10 Apr 1799 -  4 Mar 1801  Graf Fyodor Vasilyevich Rostopchin     (b. 1763 - d. 1826)
 4 Mar 1801 - 11 Jul 1801  Peter Ludwig Graf von der Pahlen       (b. 1745 - d. 1826)
                             (= Graf Pyotr Alekseyevich fon der Palen)
11 Jul 1801 -  9 Feb 1803  Knyaz' Aleksandr Borisovich Kurakin    (b. 1752 - d. 1818)
Chancellors
1812/14 - 1831             Amabile Vella (vice chancellor)        (b. 1771 - d. 1831)
1829 - 1834?               Alessandro Ponsian Borgia              (s.a.)
                             (lieutenant of the grand chancellor)
 1844 - 18..                Filippo Filippi                        (b. 1810 - d. 1878)
c.1861 - c.1862            Felice Patroni Griffi                  (b. 1828 - d. 1895)
c.1867 - c.1877            Decio de'Conti Bentivoglio
 c.1877 - c.1880            Francesco Meraviglia Crivelli          (b. 1836 - d. ....)  
                             (lieutenant of the grand chancellor)
 c.1880                     Carlo Pacca
 1882 - c.1909              Antonio da Mosto, conte da Mosto       (b. 1833 - d. 1909)
 Grand Chancellors
16 Jan 1915 - 13 Feb 1929  Bernardo Lambertenghi, conte           (s.a.)
                             Lambertenghi 
1929 - 1931                Francesco d'Afflitto, marchese         (b. 1861 - d. 1934)
                              d'Afflitto (chancellor)
  7 Nov 1931 - c.1952       Luigi Rangoni-Machiavelli, marchese,   (b. 1870 - d. 1952)
                              conte di Castelcrescente e di
                             Borgofranco (chancellor)
 1952 - 1958                Gabriel baron von Apor zu Altorja      (b. 1889 - d. 1969)
                              (Gábor báró Apor altorjai)
1959 -  3 Feb 1965         Vincenzo di Napoli Rampolla            (b. 1898 - d. 1965)
                              Barresi Bellacera, principi di
                             Resuttano
12 Mar 1965 - Jan 1968     Carlo Lovera di Castiglione, dei       (b. 1884 - d. 1968)
                             marchese di Maria (ad-interim)
 Jan 1968 - 1978            Quintin Peter Thorsby Jermy Gwyn       (b. 1906 - d. 1994)
 12 Nov 1978 - 15 Feb 1980  Vittorio Marullo di Condojanni         (b. 1907 - d. 1982)
                             (ad-interim)
 15 Feb 1980 - 19 Apr 1997  Felice Catalano di Melilli, barone     (b. 1914 - d. 2003) 
                             Catalano di Melilli
 19 Apr 1997 -  1 Oct 2001  Carlo Marullo, conte Marullo di        (b. 1946)
                             Condojanni, principe di Casalnuovo 
                             (acting ad-interim for di Melilli in 1995)
 1 Oct 2001 - 16 Apr 2005  Jacques de Liedekerke, comte de        (b. 1928 - d. 2022)
                             Liedekerke (acting to 1 Jan 2002)
16 Apr 2005 - 31 May 2014  Jean-Pierre Mazery                     (b. 1942)
                             (acting for Liedekerke from 3 Nov 2004)
 31 May 2014 - 10 Dec 2016  Albrecht Freiherr von Boeselager       (b. 1949)
                              (1st time)
 14 Dec 2016 - 28 Jan 2017  John Edward Critien (ad-interim)       (b. 1949 - d. 2022)
 28 Jan 2017 -  3 Sep 2022  Albrecht Freiherr von Boeselager       (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)
 3 Sep 2022 -              Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo          (b. 1945)


Papal Special Delegates to the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of
St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of Malta
 2 Feb 2017 -  1 Nov 2020  Giovanni Angelo Becciu                 (b. 1948)
                             (from 28 Jun 2018, Giovanni Angelo Cardinal Becciu)
 1 Nov 2020 -              Silvano Maria Tomasi                   (b. 1940)
                             (from 28 Nov 2020, Silvano Maria Cardinal Tomasi)

 ¹full style of the Grand Masters:
(a) c.1437 - 1798 (in Latin): Dei Gratia Sacrae Domus Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani et militaris Ordinis Sancti Sepulchri Dominici Magister humilis pauperumque Iesu Christi custos ("By the Grace of God, Grand Master of the Sacred Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem and of the military Order of the Holy Sepulcher, humble guardian of the poor of Jesus Christ"), the phrase "et militaris Ordinis Sancti Sepulchri Dominici" ceases to be effective 4 Nov 1497, but was not deleted. Short form Magnus Magister ("Grand Master");
(b) 24 Nov 1798 - 23/24 Mar 1801 (in Russian): Velikiy Magistr Derzhavnogo Ordena Svyatogo Ioanna Iyerusalimskogo ("Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem");
(c) 24 Mar 1801 - 9 Feb 1803 (in Russian): Poruchik Velikogo Magistra ("Deputy to the Grand Master");
(d) from 9 Feb 1803 (in Italian): Principe e Gran Maestro ("Prince and Grand Master"); Long form: Sua Altezza Eminentissima, Principe e Gran Maestro del Sovrano Militare Ordine Ospitaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme, di Rodi e di Malta, il più umile Guardiano dei Poveri di Gesù Cristo ("His Most Eminent Highness, Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, Most Humble Guardian of the Poor of Jesus Christ").

 2Currently the SMOM maintains diplomatic relations with 115 countries: Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, The Bahamas, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (Kinshasa), Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nicaragua, Niger, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Sudan, Spain, The Sudan, Suriname, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela. The Order of Malta also has official relations with: Belgium, Canada, European Union, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The Order of Malta has relations at Ambassador level with: Palestine. The SMOM has unofficial relations with Republic of China (Taiwan) through the Embassy of the Republic of China to the Holy See in Rome (Italy).

 3until 1798, the Chancellor (from 1569, Grand Chancellor) was a co-equal, but not superior, member of the Grand Master's Council along with the Grand Commander [Grand Marshal], Grand Hospitalier, Receiver of the Common Treasure, and the Turcopolier. However, it was the Vice-chancellor who administered the day-to-day government of the Order during this period:

Vice-chancellors
1467 - 1501                Guillaume Caoursin                     (b. 1430 - d. 1501)
20 Jul 1501 - 1513         Bartolomeo Poliziano (Policiano)
20 Jan 1513 - 1526         Thomas Guichard                        (d. 1526)
1526 - 1538                Tommaso Bosio
1538? - 1566?              Martin Rojas (Roxas de Portalruvio)
1567 - c.1571              François Mégo (= Francisco Mego)
c.1577 - 1578              Tommaso Gargallo                       (b. 1536 - d. 1614)
1578 - c.1587              Diego de Ovando
15.. - 1593                Giovanni Giampieri
1593 - 1617                Gianotto Bosio                         (d. 1622)
1617 - 1626                Eugenio Ramirez Maldonado
1626? - 1655               Gian Francesco Abela                   (b. 1582 - d. 1655)
1655 - 1662                Pedro Barriga                          (d. 1686)
1662 - 1682                Manuel Arias Porres
1682 - 1696?               Gaspar Carneiro  
 5 Nov 1714 - 1735         Manuel Pinto da Fonseca                (s.a.)
 5 Feb 1735 - 19 Jul 1743  Roque de Távora e Noronha              (b. 1706 - d. 1743)
1743? - 1781               Francisco Guedes de Magalhaes          (b. 1716 - d. 1781)
1781 - c.1792              Luis de Almeida Portugal
c.1795 - c.1798            Francisco Carvalho Pinto               (b. 1746 - d. 1818)






© Ben Cahoon