Jean Parisot de Valette
Grand Master who led the Order to victory at the Great Siege of Malta.
Marie-Lan Nguyen · CC BY 2.5
Jean Parisot de Valette (c.
- field
- Military leadership, Grand Master of the Order of Malta
- nationality
- French
Lore & Background
Fort St. Elmo fell after about a month, but the Order held Birgu and Senglea until a relief force arrived. The Ottoman forces eventually retreated, and de Valette gained great prestige in Europe. Pope Pius IV offered him a cardinalate, but de Valette declined due to his advanced age and the Order's rules.
Reader's Guide
Jean Parisot de Valette's significance lies in his leadership during the Great Siege of Malta, which halted Ottoman expansion in the Mediterranean and secured the Order's presence in Malta. The siege is regarded as one of the greatest in history, and de Valette's refusal of a cardinal's hat reflects his commitment to the Order's independence. His tomb, with an inscription by his Latin Secretary Sir Oliver Starkey, lies in St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta. The exact spelling of his surname remains disputed: he signed as 'de Valette,' but the family name was 'de la Valette.'
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