Grand Masters of the Knights Hospitaller

The Grand Masters of the Knights Hospitaller led the Order of St. John from its founding in 1099 through its evolution from a hospital order to a sovereign military power governing Rhodes and Malta.

Members of the Grand Masters of the Knights Hospitaller lineage

• Blessed Gerard, 1st Grand Master (?–1120) — Founder and first Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller. Established the Hospital of St. John in Jerusalem to care for sick pilgrims.
• Raymond du Puy, 2nd Grand Master (?–1160) — Transformed the Hospitallers from a purely charitable order into a military order. Wrote the first Rule of the order.
• Auger de Balben, 3rd Grand Master (?–1162) — Brief tenure continuing the military expansion of the order in the Holy Land.
• Arnaud de Comps, 4th Grand Master (?–1163) — Short-serving Grand Master during the consolidation of Crusader states.
• Gilbert d'Assailly, 5th Grand Master (?–1170) — Led the disastrous Hospitaller involvement in the invasion of Egypt in 1168. Resigned and became a hermit.
• Gastone de Murols, 6th Grand Master (?–1170) — Interim Grand Master during a brief transitional period.
• Jobert de Syria, 7th Grand Master (?–1177) — Rebuilt the order after the Egyptian debacle and strengthened Hospitaller castles like Belvoir and Krak des Chevaliers.
• Roger de Moulins, 8th Grand Master (?–1187) — Killed at the Battle of the Spring of Cresson in 1187, just before the catastrophic defeat at Hattin.
• Ermengard d'Asp, 9th Grand Master (?–1190) — Led the order during the desperate aftermath of Hattin and the fall of Jerusalem to Saladin.
• Garnier de Nablus, 10th Grand Master (?–1192) — Grand Master during the Third Crusade. Worked alongside Richard the Lionheart during the siege of Acre.
• Geoffroy de Donjon, 11th Grand Master (?–1202) — Re-established the order's headquarters at Acre after the loss of Jerusalem.
• Alfonso of Portugal, 12th Grand Master (?–1206) — Portuguese prince who served briefly as Grand Master during the Fourth Crusade period.
• Geoffroy le Rat, 13th Grand Master (?–1207) — Brief tenure managing the order's affairs from Acre.
• Guérin de Montaigu, 14th Grand Master (?–1228) — Led the order during the Fifth Crusade and the campaign in Egypt (1218–1221).
• Bertrand de Thessy, 15th Grand Master (?–1231) — Managed the order during Frederick II's controversial Sixth Crusade.
• Guérin de Montaigu II, 16th Grand Master (?–1236) — Continued strengthening Hospitaller fortifications in the diminishing Crusader states.
• Bertrand de Comps, 17th Grand Master (?–1240) — Led during a precarious period as Crusader territories shrank.
• Pierre de Vieille-Brioude, 18th Grand Master (?–1242) — Grand Master during the devastating Khwarezmian sack of Jerusalem in 1244.
• Guillaume de Châteauneuf, 19th Grand Master (?–1258) — Captured at the Battle of La Forbie (1244) and held prisoner for years. Led the order during Louis IX's Seventh Crusade.
• Hugues Revel, 20th Grand Master (?–1277) — Long-serving Grand Master who oversaw the order's final decades in the Holy Land as Mamluk pressure increased.
• Nicolas Lorgne, 21st Grand Master (?–1284) — Managed the order during the final years of the Crusader presence in the Holy Land.
• Jean de Villiers, 22nd Grand Master (?–1293) — Wounded defending Acre during its fall in 1291 — the end of the Crusader states. Relocated the order to Limassol, Cyprus.
• Eudes de Pins, 23rd Grand Master (?–1296) — First Grand Master to govern from Cyprus after the loss of the Holy Land.
• Guillaume de Villaret, 24th Grand Master (?–1305) — Began planning the conquest of Rhodes to give the order a permanent sovereign base.
• Foulques de Villaret, 25th Grand Master (?–1327) — Conquered Rhodes in 1309, establishing the order's sovereign island state. Later deposed for tyrannical behavior.
• Hélion de Villeneuve, 26th Grand Master (?–1346) — Stabilized the order on Rhodes after Villaret's deposition. Inherited Templar properties after 1312 suppression, greatly enriching the order.
• Dieudonné de Gozon, 27th Grand Master (?–1353) — Famous dragon-slayer legend: supposedly killed a crocodile terrorizing Rhodes before becoming Grand Master.
• Pierre de Corneillan, 28th Grand Master (?–1355) — Brief tenure managing the order's Mediterranean naval operations.
• Roger de Pins, 29th Grand Master (?–1365) — Led the order during the Black Death pandemic which devastated Rhodes and Europe.
• Raymond Bérenger, 30th Grand Master (?–1374) — Strengthened Rhodes' fortifications against growing Ottoman threats.
• Robert de Juilly, 31st Grand Master (?–1377) — Managed the order during the Western Schism which divided its European commanderies.
• Juan Fernández de Heredia, 32nd Grand Master (1310–1396) — Spanish Grand Master from Aragon. Great patron of learning and literature. Captured by Ottoman Turks at Epirus in 1378. Governed from Avignon.
• Philibert de Naillac, 33rd Grand Master (?–1421) — Participated in the disastrous Crusade of Nicopolis (1396). Strengthened Rhodes against Ottoman expansion.
• Antonio Fluvian de la Rivière, 34th Grand Master (?–1437) — Aragonese Grand Master who successfully repelled the Mamluk Egyptian attack on Rhodes in 1444.
• Jean de Lastic, 35th Grand Master (?–1454) — Defended Rhodes against the great Mamluk siege of 1444, one of the order's finest military achievements.
• Jacques de Milly, 36th Grand Master (?–1461) — French Grand Master who continued fortifying Rhodes against the Ottoman threat.
• Piero Raimondo Zacosta, 37th Grand Master (?–1467) — Spanish-Italian Grand Master who modernized the order's naval fleet.
• Giovanni Battista Orsini, 38th Grand Master (?–1476) — Italian Grand Master from the powerful Orsini family.
• Pierre d'Aubusson, 39th Grand Master (1423–1503) — Hero of the Great Siege of Rhodes in 1480 against Mehmed the Conqueror. Personally wounded in combat. Made a cardinal by the Pope.
• Émery d'Amboise, 40th Grand Master (1434–1512) — French Grand Master who further fortified Rhodes during a period of relative peace with the Ottomans.
• Guy de Blanchefort, 41st Grand Master (?–1513) — Brief tenure continuing the fortification of Rhodes.
• Fabrizio del Carretto, 42nd Grand Master (?–1521) — Italian Grand Master who prepared Rhodes for the coming Ottoman onslaught under Suleiman the Magnificent.
• Philippe Villiers de l'Isle-Adam, 43rd Grand Master (1464–1534) — Heroically defended Rhodes against Suleiman the Magnificent's massive siege in 1522 but was forced to surrender. Led the order into exile.
• Piero de Ponte, 44th Grand Master (?–1534) — Brief tenure during the order's homeless wandering after the loss of Rhodes.
• Didier de Saint-Jaille, 45th Grand Master (?–1536) — Led the order during its period without a permanent base, searching for a new home.
• Juan de Homedes, 46th Grand Master (?–1553) — Spanish Grand Master from Aragon. Received Malta from Charles V in 1530, establishing the order's new sovereign base.
• Claude de la Sengle, 47th Grand Master (?–1557) — French Grand Master who built the fortified city of Senglea on Malta.
• Jean de Valette, 48th Grand Master (1494–1568) — Greatest Hospitaller hero. Defended Malta against the Great Siege of 1565 by Suleiman's 40,000-strong army. Founded Valletta, Malta's capital, named in his honor.
• Pierre de Monte, 49th Grand Master (?–1572) — Oversaw the construction of the new city of Valletta after the Great Siege.
• Jean de la Cassière, 50th Grand Master (?–1581) — French Grand Master who completed the magnificent Co-Cathedral of St. John in Valletta.
• Hugues Loubenx de Verdalle, 51st Grand Master (1531–1595) — Made a cardinal; built Verdala Palace. Accused of poisoning his predecessor.
• Martín de Redín, 52nd Grand Master (?–1660) — Spanish Grand Master from Navarre who built coastal watchtowers around Malta still called "Torri ta' Redín".
• Annet de Clermont-Gessant, 53rd Grand Master (?–1660) — Brief French Grand Master who continued Malta's fortification program.
• Rafael Cotoner, 54th Grand Master (?–1663) — Spanish Grand Master from Mallorca who strengthened Malta's defenses.
• Nicolás Cotoner, 55th Grand Master (?–1680) — Brother of Rafael; built the massive Cottonera Lines fortifications around Birgu, Senglea, and Cospicua.
• Gregorio Carafa, 56th Grand Master (?–1690) — Italian Grand Master from the noble Carafa family of Naples.
• Adrien de Wignacourt, 57th Grand Master (?–1697) — French Grand Master who continued the order's Mediterranean naval patrols against Barbary corsairs.
• Ramón Perellos y Roccafull, 58th Grand Master (1637–1720) — Spanish Grand Master from Valencia. Long-serving leader who built Manoel Theatre and the Perellos Fountain.
• Marc'Antonio Zondadari, 59th Grand Master (?–1722) — Italian Grand Master from Siena, nephew of Pope Alexander VII.
• António Manoel de Vilhena, 60th Grand Master (?–1736) — Portuguese Grand Master who built Fort Manoel and the Manoel Theatre, Malta's famous opera house.
• Ramón Despuig, 61st Grand Master (?–1741) — Spanish Grand Master from Mallorca who managed the order's declining military relevance.
• Manuel Pinto da Fonseca, 62nd Grand Master (1681–1773) — Portuguese Grand Master and longest-serving leader (32 years). Attempted to have Malta recognized as a kingdom.
• Francisco Ximénez de Texada, 63rd Grand Master (?–1775) — Spanish Grand Master who faced a priests' revolt in 1775 due to his reform attempts.
• Emmanuel de Rohan-Polduc, 64th Grand Master (1725–1797) — French Grand Master who promulgated the Code de Rohan, the order's legal code. Last effective ruler of Malta.
• Ferdinand von Hompesch zu Bolheim, 65th Grand Master (1744–1805) — Last Grand Master to rule Malta. Surrendered the island to Napoleon in 1798 without significant resistance. Abdicated in disgrace.
• Paul I of Russia, 66th Grand Master (disputed) (1754–1801) — Russian Emperor elected Grand Master by the Russian priory in 1798 — never recognized by the Pope as he was Orthodox and married.
• Giovanni Battista Tommasi, 67th Grand Master (1731–1805) — First Grand Master after the loss of Malta. Governed the order from Messina and Catania in exile.
• Innico Maria Guevara-Suardo, 68th Lieutenant (?–1814) — Led the order as Lieutenant during the Napoleonic period, governing from Catania.
• André di Giovanni e Centelles, 69th Lieutenant (?–1821) — Continued the order's governance in exile during the post-Napoleonic reorganization of Europe.
• Antoine Busca, 70th Lieutenant (?–1834) — Oversaw the order's gradual re-establishment in Rome after the Congress of Vienna.
• Carlo Candida, 71st Lieutenant (?–1845) — Managed the order from its new headquarters in Rome on the Via dei Condotti.
• Philippe de Colloredo-Mels, 72nd Lieutenant (?–1864) — Oversaw the order's transformation into a primarily humanitarian organization.
• Alessandro Borgia, 73rd Lieutenant (?–1872) — Continued the order's charitable mission and diplomatic re-establishment across Europe.
• Giovanni Battista Ceschi a Santa Croce, 74th Grand Master (1827–1905) — First Grand Master restored after 74 years of Lieutenants. Revitalized the order's charitable works and international presence.
• Galeazzo von Thun und Hohenstein, 75th Grand Master (1850–1931) — Austrian Grand Master who led the order through World War I, providing extensive medical services.
• Ludovico Chigi Albani della Rovere, 76th Grand Master (1866–1951) — Italian Grand Master who led the order through World War II, maintaining neutrality while providing humanitarian aid.
• Angelo de Mojana di Cologna, 77th Grand Master (1905–1988) — Modernized the order and expanded its humanitarian operations worldwide.
• Andrew Bertie, 78th Grand Master (1929–2008) — First British Grand Master. Expanded the order's charitable work to over 120 countries.
• Fra' Matthew Festing, 79th Grand Master (1949–2021) — British Grand Master who resigned in 2017 after a dispute with Pope Francis. The order continues as a sovereign entity under international law.