Chronology of the Grand Masters...

Description

(Text in Italian and English)  This book presents for the first time the whole collection of the ‘CRONOLOGIA DE I GRAN MAESTRI DELLO SPEDALE DELLA SACRA RELIGIONE MILITARE DI SˆGIOˆGEROSOLIMITANO E DELL’ ORDINE DEL SANTO SEPOLCRO OGGI DETTI DI MALTA. The collection consists of two series of engraved portraits of the Grand Masters. The first series starts with the founder of the Order, Frà Gerard – 1st Rector of the Hospital of Jerusalem (c.1099) and ends with Frà Emmanuel de Rohan – 69th Grand Master of the Order (1775). The second series starts with Frà Ferdinand von Hompesch – 71st Grand Master of the Order (1797), and ends with Frà Angelo de Mojana di Cologna – 77th Grand Master of the Order (1962). The portraits are all in the same format: head and shoulders, placed within a circular frame bearing their title, with armorial in centre below. The original issue, published in 1709 consisted of 66 portraits up to Grand Master Perellos with the addition of six other plates. The text was written by G.B. Brancadoro Perin with the original plates by G. Rossi (1682–1762). The other set, from grand masters Hompesch to de Mojana di Cologna, is found at Palazzo Malta, in Rome.  This set of portraits of the grand masters of the Order from 1099 is a unique collection and a must have in collections that include the Knights of the Order of St John.