ORDER OF MALTA - PINTO DA FONSECA MANUEL (1681-1773) Portuguese Nobleman and the 68th Grand ...

ORDER OF MALTA - PINTO DA FONSECA MANUEL (1681-1773) Portuguese Nobleman and the 68th Grand Master of the Order of Saint John for thirty-two years 1741-1773. Pinto da Fonseca expelled the Jesuits from Malta and in 1753 proclaimed the sovereignty of the Order on Malta, and after dispute with the Kingdom of Sicily the Order retained the de facto control over Malta as a sovereign state. He undertook many baroque building projects throughout Malta which costs contributed to bankrupting the Order in the decades following his death. Very rare L.S. `Emmanuel Pinto´, one page, 10 x 10, 17th June 1715, to Brother Raymundus de Perellos et Rocafull, Grand Master of the Order of Malta, in Latin. Untranslated. A very rare letter from the 68th future Grand Master of the order to the 64th Grand Master. Pinto da Fonseca refers to Ioanini Baptista de Villeneuve Beauregard a noble member of the order and sends a request to the Grand Master in his favour. With remnants of a former black wax seal to the verso. Few very small holes to the folds, not affecting the signature, otherwise G

Ramon Perellos y Rocafull (1637-1720) Spanish Knight of Aragon, who served as the 64th Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta for more than twenty years, from 1697 until 1720. Perellos established foreign relations between Malta and Russia for the first time, and fought against corruption within the Order. The Grand Master also improved and strengthened the coastal fortifications of Malta which was suffering multiple attacks from the Ottoman fleet, organizing himself and building a new war fleet to fight the Turks.