ORDER OF MALTA - PERELLOS RAMON: (1637-1720) Spanish Knight of Aragon, who served as Prince and ...

ORDER OF MALTA - PERELLOS RAMON: (1637-1720) Spanish Knight of Aragon, who served as 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. Rare l.S. `Perellos´, one page, folio, Malta, 18th April 1703, to the Grand Prior of Aquitaine, in French. The document bears to the heading an Order of Malta ink stamp to the upper right corner, and in large bold letters, in Latin, "Mag[ist]er Hosptis et S[anc]ti sepulchri hiertem" ("The Master of the Hospital and the Holy Sepulchre"). Perellos refers to a process of accpetance of nobility, and states in part `Venerable tres cher et bien aimé Religieux; Nous aiant esté fait instance, qu´il nous plût recevoir au nombre des pages qui sont destinés pour Notre Service Noble, René Vincent de Messenie, fils de noble Louis du même nom et de Dame Caterine de Coué de Lusignan, nous avons volontiers octroié cette grace qui nous oblige a vous advertir de ne faire aucune difficulté de tenir une assemblée Extraordinaire touttes et quantes fois que vous en serez requis, tant pour lui délivrer la Commission nécessaire pour pouvoir faire les preuves de sa Noblesse et légitimation....´ (Translation: "Very dear and beloved Venerable Religious; Having been requested, that we we were glad to receive among the pages which are intended for Our Noble Service, René Vincent de Messenie, son of noble Louis of the same name and Lady Caterine de Coué de Lusignan, we have gladly granted this grace which obliges us to warn you not to make any difficulty in holding an Extraordinary assembly whenever and as many times you are required to do so, both to deliver the Commission necessary to be able to demonstrate the Nobility and legitimation...") With blank address leaf. Small overall age wear, otherwise G

Perello´s funerary monument is found at St. John´s Co-Cathedral in Valletta and is considered to be one of the best examples of baroque art in Malta.