NOTES
ON THE COINS OF THE GRAND MASTERS OF THE KNIGHTS OF MALTA
Alfred Fisk Grotz
In speaking to you of the coinage of the Grand Masters of the Ancient Knights of Malta I do so with the thought of bringing to your attention the different inscriptions, mottoes or legends that the various Grand Masters used on the coins of their particular period, to point out to you how many of these inscriptions could well be used to guide the path of the present-day Knights of Malta, and to impress on your minds the deep religious convictions of the Ancient Knights. We do not realize the importance these legends were to the Ancient Knights, who regarded them as their rallying cries and revered their use.
The histories of the Knight Hospitallers tell of the deeds of valour on the fields of battle, their prowess in combating the Turks and Infidels when they laid siege to the forts and strongholds of these valiant defenders of the Christian Faith against the teachings of the Fast. These histories can he divided into two general classes: those who wrote from the Masonic; point of view, and those who differed with these ideas. 'These histories deal with the Ancient Knights more as a whole and give them credit for the many deeds of valour and courage ascribed to them as individuals. Hilt to comprehend the real character of the Grand Masters we must turn to their coins and read the legends thereon, for there we find expressions that denote the intimate nature of the individuals.
To the numismatist a coin is as a page from history, and many a coin has bridged a gal) ill secular history tend has confirmed or disputed and corrected the chronology of kings, emperors, rulers and nations.
The history of the Hospitallers is so well know that it is unnecessary to repeat it at this time, and I only want to give you a few dates in the histories of the "Knights of the Temple, or "Templar Knights" and the "Teutonic Order of Knighthood" to show their relations to the Knights Hospitallers of Palestine, Rhodes and Malta.
The Order of the Hospitallers, successively known as Hie "Knights Hospitallers of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem," the "Knights of Cyprus," "Knights of Rhodes" and "Knights of Malta," are now carrying on as "The Ancient and Illustrious Order of Knights of Malta," had their origin in Jerusalem in 1048, when Latin merchants of Amalfi built a cloister near the Holy Sepulcher consecrated to the Virgin, and a chapel dedicated to St. John the Baptist.
The Templar Knights was founded in 1118 or 1119. Rules governing them were confirmed by Honorius II in 1228, the Red Cross had been assigned to them by Eugenius III in 1146; they were destroyed by Philip IV and Pope Clement V, and their suppression decreed by the 15th General Council in 1311, and their wealth given to the Hospitallers.
The Tetutonic Order was founded by Frederick, Duke of Suabia, in 1190, confirmed by Pope Celestine II, and invested with the same privileges as the Knights Templars and Hospitallers by a bull of Celestine II in 1192. They were crushed by Napoleon in 1809.
The Knights Hospitallers never strove for temporal power, but adhered to their ancient vows and purpose of freeing the Holy Land of the Turks and Infidels and to prevent the spreading of Moslemism to the lands west of Palestine.
The Teutonic Order did have ambitions in that respect and reached the highest step in their desires when Maximillian I became Archduke of Austria in 1618.
While the Hospitallers were in Jerusalem till 1187 at Acre to 1291. and at Cyprus till 1309, they had no attributes of sovereignty and were not suffered to emit coins or money. When the Soldiers of the Cross took possession of the Island of Rhodes in 1310 a considerable commerce sprung up with the European ports and a stable media of exchange became a necessity. Hence they began the coinage of silver money, though they were but a religious-military order, banded together with the purpose of stemming the tide of Moslemism, and to a great extent under the control of the Popes at Rome. The Knights Templar never had this privilege, never struck coins, nor were recognized as a sovereign power.
The coinage of money was started by the Hospitallers when Foulques de Villaret was Grand Master in 1307 to 1319. A brief description of the first coins will not be amiss. The coin is of silver, of the character styled by the French as "gros d'argent" or "great silver piece." The obverse shows the Grand Master himself, kneeling with folded hands in front of the Patriarchal Cross in the attitude of supplication. The Maltese Cross is embroidered on the left arm on his simple garment. His feet are bare in token of his humility. Around the coin near the edge is the abbreviated legend, "Fratri Fulcho de Villerto Dei Gratia Ierosolymae." and around the Cross are the Greek letters "Alpha et Omega" (the beginning and the end). The reverse has a large Cross in the centre and in two concentric circles this legend: "Magistro Hospitalis Conventus Sancti Johannis Hierosolimitani Rodi." Translating the two sides we have the English sentence, "Brother Foulques de Villeret by the Grace of God, of Jerusalem, Master of the Hospital of the Convent of St. John of Jerusalem, at Rhodes."
This inscription differed very little for the next hundred years, except for the name of the Grand Master, till Grand Master Antonine Fluvian, 14211437, placed this epigram on his coins: "Sit tibi, Christe, datus, Quia to Regis iste ducatus." Translated it reads: "Let this ducat be given to Thee, O Christ, because Thou dost rule." Which reminds us of the words of Christ when he said "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's."
Again in the Grand Mastership of Pierre D'Aubusson, 1476-1503, we find this inscription: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the World."
Grand Master Guy de Blanchefort in 1513 made first use of the inscription "In Hoc Signo Vinces" on the coins of the Hospitallers, and this motto or legend is made use of very much in our present-time Knights of Malta.
In 1513 to 1521 Fabrice de Carretto, Grand Master, dedicated his coins "To God and the Blessed Virgin."
One
of the most trying times of the early Knights was during the Grand Mastership of Philippe
de Villiers-L'Isle Adam, 1521-1534, usually spoken of as L'Isle Adam. During the long
struggle with the Turks in 1522 he never lost his cheerfulness, and it is written of him
"never once did that same quiet, placid look, sweet and almost a smile, desert him,
whatever was the hurry or difficulty or peril; but he was always gracious and kind to
everyone, so that none but loved and revered him." And this sterling quality is
reflected in the inscription on his coins, "Brother Philip de L'Isle Adam, Master of
the Hospital of Jerusalem." "Give me valour against Thine Enemies." Can a
more fitting thought be found to express the wonderful character of this Grand Master.
Perhaps Claude de L a Sengle, Grand Master 1553-1557, felt the need
for more religious fervour, for his coins bear the warning, "Prepare ye the way of
the Lord."
One of the most revered Grand Masters of the Hospitallers was Jean de
La Vallette-Parisot, 1557-1568, better known by his family name La Vallete. He
successfully met the assaults of Turks, who laid siege to the Island of Malta from May 20
to September 18, 1565, with a force twenty times as great as the Knights, and who founded
the city called by his name Valletta. He was a deeply religious Grand Master and his piety
and religious fervour were expressed on the coins, that among others bore these legends,
"It is not money we want, but faithful service," "On account of Truth and
Justice," "St. John the Baptist, Pray for us," and "Under this sign
(The Cross) we fight."
I show you a coin of Grand Master Pierre de Monte, 1568-1572, a four
Tari piece. On the obverse is the Grand Master's Shield, in whose quarterings are branches
of olives, and monticules or little mountains, from which the Grand Master got his name,
Monte. The reverse is the same as had been used by La Vallete, the head of St. John
surrounded by an inscription reading, "Propter Veritatem et Justitiam."
Translated, "On account of Truth and Justice."
The following Grand Masters made use of inscriptions used by former
Grand Masters: John Levesque de la Cassiere, 1572-1581, "Give me valour against Thine
Enemies." Hugo de Loubena de Verdalle, 1582-1595, "Not Money but Fidelity."
I next invite your attention to the coins of Grand Master Alofio de
Wignacourt, 1601-1622. It is a one Tari piece of silver, dated 1619. The obverse shows the
Grand Masters' Shield, surmounted by a Crown. On the first and fourth quarterings are the
equal Crosses of the Order; in the second and third quarters are three fleur-de-lys and a
label. I have said that a coin is as a page of history, so let us read what this simple
description means. It says that De Wignacourt was Grand Master of the Holy and Knightly
Order of the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem, of Palestine, of Rhodes, and of Malta.
That he was of noble birth entitled to six or eight quarterings on his shield; that he was
of French parentage; that he was the elder branch or eldest son of the family. I call your
particular attention to the legend on the coin, which means in English, "Brother
Alofio de Wignacourt, Master of the Hospitallers: Not Money but Fidelity." And we
could not find a better motto to guide our own lives than this one.
There is a deep significance and a whole sermon in the legends found
on the coins of Grand Master Raymond Perellos, 1697-1720, which reads "Conquor by
Piety (or Devotion)": and more so of Grand Master Marc Antonie Zondadari, 1720-1722,
on whose coins was the legend, "Forgiveness meets one; Vengence is sought."
Grand Master Raymond Despuig de Montanegre, 1736-1 7 41, was one of
the least important of the Grand Masters. There was nothing in his time that demanded
radical measures or important decisions. One historian wrote. "He lived, lie died.
This is the sum total of his biography." But he left many coins of his time and many
of very excellent workmanship. This can be said of nearly all coins of the Grand Masters,
because they had the best sculptors and die cutters to be had. This two Tari piece shows
the portrait of Despuig and the simple legend, "Brother Raymond Despuig, Grand Master
of the Hospitallers of Jerusalem." The reverse has the Grand Master's Shield with the
family coat-of-arias. No other inscription.
Emanuel Pinto de Fonseca, 1741-1773, was the next Grand Master, and I show you three
coins of his Stewardship, being 30 Tari pieces. The obverse shows the Grand Masters'
Shield surmounted by a kingly crown, topped with the Maltese Cross. This was the first
time a kingly crown was used: before this time the crown was ducal. The reverse shows St.
John the Baptist with the Standard of the Order and a Lamb at his feet. The inscription reads "Brother Emanuel de Pinto, Grand Master
of the Hospitallers and of the Holy Sepulchre. No Greater (Prophet) has arisen." This
is the second Grand Master to refer to the Holy Sepulchre on his coins, the first being
Raymond Perellos in 1699. During this time the German Branch rejoined the Hospitallers,
and for the second time the Jesuits were expelled from the Order and from the Island of
Malta.
Emmanuel de Rohan Polduc, 1775-1797, is remembered more especially
for his deeds of charity at the time of the devastating earthquakes at Calabria in 1783,
and summoning a Chapter General to Malta, the first to be called since 1631. His coins
show on the obverse a bust of De Rohan with the legend "Brother Emmanuel de Rohan,
Grand Master of the Hospital and Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem." On the reverse a
shield surmounted with a Kingly Crown, topped with the Maltese Cross. Also during the term
of De Rohan a new Langue was established, (1784 ), that of the Anglo-Bavarian, the old
English Langue which had been inactive for two centuries being revived, and possessions in
Bavaria being given them by Charles Theodore. But the glory of the Ancient Knights began
to fade with the passing of De Rohan.
Grand Master Ferdinand de Hompesch, 1797-1798, was a German. The
inscription, "Brother Ferdinand Hompesch, Grand Master of the Hospital and Holy
Sepulchre of Jerusalem." With the passing of De Hompesch goes the last of the real
Grand Masters of the Hospitallers, and Napoleon occupied the island that the Knights had
held since 1529.
And why, shall we ask, why was this ancient, most noble and most
useful fraternity dissolved? The answer is "God willed it." Its usefulness was
gone, there was no further necessity for its existence. The power of the Turks had
vanished. The craving for pilgrimage had ceased. The Island of Malta was a prize for
nations to contend for, and the first strong man who should pass that way would lay his
hand upon it. That man was Napoleon Bonaparte. Had there been a show of resistance or
defence, the island would not have been pillaged and destroyed by the hordes of Napoleon,
but would have fallen into the hands of the British who were following, and the priceless
relics of the Ancient Knights would have been preserved for the descendants of that Holy
Order.
The coins of the Hospitallers form a series of genuine monuments set up along the road
of knightly history. They extend over a period of nearly five centuries. They are the
money by which the food was purchased, the hired forces paid, the ammunition bought, the
clothing, medicine, arms and armour secured, shipping built and manned, horses bought and
equipped, cannon cast, charity utilized, religious services supported, and a
bulwark maintained against the Turks.
Scanning one of these pieces, the history of dead ages seem to glide before us. It was the money for which the pirates of the Mediterranean fought, and plundered, and burnt, and stained that beautiful sea with blood. This money by thousands of pieces, lies among ruined cities, in ploughed fields, at fountain heads, in caves, in vaults and cemeteries.
Very often pieces are coming to light. The washing rains expose it,
the spade and plough turn it up, the earthquake firings it to the surface. Sometimes
deposits in earthen jars are found where the hand of fear had buried it. Oftener it is
found in single specimens, but wherever and whenever a coin of a Grand Master of St. John
comes to the light of day, it tells in language of indisputable truth of the honour and glory and fame of the noblest
Order of Knighthood the earth has ever known.