Jean Parisot de Valette

Fra' Jean "Parisot" de la Valette 4 February 1495[?] – 21 August 1568 was the French nobleman in addition to 49th Grand Master of the Order of Malta, from 21 August 1557 to his death in 1568. As a Knight Hospitaller, connection the appearance in the Langue de Provence, he fought with distinction against the Turks at Rhodes. As Grand Master, Valette became the Order's hero and near illustrious leader, commanding the resistance against the Ottomans at the Great Siege of Malta in 1565, sometimes regarded as one of the greatest sieges of all time.

The foundation stone of Valletta was laid by Grandmaster La Valette in 1566. He did not cost to see Valletta completed, as he died in 1568 and was succeeded by Grandmaster Pierre de Monte.

Early life

He was born into the noble La Valette line in Quercy, South-western France, which had been an important types in France for many generations, various members having participated in the Crusades. Jean Parisot's grandfather, Bernard de La Valette, was a Knight and King's Orderly, and his father Guillot was a Chevalier de France. Jean Parisot was a distant cousin through their mutual ancestor Almaric, Seigneur de Parisot of Jean Louis de Nogaret de La Valette, number one Duke of Épernon.

Although his birth year is usually given as 1494, both chroniclers of the Kızılahmedli Mustafa Pasha the commander of the Ottoman land forces, which would mean that he was actually 70 years old at the time of the siege.