In early modern Europe, the election of the Grand Master of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem was a momentous occasion celebrated by members of the Order and by the people and communities who supported the Order and its medical and military mission. The moment called for all the pomp and pageantry befitting royalty, since the Grand Master governed as sovereign of the island state of Malta. The Grand Master, however, was also the head of a military religious order whose election required the elaborate ceremonies befitting a major figure within the Catholic Church.

Such was the election’s importance that Pope Urban VIII (1568–1644) enacted detailed rules and ceremonies to balance the competing religious and political interests surrounding the election (PFM 00036). The revised ceremonial described who could vote, in what order, and how to narrow the pool to the final elected candidate. The new rules also included illustrations on how ballots should be created to avoid any controversy after voting.

News of a Grand Master’s election would spread quickly, as the Order of Saint John’s representatives shared the news with Europe’s courts and the members of the Order. Official letters were sent to the Order’s embassies and consulates, as well as to the Order’s local commanderies and priories. These letters often included memoranda detailing the death of the previous Grand Master and narrating the process of electing his successor. One such example is an undated memorandum that announces the death of Grand Master Fra Antoine de Paule and the election of Fra Jean Paul Lascaris as the new Grand Master in 1636 (HMML 00527).

Elections quickly solicited letters of congratulations from European monarchs. Though celebratory in nature, the congratulatory correspondence served a purpose: cultivating the new Grand Master now would be useful when requesting favors in the future. The French Queen Marie Antoinette’s letter of congratulations to Grand Master Emanuel de Rohan Polduc in 1776 paved the way for future requests for French commandery placements for her favorites at court (NLM AOM 01206).

For the knights, chaplains, and sisters residing in the Order’s langues (the regional administrative units of the Order), it was a moment of pride and celebration when the Grand Master was elected from one of its own members.

The 1720 election of an Italian Grand Master—Fra Marc’Antonio Zondadari—elicited celebrations across Italy, including at the women’s Hospitaller community of San Giovannino de Cavalieri in Florence. On February 12, 1720, Fra Tommaso del Bene, Prior of Pisa celebrated a Mass at the community. The Mass included special music and performances chosen for the occasion, including instruments selected to highlight the importance of the event. Such was the celebration in Florence that the sisters of San Giovannino noted that the large bonfires illuminated the windows of the monastery (ASFI 00256).

Communities unaffiliated with the Order also made great efforts to celebrate the election of a Grand Master born in their city. Townspeople would gather and arrange festivals that would extend over several days. In 1737, for example, Palma de Mallorca organized a three-day festival honoring the election of Grand Master Fra Ramon Despuig i Martínez de Marcilla, who was born in the city on June 17, 1670. Eager to honor one of their own, the city paid for extended celebrations that lasted from June 16–18, 1737 (HMML 00581).

Local festivals also provided an opportunity for artists and writers to celebrate Grand Masters elected from their region. The soldier-poet Jacint Balaguer i Perelló wrote a poetic panegyric in praise of Grand Master Despuig that lauded the Grand Master’s career as a knight in the Order. The poem also created an opportunity for future patronage from the new Grand Master and his family in Palma de Mallorca (HMML 00504).

The election of a Grand Master of the Order of Saint John Jerusalem was a cause for international celebration, and there were plenty of reasons to commemorate the new leader. The Grand Master reigned for life, so one did not know when the next election would take place. He (men were and still are the only candidates) was a prince and head of state, as well as a head of an international military religious order, so his purview was wide-ranging. Yet, despite his place and privilege, the Grand Master remained tied to his local community. As Europe celebrated the election of the new head of the Order, this event remained a local affair honoring one who raised the status of his family and community.