Galeas von Thun und Hohenstein

Galeas von Thun und Hohenstein
Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
In office 1905 – 26 March 1931
Preceded by	Giovanni Battista Ceschi a Santa Croce
Succeeded by	Ludovico Chigi Albani della Rovere
Personal details
Born	24 September 1850 Trento
Died	26 March 1931 Rome

Fra' Galeas von Thun und Hohenstein (24 September 1850 – 26 March 1931) was the 75th Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta from 1905 to 1931. His first name was also known as Galeazzo.

Biography

He was born in Trento (then in Austria, now in Italy), the youngest son of Count Guidobald Maria Thun und Hohenstein and of his wife, Teresa Guidi dei Marchesi di Bagno.

In 1905 Thun und Hohenstein was elected Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Under his leadership the order engaged in large-scale hospitaller and charitable activities during World War I. Since he had been born an Austrian subject, Thun und Hohenstein spent much of the war in Austria. He invested a large amount of the order’s funds in Austrian war bonds, which became worthless when Austria was defeated.^[1] In 1925 he was made a knight of the Spanish branch of the Order of the Golden Fleece.

For the last two years of his life, Thun und Hohenstein was physically incapacitated. He continued to be Grand Master, but a Lieutenant, Pio Franchi de' Cavalieri, acted on his behalf.^[2]

Thun und Hohenstein died in Rome.^[3]

Notes

1. Chevalier Paul, "An Essay on the Order of St. John".
2. Guy Stair Sainty, "From the Loss of Malta to the Modern Era".
3. "Prince Galeazzo Dies", New York Times (March 27, 1931), 33.

Further reading

• Tencajoli, Oreste Ferdinando. "Il principe Galeazzo di Thun ed Hohenstein Gran Maestro del S.M. Ordine di Malta". Archivio Storico di Malta 2 (Gennaio-Giugno 1931),