Brief Biography
Luis Mendez de Vasconcellos was a Portuguese nobleman and writer who had governed Portuguese Angola before his election as Grand Master in 1622.
Sources: Order of Malta: The Grand Masters; Wikipedia: Grand Masters of the Knights Hospitaller. Further reading.
Life and service to the Order
That colonial administration was associated with large-scale enslavement of Angolans. He died in March 1623 after less than six months as Grand Master.
On Malta the Order developed hospitals, fortifications and a maritime presence while governing the islands. Its religious and charitable purposes continued alongside these public responsibilities.
Historical context: Order of Malta, The Grand Masters; History of the Order.
Further images from the archive
