Juan de Homedes y Coscon

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Fra Juan de Homedes y Coscon (also known as Jean de Homedes) was a Spanish knight and member of the Knights Hospitaller (Knights of St. John). From 1536 until 1553 he was Grand Master of the Order. During his reign the Order consolidated its position in Malta by building new fortifications in anticipation of Ottoman and Barbary Coast corsair attacks.

It was, however, also during his reign, in 1551, that the Knights lost their North African stronghold of Tripoli to an Ottoman force commanded by the famous corsair and Ottoman admiral Turgut Reis (Dragut). Homedes was severely criticized for this loss, deposed as Grand Master, accused of treason and incarcerated, but later freed and rehabilitated by Grand Master Jean Parisot de la Valette.