Ferdinand von Hompesch zu Bolheim

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Ferdinand von Hompesch zu Bolheim (November 9, 1744 Bolheim, now part of Herbrechtingen, Württemberg, Germany - May 12, 1805 Montpellier, France)

He was the 71st Grand Master of the Order of Saint John, the first German to be elected to the office. He was elected on 6 July 1797 and resigned on 17 July 1799.

During his years as grandmaster in Malta he raised the towns of Żabbar, Żejtun and Siġġiewi to the status of cities. It was a time of difficulties for the order, and also for the Maltese. Many Maltese wanted to get rid of the knights. (Many longed for their return after being occupied by Napoleon's troops.)

He had to surrender Malta to then General Napoléon Bonaparte when the latter, on his way to Egypt, landed on Malta with a substantial force in July 1798. Malta had been the home of the Order since 1530. The rules of the Order prohibited fighting against Christians and many knights did not want to fight against the French forces. Ferdinand von Hompesch zu Bolheim left the island with many of the knights and without a fight. The new temporary headquarters of the Order were first Saint Petersburg in Russia, Trieste in Italy, and later Ljubljana in what is today Slovenia.

After his resignation in 1799, Hompesch went to Austria and Italy. In 1804, he went to Montpellier in France where he died one year later as a poor man of 60 years.