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4 Tari - Jean de Vallette
| Issuer | Order of Saint John (Knights Hospitaller) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1557-1568 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Quartered shield of arms occupying the central field, combining the personal arms of Grand Master Jean de Valette (a gyrfalcon and a lion) with the arms of the Order of Saint John (a plain cross). The shield is set against a plain field and surrounded by a circular Latin legend. The heraldic composition is rendered in the late Renaissance style typical of Hospitaller coinage of the mid-sixteenth century. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | +PROPTER.VERITAEM ET IVSTICIAM+ (Translation: For truth and justice) |
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| Additional information |
Jean de Vallette served as Grand Master from 1557 until his death in 1568, a tenure defined almost entirely by the Great Siege of 1565, when Ottoman forces under Suleiman the Magnificent besieged Malta for over three months. The Order's finances were under sustained pressure throughout this period, with coinage serving logistical as much as ceremonial purposes.
The 4 Tari was the workhorse denomination of Hospitaller silver. Restelli and Schembri both catalog this type with minimal die variation noted, suggesting relatively controlled production for the period.