Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/436

404 had greatly distinguished himself in the defence of the island of Leros against a Turkish force. This knight immediately placed himself at the head of the revolting slaves, and took such prompt measures that the whole city fell into his hands. Barbarossa was compelled to fly, and his troops rapidly dispersed.

Simeoni advanced to meet the emperor, and informed him of what he had done. Charles, who was overjoyed at this unlooked-for assistance, embraced him with warmth, and praised him in the most emphatic manner for the intrepidity and discretion with which he had acted. Muley Hassan was restored to his throne as a tributary of Spain, and the expedition being thus happily ended, the knights returned to Malta laden with substantial marks of the emperor satisfaction. They arrived there in time to see the last of their chief, who died shortly afterwards, having wielded the baton of Grand- Master for little more than one year.

He was succeeded by Dither de St. Gilles, a French knight, whose short reign was undistinguished by any event of importance beyond the destruction of a fort called Alcade, which the Algerines had constructed close to Tripoli. Botigella, to whom had been confided the command of the fleet of the Order in the late expedition, was intrusted with this enterprise, and the complete success which crowned his efforts marked the wisdom of the choice. The fort was utterly destroyed in spite of every effort on the part of the Algerines to save it, and the expedition returned in triumph to Malta.

St. Gilles himself never reached the chef-lieu after his nomination, but died at Monipellier, where he was residing for the benefit of his health. The vacancy which thus occurred gave rise to a warm contention in the election of a successor. The two commanders, Botigella and De Grolée, the latter of whom had led the assault on the fort of Goletta, were considered to have an equally good claim upon the suffrages of the electors. The Spaniards, however, whose influence in the convent had of late wonderfully increased, owing to the power of their emperor, were determined that a knight of their own langue should be chosen. They succeeded in carrying their point, and John D’Omedes, of the langue of Aragon, was nominated