Valette
JEAN PARISOT DE LA, a French military officer; born in 1494.
He came of a noble family of Toulouse, entered the order of the Knights of St.
John, and was elected grand-master of that order in 1557. His life thenceforward is a series of exploits in warfare with the Turks, culminating in his famous defense of Malta, lasting from May 18, 1565, till Sept. 8. The Turks had 159 war ships and 30,000 men; the defenders were 8,500 men, with 700 knights, and unsupported held the fortifications heroically in spite of awful loss and privations, till the approach of a Neapolitan fleet caused the Turks to raise the siege. The veteran commander died Aug. 28, 1568. He built Valetta.