Quick Facts
Biography
Fra' Galeas von Thun und Hohenstein (24 September 1850 – 26 March 1931) was the 75th Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta from 1905 to 1931. His first name was also known as Galeazzo.
Biography
He was born in Trento (then in Austria, now in Italy), the youngest son of Count Guidobald Maria Thun und Hohenstein and of his wife, Teresa Guidi dei Marchesi di Bagno.
In 1905 Thun und Hohenstein was elected Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Under his leadership the order engaged in large-scale hospitaller and charitable activities during World War I. Since he had been born an Austrian subject, Thun und Hohenstein spent much of the war in Austria. He invested a large amount of the order’s funds in Austrian war bonds, which became worthless when Austria was defeated. In 1925 he was made a knight of the Spanish branch of the Order of the Golden Fleece.
For the last two years of his life, Thun und Hohenstein was physically incapacitated. He continued to be Grand Master, but a Lieutenant, Pio Franchi de' Cavalieri, acted on his behalf.
Thun und Hohenstein died in Rome.