Hugues Loubenx de Verdalle

Fra ' Hugues, Cardinal de Loubenx Verdale (also Lubens; Latin: Hugo Lobesius Verdalius ) ( born April 13, 1531 Loubens; † May 4, 1595 in Rome ) was from 1582 until his death in the 52nd Grand Master of the Order of Malta 1587 Roman Catholic Cardinal.

He was born in the castle Loubens in Gascony. His noble family originally came from Carcassonne.

He joined in 1547 with the Order of Malta. 1552, he took part in the siege of Zara. During the siege of Malta ( 1565) he commanded the artillery. Subsequently, he was Grand Prior of the Order in Toulouse and commander of Pezenas. 1579, he was Ambassador of the Order to the Holy See. In the same year he became regent of the tongue of Provence.

On January 12, 1582 he was elected Grand Master of the Order. From 1586 he had it rebuilt the hunting lodge in the " Buskett " (Rabat ), which was renamed in his honor later in Verdala Palace.

On December 18, 1587 Pope Sixtus V appointed him cardinal deacon. In addition, he was prefect of the papal fleet.

Hugues reformed the Order and commissioned Jacopo Bosio whose historical work about the Order Historia Equitum S. Ioannis Hierosolymitani compose. Although Cardinal, he did not take part in the conclave. So he was in the election of popes Urban VII in 1590, Gregory XIV in 1590, Innocent IX. 1591 Clement VIII in 1592 not present.

On November 12, 1592 was the Jesuit College Collegium Melitense at the instigation of Pope Clement VIII and Hugues by the Bishop of Malta, Tomás Gargal ( Gargallo ) OSIo.Hieros. , Founded in Valetta.

He died in 1595 in Rome. His body was transferred to Malta and was buried with great pomp in the crypt of St. John's Cathedral in Valletta.