António Manoel de Vilhena - Mdina, Malta - Coats of Arms on Waymarking.com

"António Manoel de Vilhena (28 May 1663 – 10 December 1736) was a Portuguese nobleman who was the 66th Prince and Grand Master of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem from 19 June 1722 to his death in 1736. Unlike a number of the other Grand Masters, he was benevolent and popular with the Maltese people. Vilhena is mostly remembered for the founding of Floriana, the construction of Fort Manoel and the Manoel Theatre, and the renovation of the city of Mdina.

António Manoel de Vilhena was born in Lisbon on 28 May 1663 to the aristocrat and general Dom Sancho Manoel de Vilhena, 1st Count de Vila Flor and his first wife, Ana de Noronha. His father fought in wars in central Europe, in Brazil against the Dutch, and in the Portuguese Restoration War against the Spanish Crown. Vilhena was also a remote descendant by one of his direct paternal branches of the noble and royal Castilian House of Manuel de Villena (es). He was a remote uncle of the Duke of Terceira.

De Vilhena was elected Grand Master on 19 June 1722, three days after the death of his predecessor Marc'Antonio Zondadari. On 20 September 1722, Vilhena took possession of the city of Mdina. He was impressed by the warm welcome he received in the traditional ceremony, and on 3 November of the same year he issued orders for restoration of the city's fortifications and renovation of the entire city. The renovation was entrusted to the French architect Charles François de Mondion, who designed a number of Baroque buildings in the largely medieval city. Buildings constructed in Mdina during Vilhena's magistracy include the Mdina Gate, the Torre dello Standardo, Palazzo Vilhena, the Banca Giuratale and the Corte Capitanale.

Vilhena died on 10 (or 12) December 1736 at the age of 73, and was succeeded as Grand Master by Ramon Despuig. He was buried at the Chapel of the Langue of Castile, Leon and Portugal within the Conventual Church of St. John (now known as St. John's Co-Cathedral). His funerary monument was designed by the Florentine sculptor Massimiliano Soldani Benzi.

Fort Manoel is supposedly haunted by a ghost known as the Black Knight, who resembles de Vilhena.

The Coat of Arms
Vilhena's coat of arms consists of a lion and a winged arm holding a sword representing the House of Manuel de Villena (es), quartered with a white cross on a red background representing the Order of St. John.

These particular arms are above the entrance gate to the city of Mdina which was created as part of the changes to the city carried out by António Manoel de Vilhena.

The earlier walled up gateway can still be seen close to this entrance.

Bearer of Coat of Arms: Noble (aristocratic) family Full name of the bearer: António Manoel de Vilhena, Grand Master of the Order of Saint John Where is Coat of Arms installed (short description) ?: Above the entrance gate to the city of Mdina Material / Design: Stone Blazon (heraldic description): per fess Argent a lion Gules the head Or and Gules a winged arm clothed with a maniple Or holding a sword Argent. Address: Mdina Gate Mdina Road Mdina Malta Web page about the bearer of Coat of Arms (if exists): [Web Link] Web page about the structure where is Coat of Arms installed (if exists): Not listed

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Date Logged Log   05/10/2023 Big Fish visited it 03/21/2023 Walking Boots visited it 10/05/2022 lynx36 visited it 01/26/2022 Vinceo visited it 09/27/2021 greysman visited it 03/03/2020 Rymyhomie visited it 01/11/2020 prussel visited it 12/16/2019 Fred_26_86 visited it

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