Rafael Cotoner y de Oleza (Maltese: Raphael Cotoner; 1601 – 20 October 1663) was a Spanish knight of Aragon who served as 60th Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller or, as it is already known by that time, the Order of Malta, from 5 June 1660 to his death on 20 October 1663 following the brief reign of Annet de Clermont-Gessant.^[1] After his death, he was succeeded as Grand Master by his brother, Nicolas Cotoner.

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Quick Facts Grand Master of the Order of Saint John, Monarch ...

Rafael Cotoner
Grand Master of the Order of Saint John
In office 5 June 1660 – 20 October 1663
Monarch	King Philip III
Preceded by	Annet de Clermont-Gessant
Succeeded by	Nicolas Cotoner
Personal details
Born	1601 Mallorca, Crown of Aragon (modern Spain)
Died	20 October 1663 Valletta, Malta
Resting place	St. John's Co-Cathedral
Alma mater	House of Cotoner
Military service
Allegiance	Order of Saint John

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During Cotoner's reign, the Order of Malta sent troops to Candia, besieged by the Ottomans.

During his 3-year reign, the Order of Malta sent reinforcements to support Venetians besieged by the Ottomans in Candia (Candia eventually fell after a siege lasting more than two decades in September 1669, almost 6 years after Cotoner's death).^[2] To show their gratitude and appreciation, the Republic of Venice passed a decree allowing members of the Order to appear armed within the Republic's dominions, something which had never been granted to the Republic's subjects themselves.^[3]

It was during Raphael's tenure as Grand Master that the Italian Baroque artist Mattia Preti started work in Valletta's St. John's Co-Cathedral.^[3] He went on to decorate the cathedral's interior with paintings of John the Baptist.