During the years of his lieutenancy D’Aubusson had not been idle in adding to the defences of the city of Rhodes. Three new towers were constructed in the enceinte, and a huge chain was placed at the entrance of the harbour by which its ingress might be blocked at will. This chain was coiled in the basement of St. Michael’s tower, and the opening is still visible in the ruins through which it was drawn out when in use. Alter the Turks captured the island they stored it in the vaults of the Hospital. To provide for the large expenditure entailed by these works, the treasury of Rhodes was driven to have recourse to every possible shift. Amongst other measures the council appropriated a quantity of old plate belonging to the cathedral of St. John, which bore the arms of Elyon de Villanova, by whom it had been presented to the church. It was promised that when the crisis was past this plate should be restored, and that in the meantime it should be pledged as security for a loan.
The election of a successor to Orsini was little more than a matter of form. This was not a time when either petty jealousies or local interests could be permitted to interfere in the nomination of a chief, under whose guidance it seemed certain that the knights would be called upon to withstand the powerful attack that had been so long preparing. On the skill and judgment of that leader it would mainly depend whether they would be able to ride out the tempest unscathed, or be for ever overwhelmed by its furious onset. There was one name on every tongue. It was that of a man who had already shown himself well worthy of the confidence placed in his powers, so that when the council announced to the expectant fraternity the name of Peter D’Aubusson as its new chief, the decision was greeted with acclamations which showed how fully that selection had met with public approval.
Peter D’Aubusson, grand-prior of Auvergne, was descended from the family of the viscounts de la Marche, the name dating back to the ninth century. The ramifications of this family have included a connection both with the dukes of Normandy and also with the Saxon kings of England, so that, although D’Aubusson was French both by birth and education, there must ever exist a sympathy for his high name and gallant
