Valet′ta, an important fortress and beautiful city, capital of the island of Malta. The city was founded by John Parisot de la Valette, who so gallantly defended the island of Malta against the Turkish fleet in 1565. Alone and unsupported by any of the Christian powers, La Valette held the island under circumstances of great difficulty and distress; and at the end of four months the Turks were compelled to withdraw, after suffering a loss of several thousand men. The city contains many relics of the occupation by the Knights of Malta. Population 60,000. See Malta.