Career
Before his position as Master, Villaret had been grand prior of Saint-Gilles. He spent the first few years of his mastership in a reforming tour of the Order"s priories (in France proper, the Auvergne and Provence). Villaret was successful in obtaining large additions of property and privileges from the Papacy and from various European princes.
He also undertook a major reorganization of the Order and promulgated a series of statutes between 1300 and 1304, the most significant of which was the definition of the powers and status of the admiral, a new great dignitary who had first been appointed in 1299.
In 1300, in response to the urgent remonstrances of the knights, he appeared in Cyprus. The Cypriots, under King Henry II, then sent a land-based source to the island of Arwad, in an attempt to retake the coastal city of Tortosa.
There had been some attempt to do this in concert with forces from the Mongol Ilkhanate. However the promised Mongol troops did not arrive, the Cypriots eventually had to retreat from Ruad, and the island was re-taken by the Egyptian Mamluks a year later.
As of late 2003 stamps were being issued in denominations of grani, tari, and scudi.