The 9th Baron of Budach and 9th Marquis de Piro, Nicholas de Piro is the son of Jerome de Piro d’Amico Inguanez, 8th Baron of Budach, and Philomena Cassar-Torreggiani. He lives in Casa Rocca Piccola—a historic palace built more than 400 ago for an esteemed Admiral in the Order of Malta—with his wife, Frances Elizabeth Wilson; they were the first Maltese aristocrats to open their home to the public in 1990. An avid reader, poet and author of numerous books, Nicholas has written extensively on art and Maltese history, including Lost Letters; The International Dictionary of Artists who Painted Malta; Picking Through The Stones: Notions, Nostalgia and Nonsense; Valletta; Mdina: The Old Capital City of Malta; The Temple of the Knights of Malta; Costume in Malta and more.