Citizendia
Your Ad Here

Knights Hospitaller
Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, Knights of Malta, Knights of Rhodes, and Chevaliers of Malta
Ordre des Hospitaliers

The Hospitalier grand master Guillaume de Villiers or Guillaume de Clermont defending the walls of Acre, 1291, by Dominique-Louis Papéty (1815-1849) at Versailles. The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St Versailles (vɛʀsaj in French) formerly de facto capital of the kingdom of France, is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and is still an important
Active c. 1099–1798
Allegiance Papacy
Type Western Christian military order
Headquarters Jerusalem
Nickname Knights of Malta
Patron St. History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and Western Christianity is a term used to cover the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, the Churches of the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran Church military order is a Christian Order of knighthood that is founded for crusading, i Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the John the Baptist
Motto Pro Fide, Pro Utilitate Hominum
Colors Black & White, Red & White
Mascot Falcon
Engagements The Crusades, including:
Siege of Acre (1291)
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Jean Parisot de la Valette

The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. Saint John the Baptist ( heb. Jochanan ben Sacharja, arab. يحيى Yaḥyā or يوحنا Yūḥanna, aram. A falcon (fɔlkən or fælkən is any Species of raptor in the Genus Falco. The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents The Siege of Acre (also called the Fall of Acre) took place in 1291 and resulted in the loss of the Crusader -control city of Acre to the Muslims Jean Parisot de Valette (born in 1494 died in Malta 21 August 1568) was born into a noble family in Quercy. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, Order of St. John, Knights of Malta, and Chevaliers of Malta; French: Ordre des Hospitaliers) was a Christian organization that began as an Amalfitan hospital founded in Jerusalem in 1080 to provide care for poor, sick or injured pilgrims to the Holy Land. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Amalfi is also a town in the Antioquia Departament in Colombia. A hospital is an institution for Health care providing treatment by specialised staff and equipment and often but not always providing for Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the In Religion and Spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey or Search of great Moral significance The Holy Land ( Arabic: الأرض المقدسة al-Arḍ ul-Muqaddasah;Ancient Aramaic: ארעא קדישא Ar'a Qaddisha; Hebrew: ארץ_הקודש After the Western Christian conquest of Jerusalem in 1099 during the First Crusade it became a religious/military order under its own charter, and was charged with the care and defence of the Holy Land. Western Christianity is a term used to cover the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, the Churches of the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran Church The First Crusade was launched in 1095 by Pope Urban II with the dual goals of conquering the sacred city of Jerusalem and the Holy Land and freeing A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion usually military order is a Christian Order of knighthood that is founded for crusading, i The Holy Land ( Arabic: الأرض المقدسة al-Arḍ ul-Muqaddasah;Ancient Aramaic: ארעא קדישא Ar'a Qaddisha; Hebrew: ארץ_הקודש Following the loss of the Holy Land by Christian forces, the Order operated from Rhodes, over which it was sovereign, and later from Malta where it administered a vassal state under the Spanish viceroy of Sicily. Rhodes (Ρόδος Ródos, ˈɾo̞ðo̞s Rodi ردوس Rodos; Ladino: Rodi or Rodes) is a Greek island Sovereignty is the exclusive Right to control a Government, a country, a people or oneself Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands The term vassal state commonly refers to any state that was subordinate to another in the pre-modern international system Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy.

When Napoleon captured Malta in 1798 the Knights ceased to be associated with any one place, and gave rise to successors in existence until the present including the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta (known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta ( SMOM) Order of Malta

Contents

History

Foundation and early history

Gun-wielding Ottoman Janissaries and defending Knights of Saint John, Siege of Rhodes, 1522.
Gun-wielding Ottoman Janissaries and defending Knights of Saint John, Siege of Rhodes, 1522. The Janissaries (derived from Ottoman Turkish ينيچرى ( yeniçeri) meaning "new soldier" comprised Infantry units that formed The Siege of Rhodes of 1522 was the second and ultimately successful attempt by the Ottoman Empire to expel the Knights of Rhodes from their island

In 600, Abbot Probus was commissioned by Pope Gregory the Great to build a hospital in Jerusalem to treat and care for Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land. Events By Place World The population of the Earth rises to about 208 million people History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the In 800, Charlemagne, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, enlarged Probus' hospital and added a library to it. Events By Place Europe September 15 - Oldest known mention of Monkey. Charlemagne (ˈʃɑrlɨmeɪn Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus meaning Charles the Great) (747 – 28 January 814 was King of the Franks from 768 to his An emperor (from the Latin " Imperator " is a (male Monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an Empire or another type of The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in A library is a collection of information sources resources and services and the structure in which it is housed it is organized for use and maintained by a public body an institution About 200 years later, in 1005, Caliph Al Hakim destroyed the hospital and three thousand other buildings in Jerusalem. The Caliph is the Head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the leader of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah Tāriqu l-Ḥākim, called bi Amr al-Lāh ( Arabic: الحاكم بأمر الله; literally "Ruler by God's Command" was the sixth Fatimid In 1023, merchants from Amalfi and Salerno in Italy were given permission by the Caliph Ali az-Zahir of Egypt to rebuild the hospital in Jerusalem. Merchants function as professionals who deal with Trade, dealing in commodities that they do not produce themselves in order to produce Profit. Amalfi is also a town in the Antioquia Departament in Colombia. Salerno is a town in southern Italy, capital of the province of the same name in the region of Campania. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest For the Abbasid Caliph see Az-Zahir. ˤAlī az-Zāhir ( 20 June 1005 &ndash 13 June 1036) This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The hospital, which was built on the site of the monastery of Saint John the Baptist, took in Christian pilgrims traveling to visit the Christian holy sites. This article concerns the buildings occupied by monastics. For the life inside monasteries and its historical roots see Monasticism. Saint John the Baptist ( heb. Jochanan ben Sacharja, arab. يحيى Yaḥyā or يوحنا Yūḥanna, aram. It was served by Benedictine Brothers. Benedictine refers to the Spirituality and Consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in

The monastic hospitaller order was founded following the First Crusade by the Blessed Gerard, whose role as founder was confirmed by a Papal bull of Pope Paschal II in 1113[1]. The First Crusade was launched in 1095 by Pope Urban II with the dual goals of conquering the sacred city of Jerusalem and the Holy Land and freeing Gerard (c 1040 &ndash September 3, 1120) variously surnamed Tum, Tune, Tenque or Thom, was the founder of the Order A Papal bull is a particular type of Letters patent or charter issued by a Pope. Paschal II, born Ranierius, (died January 21, 1118) was Pope from August 13, 1099 until his death Gerard acquired territory and revenues for his order throughout the Kingdom of Jerusalem and beyond. This article is about the Christian kingdom For the history of the city see History of Jerusalem The Kingdom of Jerusalem was a Christian His successor, Raymond du Puy de Provence, established the first significant Hospitaller infirmary near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Raymond du Puy de Provence (1083 - 1160 was a French knight and was Grand Master of the Order of St A hospital is an institution for Health care providing treatment by specialised staff and equipment and often but not always providing for The Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Sanctum Sepulchrum also called the Church of the Resurrection, ( Greek: Ναός της Αναστάσεως Naos tis Anastaseos Initially the group cared for pilgrims in Jerusalem, but the order soon extended to providing pilgrims with an armed escort, which soon grew into a substantial force.

The Hospitallers and the Knights Templar, formed in 1119[2], became the most powerful Christian groups in the area. The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici commonly known as the Knights Templar or the Order The order came to distinguish itself in battles with the Muslims, its soldiers wearing a black surcoat with a white cross. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion [3]

By the mid-12th century the order was clearly divided into military brothers and those who worked with the sick. It was still a religious order and had privileges granted by the Papacy; for example, the order was exempt from all authority save that of the Pope, and it paid no tithes and was allowed its own religious buildings. History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and Many of the more substantial Christian fortifications in the Holy Land were built by the Templars and the Hospitallers. At the height of the Kingdom of Jerusalem the Hospitallers held seven great forts and 140 other estates in the area. This article is about the Christian kingdom For the history of the city see History of Jerusalem The Kingdom of Jerusalem was a Christian The two largest of these, their bases of power in the Kingdom and in the Principality of Antioch, were the Krak des Chevaliers and Margat[4]. The Principality of Antioch, including parts of modern-day Turkey and Syria, was one of the Crusader states created during the First Crusade Krak des Chevaliers (kʁak de ʃəval'je transliterated Crac des Chevaliers, is a Crusader fortress in Syria and one of the most important preserved medieval military Margat, also known as Marqab (from the Arabic Qalaat al-Marqab قلعة المرقب "Castle of the Watchtower" is a Castle which The property of the Order was divided into priories, subdivided into bailiwicks, which in turn were divided into commanderies. A priory is a House of men or women under religious vows headed by a Prior or prioress A bailiwick is the area of jurisdiction of a Bailiff. The term was also applied to a territory in which the Sheriff 's functions were exercised by a privately appointed Commandry ( British English) or commandery ( American English) was the smallest division of the European Landed estate or manor Frederick Barbarossa, the Holy Roman Emperor, pledged his protection to the Knights of St. Frederick I Barbarossa (1122 &ndash 10 June 1190) was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in John in a charter of privileges granted in 1185.

Grand Master and senior knights Hospitaller in the 14th century
Grand Master and senior knights Hospitaller in the 14th century

Knights of Cyprus and Rhodes

The rising power of Islam eventually expelled the Knights from Jerusalem. Grand Master is the typical Title of the supreme head (in some national orders below the Sovereign Head of state of various orders of knighthood including Military orders For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. After the fall of the Kingdom of Jerusalem (Jerusalem itself fell in 1187), the Knights were confined to the County of Tripoli, and when Acre was captured in 1291 the order sought refuge in the Kingdom of Cyprus. The County of Tripoli (1109–1289 was the last Crusader state founded in the Levant, located in what today is known as northern Lebanon The Kingdom of Cyprus was a Crusader kingdom on the island of Cyprus in the high and late Middle Ages, between 1192 and 1489 Finding themselves becoming enmeshed in Cypriot politics, their Grand Master Guillaume de Villaret created a plan of acquiring their own temporal domain, selecting Rhodes to be their new home. Grand Master is the typical Title of the supreme head (in some national orders below the Sovereign Head of state of various orders of knighthood including Military orders Guillaume de Villaret (Occitan Guilhem del Vilaret) (died 1305 a native of Languedoc-Roussillon was the 24th Grand Master of the Knights Hospitallers Rhodes (Ρόδος Ródos, ˈɾo̞ðo̞s Rodi ردوس Rodos; Ladino: Rodi or Rodes) is a Greek island His successor Fulkes de Villaret executed the plan, and on 15 August 1309, after over two years of campaigning, the island of Rhodes surrendered to the knights. Foulques de Villaret ( Occitan: Folco del Vilaret, also Fulk de Villaret) (died 1 September 1327 a native of Languedoc-Roussillon, France Events 778 - The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed Rhodes (Ρόδος Ródos, ˈɾo̞ðo̞s Rodi ردوس Rodos; Ladino: Rodi or Rodes) is a Greek island They also gained control of a number of neighboring islands and the Anatolian ports of Bodrum and Kastelorizo. Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black Bodrum (from Petronium; formerly Halicarnassus (Halikarnas Ancient Greek: Ἁλικαρνασσός) is a Turkish " Castellorizon " is also the name of a song from David Gilmour's album On an Island, based on a night he spent on Kastelorizo in 2006

Plate containing the names and periods that a knight was a Grand Master of Rhodes.
Plate containing the names and periods that a knight was a Grand Master of Rhodes.
The Knights' castle at Rhodes.
The Knights' castle at Rhodes.

The Knights Templar were dissolved in 1312 and much of their property was given to the Hospitallers. The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici commonly known as the Knights Templar or the Order The holdings were organized into eight tongues (one each in Aragon, Auvergne, Castile, England, France, Germany, Italy, and Provence). Tongues or langues were the geographic-cultural subgroupings of the members of the Knights of Rhodes/Maltese Knights from the 14th to the 18th century Aragon ( Spanish: "Aragón") is an autonomous community of Spain. Auvergne ( Occitan: Auvèrnhe/Auvèrnha) was the name of an historically independent county in the center of France, as well as later a Province of The Crown of Castile, as a historic entity is usually considered to have begun in 1230 with the third and definitive union of the two kingdoms of León and Castile England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Provence ( Provençal Occitan: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm is a region of southeastern France Each was administered by a Prior or, if there was more than one priory in the tongue, by a Grand Prior. Prior is a Title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier first' with several notable uses At Rhodes and later Malta, the resident knights of each tongue were headed by a Bailli. Bailli (English bailiff was the rank and title of the head of each of the Bailiwicks of the Knights Hospitaller and also of the head at Rhodes and The English Grand Prior at the time was Philip Thame, who acquired the estates allocated to the English tongue from 1330 to 1358.

Rhodes and other possessions of the Knights Hospitaller of St. John.
Rhodes and other possessions of the Knights Hospitaller of St. John.

On Rhodes the Hospitallers, then known as the Knights of Rhodes, [1] were forced to become a more militarized force, fighting especially with the Barbary pirates. The Barbary pirates, also sometimes called Ottoman corsairs, were Muslim Pirates and Privateers that operated from North Africa, from They withstood two invasions in the 15th century, one by the Sultan of Egypt in 1444 and another by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II in 1480 who, after capturing Constantinople, made the Knights a priority target. Sultan of Egypt was the status held by the rulers of Egypt after the establishment of the Ayyubid Dynasty of Saladin in 1174 until the Ottoman conquest The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish The Fall of Constantinople refers to the capture of the Byzantine Empire's capital by the Ottoman Empire on Tuesday May 29, 1453 (Julian Calendar

Main article: Siege of Rhodes (1480)

In 1494 they created a stronghold on the peninsula of Halicarnassus (now Bodrum). In 1480 the Knights Hospitaller garrison of Rhodes withstood an attack of the seemingly unstoppable Ottoman Empire. Bodrum (from Petronium; formerly Halicarnassus (Halikarnas Ancient Greek: Ἁλικαρνασσός) is a Turkish They used pieces of the partially destroyed Mausoleum of Maussollos, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, to strengthen Bodrum Castle. The Tomb of Mausolus, Mausoleum of Mausolus or Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (in Greek,) was a tomb built between 353 and 350 BC at Halicarnassus Bodrum Castle ( Bodrum Kalesi) located in southwest Turkey in the city of Bodrum ( was built by the Knights Hospitaller starting in 1402 as [5]

In 1522 an entirely new sort of force arrived: 400 ships under the command of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent delivered 200,000 men to the island. Suleiman I (سليمان Sulaymān, Süleyman almost always Kanuni Sultan Süleyman) ( 6 November 1494 5/ 6 September 1566 [2] Against this force the Knights, under Grand Master Philippe Villiers de L'Isle-Adam, had about 7,000 men-at-arms and their fortifications. Philippe Villiers de L'Isle-Adam (1464 &ndash 1534 was a prominent member of the Knights Hospitaller at Rhodes and later Malta. The siege lasted six months, at the end of which the surviving defeated Hospitallers were allowed to withdraw to Sicily. The Siege of Rhodes of 1522 was the second and ultimately successful attempt by the Ottoman Empire to expel the Knights of Rhodes from their island Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy.

Main article: Siege of Rhodes (1522)

Knights of Malta

Arms of the Knights Hospitaller, quartered with those of Pierre d'Aubusson, on a bombard ordered by the latter. The top inscription further reads: "F. PETRUS DAUBUSSON M HOSPITALIS IHER".
Arms of the Knights Hospitaller, quartered with those of Pierre d'Aubusson, on a bombard ordered by the latter. The Siege of Rhodes of 1522 was the second and ultimately successful attempt by the Ottoman Empire to expel the Knights of Rhodes from their island Pierre d'Aubusson ( 1423 - June 30 1503) was a Grand Master of the order of St The top inscription further reads: "F. PETRUS DAUBUSSON M HOSPITALIS IHER".

After seven years of moving from place to place in Europe the Knights became established in 1530 when the Holy Roman Emperor, King Charles V of Spain, as King of Sicily, gave them Malta[6], Gozo and the North African port of Tripoli in perpetual fiefdom in exchange for an annual fee of a single Maltese falcon, which they were to send on All Souls Day to the King's representative, the Viceroy of Sicily. Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands Gozo ( Għawdex) is an Island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea, the island is part of the Southern European Tripolis ( Arabic: طرابلس Ṭarābulus - also طرابلس الغرب Ṭarā-bu-lus al-Gharb Libyan vernacular: In Western Christianity, All Souls' Day commemorates the faithful departed. [7] (This historical fact was used as the plot hook in Dashiell Hammett's famous book The Maltese Falcon. A narrative hook (or hook is a Literary technique in the opening of a story that "hooks" the reader's attention so that he or she will keep reading on Samuel Dashiell Hammett ( May 27, 1894 — January 10, 1961) was an American Author of Hardboiled detective The Maltese Falcon is a 1930 Detective novel by Dashiell Hammett, originally serialized in the magazine " Black Mask " )

The Hospitallers continued their actions against the Muslims and especially the Barbary pirates. The Barbary pirates, also sometimes called Ottoman corsairs, were Muslim Pirates and Privateers that operated from North Africa, from Although they had only few ships they quickly drew the ire of the Ottomans, who were unhappy to see the order resettled. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish In 1565 Suleiman sent an invasion force of about 40,000 men to besiege the 700 knights and 8000 soldiers and expel them from Malta[8].

At first the battle went as badly for the Hospitallers as Rhodes had: most of the cities were destroyed and about half the knights killed. On 18 August the position of the besieged was becoming desperate: dwindling daily in numbers, they were becoming too feeble to hold the long line of fortifications. Events 293 BC - The oldest known Roman temple to Venus is founded starting the institution of Vinalia Rustica. But when his council suggested the abandonment of Il Borgo and Senglea and withdrawal to Fort St. Angelo, Grand Master Jean Parisot de la Valette refused. Senglea ( Città Invicta or Senglea) is a fortified City in the east of Malta, mainly in the Grand Harbour area Fort St Angelo is a large Fortification in Birgu, Malta. History The date of its original construction is unknown and may date back Grand Master is the typical Title of the supreme head (in some national orders below the Sovereign Head of state of various orders of knighthood including Military orders Jean Parisot de Valette (born in 1494 died in Malta 21 August 1568) was born into a noble family in Quercy.

The Viceroy of Sicily had not sent help; possibly the Viceroy's orders from Philip II of Spain were so obscurely worded as to put on his own shoulders the burden of the decision whether to help the Knights at the expense of his own defences. Philip II (Felipe II de España Filipe I ( May 21, 1527 &ndash September 13 1598) was King of Spain from 1556 until 1598 A wrong decision could mean defeat and exposing Sicily and Naples to the Ottomans. He had left his own son with La Valette, so he could hardly be indifferent to the fate of the fortress. Whatever may have been the cause of his delay, the Viceroy hesitated until the battle had almost been decided by the unaided efforts of the Knights, before being forced to move by the indignation of his own officers.

Re-enactment of 16th century military drills conducted by the Knights. Fort Saint Elmo, Valletta, Malta, 8 May 2005.
Re-enactment of 16th century military drills conducted by the Knights. Fort Saint Elmo, Valletta, Malta, 8 May 2005. Fort Saint Elmo is a Fortification in Valletta, Malta. It stands on the seaward shore of the Sciberras Peninsula that divides Marsamxett Harbour Valletta ( Belt Valletta or Città Umilissima) is the capital city of Malta. Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands Events 589 - Reccared summons the Third Council of Toledo 1450 - Jack Cade's Rebellion: Kentishmen Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

On 23 August came yet another grand assault, the last serious effort, as it proved, of the besiegers. Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire It was thrown back with the greatest difficulty, even the wounded taking part in the defence. The plight of the Turkish forces, however, was now desperate. With the exception of Fort St. Elmo, the fortifications were still intact[9]. Fort Saint Elmo is a Fortification in Valletta, Malta. It stands on the seaward shore of the Sciberras Peninsula that divides Marsamxett Harbour Working night and day the garrison had repaired the breaches, and the capture of Malta seemed more and more impossible. Many of the Ottoman troops in crowded quarters had fallen ill over the terrible summer months. Ammunition and food were beginning to run short, and the Ottoman troops were becoming increasingly dispirited at the failure of their attacks and their losses. The death on 23 June of skilled commander Dragut, a corsair and admiral of the Ottoman fleet, was a serious blow. Turgut Reis ( 1485 - June 23, 1565) was a Turkish Privateer and Ottoman Admiral as well as Bey of The Turkish commanders, Piyale Pasha and Mustafa Pasha, were careless. Piyale Pasha (c 1515-1578 also known as Piale Pasha in the West or Pialí Bajá in Spain Turkish: Piyale Paşa) was an Ottoman-Turkish Lala Kara Mustafa Pasha (or simply Lala Mustafa Pasha) (c 1500-1580 was an Ottoman general and statesman They had a huge fleet which they used with effect on only one occasion. They neglected their communications with the African coast and made no attempt to watch and intercept Sicilian reinforcements.

On 1 September they made their last effort, but the morale of the Ottoman troops had deteriorated seriously and the attack was feeble, to the great encouragement of the besieged, who now began to see hopes of deliverance. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. The perplexed and indecisive Ottomans heard of the arrival of Sicilian reinforcements in Mellieħa Bay. Unaware that the force was very small, they broke off the siege and left on 8 September. Events 70 - Roman forces under Titus sack Jerusalem. 1264 - The Statute of Kalisz The Great Siege of Malta may have been the last action in which a force of knights won a decisive victory. For the 1940-42 siege see " Siege of Malta (World War II " The Siege of Malta (also known as the Great Siege of Malta) took [10]

Aerial view of Valletta, showing post-siege Fort Saint Elmo
Aerial view of Valletta, showing post-siege Fort Saint Elmo

When the Ottomans departed the Hospitallers had 600 men able to bear arms. Fort Saint Elmo is a Fortification in Valletta, Malta. It stands on the seaward shore of the Sciberras Peninsula that divides Marsamxett Harbour The most reliable estimate puts the number of the Ottoman army at its height at some 40,000 men, of whom 15,000 eventually returned to Constantinople. The siege is portrayed vividly in the frescoes of Matteo Perez d'Aleccio in the Hall of St. Matteo Perez d'Aleccio (1547&ndash-1616 was an Italian painter of devotional historical and maritime subjects during the Mannerist period Michael and St. George, also known as the Throne Room, in the Grand Master's Palace in Valletta. Valletta ( Belt Valletta or Città Umilissima) is the capital city of Malta. Four of the original modellos, painted in oils by Perez d'Aleccio between 1576 and 1581, can be found in the Cube Room of the Queen's House at Greenwich, London. Matteo Perez d'Aleccio (1547&ndash-1616 was an Italian painter of devotional historical and maritime subjects during the Mannerist period The Queen's House Greenwich, built 1614-1617 was designed by Architect Inigo Jones, early in his architectural career for Anne of Denmark, the queen Greenwich ( ˈɡrɛnɪtʃ GREN-itch /ˈɡrɛnɪdʒ/ GREN-idge or /ˈɡrɪnɪdʒ/ GRIN-idge is a district in south-east London, After the siege a new city had to be built – the present city named Valletta in memory of the Grand Master who had withstood the siege

In 1607 the Grand Master of the Hospitallers was granted the status of Reichsfürst (Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, even though the Order's territory was always south of the Holy Roman Empire). Valletta ( Belt Valletta or Città Umilissima) is the capital city of Malta. (plural Fürsten) is a German title of nobility, usually translated into English as Prince. The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in In 1630 the Grand Master was awarded ecclesiastic equality with cardinals, and the unique hybrid style His Most Eminent Highness, reflecting both qualities qualifying him as a true Prince of the Church. A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official usually a bishop, of the Catholic Church. The term Prince of the Church is nowadays used nearly exclusively for Catholic Cardinals However the term is historically more important as a generic term for clergymen

Following the Christian victory over the Ottoman fleet in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, the Knights continued to attack pirates and Muslim shipping, and their base became a centre for slave trading well into the 18th century, selling captured Africans and Turks and freeing Christian slaves. The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family

Turmoil in Europe

The Order lost many of its European holdings following the rise of Protestantism and French Egalitarianism, but survived on Malta. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Egalitarianism (derived from the French word égal, meaning equal) is a political doctrine that holds that all people should be treated as equals and have The property of the English branch was confiscated in 1540[11]. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland In 1577, the German Bailiwick of Brandenburg became Lutheran, but continued to pay its financial contribution to the Order until the branch was turned into a merit Order by the King of Prussia in 1812[12]. Brandenburg ( Lower Sorbian: Bramborska; Upper Sorbian: Braniborska) is one of the sixteen states of Germany. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Early life The son of King Frederick William II of Prussia, Frederick William was born in Potsdam and became Crown Prince in 1786 when his father ascended The "Johanniter Orden" was restored as a Prussian Order of Knights Hospitaller in 1852. Prussia ( Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Prūsija Prūsija Prusy Old Prussian: Prūsa) was most recently a historic state

The Knights of Malta had a strong presence within the Imperial Russian Navy and the pre-revolutionary French Navy. The Imperial Russian Navy refers to the Tsarist Fleets prior to the Bolshevik Revolution. The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale ( National Navy) and often called La Royale ( The Royal Navy) is the maritime arm When De Poincy was appointed governor of the French colony on St. Kitts in 1639 he was a prominent Knight of St. Phillippe de Longvilliers de Poincy (1583 - 1660 was a French nobleman and Bailiff Grand Cross of the Knights of Malta Saint Kitts (also known more formally as Saint Christopher Island ( Saint-Christophe in French) is an Island in the West Indies John and dressed his retinue with the emblems of the order. The Order's presence in the Caribbean was eclipsed with his death in 1660. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting He also bought the island of Saint Croix as his personal estate and deeded it to the Knights of St. John. In 1665, St. Croix was bought by the French West India Company, ending the Order's presence in the Caribbean. In the history of French trade the French West India Company ( French: Compagnie des Indes occidentales) was a Chartered company established

In 1789 France erupted in revolution and anti-clerical and anti-aristocratic furor, forcing many French knights and nobles to flee for their lives. The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an Anti-clericalism is a historical movement that opposes Religious (generally Catholic institutional power and influence real or alleged in all aspects of public and political Many of the Order's traditional sources of revenue from France were lost permanently[13].

The decree of the French National Assembly Abolishing the Feudal System (1789) abolished the Order in France: V. Tithes of every description, as well as the dues which have been substituted for them, under whatever denomination they are known or collected (even when compounded for), possessed by secular or regular congregations, by holders of benefices, members of corporations (including the Order of Malta and other religious and military orders), as well as those devoted to the maintenance of churches, those impropriated to lay persons and those substituted for the portion congrue, are abolished (. . . ) (The Decree Abolishing the Feudal System, August 11, 1789, J. H. Robinson, ed. , Readings in European History 2 vols. (Boston: Ginn, 1906), 2: 404-409) The French Revolutionary Government seized the assets and properties of the Order in France in 1792.

The loss of Malta

Count Vassiliev, a 19th-century Knight Commander
Count Vassiliev, a 19th-century Knight Commander

Their Mediterranean stronghold of Malta was captured by Napoleon in 1798 during his expedition to Egypt[14]. Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. As a ruse, Napoleon asked for safe harbor to resupply his ships, and then turned against his hosts once safely inside Valletta. Valletta ( Belt Valletta or Città Umilissima) is the capital city of Malta. Grand Master Ferdinand von Hompesch zu Bolheim failed to anticipate or prepare for this threat, provided no effective leadership, and readily capitulated to Napoleon, arguing that the order's charter prohibited fighting against Christians. Ferdinand von Hompesch zu Bolheim ( November 9, 1744 - May 12, 1805) was the 71st Grand Master of the Order of Saint John In 1799, in disgrace and under pressure from the Austrian court, he resigned his office and retreated into obscurity.

The knights were now dispersed, though the order continued to exist in a diminished form and negotiated with European governments for a return to power. The Russian Emperor, Paul I, gave the largest number of knights shelter in St. Petersburg, an action which gave rise to the Russian tradition of the Knights Hospitaller and the Order's recognition among the Russian Imperial Orders[15]. Paul (Па́вел I Петро́вич Pavel Petrovich) ( &ndash) was the Emperor of Russia between 1796 and 1801 Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River Brother Gerard created the Order of St John of Jerusalem as a distinctive Order from the previous Benedictine establishment of Hospitallers (Госпитальеры The refugee knights in St Petersburg proceeded to elect Tsar Paul as their Grand Master – a rival to Grand Master von Hompesch until the latter's abdication left Paul as the sole Grand Master. As Grand Master Paul I created, in addition to the Roman Catholic Grand Priory, a "Russian Grand Priory" of no less than 118 Commanderies, dwarfing the rest of the Order and open to all Christians. Paul's election as Grand Master was, however, never ratified under Roman Catholic canon law, and he was the de facto rather than de jure Grand Master of the Order.

By the early 1800s, the order had been severely weakened by the loss of its priories throughout Europe. Only 10% of the order's income came from traditional sources in Europe, with the remaining 90% being generated by the Russian Grand Priory until 1810. Brother Gerard created the Order of St John of Jerusalem as a distinctive Order from the previous Benedictine establishment of Hospitallers (Госпитальеры This was partly reflected in the government of the Order being under Lieutenants, rather than Grand Masters, in the period 1805 to 1879, when Pope Leo XIII restored a Grand Master to the order. Pope Leo XIII ( March 2, 1810 – July 20, 1903) born Count Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci, was the 256th Pope This signalled the renewal of the order's fortunes as a humanitarian and religious organization. Humanitarianism is an active belief in Humanism (the idea of the value of human life whereby Humans practice benevolent treatment and provide assistance to other humans Hospital work, the original work of the order, became once again its main concern. The Order's hospital and welfare activities, undertaken on a considerable scale in World War I, were greatly intensified and expanded in World War II under the Grand Master Fra' Ludovico Chigi della Rovere Albani (Grand Master 1931-1951).

The Sovereign Military Order of Malta recently established a mission in Malta, after signing an agreement with the Maltese Government which granted the Order the exclusive use of Fort St. Angelo for a term of 99 years. Today, after restoration, the Fort hosts historical and cultural activities related to the Order of Malta. [16] The Venerable Order of Saint John has had a presence on Malta since the the late 19th-Century.

Modern successors

Sovereign Military Order of Malta

Main article: Sovereign Military Order of Malta
Flag of the Order of Malta
Flag of the Order of Malta

In 1834, the Order established a new headquarters in Rome[17]. The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta (known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta ( SMOM) Order of Malta Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, better known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), remains a Roman Catholic religious order which have sovereign status, with membership of many international bodies and observer status at others (such as the United Nations)[18]. The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta (known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta ( SMOM) Order of Malta A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion usually The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security It is the only Order to do so. The Order maintains diplomatic relations with approximately 100 countries, with numerous ambassadors. It issues its own passports, currency, stamps and even vehicle registration plates. The Grand Master of the Order serves as a Papal Viceroy providing Vatican diplomacy with procedural support for making motions, proposing amendments and requiring votes in the sphere of international diplomacy. [19]. Its claim to sovereign status is disputed by some scholars[20].

Revival in Britain as the Venerable Order of St. John of Jerusalem

Main article: Venerable Order of Saint John

The property of the Order in England was confiscated by Henry VIII because of a dispute with the Pope over the dissolution of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, which eventually led to the dissolution of the monasteries. The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem or Order of St John is a British -based royal order of Chivalry, and is England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of Catherine of Aragon (16 December 1485 – 7 January 1536 also known as Catharine, Katherine or Katharine ( Castilian Infanta Catalina This article concerns the buildings occupied by monastics. For the life inside monasteries and its historical roots see Monasticism. Although not formally suppressed, this caused the activities of the English Langue to come to an end. A few Scottish Knights remained in communion with the French Langue of the Order. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. The term Communion is derived from Latin communio (sharing in common In 1831, a British Order was founded by Frenchmen claiming to act on behalf of the Order in Italy, and eventually became known as the Most Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem in the British Realm. The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem or Order of St John is a British -based royal order of Chivalry, and is It received a Royal Charter from Queen Victoria in 1888 and spread across the United Kingdom, the British Commonwealth, and the United States of America. Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The United States of America —commonly referred to as the However, it was only recognized by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in 1963. Its most well-known activities are based around St. John Ambulance, and the St. St John Ambulance, branded as St John in some territories is a common name used by a number of affiliated organizations in different countries dedicated to the teaching and John Eye Hospital in Jerusalem. [3]

Protestant continuation in continental Europe

Main article: Order of St. John (Protestant Continental Europe)

Following the Protestant Reformation, most German chapters of the Order declared their continued adherence to the Order while accepting Protestant theology. The Order of St John in Germany is known as "der Johanniterorden", and officially known as the Brandenburg Bailiwick of the Knights' Order of the Hospital The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective As the Balley Brandenburg des Ritterlichen Ordens Sankt Johannis vom Spital zu Jerusalem (Brandenburg Bailiwick of the Knights' Order of the Hospital of St John in Jerusalem), the Order continues in Germany today, gaining increasing independence from its Catholic mother order. The Order of St John in Germany is known as "der Johanniterorden", and officially known as the Brandenburg Bailiwick of the Knights' Order of the Hospital The Order of St John in Germany is known as "der Johanniterorden", and officially known as the Brandenburg Bailiwick of the Knights' Order of the Hospital Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising

From Germany this Protestant branch spread into several other countries (i. e. , Hungary, the Netherlands, and Sweden). Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. These sub-branches are now autonomous as well. All four branches are in loose alliance with the British order in the Alliance of Orders of St John of Jerusalem. The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem or Order of St John is a British -based royal order of Chivalry, and is

Mimic orders

Following the end of World War II, and taking advantage of the lack of State Orders in the Italian Republic, an Italian called himself a Polish Prince and did a brisk trade in Maltese Crosses as the Grand Prior of the fictitious "Grand Priory of Podolia" until successfully prosecuted for fraud. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland The Maltese cross or Amalfi cross is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta Another fraud claimed to be the Grand Prior of the Holy Trinity of Villeneuve, but gave up after a police visit, although the organisation resurfaced in Malta in 1975, and then by 1978 in the USA, where it still continues[21].

The large passage fees collected by the American Association of "SMOM" in the early 1950s may well have tempted a man named Charles Pichel to create his own "Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller" in 1956[22]. Pichel avoided the problems of being an imitation of "SMOM" by giving his organization a mythical history, claiming that the American organization he led had been founded within the genuine Russian tradition of the Knights Hospitaller in 1908; a spurious claim, but which nevertheless misled many including some academics. Brother Gerard created the Order of St John of Jerusalem as a distinctive Order from the previous Benedictine establishment of Hospitallers (Госпитальеры In truth, the foundation of his organisation had no connection to the genuine Russian tradition of the Knights Hospitaller. Once created, the attraction of Russian Nobles into membership of Pichel’s 'Order' lent some plausibility to his claims.

These organizations have led to scores of other mimic, or self-styled, Orders. Two offshoots of the Pichel Order were successful in allegedly gaining the patronage of the late King Peter II of Yugoslavia, and King Michael of Romania[23]. Peter II of Yugoslavia, known also as Petar II Karađorđević ( Cyrillic: Краљ Петар II Карађорђевић (6 September 1923 – 3 November 1970 Michael King of the Romanians, Prince of Hohenzollern (born October 25, 1921) reigned as King of the Romanians (Maiestatea The former Order, based in California, gained a substantial following under leadership of the late Robert Formhals, who for some years, and with the support of historical organisations such as The Augustan Society, claimed to be a Polish prince of the Sangusko family[24].

References

  1. ^ Knights Of Malta - unofficial website
  2. ^ Malta History 1000 AD - present
  3. ^ Knights Of Malta - unofficial website<
  4. ^ Knights Of Malta - unofficial website
  5. ^ Bodrum.com
  6. ^ Malta History
  7. ^ Malta History 1000 AD - present
  8. ^ Malta History
  9. ^ Knights of Malta
  10. ^ http://www.zum.de/whkmla/military/16cen/malta1565.html accessed September 14, 2007
  11. ^ History - Order of Malta in the UK
  12. ^ History - Order of Malta in the UK
  13. ^ History - Order of Malta in the UK
  14. ^ Knights of Malta
  15. ^ FOCUS on MALTA - History
  16. ^ Sovereign Order of Malta - Official site
  17. ^ Sovereign Order of Malta - Official site
  18. ^ http://lib-unique.un.org/lib/unique.nsf/Link/R02020
  19. ^ Sovereign Order of Malta - Official site
  20. ^ The Legitimacy Of Orders Of St
  21. ^ Self-Styled "Orders of Saint John" II
  22. ^ Self-Styled "Orders of Saint John" II
  23. ^ Self-Styled "Orders of Saint John" II
  24. ^ Self-Styled "Orders of Saint John" II

See also

External references

External links

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic