Would you like me to introduce you to the Chevalier?” Tanya once asked. “A real “knight by blood.” Roberto Julius Buontempo turned out to be a young, intelligent man, very sociable and cheerful. He came to the meeting not in a black camel cassock and iron armor, but in an elegant three-piece suit with a tie. Or rather, he didn’t come, but arrived – in a 1996 Alfa-Romeo. He is 24 years old and works as a public relations consultant. Loves football, Neapolitan songs and girls. I wonder what the Order Charter says about girls?

- Once upon a time, the Knights of the Order did not have the right not only to marry, but even to use housekeeping services in their home from a relative, slave or slave under 50 years old, But times are changing. The vow of celibacy has long since become history, and now no one can stop a knight from marrying. But all other canons are preserved: only a Catholic can become a knight; when he joins the Order, he takes an oath of allegiance to the Grand Master.

Strictly speaking, Roberto is not a member of the Order of Malta, but of its Italian branch - the Order of St. Agates, including 1400 cavaliers. Among them are knights by birthright (cavalieri di giustizzia) and knights by merit (cavalieri di grazzia). The most well-born are called dons, there are only 46 of them in the Order, this is the elite of the Order. Our interlocutor is one of them.

— I have known my ancestry since 1680, my ancestors lived in Malta. Many Knights of Malta owned large lands until they were taken away by the socialists (in Malta, about fifty years ago, they were going to build socialism, so to speak, in one separate country in the Mediterranean). Although, let’s say, in Mdina today there are very rich families with entire . Imagine a castle with fifty rooms, occupying half a block, in which a family of four lives...

— By the middle of the last century, the Order of Malta lost vast lands in Europe. What has he become? And what is he like today?

— In the 19th century, the curia tried to occupy the Order with some useful work: it was proposed to entrust it with the fight against slavery, or the protection of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Neither one nor the other was implemented. As a result, the Order of the Hospitallers became the largest spiritual and charitable corporation, that is, what it was originally. In Europe, in Beirut, the Maltese organized hospitals, and in Jerusalem - a hospice for pilgrims. In Germany alone, the number of its hospitals today is more than forty; tens of thousands of people of different religions benefit from free care and treatment. In Great Britain the Maltese cross can be seen as the designation of St John's Sanitation Brigade. In fact, performing the functions of the Red Cross, the Order is engaged in charitable and compassionate activities, maintaining hospitals, nursing homes and medical services not only in Europe, but throughout the world: in South America, China, the Middle East, Africa, and the USA. Today, with ten thousand knights of all nationalities and one million associate members, the Order of Malta is the largest charitable organization in the world after the Salvation Army.

— What is his status?

- Independent principality. The Grand Master is recognized as the head of state, his secular rank is prince, and his spiritual rank is equal to cardinal. Representatives of the order's missions (and there are especially many of them in Latin America and Africa) enjoy diplomatic immunity. The highest hierarchs of the Order must come from aristocratic families with at least 300 years of genealogy and family coats of arms.

— Being a sovereign principality, does the Order have its own state territory?

- Now yes. In 1989, the Knights Hospitaller were given back their sovereign territory, Fort Sant'Angelo, here in Malta. On that day, October 22, in La Valletta, in front of the Cathedral of St. John, an unusual solemn mass was held: as the newspapers wrote, “five hundred gentlemen of the sovereign Order of Malta entered the temple in a slow procession,” dressed in black cassocks with white collars and cuffs embroidered on the chest with a Maltese cross, the eight ends of which symbolize the eight graces of Christ.” You probably know that in a niche of the temple there is a tomb containing the remains of Jean De La Valette, who founded the current capital of Malta. By the way, before the expulsion of the Order from Malta by Bonaparte in 1798, out of seventy Grand Masters, forty-eight were French...

— How did it happen that the Grand Master Baron Gompes surrendered Malta to General Napoleon without a fight, as historians write, “paying for the islands with three killed and six wounded”?

- Firstly, do not forget that this was not some Arab bandit, but the brilliant Napoleon. And secondly (and maybe firstly), the knights by that time were no longer the same valiant cavaliers as during the Great Siege. The order was fantastically rich, and with wealth, as we know, comes arrogance, disobedience, and unbridledness. The gentlemen killed time doing activities that were clearly far from their monastic vows. In a word, the loss of spiritual guidance, the absence of any moral guidelines led the Hospitallers to complete decline. What kind of knights were they? When Napoleon, with his fleet and 58,000-strong army, wanted to make a “halt in Malta” on the way to Egypt, the knights surrendered without a fight. The Order scattered to all directions of the world. “Malta has strong fortifications, but no moral fortitude,” Bonaparte said then. And he was right.

— Napoleon is still not liked here.

- And there is a reason for it. Some of his reforms, of course, were progressive: he abolished slavery and introduced a primary education program. But he did even more evil. He abolished all noble titles and destroyed the coats of arms of the nobility (literally removed them from the facades of palaces). His soldiers plundered the auberges and churches, and priceless gold and silver shrines were melted down into ingots. When the French staged an auction for the sale of tapestries from the Carmelite monastery, the Maltese rebelled, calling on Britain for help. English warships under the command of Horatio Nelson blocked the French who had taken refuge in Valletta. The blockade was so strict that the besieged ate all the city's rats. In 1800 the French finally surrendered. Their rule over the islands lasted two years.

P.S. Ancient chronicles tell: And many knights from the glorious Order of the Hospitallers were not only excellent warriors, but sometimes also good writers and even poets. They left behind many outstanding literary monuments, both in the Middle Ages and more modern times. By the way, you can find interesting ancient written monuments on the website kaz-lit.kz, where the works of many prominent writers from different eras are published.

Knightly Orders in history are quite an interesting phenomenon. On the one hand, stories about them are shrouded in romanticism and mysticism, and on the other, various kinds of outrages and barbarism. It is known that from 1100 to 1300, 12 knightly spiritual orders were formed in Europe, but three orders turned out to be the most viable and famous. These are the Order of the Templars, the Hospitallers and the Teutonic Order. In this article we will look at them in more detail and try to fill the gaps in this topic.

Order of the Tamliers

Officially, this order was called the “Secret Knighthood of Christ and the Temple of Solomon,” but in Europe it was better known as the Order of the Knights of the Temple. His residence was in Jerusalem, on the site where, according to legend, the temple of King Solomon (temple - temple (French)) was located. The knights themselves were called templars. The creation of the order was proclaimed in 1118-1119 by nine French knights led by Hugo de Payns from Champagne. For nine years these nine knights remained silent, not a single chronicler of that time mentions them. But in 1127 they returned to France and declared themselves. And in 1128 the Church Council in Troyes (Champagne) officially recognized the order.

The Templar seal depicted two knights riding the same horse, which was supposed to speak of poverty and brotherhood. The symbol of the order was a white cloak with a red eight-pointed cross.

The goal of its members was “to take care, as far as possible, of roads and paths, and especially of the protection of pilgrims.” The charter prohibited any secular entertainment, laughter, singing, etc. Knights were required to take three vows: chastity, poverty and obedience. The discipline was strict: “Everyone does not follow his own will at all, but is more concerned about obeying the orderer.” The Order becomes an independent combat unit, subordinate only to the Grand Master (de Paynes was immediately proclaimed by him) and the Pope.

From the very beginning of their activities, the Templars gained great popularity in Europe. Despite and at the same time thanks to the vow of poverty, the order begins to accumulate great wealth. Each member donated his fortune to the order free of charge. The order received large possessions as a gift from the French king, the English king, and noble lords. In 1130, the Templars already had possessions in France, England, Scotland, Flanders, Spain, Portugal, and by 1140 - in Italy, Austria, Germany, Hungary and the Holy Land. In addition, the templars not only protected pilgrims, but also considered it their direct duty to attack trade caravans and rob them.

Templars by the 12th century. became owners of unheard-of wealth and owned not only lands, but also shipyards, ports, and had a powerful fleet. They lent money to impoverished monarchs and thereby could influence government affairs. By the way, it was the Templars who were the first to introduce accounting documents and bank checks.
The Knights of the Temple encouraged the development of science, and it is not surprising that many technical achievements (for example, the compass) were primarily in their hands. Skilled knight surgeons healed the wounded - this was one of the duties of the order.

In the 11th century The Templars, as “the bravest and most experienced people in military affairs,” were granted the fortress of Gaza in the Holy Land. But arrogance brought a lot of harm to the “soldiers of Christ” and was one of the reasons for the defeat of Christians in Palestine. In 1191, the collapsed walls of the last fortress defended by the Templars, Saint-Jean-d'Acre, buried not only the Templars and their Grand Master, but also the glory of the order as an invincible army. The Templars moved from Palestine first to Cyprus, and then finally to Europe. Huge land holdings, powerful financial resources and the presence of knights of the order among high dignitaries forced the governments of Europe to reckon with the Templars and often resort to their help as arbitrators.
In the 13th century, when the Pope declared a crusade against the heretics - the Cathars and the Albigensians, the Templiers, the support of the Catholic Church, almost openly came out on their side.

In their pride, the Templars imagined themselves omnipotent. In 1252, the English king Henry III, outraged by their behavior, threatened the Templars with confiscation of land holdings. To which the Grand Master replied: “As long as you do justice, you will rule. If you violate our rights, you are unlikely to remain king.” And this was not a simple threat. The Order could do it! The Knights Templar were many influential people in the kingdom, and the will of the overlord turned out to be less sacred than the oath of allegiance to the order.

In the XIV century. King Philip IV the Fair of France decided to get rid of the obstinate order, which, due to lack of affairs in the East, began to interfere, and very actively, in the state affairs of Europe. Philip did not at all want to be in the place of Henry of England. In addition, the king needed to solve his financial problems: he owed the Templars a huge amount of money, but he did not want to give it back.

Philip used a trick. He asked to be accepted into the order. But Grand Master Jean de Male politely but firmly refused him, realizing that the king wanted to take his place in the future. Then the Pope (whom Philip placed on the throne) invited the Templar Order to unite with its eternal rivals - the Hospitallers. In this case, the independence of the order would be lost. But the master again refused.

Then, in 1307, Philip the Fair ordered the secret arrest of all Templars in the kingdom. They were accused of heresy, serving the devil and witchcraft. (This was due to the mysterious rites of initiation into members of the order and the subsequent preservation of the secrecy of its actions.)

The investigation lasted seven years. Under torture, the templars confessed to everything, but during a public trial they renounced their testimony. On March 18, 1314, the Grand Master de Male and Prior of Normandy were burned to death over a low fire. Before his death, the Grand Master cursed the king and the Pope: “Pope Clement! King Philip! Not even a year will pass before I call you to God’s judgment!” The curse came true: the Pope died two weeks later, and the king died in the fall. Most likely they were poisoned by the templars, skilled in making poisons.

Although Philip the Fair failed to organize the persecution of the Templars throughout Europe, the former power of the Templars was undermined. The remnants of this order were never able to unite, although its symbols continued to be used. Christopher Columbus discovered America under the Templar flag: a white banner with a red eight-pointed cross.

The official name is “The Order of the Horsemen of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem” (gospitalis - guest (Latin); originally the word “hospital” meant “hospital”). In 1070, a hospital for pilgrims to holy places was founded in Palestine by the merchant Mauro of Amalfi. Gradually, a brotherhood was formed there to care for the sick and wounded. It grew stronger, grew, began to exert quite a strong influence, and in 1113 it was officially recognized by the Pope as a spiritual knightly order.

Knights took three vows: poverty, chastity and obedience. The symbol of the order was an eight-pointed white cross. It was originally located on the left shoulder of the black robe. The mantle had very narrow sleeves, which symbolized the monk's lack of freedom. Later, knights began to wear red robes with a cross sewn on the chest. The order had three categories: knights, chaplains and serving brethren. Since 1155, the Grand Master, who was proclaimed Raymond de Puy, became the head of the order. The General Chapter met to make the most important decisions. Members of the chapter gave the Grand Master a purse with eight denarii, which was supposed to symbolize the knights’ renunciation of wealth.

Initially, the main task of the order was caring for the sick and wounded. The main hospital in Palestine housed about 2 thousand beds. The knights distributed free aid to the poor and organized free lunches for them three times a week. The Hospitallers had a shelter for foundlings and infants. All sick and wounded had the same conditions: clothing and food of the same quality, regardless of origin. From the middle of the 12th century. The main responsibility of the knights becomes the war against infidels and the protection of pilgrims. The Order already has possessions in Palestine and Southern France. The Johannites, like the Templars, began to gain great influence in Europe.

At the end of the 12th century, when Christians were driven out of Palestine, the Johannites settled in Cyprus. But this situation did not suit the knights much. And in 1307, Grand Master Falcon de Villaret led the Johannites to storm the island of Rhodes. The local population, afraid of losing their independence, fiercely resisted. However, two years later the knights finally gained a foothold on the island and created strong defensive structures there. Now the Hospitallers, or, as they came to be called, the “Knights of Rhodes,” became an outpost of Christians in the East. In 1453, Constantinople fell - Asia Minor and Greece were completely in the hands of the Turks. The knights expected an attack on the Oszhrov. It was not slow to follow. In 1480 the Turks attacked the island of Rhodes. The knights survived and repelled the attack. The Ioannites simply “became an eyesore to the Sultan” with their presence near its very shores, making it difficult to rule the Mediterranean Sea. Finally, the Turks' patience was exhausted. In 1522, Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent vowed to expel Christians from his domains. The island of Rhodes was besieged by a 200,000-strong army on 700 ships. The Johannites held out for three months before Grand Master Villiers de Lille Adan surrendered his sword to the Sultan. The Sultan, respecting the courage of his opponents, released the knights and even helped them with the evacuation.

The Johannites had almost no land in Europe. And so the defenders of Christianity arrived on the shores of Europe, which they had defended for so long. Holy Roman Emperor Charles V offered the Hospitallers the Maltese archipelago to live in. From now on, the Knights Hospitaller became known as the Order of the Knights of Malta. The Maltese continued their fight against the Turks and sea pirates, fortunately the order had its own fleet. In the 60s XVI century Grand Master Jean de la Valette, having at his disposal 600 knights and 7 thousand soldiers, repelled the attack of a 35 thousand-strong army of selected Janissaries. The siege lasted four months: the knights lost 240 cavaliers and 5 thousand soldiers, but fought back.

In 1798, Bonaparte, going with an army to Egypt, took the island of Malta by storm and expelled the Knights of Malta from there. Once again the Johannites found themselves homeless. This time they found refuge in Russia, whose emperor, Paul I, they proclaimed Grand Master as a sign of gratitude. In 1800, the island of Malta was captured by the British, who had no intention of returning it to the Knights of Malta.

After the assassination of Paul I by the conspirators, the Johannites did not have a Grand Master or a permanent headquarters. Finally, in 1871, Jean-Baptiste Cescia-Santa Croce was proclaimed Grand Master.

Already from 1262, in order to join the Order of the Hospitallers, it was necessary to have a noble origin. Subsequently, there were two categories of those entering the order - knights by birthright (cavalieri di giustizzia) and by vocation (cavalieri di grazzia). The latter category includes people who do not have to provide evidence of noble birth. It was enough for them to prove that their father and grandfather were not slaves and artisans. Also, monarchs who proved their loyalty to Christianity were accepted into the order. Women could also be members of the Order of Malta. Grand Masters were chosen only from knights of noble birth. The Grand Master was almost a sovereign sovereign, Fr. Malta. The symbols of his power were the crown, the “dagger of faith” - the sword and the seal. From the Pope, the Grand Master received the title of “guardian of the Jerusalem court” and “guardian of the army of Christ.” The order itself was called the “Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem."

The knights had certain responsibilities to the order - they could not leave the barracks without the permission of the Grand Master, they spent a total of 5 years in the convention (dormitory, more precisely, the barracks of the knights) on the island. Malta. The knights had to sail on the ships of the order for at least 2.5 years - this duty was called a “caravan”.

By the middle of the 19th century. The Order of Malta is transforming from a military one into a spiritual and charitable corporation, which it remains to this day. The residence of the Knights of Malta is now located in Rome.

The Cross of the Order of Malta has served since the 18th century. one of the highest awards in Italy, Austria, Prussia, Spain and Russia. Under Paul I it was called the cross of St. John of Jerusalem.

In the 12th century. in Jerusalem there was a hospital (hospital) for German-speaking pilgrims. He became the predecessor of the Teutonic Order. Initially, the Teutons occupied a subordinate position in relation to the Order of the Hospitallers. But then in 1199 the Pope approved the charter of the order, and Henry Walpot was proclaimed Grand Master. However, only in 1221 were all the privileges that the other, senior orders of the Templars and Johannites had extended to the Teutons.

The knights of the order took vows of chastity, obedience and poverty. Unlike other orders, whose knights were of different “languages” (nationalities), the Teutonic Order was mainly composed of German knights.
The symbols of the order were a white cloak and a simple black cross.

The Teutons very quickly abandoned their duties of protecting pilgrims and treating the wounded in Palestine. Any attempts by the Teutons to interfere in the affairs of the powerful Holy Roman Empire were suppressed. Fragmented Germany did not provide the opportunity to expand, as the Templars did in France and England. Therefore, the Order began to engage in “good activities” - to carry the word of Christ to the eastern lands with fire and sword, leaving others to fight for the Holy Sepulcher. The lands that the knights conquered became their possession under the supreme power of the order. In 1198, the knights became the main striking force of the crusade against the Livs and conquered the Baltic states, at the beginning of the 13th century. founding the city of Riga. This is how the state of the Teutonic Order was formed. Further, in 1243, the knights conquered the Prussians and took the northern lands from the Polish state.

There was another German order - the Livonian Order. In 1237, the Teutonic Order united with him and decided to move to conquer the northern Russian lands, expanding its borders and strengthening its influence. In 1240, the order's allies, the Swedes, suffered a crushing defeat from Prince Alexander Yaroslavich on the Neva. And in 1242
The same fate befell the Teutons - about 500 knights died, and 50 were taken prisoner. The plan to annex Russian territory to the lands of the Teutonic Order was a complete failure.

The Teutonic Grand Masters were constantly afraid of the unification of Rus' and tried to prevent this by any means. However, a powerful and dangerous enemy stood in their way - the Polish-Lithuanian state. In 1409, war broke out between him and the Teutonic Order. The combined forces in 1410 defeated the Teutonic knights at the Battle of Grunwald. But the Order's misfortunes did not end there. The Grand Master of the order, like the Maltese, was a sovereign sovereign. In 1511, he became Albert of Hohenzollern, who, being a “good Catholic,” did not support the Reformation, which was fighting against the Catholic Church. And in 1525 he proclaimed himself the secular sovereign of Prussia and Brandenburg and deprived the order of both possessions and privileges. After such a blow, the Teutons never recovered, and the order continued to eke out a miserable existence.

In the 20th century German fascists extolled the previous merits of the order and its ideology. They also used the symbols of the Teutons. Remember, the Iron Cross (a black cross on a white background) is an important award of the “Third Reich”. However, the members of the order themselves were persecuted, apparently as having failed to live up to their trust. The Teutonic Order exists in Germany to this day.

November 13, 2011 by Retroman

We praise our names
But the poverty of idle talk will become obvious,
When to raise your cross for ramen

We will not be ready these days.
Christ, full of love, is for us,
He died in the land that was given to the Turks.
Let's flood the fields with a stream of enemy blood,
Or our honor is forever disgraced!

Conan de Bethuis. Translation by E. Vasilyeva

Typically, Western European knights defeated Muslims on the battlefield, and not only when they fought bravely and decisively - these were the qualities for which chivalry has always been famous - but also acted in an organized manner. But it was precisely organization that the knights most often lacked. The reason was that every feudal knight depended on little on anyone, since his peasants were engaged in subsistence farming, and the society itself was distinguished by non-economic forms of forced labor. Moreover, in personal valor he could easily surpass both the duke and the count, and even the king himself! Suger, abbot of Saint-Denis, in his treatise “The Life of Louis VI, nicknamed Tolstoy,” spoke in detail about how in 1111 he planned to punish Hugh du Puizet, since he was engaged in robbery, and besieged his castle in Beauce. Although the king’s army suffered heavy losses, he still took Hugo’s castle, but he treated Hugo himself very gently: he just sent him into exile, although he could have hanged him. Then Hugo returned, declared that he had repented, and Louis VI forgave him. Then Hugo again built the donjon and... took up robbery and other outrages, so that the king was simply forced to go on a campaign against his obstinate vassal again. And again Hugo’s dungeon was burned, and Hugo himself was punished, and then, when he repented once again, they were pardoned again! But then he repeated the same thing for the third time, and it was then that the king became seriously angry: the donjon burned him, and Hugo himself was sent to the Holy Land to atone for his sins before God. He never returned from there, and only after that the inhabitants of Bose were able to breathe easy.

Crusader warrior 1163 – 1200 Fresco on the wall of the chapel of Cressac-Saint-Genis (Charente). The most famous are the frescoes painted on the northern wall. The top row of images tells of the battle with the Saracens that took place in 1163 at the foot of the Krak des Chevaliers castle, when Emir Nureddin, who besieged the castle, was completely defeated by a surprise attack by the Frankish cavalry.

Many other knights were distinguished by the same, if not greater, arbitrariness in that era. And it would be nice in peacetime! No, and on the battlefield they behaved in an equally inappropriate manner! And if some proud knight, before the rest, rushed to the enemy camp in order to be the first to rob it, or fled from the enemy when it was necessary to stand steadfastly in one place and fight the enemy, the king could well lose even the most successful battle!

Making sure that knights were disciplined was what many military leaders dreamed of, but no one could achieve this for many years. Everything changed when the “expeditions” to the East began. There, having become closely acquainted with the Eastern culture, which was completely different for them, the leaders of the West decided that the church itself could become the “basis” of knightly discipline. And all you need to do for this is... make monks out of the knights and at the same time hint that in this way they will get closer to their cherished salvation!

Knights-Crusaders of Palestine: from left to right - Knight-Crusader of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem (founded in 1099); Hospitaller; Templar, knight of the Order of St. Jacob of Campostela, Teutonic Knight of the Order of St. Mary of Teutonia.

And so the spiritual knightly orders of the crusader knights appeared, created in distant Palestine. But they were only copied from very similar “organizations” among Muslims! After all, it was there, in the East, at the end of the 11th - beginning of the 12th century that such military-religious orders as Rahkhasiyya, Shuhainiya, Khaliliyya and Nubuwiyya appeared, some of which in 1182 were united by Caliph an-Nasir into one large and united spiritual order for all Muslims. knightly order of Futuwwa. Members of this order had a purely knightly rite, when the entrant was girded with a sword, after which the candidate drank “sacred” salt water from a special bowl, put on special trousers and even, as in Europe, received a blow with the flat side of the sword or hand on the shoulder. That is, chivalry itself, as such, came to Europe from the East, which, by the way, is also mentioned in Ferdowsi’s poem “Shahnameh”!

Although, who was the first and from whom to borrow the very idea of ​​a spiritual knightly order is also, in general, unknown - or rather, this is a very controversial issue! After all, long before these events, in the lands of Africa, namely in Ethiopia, there already existed... the ancient Christian order of St. Anthony, and historians quite rightly consider him the oldest among all other knightly orders in the whole world.

The cross was a popular figure on ancient knightly coats of arms.

It is believed that it was founded by the Negus - the ruler of Ethiopia, who was known in the West as "Prester John", after St. Anthony either in 357 or 358 fell asleep in the Lord. Then many of his followers decided to go into the desert, where they took vows of monastic life to St. Vasily and created a monastery “in the name and heritage of St. Anthony." The order itself was founded in 370 AD, although even a later date compared to all other orders will still be “early”.

Stairs to the cave of St. Anthony the Great. Perhaps salvation can be found here...

Orders with the same name were later in Italy, France and Spain, and were branches of the order, whose headquarters were in Constantinople. It is interesting that the Ethiopian order has survived to this day. The head of the order is its grandmaster and at the same time the President of the Royal Council of Ethiopia. They admit new members very rarely, and as for the vows, yes, they are completely chivalrous. The badge of the order has two degrees - the Grand Knight's Cross and the Companion Cross. He has the right to indicate in his official title the initials KGCA (Knight Grand Cross) and CA (Companion of the Order of St. Anthony).

Crosses of the Order of St. Anthony.

Both badges of the order have the appearance of a golden Ethiopian cross, covered with blue enamel, and on top they are also crowned with the imperial crown of Ethiopia. But the breast star is the cross of the order, does not have a crown, and is superimposed on an eight-pointed silver star. The order ribbon is traditionally sewn from moiré silk, has a bow at the hip, and its color is black with blue stripes on the edges.

The clothing of the knights of the order were black and blue robes, on the chest of which a blue three-pointed cross was embroidered. Senior knights were distinguished by double crosses of the same color. The order's headquarters was located on the island of Meroe (in Sudan), and throughout Ethiopia the order owned both women's and numerous men's monasteries. The order was simply incredibly rich: its annual income was no less than two million gold. Thus, the idea of ​​such orders was first born not in the East, and, as you see, not in Europe, but in... sultry Christian Ethiopia!

Well, the palm in the creation of the very first order in Palestine belonged to the Johannites or Hospitallers. Usually, non-specialists associate its foundation with the first crusade, although the real order is slightly different. It all started when Emperor Constantine came to Jerusalem to find here (and he found it!) the life-giving cross of the Lord, well, the same one on which Jesus Christ was crucified. Then many other holy places were found in the city, which were mentioned in the Gospel, and churches immediately began to be built in these places.

It is clear that any Christian would be very pleased to visit all these places, receive grace from God and hope for the salvation of his sinful soul. But the journey to the Holy Land for the pilgrims was filled with dangers. And when someone got there, they often took monastic vows and stayed to continue doing good to other pilgrims at the same monastic hospitals. In 638, Jerusalem was captured by the Arabs, but for all this “activity” the conditions remained virtually unchanged.

And so, when in the 10th century Jerusalem turned into a world center of Christian piety, a pious merchant was found - yes, there were those then, named Constantine di Panteleone, originally from the Italian trading republic of Amalfi, who in 1048 asked permission from the Egyptian Sultan to build in the city of another shelter for sick pilgrims. They called it the Jerusalem Hospital of St. John, and the emblem of the hospital was the white eight-pointed Amalfi cross. That is why his servants began to be called Johannites, or Hospitallers (from the Latin hospitalis - “hospitable”).

Battle for Agra. Miniature from the manuscript “History of Outremer” by Guillaume de Tire, 14th century. (National Library of France).

For 50 years, the Hospitallers lived quite peacefully - they went after the sick and prayed, but then the Crusaders besieged Jerusalem. According to legend, Christians, like all other residents of the city, were “put on the walls.” And then the cunning Johannites began to throw not stones, but fresh bread onto the heads of the Christian knights! The authorities immediately accused the Johannites of treason, but a miracle happened: right in front of the judges, this bread turned into stone, which proved their innocence, so they were acquitted! When Jerusalem fell on July 15, 1099, Duke Godfrey of Bouillon rewarded the brave monks, and some of his knights even became members of their brotherhood in order to protect pilgrims traveling to the holy city. First, the status of the order was approved by the ruler of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, Baudouin I, in 1104, and nine years later, Pope Paschal II confirmed his decision with his bull. And this charter of Baudouin I and the papal bull have survived to this day and are located in the National Library of the island of Malta in the city of La Valletta.

Louis VII and King Baudouin III of Jerusalem (left) fight the Saracens (right). Miniature from the manuscript “History of Outremer” by Guillaume de Tire, 14th century. (National Library of France).

The military brothers of the order were not mentioned in documents until 1200, when they were divided into brother warriors (blessed to wear and use), brother doctors and brother chaplains, who performed the necessary religious rites in the order. The military brothers obeyed only the Pope and the Grand Master of the Order. At the same time, they owned lands, churches and cemeteries. They were exempt from taxes, and it was established that even bishops did not have the right to excommunicate them!

Modern Hospitaller Reconstructors.

It received its name, the Jerusalem Order of the Knights Hospitaller of St. John, in 1120 under the first master Raymond Dupuis. Along with the usual monastic attire, the knights wore a black cloak, on the left shoulder of which was sewn a white eight-pointed cross. On campaign, they wore a surcoat, usually scarlet in color, with a white linen cross on the chest with flared ends. They symbolized the following: the four ends of the cross are the four Christian virtues, and the eight corners are the eight good qualities of a true believer. And, of course, the cross against a bloody background symbolized knightly fortitude and loyalty to the Lord. The banner of the order was a rectangular red cloth with a white cross.

Fort in Larnaca, Cyprus. There were crusaders here too.

In 1291, the order left Palestine and moved to the island of Cyprus, and 20 years later settled on the island of Rhodes, where it remained until 1523, when it was driven out by the Turks. 42 years later, the knights of the order moved to Malta and became known as the “Knights of Malta”. Well, the hospitals founded by the order in various European countries were real centers of medicine at that time.

Still from the film “Suvorov” (1940). Emperor Paul is clearly wearing a robe with a Maltese cross. Well, he loved knightly romance, what to do... In the movie we see that during Suvorov’s meeting with Pavel, Paul I was wearing the mantle of the Master of the Order of Malta. It is safe to say that what we see does not correspond to history. Paul I was indeed proclaimed Grand Master of the Order of Malta, but only on December 6, 1798, that is, more than ten months after this audience.

In 1798, Malta fell under Napoleon's rule, causing a massive dispersion of its members around the world. Emperor Paul I invited the “Knights of Malta” to Russia and condoned them in every possible way, but after his death they had to leave Russia for Rome. Today the order has a complex name, which sounds like this: the Sovereign Military Order of the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta. Note that in battles with Muslims in Palestine, the Hospitallers constantly competed with the Templars, which is why they were placed further away from each other. For example, the Johannites are in the rearguard, and the Templars are in the vanguard, and between them are all the other troops.

Bellapais Abbey, Northern Cyprus. Founded by the Hospitallers, but now there is an Orthodox Greek Church.

And this is what it looks like inside today.

Well, these are the dungeons of the abbey. When it's hot outside, it's pleasantly cool here.

Of course, the Hospitallers were not only warriors and doctors, but also excellent builders; they built so many different abbeys, churches and cathedrals. In this they also competed with the Templars. Having moved to Cyprus, they built many religious buildings there that have survived to this day.

St. Nicholas Cathedral, converted by Muslims into a mosque.

From the back, St. Nicholas Cathedral looks no less impressive than from the front.

Hospitallers or Johannites (also known as the Jerusalem, Rhodes and Maltese Sovereign Military Hospitable Order of St. John, also known as the Order of St. John, as the Knights of Malta or Knights of Malta; fr. Ordre des Hospitaliers, Malt. Ord ni ta' San Ġwann).

Founded in 1080 in Jerusalem as the Amalfi Hospital, a Christian organization whose purpose was to care for poor, sick or injured pilgrims in the Holy Land.

Grand Master Guillaume de Villaret defends the walls of Acre, Galilee, 1291. art. Dominique Louis Papétit (1815-1849) Versailles

After the capture of Jerusalem by Christians in 1099 during the First Crusade, the organization turned into a religious-military order with its own charter. The order was entrusted with the mission of caring for and protecting the Holy Land. Following the seizure of the Holy Land by Muslims, the order continued its activities in Rhodes, of which it was ruler, and then acted from Malta, which was a vassal subordinate to the Spanish Viceroy of Sicily.

Title and Status

The Jerusalem, Rhodes and Maltese Orders of St. John are erroneously called the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. This is incorrect: the Order itself is called Jerusalem, but not St. John. Among the saints there are, for example, the following: John the Baptist - the Forerunner of the Lord, John the Theologian - the Apostle of the Lord and Evangelist, the author of the Gospel, the Apocalypse and the three Epistles of the Apostles, John Eleymon (the Merciful) - the Patriarch of Alexandria, but such a saint as John of Jerusalem does not exist. The heavenly patron and patron of the Order is John the Baptist.

Regarding the name "Order of the Hospitallers", it should be borne in mind that this name is considered slang or familiar. The official name of the Order does not contain the word “des hospitaliers”. The official name of the Order is the Order of Hospitallers (l’Ordre hospitalier), and by no means the “Order of Hospitallers”.

Initially, the main task of the Military Hospitable Order of St. John was the protection of pilgrims making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Currently, when military tasks have faded into the background, the Order is engaged in active humanitarian and charitable activities. Thus, in new historical conditions, the name “Hospital Order” takes on a new, special meaning.

From the point of view of international law, the Order of Malta is not a state, but a state-like entity. Sometimes it is viewed as a dwarf enclave state, the smallest state in the world (on the territory of Rome, but independent of Italy), sometimes as an extraterritorial state entity, sometimes simply as a knightly order. Meanwhile, in international law, the sovereignty of the Order is considered at the level of diplomatic relations (diplomatic missions), but not as the sovereignty of the state.

In 600, Pope Gregory the Great sent Abbot Probus to Jerusalem to build a hospital, the purpose of which was to treat and care for Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land. In 800, Charlemagne expanded the hospital and also established a library. Two centuries later, in 1005, Caliph Al-Hakim destroyed the hospital and about three thousand other buildings in Jerusalem. In 1023, the Egyptian Caliph Ali Al-Za'ir allowed Italian merchants from Amalfi and Salerno to rebuild a hospital in Jerusalem. The hospital, built on the site where the monastery of St. John the Baptist was previously located, received pilgrims visiting Christian shrines. It was served by the Benedictines.

Grand Master and high-ranking Hospitallers in the 14th century

The monastic order of the Hospitallers was founded immediately after the First Crusade by Gerard the Blessed, whose role as founder was confirmed by a papal bull granted by Pope Paschal II in 1113. Throughout the entire Kingdom of Jerusalem and beyond, Gerard acquired lands and property for his order. His successor, Raymond de Puy, established the first significant Hospitaller infirmary near the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. The organization initially cared for the pilgrims in Jerusalem, but the order soon began providing armed escorts for the pilgrims, which quickly grew into a significant force. The Order of Hospitallers and the Knights Templar, founded in 1119, became the most powerful Christian organizations in the region. In battles with Muslims, the order demonstrated its distinctive features; its soldiers were dressed in black tunics with white crosses.

By the mid-12th century, the order was divided into brother warriors and brother doctors who cared for the sick. It still remained a religious order and had a number of privileges granted to it by the papal throne. For example, the order did not obey anyone except the Pope, did not pay tithes, and had the right to own its own ecclesiastical buildings. Many significant Christian fortifications in the Holy Land were built by the Templars and Hospitallers. During the heyday of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the Hospitallers owned 7 major fortresses and 140 other settlements in the region. The two largest pillars of their power in the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Principality of Antioch were Krak des Chevaliers and Margat. The order's possessions were divided into priories, priories into bailiwicks, which in turn were divided into commanderies. Frederick Barbarossa, Holy Roman Emperor, entrusted his safety to the Knights of St. John in the charter of privileges he granted to the order in 1185.

Cypriot and Rhodes Knights

The growing strength of Islam eventually forced the Hospitallers to leave Jerusalem. After the fall of the Kingdom of Jerusalem (Jerusalem fell in 1187), the Hospitallers were driven back to the County of Tripoli, and after the fall of Acre in 1291, the order found refuge in the Kingdom of Cyprus.

Realizing the involvement of the Hospitallers in the politics of the Kingdom of Cyprus, the Grand Master of the Order, Guillaume de Villaret, decided to establish his own temporary residence. The choice fell on Rhodes. His successor, Fulk de Villaret, put the plan into effect. On August 15, 1309, after more than two years of fighting, the island of Rhodes surrendered to the Hospitallers. In addition, the Hospitallers gained control of a number of neighboring islands, as well as the ports of Anatolia, Bodrum and Kastellorizo.

After the abolition of the Templar Order in 1312, a significant part of their possessions was transferred to the Hospitallers. The domains were divided into eight languages ​​(Aragon, Averne, Castile, England, France, Germany and Provence). Each language was ruled by a prior, and if a language had more than one priory, then by a great prior. In Rhodes, and also in recent years in Malta, the knights of each language were led by a bailiff. The English Grand Prior at that time was Philip Thame, who acquired possessions for the language of England from 1330 to 1358.

In Rhodes, the Hospitallers, then also called the Knights of Rhodes, were forced to become an even more militarized force, constantly fighting mainly with North African pirates. In the 15th century they repelled two invasions. The first, led by the Egyptian Sultan, in 1444, and the second, led by the Turkish Sultan Mehmed II, in 1480, who, after the capture of Constantinople, made the Hospitallers his main target.

On video: the island of Rhodes, the knight's castle and the hospital.

In 1494, the Hospitallers founded a fortress on the island of Halicarnassus (today Bodrum). To strengthen the Bodrum fortress, they used stones from the partially destroyed Mausoleum of Mausolus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

In 1522, an unprecedented number of soldiers landed on the island. 400 ships under the command of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent delivered 200,000 soldiers. The Hospitallers, under the command of Grand Master Philippe Villaret de l'Isle-Adam, could counter this force with only 7,000 soldiers, as well as fortifications. After the end of the siege, which lasted 6 months, the surviving Hospitallers were allowed to retreat to Sicily.

Knights of Malta

After seven years of wandering around Europe, the Hospitallers settled in Malta in 1530, after the Spanish King Charles V, who was also King of Sicily, gave the Hospitallers a permanent fief of Malta, Gozo and the North African port of Tripoli. The annual payment for this service was to be one Maltese falcon, sent on All Saints' Day to the royal representative, the Viceroy of Sicily (this historical fact is used as a premise in Dashiell Hammett's famous book The Maltese Falcon).

The legend of the falcon, in turn, echoes the Ancient Egyptian myth about the god Horus (Horus, Horus), who was depicted as a man with the head of a falcon. Which gives reason to assume that the Order of the Hospitallers (Order of Malta) already then fell into the orbit of influence of the 22 Hierophants and became an instrument in the hands of the Occult.* (note by Salvadora).

Great Siege of Malta

The Hospitallers continued to fight against Muslims, especially North African pirates. Despite the fact that they had only a few ships at their disposal, they very quickly incurred the wrath of the Ottomans, who were dissatisfied with the relocation of the order. In 1565, Suleiman I sent an army of forty thousand to besiege Malta and expel 700 knights and 8,000 soldiers from its territory.

At first, the battle was as unsuccessful for the Hospitallers as the battle on Rhodes: most of the city was destroyed, about half of the knights were killed. By August 18, the position of the besieged had become almost hopeless. Decreasing in numbers every day, they soon became unable to hold the extended fortification line. However, when the council proposed abandoning Borgo and Senglia and retreating to Fort Sant'Angelo, Grand Master Jean Parisot de la Valette rejected the proposal.

The Viceroy of Sicily did not send help. Apparently, the orders of the Spanish king Philip II to the Viceroy of Sicily were so vaguely stated that he did not dare to take responsibility and assist the Hospitallers at the expense of his own defense. A wrong decision could lead to defeat and therefore expose Sicily and Naples to the Ottoman threat. The Viceroy left his son with La Valette, and he could hardly be indifferent to the fate of the fortress. Whatever the reason for the delay, the Viceroy continued to hesitate until the fate of the battle was practically decided by the efforts of the deprived Hospitallers, and even then only the indignation of his own officers forced him to move to the rescue.

Another powerful attack followed on August 23. According to the testimony of the besieged, this was the last serious effort. With great difficulty, even the wounded had to take part, the attack was repelled. The position of the besieged, however, did not look hopeless. With the exception of Fort St. Elmo, the Hospitaller fortifications were still intact. Working day and night, the garrison managed to eliminate the gaps in the fortifications, after which the capture of Malta seemed an increasingly impossible task. Due to the terrible heat and cramped barracks, many Turkish soldiers fell ill. With food and ammunition running low, the Turkish soldiers became increasingly disheartened by the futility of their attacks and the losses they had suffered. The death of the experienced commander, privateer and admiral of the Ottoman fleet, Dragut, which followed on June 23, 1565, was a serious blow. The Turkish commanders Pial Pasha and Mustafa Pasha were too careless. They had a huge fleet, which they used successfully only once. They also neglected communications with the African coast and made no attempt to track down or prevent the transfer of reinforcements from Sicily.

On September 1, the Turks made their last attempt, but the morale of the Ottoman troops had already fallen, and to the great joy of the besieged, who saw the path to salvation, the attempt was in vain. The puzzled and indecisive Ottomans learned of the arrival of reinforcements from Sicily at Millia Bay. On September 8, not knowing that there were very few reinforcements, the Turks lifted the siege and retreated. The Great Siege of Malta must have been the last battle in which an army of knights achieved a decisive victory.

After the retreat of the Ottomans, only 600 people remained in the ranks of the Hospitallers. According to the most reliable estimate, the Turkish army then numbered 40,000 people, of which, in the end, only 15,000 returned to Constantinople. The siege is vividly depicted in the frescoes of Matteo Perez d'Aleccio in the Hall of St Michael and St George, also known as the Throne Room, which is located in the Grand Master's Castle in Valletta. Four original oil sketches by Matteo d'Aleccio between 1576 and 1581 can be seen in the Square Room of the Queen's Palace, Greenwich, London. After the siege, a new city was built - today it bears the name Valletta, in memory of the Grand Master who defended it.

In 1607, the Grand Master of the Hospitallers was granted the title of Reichsfürst (Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, despite the fact that the territory of the order was always south of the territory of the Holy Roman Empire). In 1630, the Grand Master was awarded the ecclesiastical rank equivalent to a cardinal and the unique mixed title of His Most Illustrious Highness, reflecting both properties and thus recognizing him as a true Prince of the Church.

Conquest of the Mediterranean

After the Hospitallers of Malta regained their strength, they found that the order no longer had any reason to exist. The purpose with which the order was created, namely the promotion of crusades in the Holy Land, was now unattainable, both due to economic and military weakness, and because of the geographical position. Decreasing payments from European sponsors, no longer willing to support a costly and “unnecessary” organization, forced the Hospitallers to turn their attention to the growing pirate threat in the Mediterranean Sea, mostly emanating from North African pirates under the protection of the Ottomans.

By the end of the 16th century, the Hospitallers, inspired by their invincibility, inspired by the successful defense of their island in 1565 and the joint victory of Christian forces over the Ottoman fleet at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, set themselves new tasks, namely the protection of Christian merchants trading with the Levant , as well as the liberation of Christian slaves, who were both the main trade item of North African pirates and the basis of their fleet. The activities of the Hospitallers were called corso.

However, the order continued to suffer from lack of finances. By taking control of the Mediterranean Sea, the order thereby assumed the responsibilities traditionally performed by the maritime city-state of Venice. However, the financial difficulties of the Hospitallers did not end there. The exchange rate of the local currency, the escudo, adopted at the end of the 16th century, continuously fell, which meant for the Hospitallers a reduction in profits received in merchant trading posts.

Agricultural difficulties caused by the barrenness of the island occupied by the order forced many Hospitallers to neglect their sense of duty and begin to plunder Muslim ships. More and more ships were subjected to their robberies, the income from which allowed many Hospitallers to lead an idle and rich life. The profits also allowed them to take local women as wives and to join the French and Spanish navies in search of adventure, experience and, oddly enough, money.

All of the above conflicted with their monastic vows of poverty and chastity, which they swore to observe before joining the order. The changing position of the Hospitallers was compounded by the effects of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, as well as the lack of stability experienced by the Catholic Church.

The consequences of these events strongly affected the order at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries, when the decline in religious sentiments of many Europeans called into question the need for the existence of a religious army, and, as a consequence, the need for regular monetary contributions to maintain the order. The fact that upon the accession of the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I to the throne, the Catholic Order insisted on the re-entry of England as a member state, previously not allowed under Henry VIII, along with monasteries, eloquently testified to the new religious tolerance for the Order. Even the German language, equally Protestant and Catholic, was in the possession of the order.

During the 14th-16th centuries, the order experienced a noticeable moral decline, as eloquently evidenced by the choice of many knights who preferred to plunder as part of foreign fleets, of which the French one was especially popular. This choice directly contradicted the vows of the Hospitallers. When serving one of the European powers, there was a high probability of clashing in battle with another Christian army, which, in essence, happened in a series of Franco-Spanish clashes of that period.

The greatest paradox is that for many years France remained on friendly terms with the Ottoman Empire, the greatest enemy of the Hospitallers. By signing numerous trade treaties and agreeing to an informal (but ultimately effective) ceasefire between the two states, the Hospitallers questioned the raison d'être of their own existence.

That the Hospitallers identified themselves with the allies of their sworn enemies demonstrates their moral ambivalence and the new commercial nature of relations in the Mediterranean. Service in a foreign navy, particularly the French, gave the Hospitallers the opportunity to serve the church and especially the French king. Knights could increase their chances of promotion, both in the navy that hired them and in the Maltese navy. They could receive higher salaries, relieve boredom with frequent sailings, join high-priority short-term trips with large caravans, providing them with patronage, and also indulge in traditional port debauchery. The French received in their person a mobile and experienced fleet, which made it possible to keep the vassals in check and protect France from the Spanish threat. The change in attitude of the Hospitallers was aptly noted by Paul Lacroix:

“Puffed up with wealth, burdened with privileges which gave it virtually complete sovereignty, the order was finally so demoralized by excess and idleness that it completely lost the sense of what it was created for, and devoted itself to the lust of gain and the pursuit of pleasure. The thirst for profit soon went beyond all possible limits. The knights behaved as if they were beyond the reach of the crowned persons; they robbed and plundered, not caring who owned the property: pagans or Christians.”

As the Hospitallers grew in prominence and wealth, European states began to treat the order with more deference, but at the same time showed less desire to finance an organization known for its ability to earn large sums on the high seas. Thus, a vicious circle increased the number of raids, and consequently reduced subsidies received from European states. Soon the island's balance of payments became entirely dependent on conquest.

Meanwhile, European states had absolutely no time for hospitalists. The Thirty Years' War forced them to concentrate all their forces on the continent. In February 1641, a letter was sent from Valletta by an unknown person to the Hospitallers' most trusted ally and benefactor, King Louis XIV of France, reporting the order's problems:

“Italy supplies us with little; Bohemia and Germany provide practically nothing, and England and the Netherlands have not provided any assistance at all for a long time. Your Majesty, only in your kingdom and in Spain do we still have something that supports us.”

It is important to note that the Maltese authorities in every possible way avoided mentioning the fact that they receive significant income by exercising control over the seas. The Maltese authorities quickly appreciated the importance of corsairing for the island's economy and encouraged it in every possible way. Contrary to the oath of poverty, ordinary knights were allowed to keep part of the loot, which consisted of prize money and cargo seized from a captured ship. In addition, they were allowed to use the proceeds to equip their own galleys. To compete with North African pirates, the island's authorities also turned a blind eye to the slave market that existed in Valletta.

The Hospitallers' insistence on observing whist law caused a lot of controversy. Vista law allowed the order to board any ship suspected of transporting Turkish goods, as well as confiscate its cargo for subsequent resale in Valletta. Often a ship's crew was its most valuable cargo. Naturally, many states declared themselves victims of the Hospitallers’ excessive desire to confiscate any cargo remotely related to the Turks. In order to somehow influence the growing problem, the Maltese authorities created a court, the Consigilio del Mer (maritime council), in which captains who considered themselves wrongly injured could appeal their case, often successfully. The practice of using a marque license, and therefore government support for privateering, which existed for many years, was strictly regulated. The island authorities tried to hold the unscrupulous Hospitallers accountable in order to appease the European powers and a few benefactors. And yet these actions did not bring much benefit. The Maritime Council archive contains numerous complaints about Maltese piracy in the region after 1700. Ultimately, the excessive leniency of the Mediterranean powers led to the collapse of the Hospitallers during this period of their history. Once they were transformed from a military outpost into another small trade-oriented state of Europe, their role was taken over by the North Sea trading states, also skilled in piracy.

Knights in Malta

Having chosen Malta, the Hospitallers stayed on the island for 268 years, transforming what they called "solid sandstone rock" into a thriving island with strong defenses and a capital of Valletta, known among the great European powers as Superbissima (Very Proud).

In 1301, the order was transformed into seven languages ​​in order of precedence: Provence, Auvergne, France, Spain, Italy, England and Germany. In 1462, the language of Spain was divided into Castile-Portugal and Aragon-Navarre. The language of England temporarily ceased to exist after the order's territories were confiscated by Henry VIII in 1540. In 1782, the language of England was restored as the Anglo-Bavarian language, incorporating the Bavarian and Polish priories. At the end of the 19th century, the structure of languages ​​was replaced by a system of national associations.

Not surprisingly, the construction of hospitals was one of the first projects carried out in Malta, where French soon replaced the official Italian language (despite the fact that the indigenous inhabitants continued to speak Maltese among themselves). In addition, the Hospitallers built fortresses, watchtowers and, of course, churches on the island. The capture of Malta signaled a resumption of naval activity for the order.

The growth and strengthening of Valletta, named after the Grand Master of La Valletta, began in 1566. Soon the city became the home port of one of the most powerful Mediterranean fleets. Hospitals on the island also increased in size. The main hospital, reputed to be one of the best in the world, could accommodate about 500 patients. At the forefront of medicine, the Maltese hospital included schools of anatomy, surgery and pharmacy. Valletta had a reputation as a center of culture and art. In 1577, the construction of the Church of St. John the Baptist, decorated with works by Caravaggio and other authors, was completed.

In Europe, most of the order's hospitals and chapels survived the reformation, but not in Protestant countries. Meanwhile, a public library was founded in Malta in 1716. Seven years later the University was founded, followed by the School of Mathematics and the School of Natural Sciences. Discontent among some Maltese, who viewed the order as a privileged class, grew despite the improvements. The dissatisfied even included some representatives of the Maltese nobility who were not accepted into the order.

In Rhodes, the Hospitallers were quartered in inns (French: Auberges). The inns were also divided into languages. A similar structure survived on the island of Birgu from 1530 to 1571, and then, starting in 1571, migrated to Valletta. The ownership of the inns on Birgu is largely uncertain. Valletta still has an inn for the Castilla-León language, built in 1574 and restored by the Grand Master de Vilena. Today this building houses the office of the Prime Minister. The inn of the language of Italy (restored in 1683 by Grand Master Garaffa, today it is the post office), the language of Aragon (built in 1571, today the Ministry of Economy), the language of Bavaria (formerly the Carnerio Palace, purchased in 1784 for the newly formed language) has been preserved. , Provence language (today it is the National Museum of Archaeology). The Auvergne language inn was destroyed during the Second World War, after which a courthouse was built in its place. The Inn of the French language was also destroyed during the Second World War.

In 1604, each language received a chapel in the Cathedral of St. John, after which the coats of arms of the languages ​​adorned the walls and ceiling of the cathedral.

• Provence: Archangel Michael, coat of arms of Jerusalem
• Auvergne: Saint Sebastian, Blue Dolphin
• France: address of St. Paul, coat of arms of France
• Castile and Leon: Saint James the Lesser, two quarters coat of arms of Castile and two quarters of Leon
• Aragon: St. George the Victorious, tongue chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary (Per pale Aragon and Navarre)
• Italy: Saint Catherine, curved blue lettering ITALIA
• England: Flagellation of Christ, coat of arms not found; in Rhodes the language had an English coat of arms (two quarters the coat of arms of France and two quarters of England)
• Germany: Epiphany, Black double-headed eagle.

Unrest in Europe

A consequence of the growth of Protestantism and French egalitarianism in Europe was the loss of many European possessions by the order, however, the order continued to exist in Malta. The property of the English branch was confiscated in 1540. In 1577, the Bailiwick of Brandenburg became Lutheran, but continued to pay dues to the order until the branch was turned into an honorary order in 1812 by the King of Prussia. The Order of Malta (Johanniter Orden) was restored as the Prussian Order of the Knights Hospitaller in 1852.

Many Knights of Malta were in the ranks of the Navy of the Russian Empire, as well as in the ranks of the revolutionary French fleet. De Poincy, appointed governor of the French colony on the island of St. Kitts in 1639, decorated the uniform of his retinue with the symbols of the order, since by that time he was already a prominent knight of the Order of St. John. In 1651, the Hospitallers acquired St. Kitts, St. Martin, and St. Barthelemy from the American Islands Company. The order's presence in the Caribbean was overshadowed by the death of de Poincy in 1660, who also acquired, as a personal possession, the island of St. Croix and gave it to the Knights of St. John. In 1665, the order sold its holdings in the Caribbean to the French West India Company, thereby ending its presence in the region.

The Decree of the French National Assembly Abolishing the Feudal System (1789) abolished the order in France. V. Tithes of any kind, as well as the duties performed in lieu of them, under whatever name they are known or collected (even when the parties have come to a mutual agreement), owned by a lay or professional organization, owned by landowners or benefices, members of associations (including the Order of Malta and other religious and military orders), as well as those intended for the maintenance of churches, those obtained from the sale of church lands and entrusted to secular people and those replaced by the corresponding part, are abolished. The French revolutionary government confiscated the order's property and lands in France in 1792.

Loss of Malta

The Hospitaller fortress in Malta was captured by Napoleon in 1798 during an expedition to Egypt. Napoleon resorted to cunning. He asked permission to enter Valletta Harbor to resupply his ships, and once inside, he turned against his host. Grand Master Ferdinand von Hompesch zu Bohleim failed to predict Napoleon's intentions and prepare for the impending danger; he also failed to provide effective leadership; on the contrary, he readily surrendered to Napoleon, explaining his actions by the fact that the order's charter prohibited the Hospitallers from fighting Christians.

The Hospitallers were dispersed, but the order, although noticeably reduced in size, continued to exist, negotiating with European governments about the return of its former power. Russian Emperor Paul I provided most of the Hospitallers with refuge in St. Petersburg.

This act marked the beginning of the existence of the Order of Hospitallers in the Russian tradition, and also contributed to the recognition of Maltese awards for military merit along with the Imperial ones. The fugitive Hospitallers, located in St. Petersburg, elected Paul I as Grand Master of the Order. He became a rival to Grand Master von Hompesch, but von Hompesch's abdication made Paul I the only Grand Master.

While holding the post of Grand Master, Paul I created, in addition to the already existing Roman Catholic Grand Priory, a Russian Grand Priory, which included no less than 118 commanders, thereby reducing the importance of the rest of the order and opening it to all Christians. The election of Paul I as Grand Master, however, was never approved by the Roman Catholic Church. Thus, Paul I was a Grand Master de facto rather than de jure.

By the beginning of the 19th century, the order was greatly weakened by the loss of priories in Europe. The order received only 10% of its income from traditional sources in Europe, the remaining 90% of its income until 1810, the order received from the Russian Grand Priory. This situation was partially reflected in the administration of the order, which, from 1805 to 1879, was governed by lieutenants instead of grand masters, until Pope Leo XIII restored the position of grand master. The restoration of the position of Grand Master signaled the rebirth of the order as a humanitarian and religious organization. Medical work, the original occupation of the order, again became the main concern of the Hospitallers. Medical and charitable activities undertaken by the order on a small scale during the First World War were significantly intensified and increased in volume during the Second World War. During the Second World War, the order was under the control of the Grand Master Fra Ludovico Chigi della Rovere Albani (Grand Master from 1931 to 1951).

The Sovereign Military Order of Malta recently established a diplomatic mission in Malta. The mission was founded after the order signed an agreement with the Maltese government giving the order the exclusive right to use Fort Sant'Angelo for a period of 99 years. Today, after the restoration of the order, historical reconstructions are held in the Fort, as well as cultural events dedicated to the Order of Malta. The Honorable Order of St John has been in Malta since the late 19th century.

Revival in Britain under the Name of the Honorable Order of Saint John of Jerusalem

The order's possessions in England were confiscated by Henry VIII due to his dispute with the Pope over the dissolution of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. The dispute led to the liquidation of the monasteries and, as a consequence, to the confiscation of the property of the Hospitallers. Despite the fact that the order's activities were not formally terminated, the confiscation of property led to the cessation of the activities of the English language. A few Hospitallers from Scotland continued to maintain contact with the language of France. In 1831, the French Hospitallers, on behalf of the Order in Italy, as they claimed (probably they did not have such powers), founded the British Order. Over time it became known as the Most Illustrious Order of St John of Jerusalem in the British Kingdom. In 1888, the order received a royal privilege from Queen Victoria and spread throughout the United Kingdom, as well as the British Commonwealth and the United States of America. It was recognized as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta only in 1963. The most famous activities of the order are those associated with the Hospital of St. John, as well as the Hospital of the Eye of St. John in Jerusalem.

Restoration of the Order in Continental Europe

The consequences of the Reformation were that the majority of the German chapters of the order declared their unwavering commitment to the order, while recognizing the Protestant ideology. Under the name of the Brandenburg Bailiwick of the Noble Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem (Balley Brandenburg des Ritterlichen Ordens Sankt Johannis vom Spital zu Jerusalem), the order continues to exist today, increasingly moving away from the mother Catholic order.

From Germany the order came to some other countries, namely Hungary, the Netherlands and Sweden, but this branch was already Protestant. Branches in these countries are also autonomous today. All three branches are in alliance with the British Order, as well as with the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. The union is called the Union of the Orders of St. John of Jerusalem.

Copycat Orders

After the Second World War, taking advantage of the absence of state orders in the Italian Republic, some Italian declared himself Prince of Poland and Grand Prior of the fictitious Great Priory of Podolia and sold Maltese crosses until he was sued for fraud. Another rogue claimed to be the Grand Prior of Villeneuve's Holy Trinity, but quickly retracted his claim after a visit from the police. The organization, however, resurfaced in the United States in 1975, where it still continues its activities.

Huge initiation fees collected by the American Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in the early 1950s enticed another man named Charles Pichel to create his own Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem, the Knights Hospitaller, in 1956. Pichel avoided the complications of imitating the Sovereign Military Order of Malta by inventing a mythical founding story for his organization. He claimed that the organization he headed was founded in 1908 within the Russian tradition of the Order of the Hospitallers. A false claim, it has nevertheless misled many, including some scientists. In fact, the founding of his organization had nothing to do with the Russian tradition of the Order of the Hospitallers. The fact is that the Order of Pichel attracted many Russian nobles into its ranks, which gave some credibility to his statements.

The founding of this organization led to the creation of many other counterfeit orders. Two branches of the Order of Pichelov allegedly managed to secure the patronage of the last king of Yugoslavia, Peter II, and King Mihai of Romania. The above-mentioned order was based in California, where it acquired many followers while under the leadership of Robert Formals. For several years and with the support of historical organizations such as the Augustinian Society, he claimed to be a Polish prince of the Sangushko family.

Grand Masters of the Order

The Order of Malta, or the Order of the Hospitallers, has several equivalent names, such as:

• Sovereign Military Hospitality Order of St. John, Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta (official full name);
• Order of Malta;
• Order of Hospitallers;
• Order of the Johannites;

The order grew out of a religious and charitable brotherhood, which was created around 1048-1050 at the hospital (hospitable house) of St. John the Merciful in Jerusalem. The official date of creation of the Order should be considered February 15, 1113, when Pope Paschal II accepted St. John's Hospital under the patronage of the Holy See. At the same time, John the Baptist became the heavenly patron of the Order.

The final formation of the Order occurred in 1120, when, after the death of Blessed Gerard, the founder of the Order, Raymond de Puy was elected rector. He turned the brotherhood into a military monastic order and was named master (chief, mentor) of the Order of St. John. Master Hugo de Revel received the title of “Grand Master” from Pope Clement IV in 1267.