History of the Order of Malta from its creation to the beginning of the Great Siege

The land of Palestine, where Jesus lived, died and rose again, has always been considered the Holy Land. For centuries, people from the West have made pilgrimages to the Holy Sepulcher and other holy sites. Even when Jerusalem first fell into Muslim hands in the 7th century, and obstacles arose for pilgrims, especially individual pilgrims, the pilgrimage continued. Charlemagne opened shelters in Jerusalem for such pilgrims. However, at the beginning of the 11th century, with the arrival of new Muslim rulers, the situation changed. The pilgrims began to be mistreated and harassed in every possible way. In the end, Caliph Hakim Fatimit, a fanatic and insane tyrant, razed the Holy Sepulcher to the ground in 1009 and destroyed all Christian shrines.

Thirty years after Hakim's death, several merchants from Amalfi (in Italy) managed to restore the shelters and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. However, the obstacles on the way of pilgrims and Christians in Palestine were not removed. This situation disturbed Europe, and many European princes - adventurers, incited by the fiery calls of the English preacher Peter the Hermit and Pope Urban II, were tempted to go on a Crusade and recapture holy places from the Saracens. The first attempt at the Crusade, undertaken in 1096, ended sadly, but a new army followed and continued the fight in 1097. This time the campaign was successful and two years later Jerusalem fell at the feet of Christians.

This fortuitous turn of events inspired the Amalfi congregation to become Hospitallers, ministers of the Jerusalem Benedictine hospital dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and to rally around their leader, Brother Gerard of Saxony. He was a Benedictine who expanded the congregation into the Order of St. John of Jerusalem (1110-1120). Grateful lords and princes, having healed their wounds in the hospital, soon began to place part of their property in the newly founded Order, not only locally, but also in subsidiary branches later formed in different parts of Europe. In 1113, Pope Pascal II took the Order under his protection and, as a reward for its service, gave it a new, more militant status in the person of Brother Gerard. The original document certifying this important moment in the history of the Order is in the Malta Library. It reads: “Pope Pascal II grants to his venerable son Gerard, founder and provost of the Hospital of Jerusalem, a charter establishing the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem on both sides of the sea, in Europe and Asia.”

With the renewal of the war with the Saracens, some of the Order's knights became warriors, and together with new followers they formed the basis of the Order of the Knights Templar or Templars. This Order soon gained greater strength and importance when its knights were called upon to directly combat the Muslims. Many of the forts and castles built by the Templars in Palestine, Syria and Jordan during the years of this struggle remained of great strategic importance.

However, the Crusade of 1147 ended in failure, and the necessary forces for the next one were gathered only by 1189. This time, among other leaders was King Richard I of England, soon named the Lionheart, thanks to whom, basically, success was achieved . However, the infighting between the leaders harmed the Order more than battle fatigue. The knightly valor that had been at the heart of the Crusade began to fade, and soon Richard was left alone in his struggle. His firmness and desire for his goal, together with enormous energy and self-sacrifice, led to victory in the Battle of Acre. However, this was the last thing he could do. Richard soon left Palestine, and his departure meant the end of the entire Crusade.

After the Templars moved to Cyprus in 1191, the Knights Hospitaller, more concerned with caring for the wounded and sick, took up arms to protect pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land. Strengthened military significance The order has its second head, Raymond de Puy. He was the first to be called Grandmaster (1125-1158) and continued to increase the strength, influence and power of the Order. Now the Order began to have a knightly character, but its members took three monastic vows: chastity, obedience and poverty.

However, after the Muslims, having launched yet another active campaign, captured the last possessions of Christians in 1291, and staying in Palestine became impossible, the Order moved to Cyprus. However, this was an unfortunate decision, since in Cyprus the Order did not have the opportunity to reorganize and improve. Moreover, the situation was worsened by the fact that the Templars, who had moved to the island a century earlier, were seized by a thirst for power, professed the ideas of Freemasonry, and weaved secret intrigues, running counter to the ideals of the Order. All this forced the Knights of the Order to look for a new refuge.

It took 19 years, and in 1308 they found an ideal location on the Byzantine island of Rhodes and achieved territorial independence. A year after the Knights of St. John moved to Rhodes, in 1309, the Templars were so mired in their intrigues that their organization was banned, and five years later, in 1314, their last grand master, Jacques de Molay, was burned in Paris. The Hospitallers inherited a significant part of their property. More importantly, however, the Order of St. John was able to attract young European aristocrats and move forward with the necessary reorganization.

The Order was given to Rhodes, a very fertile and one of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean. Another important factor was that its geological structure provided many places where the knights could build the necessary fortifications, as well as large number strong building material. With the settlement in the new place, the then Grand Master, Fouquet de Villaret (1305-1319), completely coped with the reorganization, and the Order continued to develop, based on the same old vows of chastity, obedience and poverty.

The Knights of the Order were divided into five groups. The first were the Knights - Warriors of Justice (Military Knights of Justice), who predominated in the Order. All of them were aristocrats, at least in the fourth generation, which was confirmed by the fact that they were sons famous names Europe. All of them, without exception, were called into the Order only after careful consideration. Candidates who passed the test were inducted into Knighthood with great pomp. Accompanied by the Knight Grand Cross who conducted their initiation, they walked bareheaded into the armory and dressed themselves according to their new status. Their comrades invited them to the courtyard hall, where they sat on a carpet laid on the ground and received bread, salt and a glass of water. The Knight who led the ceremony later gave a banquet in honor of the new Knights and their friends, which also allowed for a sense of the asceticism appropriate to the ceremony. New initiates became novices for a year, after which they were attracted by the Convention - main structure Orders for military service. Each year of service was called a “caravan.” After three such “caravans” the Knight received a place in the Convention for at least two years. Having thus fulfilled his duties in the Order, the Knight was free to return home to Europe, but could be summoned by the Grandmaster if necessary. Knights from the first group could advance to the high positions of Bailiff, Commander or Prior.

A second group of Knights remained for spiritual service as Chaplains of Obedience. It was common for them to serve in hospitals or order churches, however, they were not completely exempt from serving in the “caravan”. These Knights could be elected to the position of Prior or even Bishop of the Order.

The third group were the Serving Brothers, conscripted for military service from respected, but not necessarily aristocratic, families.

The fourth and fifth were Honorary Knights, distinguished by degrees - Knights - Masters (Magisterial Knights) and Most Serene Knights (Knights of Grace), elected by Grandmasters.

Another classification was based on nationality, in which the Knights belonged to one of eight "Languages". These were: Aragon, Auvergne, Castile, England (with Ireland and Scotland), France, Germany, Italy and Provence. The presence of three French “Languages” was no coincidence, since the French greatly dominated the Order numerically.

Leadership was carried out by the Grandmaster, who was elected by the Knights on the basis of many years of successful service in senior positions. The Grand Master was also the President of the Supreme Council, which also included: the Bishop of the Order, Priors, Bailiffs, Knights Grand Cross and Deans of the "Languages". While the Supreme Council performed normal administrative functions, the General Assembly of the Order's members was convened every five years, and sometimes every ten years. These meetings were reported a year in advance, allowing the Tongues and individual Knights to prepare reform projects for consideration.

The emblem of the Order was an eight-pointed cross, introduced by Grand Master Raymond de Puy, symbolizing the eight virtues (Beatitudes), the four sides of the cross also signifying the four virtues: Prudence, Temperance, Courage and Justice. The oaths taken by the Knights upon joining the Order gave it a religious character. New initiates were expected to hug and kiss each other as a sign of friendship, peace and brotherly love. From now on they called each other “brothers.”

With the transfer of Rhodes from the Byzantines to the control of the Order, the Knights began to seek recognition of their independence. All Christian powers and Catholic nations began to regard the Order in its full definition as the Sovereign Military Order of St. John of Jerusalem. In this regard, the Grandmaster began to be called the Prince of Rhodes. The Order continued to grow into a more powerful and wealthy organization of nobles, bound by celibacy and obligations to help the poor, heal the sick, and wage constant war against the Muslims in the Mediterranean. It was impossible to strictly observe this last oath, since, being located on the island, the Knights could not continue successful operations on land. Despite this, they continued to stockpile and preserve their weapons, including chain mail and plate armor, both for themselves and for their horses. Each Knight had three horses: war, racing and pack, and also kept servants who carried a shield and banner. In addition, the Knights soon began to build more galleys and other vessels, making it possible to intensify attacks on enemy sea routes from and near Turkey. After some time, the Knights acquired seafaring experience and other abilities that allowed them to turn into Christian corsairs.

Although the spirit of the Crusades was long lost, and the Christian states began to maintain peaceful relations with the Muslims and the Mongol invaders, the Order never lost the sense of danger to Christianity, and it kept its oath to fight Islam, regardless of the presence or absence of allies. First naval operation The Rhodes Knights were responsible for the destruction in 1312 of 23 Turkish coastal ships by a small detachment led by Grandmaster Fouquet de Villaret himself, who had previously been one of the admirals of the Order. Soon, in competition with him, Grand Commander Albert Schwarzburg, supported by Genoese corsairs, led a combined fleet of 24 galleys and defeated 50 Turkish ships from Ephesus. Less than a year had passed before he, with eight ships of the Order and six Genoese galleys, defeated a fleet of 80 Turkish ships.

In 1334, an alliance was concluded at Avignon between the King of France, Venice, the Pope's fleet and the King of Cyprus to attempt, under the banner of the Knights of the Order, to kindle the fire of the Crusade. Meanwhile, in a naval battle they destroyed Turkish fleet in the Gulf of Smyrna and forced the city itself to surrender. It seemed that the XIV century. Each of the nations on the side of the Christians sought to rush against the Muslims, and the order led these actions or provided its ships. The galleys of the Knights of the Order, in which they made swift and fearless attacks, avoiding the possibility of defeat, were popular in Europe. Reports of their exploits were published on large sheets in Naples, Marseilles and Venice and became legendary. But the galleys required strong people. They were filled with slave-oarsmen, warriors, sailors, and were also loaded with weapons and provisions, so that there was often nowhere to sleep. There was no protection from the scorching sun, rain and sea ​​water. Food flooded during a sudden storm became unfit for consumption, people got sick. After successful operations, the galleys became even more crowded with prisoners and trophies. The exploits of the Order of those times continued to amaze, even taking into account the weakening of the Order in opposition to the power of Islam. In 1347, Fra Arnaldo de Perez Tores of Catalonia burned hundreds of Turkish ships at Imbros. Ten years later, the combined fleet of the Order and Venice under the command of Raymond Berenger (future Grand Master in 1365-1374) destroyed 35 Muslim ships. In 1361, one of the admirals, Ferlino d'Airasca, at the head of a squadron, with the help of Christian corsairs, captured Adalia. But his greatest success came in 1365, when with only 16 galleys he sacked Alexandria.

Not all of the Order's actions were exclusively military in nature. Knights often became Christian corsairs and attacked and captured Muslim ships returning to their ports with cargoes of spices, silk, gold and precious stones. The booty was captured, the crews turned into slaves for the galleys. In 1393 and 1399 The Order's galleys broke into the Black Sea and attacked the hornet's nests of Muslim corsairs that had long existed here. The first time the Knights failed, they lost Grandmaster Heredia and many Knights who fell into the hands of enemies. However, on the second attempt, success was achieved.

However, all these attacks, no matter how much damage they caused to the Muslim fleet and their pride, could not prevent the steady increase in their power in the 15th century.

The beginning of the turning point was the capture by the Egyptian Mamelukes of Castelrosso, an isolated post of the Knights in 1440. Enemies on 19 ships besieged Rhodes itself, but the Knights, led by Grandmaster Jean de Lastik (1437-1454), repelled the attack and pursued the enemy to Anatolia, where they landed on shore and killed 700 people. In 1444, a new attempt was made to besiege Rhodes, which the Knights also repulsed. However, at this moment Christianity was under threat from the Turks under the leadership of Mehmed II Fatih the Conqueror. Beginning with the capture of Constantinople in 1453, within four years he also captured the islands of Kos, Lemnos and Lesbos.

These Muslim successes created a number of potential bases around Rhodes for attacking the island and the Knights' headquarters. In 1462, the General Assembly of the Order met specifically to discuss this situation. The conclusion was that Rhodes was well fortified and these fortifications were good support for the fleet. Two years later the Pope attempted to raise a united fleet against the Muslims. However, due to internal disagreements, all Christian powers refused. From now on, the Order was left alone in the face of the Islamic threat.

In 1480, Rhodes was again besieged, but the knights managed to survive, although they suffered significant losses.

The Order received a respite when, after the death of Mehmed II in 1481, his sons began to fight each other. Under the leadership of Grand Master Pierre d'Aubusson (1476-1503), the Knights used this time to strengthen their forces as much as possible. This was confirmed by the capture of a large number of Turkish ships by Admiral Ludovicus di Scalenge in 1502. Five years later, the Order achieved its goal greatest victory in a merciless battle with the combined Muslim fleet at Alexandretta. However, this was the last victory of the Knights and the end of the Order's stay in Rhodes, which lasted more than two centuries.

Suleiman the Magnificent, grandson of Mehmed II, the powerful Ottoman Sultan did not forget about the Order for a minute. He always admired the valor of the Knights and, after ascending the throne, respected them and their new Grand Master, Philippe Villers de l'Isle Adam (1521-1534). However, such feelings did not prevent him from continuing the work of his ancestors, seeking to throw off the Knights from Rhodes. He bided his time, gathered forces and launched his attack on Rhodes in 1522. The Order's fleet at this moment was in a state of retraining and was weakened. In order not to scatter his forces, l'Isle Adam removed his knights from the ships and strengthened the garrison of the island. Suleiman besieged Rhodes. The huge Turkish army was opposed by 600 knights and about 7,000 soldiers. After six months of siege, the exhausted and half-starved Knights, who had lost most of the soldiers and 240 “brothers” betrayed by one of them, d'Amaral, were forced to capitulate on Christmas Day 1522. The brave defense awakened the nobility of Suleiman, and he not only allowed the Grandmaster along with the remaining The knights were free to leave Rhodes, but also showed them honors when they left the island to their galleys.

The Order was defeated, but not dishonored. Its high prestige was preserved, and although the Order was in disarray, it offered a chance to recover and continue the fight. But there was one urgent matter - to find a new shelter.

Emperor Charles V of Spain, who also wore the crown of the Holy Roman Empire, under whose rule were also Castile, Aragon, Burgundy, the Austrian possessions of the House of Habsburg, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Sardinia, Sicily, most of Italy and Spanish possessions in northern Africa and the New World, invited The Order of St. John used Sicily as a temporary refuge while searching for a new home.

The knights hoisted their banner in their temporary monastery in Syracuse. They took with them everything they could take from Rhodes, including galleys, many of which were privately owned by the knights. Both the Order and individual knights used various European shipyards to build their large ships, and it so happened that on January 1, 1523, when the evacuation from Rhodes took place, the Santa Anna carrack, which was built for the Order, was launched in Nice . She was sent to Syracuse and joined the remnants of the fleet there. It would be useful to talk in more detail about this karakka, since it had to play an important role in the history of the Order.

Carracks were heavy ships used to transport troops and equipment, as well as other cargo that could not be carried on galleys. They were, of course, not as mobile and fast, but they were better armed, which made them very useful as an addition to the main fleet. "Santa Anna" had 132 ft. (40.2 m) long and 40 ft. (12.2 m) wide, the superstructures rose 75 feet above the waterline. (22.9 m). She could take on board 4 tons of cargo and supplies for a six-month voyage. Among other things, this ship had a metal workshop, a bakery and a church. The armament consisted of 50 long-barreled guns and large number falconets and half-guns, the arsenal could accommodate personal weapons for 500 people. The ship had a crew of 300 people, but could accommodate an additional 400 light infantry or cavalry. However, the most important feature of the Santa Anna was its metal shell, which was resistant to cannonballs. This was the first ship armed and protected in this way in those days. The Order also had three other carracks: “Santa Caterina”, “San Giovanni” and “Santa Maria”, previously captured from the Muslims.

Since all the Knights could not gather in Syracuse, other temporary camps arose, organized in Candia, Messina, Civitavecchia, Viterbo, as well as in neighboring France in Villefranche and Nice. The council met periodically in Syracuse on board the Santa Anna. Naturally, the most frequently discussed issue at these meetings was the search for a new refuge. However, Grandmaster de l'Isle Adam believed that before looking for a new place, help and support should be found to attack and liberate Rhodes. In search of such support, he moved from one European court to another. Since the representation of the French Knights in the Order was the largest, they were the first to turn to the King of France for help. However, Francis I was more interested in gaining Suleiman's support against his opponent, Charles V. Wherever l’Isle Adam applied, he was always refused. It seemed that although respect for the Order remained, it was no longer popular. Perhaps because the Order, which remained faithful to the Pope and its oath to fight only infidels, could not be useful in deciding anyone's national interests. Moreover, nationalism at that time was becoming the main dominant factor in European affairs. On the other hand, all of Europe trembled in fear of Suleiman the Magnificent, who, during his reign, not only conquered the peoples of the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea coast, but also reached Belgrade and Budapest with his armies, bringing his Ottoman Empire to the pinnacle of glory. Only when l'Isle Adam reached King Henry VIII of England did he receive a slightly different answer. His position was no different from others, besides, the English monarch was about to get married and, regarding his matrimonial affairs, had already begun his litigation with the Pope, so the Order appeared in England in a bad light. However, Henry VIII received l'Isle Adam with great honor at St. James's Palace and at the end gave him weapons and ammunition worth 20,000 crowns. The amount was significant, but it was very little help for the project, since the Grandmaster expected help with ships and troops. Later, 19 guns, given by the King of England, were taken to Malta by the Knight Sir John Sutter in January 1530, and then used to defend Tripoli. Recently, one of these guns was recovered from the bottom of the harbor of Famagusta (Cyprus). It was identified because, along with the Tudor emblem, it also bore the Grandmaster's coat of arms.

L'Isle Adam returned to Sicily very disappointed. He understood that he would have to abandon plans for an attack on Rhodes, and also that the Knights became increasingly interested in worldly affairs and breaking their vows. Idleness led their organization to decline. He realized that if new home will not be found soon, the Order will most likely disintegrate.

Charles V also became aware of his worries and disappointment, shared by the Knights. After several years of the Order's presence in Sicily, it seemed inconvenient for him to leave the Knights without his attention. Then someone convinced him to transfer Malta and the neighboring island of Gozo to the Order. The Emperor was inclined to agree. He knew that he could not make any use of these deserted rocky islands, devoid of vegetation, with poor soil and lack of water. However, he wanted to get something in return. He didn't mean money, but he wanted to take a heavy burden off his shoulders. Malta has always been a target for pirate raids, which made owning it even more useless. But Tripoli gave him an even bigger headache, and he made great efforts to support this Christian enclave among the Muslim states of North Africa. Why not give his protection to the knights as payment for resettlement to Malta? This idea came to him and was proposed to the Order.

L'Isle Adam was not happy about this proposal. He immediately realized what problems it would bring. But he didn't give up completely. Time passed quickly, and even his very stay in Sicily depended on the emperor’s disposition. Finally, he asked for time to gather information about Malta. However, when he received them from the expedition, which was immediately sent to Malta, he was even more alarmed. The island of Malta, as stated in the report, is a mountain of soft sandstone about seven leagues (30 km) long and three or four leagues wide (15 km). Its desert surface is covered with 3-4 feet (approx. 1.5 m) of soil, very rocky and unsuitable for agriculture. Where possible, the Maltese grow cotton and cumin, which they trade for grain, and also cultivate some fruits. Apart from a few springs, there is no running water, and the 12,000 people in Malta and another 5,000 in Gozo are mostly peasants living in primitive villages. There is only one city here, which is the capital. For protection, there are only two castles where the inhabitants take refuge during pirate raids. The gloomy picture presented had only one bright spot; the report convinced that the island of Malta has two extensive harbors capable of accommodating a large number of galleys. This gave naval forces The Order has good bases, and l’Isle Adam could not help but think that the Order’s property could now be replenished mainly through corsairship. This required ships and, accordingly, a harbor. This circumstance was the only positive thing in his thoughts. However, l'Isle Adam would not have accepted the emperor's proposal under other circumstances, but now they were putting great pressure on his decision. Another circumstance that could not be ignored was that some Knights were already beginning to leave the Convention, returning to the weakened subsidiary branches (Commanderies) in Europe, and this could serve as the first sign of disintegration of the Order. The impoverishment of the Order left no choice; l’Isle Adam accepted the offer.

A document in the form of a rescript of Charles V, currently on display in the National Library of Malta, provided by l'Isle Adamou, read: "transferred to the Knights in order that they may freely perform their Sacred Duty for the benefit of all Christianity and employ their forces and troops against the treacherous enemies of the Holy Faith, - the islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino in exchange for the provision of a falcon annually on All Saints' Day (November 1) to Carlos, Viceroy of Sicily." An obligatory, although not specifically noted, dubious “gift” in the form of Tripoli was also implied.

When the Maltese learned of this, they were rightly indignant, for in 1428 King Alfonso V of Aragon confirmed their ancient privileges, paid 30,000 gold florins, the sum for which the needy monarch pledged the islands to Don Gonsalvo Monroy, and swore on the four Gospels that The Maltese Islands will never be transferred to another owner. Funnily enough, this Magna Carta of Malta is now also on display in the Library of Malta, next to the aforementioned rescript of Charles V. The Maltese sent an embassy to protest to the Viceroy of Sicily, but when it arrived, the galleys of the Order were already in Syracuse, and Grandmaster l'Isle Adam had already been exposed to power over Malta through his representative, the bailiff. On October 26, 1530, Grand Master l'Isle Adam and his Knights departed on the carrack "St. Anne" for the Grand Harbor of Malta, their new home.

Much of the Maltese population was then going through difficult times. Their life was a routine, grueling struggle for existence, accompanied by constant attacks by Muslim corsairs who captured people as slaves. These people didn't care who ruled their country. However, there was also a minority, including most of the noble families and citizens who grew up free, who quickly realized that with the rise of the Knights they could lose their political rights. They immediately began to look at the Knights with suspicion. This position of the Maltese was also reflected in the “arrogance of the Knights” who arrived in Malta, noted by the Maltese historian. Most likely, this can be explained by the fact that some were expecting the arrival of the Knights, crowned with the laurels of numerous exploits, but rumors quickly spread that many of them were breaking their vows and celibacy, leaning towards Freemasonry, as happened with the Templars. Such ideas were partially supported by the clergy, who feared the new rulers who were under the direct protection of the Pope. In addition, the Knights did not take much of their property to Malta; they brought only the holy icon containing the hand of St. John, a silver processional cross kept in Mdina Cathedral, and some ritual vestments and objects. The most important things that they could not leave and that came with them are now stored in Malta. The Knights were supposed to start over. And so they began.

For over 400 years, the Maltese governed the country themselves through an autonomous commune called the Universita, represented by four members bearing the title of "Giurati" (senior members of the municipality), presided over by the Captain of the Rod (della Verga). He was so called because of the staff that the page always carried in front of him, and was also called in Arabic by the title Hakem. This position was elective, but it became practically hereditary in the De Nava family, the owners of Fort San Angelo. The presence of parliament was supposed to guarantee the privileges of the Maltese, and they hoped that this situation would not change.

Grandmaster l'Isle Adam officially took over Malta in Mdina, the medieval city that was then the capital of the island. The investiture procedure was carried out with great pomp and ceremony, in which important members of Maltese society also took part. But the climax came when l'Isle Adam proceeded to the city gate under the canopy carried by the Giurati, and swore on the great cross of the cathedral and the cross of the Order to maintain the privileges and treat the islands as promised by the king of Aragon and Sicily. After this, the Captain of the Rod knelt down, kissed the Grandmaster's hand and handed over the silver keys. This meant that the gates of the city were open, and the Grandmaster could enter them to the sound of fireworks and the ringing of bells.

Mdina was the only Maltese city. Its name meant a fortified city in Arabic. But in 1428, after the Maltese expressed dissatisfaction with their ruler, King Alfonso V of Aragon and Sicily, because he, in need of money, mortgaged the island to his aristocrats, the king accepted their protest and confirmed their ancient privileges. On this occasion, he called Mdina "noble precious stone in his crown,” and the Maltese began to call their city Notabile, although the name Mdina remained in common use.

It was assumed that the Knights would make the only city their headquarters. But instead, they settled in Birgu, a small village located, however, on the shores of the Grand Harbor under the protection of Fort San Angelo. They made their choice because Birgu could keep its ships and maritime services on hand in case of need. Although the village of Birgu was inconvenient and unsuitable for their buildings, this did not stop the Knights, and they immediately began to do everything necessary. In the narrow streets of Birgu they began to build their own Farmsteads, one for each Language. Where possible, they rented premises, as they did in Rhodes. They also continued to build fortifications and equip them in case of a possible attack. Birgu already had the magnificent Church of St. Lawrence, built in 1090 at the court of Roger of Normandy and decorated over the years. The Knights turned it into the main church of the Order.

L'Isle Adam, realizing the need for defensive structures, began work to strengthen Fort San Angelo. This fortress, which protected the Great Harbor, served this purpose even under the Carthaginians, and then under the Romans, Byzantines, Normans, Angevins and Aragonese. The Grand Master attached great importance to this fort, settled in it himself, living in a house built about a hundred years ago for the De Nava family, owners of the fort, and also rebuilt the old chapel, dedicating it to St. Anna. Work was also carried out on the walls of Mdina, which, while remaining the capital of the island, also needed to be strengthened.

This was a good start, no doubt discussed among the majority of the islanders, who remained doubtful about the prospects of the Order in Malta. However, after some time the attitude began to improve.

The Candlemas holiday especially helped bring the Knights and the Maltese closer together. At this annual event on 2 February, the parish priests of Malta and Gozo met the Grand Master and presented him with decorated candles. The Grandmaster addressed the audience about pressing matters and discussed with them the possibilities of cooperation between secular authorities and the church for the benefit of the people.

The Order began minting coins: scudo, tari, carlino and grano. These names survived in Malta five centuries later.

Construction gave the Maltese a lot of work, although each Order Language had its own knights, warriors, priests, mechanics, military engineers and sailors. All these new arrivals mixed with the people, but brought new meaning into the life of the islanders.

L'Isle Adam must have been pleased, since the Order's move to Malta seemed to be going well. But he was not satisfied, because he could not get Rhodes out of his mind and hoped that one day he would be able to recapture his former house. His hopes were strengthened when his galleys first sailed from Malta to confront the Muslims. Five galleys of the Order under the command of Admiral Bernardo Salvati with two Genoese ships suddenly attacked the Turkish fleet off Modon and destroyed it. They then captured the city and returned to Malta with the spoils and 800 Turkish prisoners. A little later, Salvatti, together with the great Genoese admiral Andrea Doria, attacked Coron.

These two naval actions raised the spirit of l'Isle Adam and proved the valor of the Order, which was especially important for its future in Malta. However, difficulties of a different kind began to arise. After arguing with the Pope, English king Henry VIII in 1532 proclaimed himself the head of the Anglican Church and began to create obstacles to the further development of the English branch of the Order. This was reflected in the fact that young English aristocrats sent by the Supreme Prior began to arrive in Malta. Members of the English "Language" were aristocrats born in England, Scotland or Ireland and who contributed part of their property to the corresponding commandery or monastery. However, some of the knights who arrived in Malta at this time could not document this. For those who joined the Order of l'Isle Adam gave the opportunity to receive such documents within six months, but for candidates and newcomers the General Assembly demanded the immediate presentation of such documents. As a result, many were forced to return, and the transportation costs had to be paid by the High Prior.

However, what worried l'Ile Adam most of all was the insubordination among some of the young Knights, who were no longer trained under the strict authority of the Order and were getting out of hand. Some of them crossed all acceptable limits with their recklessness. In this regard, the General Assembly added additions to the disciplinary code. The article read: “If anyone enters a citizen’s house without an invitation and without the consent of the owner, or disturbs the order during folk festivals, dances, weddings and similar occasions, he will be deprived of two years of seniority (“length of service”) without hope of forgiveness. In addition, if anyone, day or night, breaks the doors or windows of citizens’ houses, he will also serve a punishment, such as will be imposed by the Grandmaster.” It was practically impossible to prevent duels among the hot-tempered and quarrelsome youths, always ready to insult their opponents and who valued personal courage over all other virtues.

L'Isle Adam died on August 21, 1534. He was succeeded by the Italian Pietro del Ponte, who also died a year later. The same thing happened with the next Grandmaster, the Frenchman Didier de Saint Jayet, who died in 1536.

The new Grandmaster (1536-1553) was the Spaniard Juan d'Omedes. This was a Knight of the “old model”, who, like l’Isle Adam, in his soul did not accept his expulsion from Rhodes, but was fully aware of the inevitability of the Order’s presence in Malta. Just like l’Isle Adam, he was a adherent of strict discipline, however, unlike his predecessor, he did not allow the Knights any liberties. He punished when necessary. Punishments in the Order were not easy. When Knight Oswald Messingbeard fought with John Bebington during the As

Just like centuries ago, on the streets of the main city of the island of Malta, Valletta, you can meet a real Maltese knight. True, he will not be dressed in shining armor, but in an ordinary civilian suit. The once mighty order of chivalry gradually turned into a club of wealthy benefactors. To become a member, you don’t even have to be a nobleman. It is enough to pay the entrance fee.
Malta is the southernmost outpost Western Europe in the Mediterranean Sea. This one lying at the crossroads sea ​​routes The island with a convenient, well-protected harbor has been an eternal bone of contention for the Mediterranean countries for thousands of years. It's hard to believe now, but in pre-biblical times Malta was covered with dense forests. They were brought together by the Phoenicians - for the construction of ships and simply for fuel. After the Phoenicians, the island was ruled by the Carthaginians, then by the Romans. From them Malta passed to the Byzantines. Those were expelled by the Arabs, who ruled the island for more than two hundred years, until the Normans recaptured it at the end of the 11th century. Malta is a small island. Only 27 km long and 14.5 wide. That is, the entire island easily fits within the Moscow Ring Road. But, despite its miniature size, it became famous throughout the world. Mainly thanks to the Knights of Malta. The island was granted to the Iannite Order in 1530 with the condition that the knights would defend Malta from North African pirates and the Turkish Ottoman Empire, which waged endless wars with Christian Europe.
However, the history of the Order began not in Malta, but five centuries earlier. When in 1099 the crusaders recaptured the Holy Sepulcher from the “infidels”—as Muslims were then called—thousands of Christian pilgrims immediately flocked to the holy city of Jerusalem. They found shelter and medical care in the so-called “hospitals” - the original meaning of this word: “hospital home.” The construction of such houses was carried out by knightly and monastic brotherhoods, which over time were transformed into orders and became a formidable military force. One of these orders maintained a hospital at the Church of St. John the Baptist - its members began to be called “Johnnites” or “Hospitaliers.” The Knights of St. John took a vow similar to a monastic one, and as a sign that they were devoting themselves to serving the Lord, they sewed a cross, now known as the Maltese cross, onto their specially shaped clothing.
At the end of the 13th century, Muslims pushed the Johannites out, first to Cyprus, and then to the island of Rhodes. But they had to leave that one too - it was then that Malta became a haven for knights. At first they wanted to make Mdina their new capital. This ancient fortified city has an extremely advantageous location: on a hill rising in the middle of the island. It was founded, apparently, by the Phoenicians at the end of the 2nd millennium BC. In the ancient capital of the island - the city of Mdina - literally at every step you can encounter an absolutely incredible combination of eras.
The Knights of Malta, as the Johannites began to be called after moving to Malta, erected even more powerful fortifications and thoroughly rebuilt Mdina. Today's Maltese call it the "city of silence". Only 400 people live here. The narrow streets, oriental in spirit, are decorated with individual baroque buildings with sculptural images of the Madonna and Catholic saints. Until the season begins, Mdina, even in the center, where local souvenir shops are concentrated, is deserted. In summer the picture will be completely different...
Mdina was good for everyone, but organizing coastal protection from it turned out to be an impossible task. And the Iannites had to make their residence the town of Birgu, located on a cape closing the most convenient bay in Malta. Here fortifications were hastily erected, which for Europe at that time were the pinnacle of fortification art. Soon these fortifications served the knights well. Turkish Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, calling upon a united fleet of North African pirates to assist him, besieged Birgu, and his troops, encountering almost no resistance, began to devastate Malta.
In 1565, outside the walls of Fort San Angelo, only six hundred Knights of Malta fought off the attacks of forty thousand Turkish troops for three months. As a result, the Turks retreated. After this, the Grand Master of the Order of Malta, Jean Parisot de la Valette, in order to better fortify the island, founded a city on the other side of the harbor. It was subsequently named after him - Valletta. Suleiman was forced to lift the siege and retreat only after the knights received help from Sicily. The victory of the Order of Malta put an end to the undivided dominance of Muslims in the Mediterranean. Nose Ottoman Empire the knights continued to fight for more than two hundred years.
In memory of the "Great Siege" on the parade ground of Fort San Elmo - which at one time fell under the onslaught of the Turks - the Maltese organize theatrical garrison reviews. To the sounds of a military orchestra, detachments of pikemen and musketeers enter the courtyard of the fort... The head of the garrison walks along the line, checking everyone's equipment... Then the soldiers demonstrate combat techniques to the commander... The muskets in their hands are not real - a barrel made four hundred years ago may not withstand the pressure of powder gases . But these are exact copies of the muskets that were used in the old days. And they are loaded with coarse-grained black powder made according to an ancient recipe... Only the bullets are not driven into the barrel - they are limited to wads... Unlike muskets, cannons and mortars are the same ones that were fired at the Turks several centuries ago... Instead of cannonballs, they are now also loaded with wads...
Valletta differs from most European cities in its regular layout, straight and relatively wide streets. The terrain on which the city is built is mountainous and therefore there are a lot of stairs. The Palace of the Grand Masters of the Order stands in the central square of Valletta. Nowadays it houses central authorities island authorities: the Maltese parliament, the offices of the president and prime minister. Which, by the way, does not in the least bother the numerous dealers in counterfeit discs and cassettes who set up their trays right under the windows of the head of government.
And centuries ago, in the halls of the palace decorated with frescoes, the affairs of the Order and the lands subject to the knights were carried out. The head of the Order of Malta - the Grand Master - was elected among the knights for a life term. He ruled his state in one of the halls where the throne is still located. In total, the Order of Malta ruled Malta for 268 years. During this time, 27 Grand Masters were replaced on the throne. Nowadays, restoration work is taking place in the throne room, which was later renamed the Hall of the Republic. The interiors of the palace have been preserved exactly as they were in the 18th century. Portraits of the Grand Masters hang on the walls, and their coats of arms are laid out on the floor. Knight's armor, although it has long served as decoration for palace corridors, is by no means fake... All of them have been in more than one battle. In the armory of the palace there are many shells with traces of piercing and cutting blows, many of which probably turned out to be fatal. After the death of a knight, his property, including armor, as a rule, passed to the Order. After all, the Iannites usually did not have heirs - one of the vows that a knight made when joining the Order of Malta was a vow of celibacy.
The knights who fell in battle and simply died peacefully were buried in the main order Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Among others, de la Valette rests here. The master's tombstone is at the same time a monument to his victories over the Turks. True, at the foot are sculptured the heads not of defeated Turks, but of an Algerian and a Zaporozhye Cossack... The floor in the Cathedral of John the Baptist consists entirely of gravestones. Under each of them is the ashes of a Maltese knight. On the slab lying at the entrance there is a laconic inscription: “Today you walk on us, tomorrow they will walk on you.” The Cathedral of John the Baptist is also a monument - a monument to the heyday of the Order of Malta. In the 17th century, the knightly fleet had no equal in the Mediterranean, and money from maritime trade flowed into the order’s treasury. Famous masters invited from Italy worked on decorating the cathedral. In one of its limits hangs a large canvas by Caravaggio, “The Beheading of John the Baptist.” ""
The prosperity of the Order did not last long. IN mid-18th century century, it began to decline. These days you can only see the Knight of Malta in souvenir shops. They are bought mainly by tourists - the Maltese themselves have no need for knights. They know the history of the Order rather superficially. By the way, few of them know that once the Grand Master of the Order was Russian Emperor Paul I. Paul was elected Grand Master in the fall of 1798 after Napoleon occupied the island without firing a shot and expelled all members of the Order from Malta, with the exception of decrepit old men. But the knights’ hopes that Russia would help return the island to them were never realized. In modern times, the Order of Malta has effectively become a Catholic charity with its headquarters on the Aventine Hill in Rome. Membership in the Order is still considered honorable - but now, to become a knight, in principle, it is enough to have an amount of 10,000 Maltese liras for annual dues - that's about $30,000.

Order of Malta

(“Order of the Hospitallers”), the official full name is the Sovereign Military Order of the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta, Italian. Ordine di Malta, Sovrano Militare Ordine di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme, di Rodo e di Malta) - order of knighthood. From the point of view international law The Order of Malta is not a state, but a state-like entity.

Sometimes 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 public education, sometimes - just like a knightly order. 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.

Story

The Order of the Hospitallers grew out of a religious and charitable brotherhood, originally created to help poor and sick pilgrims at the hospital of St. John the Merciful in Jerusalem. The brotherhood was founded shortly before the First Crusade by the wealthy merchant Di Mauro from Amalfi. In 1120, Raymond du Puy was elected rector of the Johannites. He turned the brotherhood into a military monastic order, and he himself took the title of “master”.

When the Crusaders were expelled from the Holy Land, the Hospitallers, after a certain period of stay in Cyprus (1291-1308), conquered the island of Rhodes, where they created their order state. In 1522, the order was forced to leave Rhodes after a months-long siege of the island by an army of Ottoman Turks. In 1523-1530 the order was in Italy. In 1530, Emperor Charles V handed over to the Hospitallers the island of Malta, on which the order's state was located until 1798, when Malta was captured French troops Napoleon Bonaparte. In 1799, the French were in turn expelled by the British, who occupied the island.

Geography

After leaving Malta and the Mediterranean islands, the Order possesses only a complex of mansions in Rome (the Maltese Palace at Via del Condotti, 68, residence) and in Malta (Fort Saint Angel), the territory of which is sometimes considered to be the territory of the smallest state in the world.

Interesting fact

In Rome, in the gates of the residence of the Knights of Malta on the Aventine, a special hole was made according to Piranesi’s design. From there you can see the dome of St. Peter's Cathedral and three whole states: Malta (to which the residence of the order belongs), the Vatican (to which St. Peter's Cathedral is assigned) and Italy (to which everything in between belongs). It is very easy to distinguish a hole with views from a simple keyhole: a pair of carabinieri are always on duty near it.

Population

There are about 10.5 thousand subjects of the Order who have its passport. The Order of Malta passport is recognized by many countries, its holder has the right to visa-free entry into 32 countries. It's not easy to get. Official languages- Latin, Italian.

Government

Currently, the seat of the order is in Rome. The Italian Republic recognizes the existence of the Order of Malta on its territory as a sovereign state. The head of the Order is the Grand Master (since 2008 Matthew Festing), the head of the executive branch is the Chancellor.

Thus, the order formally has a territory over which it exercises its own jurisdiction, but the question of the actual status of this territory (the order’s own territory or the territory of a diplomatic mission temporarily transferred to its needs) is a subject for abstract legal discussions. In fact, the order is an extremely influential structure and its political positions are such that the question of clarifying the status of its headquarters is unlikely to arise in the near future.

Economy

The Order has a non-profit planned economy. Sources of income are primarily donations, sale of postage stamps, souvenirs, etc.

International relations

The Order has diplomatic relations with 81 states. Has observer status at the UN.

The relationship of the Order of Malta with Russia has changed several times. Emperor Paul I established close cooperation with him, accepting the status of Grand Master and Protector of the Order. The order system of Russia and the Order of Malta itself were partially integrated.

However, after the assassination of Paul I, relations with the Order were severed quite quickly and were absent until the end of their existence. Russian Empire. The Russian priories of the order were liquidated in the period 1803-1810.

The alleged behind-the-scenes interaction between the Order and the USSR during the reign of Gorbachev became the subject of numerous speculations, but reliable documents on this subject were never published.

Diplomatic relations with Russia were restored in 1992 by Presidential Decree Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin and are now carried out at the level of Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. Diplomatic relations are carried out by diplomatic missions with accreditation in the states - places of representation. The interests of Russia are represented by the Representative of the Russian Federation to the Vatican.

Catholic Encyclopedia. EdwART. 2011.

See what the “Order of Malta” is in other dictionaries:

- (Order of St. John of Jerusalem), a Catholic military monastic order, founded in Palestine in the 12th century, in 1530 it took possession of the island of Malta. In November 1797, Paul I, at the request of the Holy Council of the Order, accepted the title of protector (patron) of M... Russian history

ORDER OF MALTESE, see the article by Joanita... Modern encyclopedia

See Art. Ioannites... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

See Ioannita's article... Historical Dictionary

Sovereign Military Order of Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem Rhodes and Malta ital. Sovrano Militare Ordine Ospedaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme di Rodi e di Malta ... Wikipedia

Flag of the Order of Malta Coat of arms of the Order of Malta Order of Malta ("Hospital Order of Jerusalem"), official full name Sovereign Military Hospitality Order of St. John, Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta, Italian. Sovrano militare... ... Wikipedia

The history of the Order of Malta, whose members were formerly called Johnnites (q.v.) and the Knights of Rhodes, begins in 1530, when the knights received from Emperor Charles V the fief of Malta with two neighboring islands, Gozzo and Comino,... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Ephron

KNIGHTS OF MALTESE, (also known as the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem, the Johannites, and later as the Knights of Rhodes), a spiritual order of chivalry founded in Jerusalem in the 11th century. It owes its origin to merchants from Amalfi (a town to the south... ... Collier's Encyclopedia

See Ioannites. * * * ORDER OF MALTESE ORDER OF MALTESE, see art. Ioannites (see JOHNITES) ... Encyclopedic Dictionary

Spiritually knightly order, founded by the crusaders in 1000 in Palestine, the Order of St. John. In 1530 he settled in Malta. In 1834 the seat of the order was moved to Rome. Currently, there are branches of the order in a number of Western countries. Europe. Post. adm... Large philatelic dictionary

Books

• Collection of the Russian Historical Society. Volume 9. The Order of Malta and Russia, . The main section of the volume contains materials and articles devoted to the relationship between Russia and the Order of Malta - a legendary knightly state that still exists today, the history of which...

Order of Malta

The Order of Malta (Ionites, Hospitallers, Knights of Rhodes) is a spiritual knightly order of St. John, which was founded around 1070 as a brotherhood. The symbol of the Order of Malta is an eight-pointed white cross (Maltese) on a black cloak (Appendix No. 5).

At the moment, the Italian Republic recognizes the existence of the Order of Malta on its territory as a sovereign state, as well as the extraterritoriality of its residence in Rome (Palace of Malta, or Magisterial Palace at Via Condotti, 68, residence, and Villa Magistral on the Aventine). Since 1998, the Order also owns Fort Sant'Angelo, which also has extraterritorial status for 99 years from the date of the agreement with the government of the Republic of Malta. Thus, the Order formally has a territory over which it exercises its own jurisdiction, but the question of the actual status of this territory (the Order’s own territory or the territory of a diplomatic mission temporarily transferred to its needs) is a subject for abstract legal discussions.

Scientific works There are not so many Russian scientists regarding the international legal status of the Order of Malta. The candidate reveals this question most fully historical sciences V.A. Zakharov. In this paragraph we will rely specifically on his articles.

Since the creation of the Order of Malta, its history has been inextricably linked with such a legal category as sovereignty. Its entire history is a struggle for recognition as a sovereign state.

As V.A. writes Zakharov, “we are accustomed to the phrase “Order of Malta” in relation only to the Catholic “Sovereign Order of Malta.” But at the beginning of its existence, this structure was called the Order of the Hospitallers, later also the Order of Ionites, then they added geographical names territories owned by the order. The Order of Malta began to be called only after it took possession of Malta. Subsequently, no longer having territories, he retained precisely this name."

The modern name of the Order of Malta sounds in the Italian language officially recognized by the order: “Sovrano Militare Ordine Ospedaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme di Rodi e di Malta”, which is translated into Russian: “Sovereign Military Order of the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and Malta”.

The fundamental law of the Sovereign Order of Malta since 1961 has been its Constitution, which was drawn up with the close participation of Vatican strategists after the crisis that erupted in the Order at the end of the Second World War.

Article 1 of the 1961 Constitution contained a brief and categorical definition: “The Order is a legal entity and is solemnly recognized by the Holy See. It has the legal qualification of a subject of international law.” Article 3 states: “The close connection between the two qualities of the Order, which is both religious and sovereign, is not in conflict with the autonomy of the Order both in relation to the exercise of sovereignty and the associated prerogatives of the Order as a subject of international law in relations with states ".

Let's consider some historical moments of the creation of the Order of Malta.

Between 1052 and 1066 A wealthy citizen from the Italian city-republic of Amalfa, Constantino di Pantaleone, together with other ascetics, built in Jerusalem on the site of an old hospice house from the time of Abbot Probus, next to the Church of St. John the Baptist, a new home for sick pilgrims. This is where the name Hospitallers came from.

In 1099, the Brotherhood of Hospitallers was transformed into the Manashic Order. The political situation that developed following the creation of the Kingdom of Jerusalem by the Crusaders prompted the Order of the Hospitallers to take on military responsibilities to protect not only pilgrims and the sick, but also the territories obtained as a result of the Crusades. This is how the spiritual knightly order was formed.

The first document representing the Order of Malta as a subject of international law is the bull Paschal II of 1113. This document allowed the order to “freely elect its head” regardless of any secular or spiritual authorities.

The legal status of the Order as a member of the international legal community was recognized by the states of Western Europe without restrictions. In this capacity, the Order was represented at the Westphalian Peace Congress (1643-1648), as well as at the Nuremberg negotiations of sovereigns. He also takes part in the conclusion peace treaties in Nijnmegen (1678) and in Utrecht (1713), in the signing of international legal agreements with Poland (1774-1776) and with Russia (1797).

From the middle of the 19th century. The order's activities focus on medical and charitable activities. National associations of knights appear: 1859 in Rhine-Westphalia, 1875 - in England, 1877 - in Italy, etc.

Since with late XIX V. The residence of the Sovereign Order of Malta is located on the state territory of Italy, the Italian state and its courts have more than once dealt with the issue of the international legal status of the Order.

The Council of State of Italy, in its opinion of November 10, 1869, stated that the Order of Malta is a sovereign institution, therefore the decrees of the Grand Master of the Order do not require an exequatur of the King of Italy.

The sovereign position of the Order of Malta is also confirmed in the Convention of the Italian War Ministry and the Order of February 20, 1884 and in the legislative decrees of the Italian government of October 7, 1923, November 28, 1929 and April 4, 1938.

In the history of the Order of Malta of the twentieth century. there was a period that could well have ended with the loss of the order, both its sovereignty and its religious, spiritual and knightly character.

The question of the sovereignty of the Order of Malta was considered after the Second World War. In 1953, the Commission of the Grand Tribunal adopted a verdict that once again reaffirmed the sovereignty of the Order of Malta.

In order to declare its sovereignty on a global scale, the Order of Malta made an attempt in the 30s of the twentieth century. then, for the first time, diplomatic relations were established with the Holy See. In 1937, similar relations were formalized with Francoist Spain.

In the second half of the twentieth century. between the Order of Malta and with a large number of countries Latin America and Africa, diplomatic relations were established.

However, in 1960 the Order of Malta was declared a corporation which, from the point of view of international law, cannot be considered a religious, military, aristocratic or sovereign community. Salvation came from the Italian government. The relationship between the Italian Republic and the Order of Malta was finally determined by diplomatic notes exchanged between the parties on January 11, 1960.

Thus, the Italian Republic recognized the existence of the Order of Malta on its territory as a sovereign state with which it maintains diplomatic relations. However, state recognition from not only European, but also major world powers still did not follow.

The issue of the sovereignty of the Order of Malta was finally resolved with the adoption by the Supreme Court of Italy of a ruling that stated, in particular, the following. "In January 1960, 32 years ago, S.M.O.M. and the Italian government signed an agreement in which S.M.O.M. was recognized as a state. But this agreement never received the agreement of the Italian Parliament and never had the status of a treaty. In any case, S.M.O.M. cannot be a state , since it has no territory, no citizens, and as a result, there is no required compliance."

The life and work of the order was until recently regulated by a constitution approved by the Holy See (apostolic letter of June 24, 1961) and a code (code of laws) that came into force on November 1, 1966, with amendments approved by Pope John Paul II in May 1997 .

S.M.O.M. has its own courts of first instance and courts of appeal with chairmen, judges, guardians of justice and assistants with the right of advisory vote of the Sovereign Council.

Currently, the Order maintains diplomatic relations with more than 120 states.

In the 20th century The Order of Malta never acquired sovereignty; according to experts in international law, it is currently a state-like entity, “Its sovereignty and international legal personality are a legal fiction. A similar opinion is shared by the UN.”

Knights of Malta, order, Maltese cross– many have heard about this, but don’t really know what it is. The Knights of Malta are not Maltese by nationality, but representatives of a whole range of knighthoods European countries. , thanks to his geographical location lay in the way crusades. The island was used for rest and rehabilitation of knights, and a hospital was established on it. It was created by the knightly order of the Hospitallers, who came to Malta from Rhodes at the beginning of the 16th century.

The religious-military order itself was formed much earlier, back in the 9th-10th centuries AD. in Jerusalem and was actively supported by the Roman Catholic Church. The official date of creation of the order is considered to be 1113. Each knight of the Order of Malta had to come to the hospital at least once a week and care for the sick. The knights of the order not only treated the sick, but also fought with weapons in their hands, participated in campaigns and patrolled the Mediterranean Sea. At the head of the order were the Grand Masters. The main task of the order was the fight against Islam. The order was based in Cyprus, then Rhodes, and after defeat in the war with the Turks, it moved to Malta, which was at that time under the control of the Spanish king, who donated it to the Hospitallers.

The knights had their own fleet, which they were able to station in the main harbor of Malta. At that time there was nothing on the shores of the harbor. The knights built the first houses in the small town of Birgo, which can now be seen from the modern fortress walls. In 1565, the Turks attacked Malta, but the Hospitallers managed to defend the island in a bloody war. Numerous paintings and ancient tapestries in Malta's museums depict scenes from the battles of that time.

During the times of chivalry, being a member of the Order of the Hospitallers was prestigious, and noble families of Italy, France, Spain and other European monarchies sent at least one of their sons to serve in the order. It was an honor. For this honor, the order was allocated lands on the continent, and the rental of these lands brought the main income to the Hospitallers. Anyone who rendered significant services to the order could become a Knight of the Order of Malta. Caravaggio, the famous Italian artist, better known as Michelangelo, was made a knight of the order. Two of his paintings (originals) and several copies have been preserved in Malta, which tourists can see in Valletta. The Russian Knight Hospitaller was Pavel I.

The clothes of the Maltese knights depict a white cross of an original shape on a red background, which later became one of the symbols of Malta. The French Knights Templar, who also fought the Turks during the siege of Malta, had a red cross on a white background on their robes.

The Order lost its former influence and power after Napoleon's invasion of Malta. Bonaparte took away the lands from the Hospitallers, from which they received their main income. Some of the knights went to his service, and some were forced to leave Malta. However, the Hospitallers are the only medieval order of knighthood that has survived to this day. Now it has about 13 thousand members. The Order positions itself in the international arena as a separate state, having real estate in Rome and Malta. In addition, the knights have their own currency and postage stamps. The order maintains diplomatic relations with many countries. The order is led by the Grand Master, who is elected for life by a majority vote.