Hospitallers

Hospitallers, commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller or the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, were a Catholic military order founded in the Holy Land to care for poor pilgrims and, over time, to defend Christian pilgrims and Crusader states. The order traces its origin to the Hospital of Saint John in Jerusalem, established in the late 11th century by Blessed Gerard. It received papal recognition around 1113, and Raymond du Puy became the first Grand Master. While its initial purpose was charitable, the order soon adopted military obligations and followed a rule based on Augustine.

During the 12th and 13th centuries the Hospitallers grew into a major military and maritime power, running fortresses across the Levant and maintaining a fleet to protect pilgrims and shipping. After Acre fell in 1291, they established a new base on the island of Rhodes in 1310, where they ruled until 1522. In 1530 Charles V granted them Malta, and they built a fortified state and navy that dominated central Mediterranean politics until Napoleon’s 1798 conquest.

With the loss of Malta, the order persisted in exile and reorganized in the 19th century as a humanitarian and chivalric association. In 1834 it adopted the name Sovereign Military Order of Malta and established a government in exile with its headquarters in Rome. Today the order operates worldwide, providing medical care, disaster relief, and other humanitarian services, guided by Catholic principles.

The Sovereign Military Order of Malta has a unique status under international law and has observer status at the United Nations. It is not a recognized sovereign state, but it maintains its own diplomatic relations, symbols, and internal governance, making it one of the longest-running international humanitarian organizations in history.