hospitalers

Hospitalers, historically known as the Knights Hospitaller, were a Christian religious and military order that emerged in the 11th century in the Holy Land. Their original mission was to provide care for poor and sick pilgrims visiting the shrines of Jerusalem and to defend the Crusader states. Over time the order developed both charitable and martial roles, establishing a network of hospices and hospitals as well as fortifications and armed forces to protect the Caucasus and Mediterranean routes.

The organization grew into a structured order with a religious vow system and a centralized leadership under a Grand Master. It drew members from various European regions and divided its activities into administrative divisions known as langues. During the Crusades, the Hospitallers played a prominent role in medical care, logistics, and military operations for the Crusader states and their allied territories.

In the early 14th century the order relocated its base to the island of Rhodes, where it ruled for about two centuries and built a formidable fortress state. After losing Rhodes in 1522, the order settled in Malta in 1530, where it became a significant Mediterranean power until expelled by Napoleon in 1798. In the 19th century the order reconstituted itself in exile and, since then, has been known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, or simply the Order of Malta. It maintains a sovereign-like status in international law and conducts formal diplomacy while focusing on humanitarian and medical aid.

Today, the Hospitallers are best known as the Knights Hospitaller or Order of Malta, a global humanitarian organization dedicated to relief work, medical care, disaster response, and support for the vulnerable. Their emblem is the Maltese cross.