Interesting facts about the Order of Malta. Why did Shoigu receive the award of the Order of Malta? Order of Malta - activities cause concern Sovereign Military Order of the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem

The smallest state in the world. Order of Malta.

Most of you will attribute this fact to the Vatican, and you will be right. But only in part. Based on the norms of international law, the Order of Malta is considered the smallest state-like entity.

origins

The origins of the Hospitaller movement date back to the first half of the 11th century. Jerusalem at that time became the main place of pilgrimage for Christians. To get there, one had to take a long and dangerous journey through the sea, which was dominated by pirates and marauders. The faith of the people at that time was so sincere and all-consuming that they were ready to endure, as it seemed to them, any trials, just to walk on the ground on which the feet of the Divine Teacher trod. However, when they finally set foot in the Holy Land, the pilgrims were often subjected to such severe trials that they could not even imagine. Travelers had to pass through a country torn apart by wars between constantly rival local leaders. Slave trade, kidnapping for ransom, robbery, murder, looting were a daily occurrence. In order to somehow help their brothers and sisters in faith, several merchants from Amalfia asked permission from the Caliph of Jerusalem to organize a hospice (hospital in Latin) for Christian pilgrims.

Permission was obtained and, in 1048, near the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, a Christian mission appeared, the Hospital, consisting of two separate buildings - for women and for men. During the mission, a church was built in the name of the Most Holy Theotokos, known as the Church of St. Mary of Latin. Thus, a brotherhood arose in Jerusalem, the main mission of which was to take care of the safety and health of pilgrims. The hospital offered the pilgrims a full range of services, from accommodation and meals to qualified medical care, and mostly free of charge. At the same time, the Hospital was able to receive and serve up to 2000 pilgrims. The brothers and sisters who served the Hospital were called Hospitallers.

From Brotherhood to Order

In 1099 Jerusalem was taken by the crusaders. It was the First Crusade and its leader was Gottfried of Bouillon, who later became the first ruler of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. He highly appreciated the merits of the brotherhood to the crusaders and all Christians and granted generous land allotments to the brotherhood. Many crusader knights began to join the brotherhood. The ranks of the Brotherhood of Hospitallers grew rapidly, as did its material resources and social opportunities.

The rector of the brotherhood, a native of Provence, Gerard (Venerable Pater Gerard) proposed to transform the brotherhood into an Order. The proposal was unanimously accepted, and the brothers and sisters of the newly formed Order came to the Holy Sepulcher and, in the presence of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, took three vows: obedience, chastity, and non-possession. Members of the Order were dressed in black clothes with a white linen eight-pointed cross (now known as the Maltese cross) sewn in place of the heart.

Soon after the establishment, the Order, under the leadership of Jellal, began the construction of a temple in the name of St. John the Baptist. This magnificent temple was built on the site where, according to legend, there was a dwelling of St. Zacharias. By the name of this temple, members of the Order began to be called the hospitable brothers (Hospitallers) of St. John of Jerusalem or, in short, Johnites. Jellal lived a long and fruitful life. He was respectfully called the Founder and Director, as well as Gerard Beatified - Gerard the Blessed. He died in extreme old age in 1118, surrounded by universal respect.

To arms!

In 1118 after the death of Gerard the Blessed, difficult times fell on Jerusalem and throughout the Holy Land. The tolerant Arabs were driven out by the more aggressive Seljuk Turks. At the forefront is the concern not for food for pilgrims and, even, not for their treatment for ailments, but for the preservation of their lives. Jellal's successor, Raymond Dupuis, suggested that the brothers take up arms to defend the Holy Land. Before joining the Order, most of the brothers were so good at handling weapons, but now military science is becoming an important part of their ministry. The order becomes military-monastic.

In addition to order robes, a black cloak with a white cross on the left shoulder, similar to what was sewn on their usual clothes, becomes an obligatory attribute of the Ionite form. On a campaign, a red supervest was worn (a cloth vest, repeating the cut of a metal cuirass, which was worn over or instead of a cuirass) with the same or a straight white cross in front. The order acquires a military-hierarchical structure. A number of insignia are introduced for internal use, so that it is possible to determine the place of the interlocutor in the hierarchy of the Order. The head of the Order is now called the Grand Master or Grand Master and has the title "Your Advantage". He is not only the spiritual head, but also the military commander of the knights (Military Commanders of the knights). At the same time, the Hospital and all other assistance to pilgrims, both Western and Eastern churches, remain central to the activities of the Order.

Crusades

The order quickly became a powerful military-monastic organization. Already at the beginning of the 13th century, the Order has 1000 well-trained, well-armed and disciplined knights and even more novices. The Order becomes the richest and most powerful spiritual and military union in Europe and the Mediterranean. The Hospitallers proved to be good administrators. They attracted outstanding builders, physicians, architects, gunsmiths of their time to work and created a network of fortified points along the borders of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Already in 1140-1150 the Hospitallers owned about 50 fortified castles. Their ruins can still be seen on the dominant heights above the valleys. On the basis of these fortresses, the Hospitallers organized a kind of border service, which prevented Muslim troops from entering the country.

In the first half - the middle of the XIII century, the Hospitallers were the main military force of Christians in Palestine and held back the onslaught of Muslims. They take part in the V, VI, VII Crusades. The struggle against the ever-increasing hordes of Muslims is going on with varying success. The crusaders are haunted by one setback after another. The Hospitallers become the rearguard of the last Crusades. They continue to hold their fortresses even when the other crusaders are already leaving Palestine. The forces were clearly unequal and at the end of the 13th century (1291) the Hospitallers left Jerusalem and Palestine.

From Cyprus to Malta.

First, the Johnites move to Cyprus. There they already had by this time large possessions. In addition, the Hospitallers had a strong fleet at their disposal. In the tradition of the order, the Johnites tasked the navy with protecting all Christian Mediterranean sea lanes from pirates, marauders and Muslim warships. This task was solved very successfully, for which the Hospitallers received gratitude and the support of the church, and the respect of the Cypriots. It should also be noted the great charitable activities of the Johnites in the capital of Cyprus, Limassol.

However, the status of vassals of the Cypriot crown does not suit the Hospitallers and they are looking for a different, more independent place of residence. Their attention is drawn to the island of Rhodes. An advantageous strategic position, fertile land and a good climate would make it possible to control all the main sea communications, have no shortage of food and provide effective medical care to all those in need. The island belonged to Byzantium and the Hospitallers asked the emperor of Byzantium to transfer the island to them, but were refused. In 1307, under the pretext of protecting a convent located on Rhodes, the Hospitallers landed on the island. For two or three years there has been a stubborn struggle for Rhodes, and in 1310 the Hospitallers finally gain a foothold on the island. The Ioannites owned the island of Rhodes for more than two centuries and during this period they were known as the Knights of Rhodes.

In 1312, the history of the Knights Templar ended tragically. After its liquidation, a significant part of the property and lands of the Templars were transferred to the Hospitallers. The Ioannites own vast lands in Europe and Asia Minor, in the vicinity of Helicarnassus and Smyrna (modern Izmir).

I K Aivazovsky Island Rhodes 1845

The Order receives large incomes from these possessions and uses them for active charitable and medical activities. The Hospitaller fleet continues its constant struggle against Muslim piracy. The order during this period is not just military, but naval. It was the fleet, farsightedly created by the Hospitallers in the era of the Crusades, that ensured the prosperity of the order and allowed the Johannites to avoid the fate of the Templars and the Teutons. Until the end of the 18th century, the Hospitaller fleet to some extent retained its military and political importance in the Mediterranean. And although most historians evaluate the activities of the order's fleet to ensure the security of sea communications unconditionally positively, it should be noted that the methods of this struggle were not much different from the methods of Muslim pirates. The same hostage-taking for ransom, the same raids on settlements, the same hunt for enemy merchant ships. It is no coincidence that their opponents called them "pirates in Christ."

In 1345, the Order expels the Turks from Smyrna and begin to control the entire southern part of Asia Minor. The expansion of the Order on the continent is supported by European monarchs, and in 1365 Alexandria passes under the control of Christians. This opens trade routes for Europeans south to Egypt and to the East. The Turks, worried about the growing influence of the Order, are making attempts to capture Rhodes, but to no avail. In 1479, a terrible siege of the island began with a hundred thousandth army of Mohammed II. Attempts to capture the island are made in July 1480 and in the spring of 1481. But all these attacks were repulsed by the knights under the leadership of the Grand Master d'Aubusson and the siege was lifted. In 1522, the Turkish Sultan Suleiman appeared off the coast of the island with 400 ships and 200,000 troops. The Order had only 600 knights and 5 thousand soldiers. Christian Europe did not provide any assistance to the Hospitallers. Apparently, the weakening of the Order, which dominated the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, was beneficial not only to the Turks ... Without outside help, the knights under the command of Grand Master Philip Ville l'Isle-Adam held the island for more than a year. The besiegers lost 44 thousand soldiers killed, but further resistance was no longer possible. The Sultan offered honorable terms of surrender. He promised that the Catholic faith would be preserved on the island, the churches would not be defiled, and the Order would be able to leave the island with all their ships, relics, weapons and riches. These conditions were accepted and, on the night of the new year 1523, the last galley of the Hospitallers left Rhodes. Thus ended the second period in the life of the Order.

in Malta

In May 1523, the knights in 50 galleys arrived in Messina, which the King of Sicily granted to the Order, but a plague forced them to leave the city. Emperor Charles V, seeking to strengthen his influence in the Mediterranean and create a stronghold against the Turks and pirates, gave the Order the entire Maltese archipelago, with all the fortresses and buildings. According to the Emperor's charter dated March 24, 1530, ratified by Pope Clement VII on April 25, 1530, the Order took possession of the island on October 26 of the same year. The condition for owning the islands was an annual tribute in the form of 1 falcon. This tribute was paid accurately until 1798. Since that time, the knights settled in Malta and became known as the Maltese. The official name of the Order has also changed slightly. Now it became known as The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order Of Malta (The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order Of Malta)

The fame of the Order of Malta reached its peak during the reign of La Valette (1557-1568), when an attack had to be constantly expected. At La Valetta, Malta had to endure a fierce siege. On May 18, 1565, a Turkish landing detachment under the command of Piali Captain Pasha landed a hundred thousandth army on the island from 190 ships. The military forces of the Hospitallers, according to various sources, numbered from 400 to 700 knights and about 6 - 7 thousand soldiers.

The picture shows one of the bastions of Valletta.

The siege of the fortress with repeated assaults lasted until September. However, the Hospitallers, led by Grandmaster Jean Parisot de la Valette, repelled all attacks. With the arrival of reinforcements sent to the island at the insistence of the Roman Pope Pius V, the Turks had to retreat, losing over 25 thousand people. The order lost 240 knights and about 5 thousand soldiers.

In 1571, the Order fleet inflicted a major defeat on the Turkish fleet in the naval battle of Lepanto. These victories of the Order ensured the freedom of navigation of European countries in the Mediterranean, as they broke the military power of the Turks and undermined the Turkish state. Nevertheless, piracy flourished in the Mediterranean, and the first three decades of the 17th century were spent by the Hospitallers in constant expectation of attacks. The entrance to Grand Harbor was almost always blocked by a massive metal chain stretched from Fort Ricassol to Fort St. Elmo.

Pictured is the entrance to the Grand Harbor of Valletta.

In the first half of the 17th century, the Hospitaller fleet remained the largest military force in the Mediterranean. During this time, 18 naval battles are recorded in the archives of the Order, of which the Maltese fleet invariably emerged victorious. The campaigns of individual detachments and ships of the fleet are mentioned as participants in landings (raids) on Tripoli, Tunisia and Algeria, as well as in the transportation of the "ebony" to the American continent, in order to replenish the treasury of the Order.

In fact, this meant that, after the elimination of Turkey as a strategic enemy, such a powerful fleet in the Mediterranean was out of work. Moreover, the presence of a powerful military force becomes inconvenient and simply dangerous for coastal states.

Pictured is The Cathedral of Saint John. in La Valletta, Malta.

At the same time, the political and religious situation in Europe in the middle and second half of the 17th century is rapidly changing. The era of the Reformation begins. The German lands, as well as the Danish and Dutch kingdoms declare their withdrawal from the Catholic Church. This dealt a severe blow to the Order, as one Priory after another declares its independence, and in England the Order is outlawed and all its property is confiscated.

These strikes significantly undermined the financial capabilities of the Order and its ability to maintain a fleet and other armed formations. By the end of the 17th century, only the threat of possible Turkish expansion provides the Order with some support from European monarchies, and the Order continues to maintain its sovereignty and autonomy. However, already in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the Mediterranean states created their own navies, sufficient to defend their coastlines. The Order of Malta, with its powerful fleet, was becoming redundant. The convenient port and strategic position of the island of Malta becomes a great temptation for the fleets of France, Italy, and Spain.

Another powerful blow to the Order comes from the French Revolution. By a decree of September 19, 1792, the Directory (the highest state body of revolutionary France) announces the cessation of activities and the confiscation of all property of the Order in France, and the Order itself is declared an organization hostile to France. On July 13, 1797, the Directory adopts a declaration on a campaign in Egypt and the capture of Malta along the way. General Napoleon Bonaparte suggested that the Directory suddenly seize the island in September 1797, however, for various reasons, the French fleet went to sea only on May 19, 1798. The fleet entered the bay of Malta on June 9, 1798. 15 French battleships and 10 frigates and 15 thousand soldiers, the Order could oppose only four thousand soldiers and knights.

However, historians believe that if the 69th Grand Master von Hompesch had been able to organize an effective defense of the island, then Bonaparte would probably have abandoned the siege in favor of achieving the main goal, the invasion of Egypt. However, the knights were placed in a difficult position - to defend their sovereignty, and to take up arms against the compatriots and fellow believers whom they had defended for centuries, or to refuse resistance. The knights chose the latter and on June 10, 1798 decided to surrender the islands. Negotiations began on the morning of June 11, and the peace was signed on the evening of the same day. The island was handed over to Bonaparte. The rule of the Hospitaller Order of Malta, which lasted 268 years, ended.

Under the terms of surrender, the French knights were guaranteed immunity from prosecution and confiscation. They could either return to France or stay in Malta, which was declared French territory. In addition, they were provided with state pensions of seven hundred francs each. However, soon all the agreements were forgotten and the mass expulsion of the knights from Malta began. After the fall of Malta, the Order lost its sovereign territory and there was a real threat of the complete liquidation of the Order.

In Russia

Let's give the floor to the military historian Y. Veremeev: “Emperor Pavel was very fond of the Maltese. On the territory of Russia, he granted the members of the Order "all those distinctions, advantages and honors that the famous Order enjoys in other places." Three commanderships were organized, the head of the Main Priory in Russia was introduced to the State Council. The entry of Russian nobles into the Order of Malta was encouraged in every possible way. In 1798, the royal manifesto approved the presence in the country of a Catholic priory in the amount of 98 commanderies, and the insignia of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem was included in the award system of the empire. In 1799, Emperor Pavel awarded the outstanding Russian commander A.V. Suvorov with the Commander's Cross of the Order.

The Maltese, on the other hand, are creating a privileged military educational institution, the Corps of Pages, in St. Petersburg. Only children of higher dignitaries (not lower than class III according to the Table of Ranks) were admitted to this institution, who, having absorbed the spirit of Catholicism and the Maltese chivalry, then, serving in the army and guards, and advancing to the highest military and government posts, contribute to the development of Catholicism in the empire .

The Corps of Pages did not become the conductor of the Roman Church in Russia, but brought up many outstanding military leaders and senior officials. All that remains of the Maltese in the corps is the grandiose corps Catholic church, later converted into an Orthodox one, and a white Maltese cross as a badge of graduates of the Corps of Pages. The papal throne turned a blind eye to all violations of the Order's charter, seeing in its activities a way for Catholicism to penetrate into Russia, to replace Orthodoxy with Catholicism in the empire. We do not argue with this opinion of the historian, but we only mention that Paul 1, being elected on October 27, 1798 as the 70th Grand Master of the Order, founded the second Russian Grand Priory for Russian nobles of the Orthodox faith. There is also an opinion that Paul 1, as best he could, tried to restore the unity of Christianity, its Orthodox and Catholic branches on an equal footing.

“The Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire,” the historian writes further, “Francis II (Holy Roman Emperor Francis II), with the blessing of Pope Pius VI, demanded on July 6, 1799, that Gompes renounce the title of grandmaster. This was done by the emperor for political purposes and was caused by the desire for rapprochement with Russia "and further:" The Grand Priories of Germany, Bavaria, Bohemia, Naples, Sicily, Venice, Portugal, Lombardy and Pisa, hoping that the protection of the king would guarantee the continued existence of the Order, soon officially recognized the election of Paul and only the Spanish Grand Priory and the Grand Priory of Rome refused to recognize him. So, the assertions of Western historians and today's leaders of the Hospitallers that the Order never recognized the Russian Emperor Paul as a Grand Master are groundless and are nothing more than an attempt to wash off the not too clean cloaks of the Knights of Malta, to present them as impeccable Catholics who never accepted the help of schismatics and heretics."

The Russian Grand Priory of the Order of Malta (full name - the Order of John of Jerusalem) was created by Decree of Paul 1 No. 18799 of December 28, 1797 “On the compilation of the Order of St. order of specials.

After the assassination of Paul 1 in the Mikhailovsky (Engineering) Castle on the night of March 13, 1801, the new Emperor Alexander 1 renounced the title of Grand Master, ordered the removal of the Maltese cross from the state emblem and excluded the Order of St. John of Jerusalem from the list of orders of the Russian Empire. The main Priory of the Order in Russia on March 10, 1810 is deprived of financial support from the state, and on December 2, 1811, the termination of the Order's activities on the territory of the Russian Empire is announced. Since February 1, 1817. Russian subjects are prohibited from joining the Order. Thus ended this short period in the life of the Order associated with Russia.

Here are the answers to frequently asked questions:

1) What is the Order of Malta?

The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem Rhodes and Malta, better known as the Sovereign Order of Malta, has a dual nature. This is one of the oldest Catholic monastic orders, founded in Jerusalem around 1048. At the same time, it has always been recognized by states as an independent subject of international law. The mission of the Order can be formulated through its slogan "Tuitio Fidei et Obsequium Pauperum" - "Protection of Justice and Help to the Poor and Suffering": education, testimony and defense of the faith (tuitio fidei) and service to the destitute and sick in the name of the Lord God (obsequium pauperum).

2) What do we mean when we say that this is a religious Order?

The order originated as a monastic brotherhood dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. This community, founded by Amalfi merchants around 1050, maintained a shelter that provided shelter and care for pilgrims to the Holy Land. In 1113 Pope Pascal II. officially recognized it as a religious (monastic) Order. Before they lost the island of Malta (1798), most of the knights of the Order were monks who took three vows - poverty, chastity and obedience.

Nowadays, some members of the Order are recognized knights (i.e., those who have taken vows of poverty, chastity and obedience), others have only taken a vow of obedience. Most of the 13,500 knights and ladies are secular persons. Despite the fact that they did not take any religious vows, they all devoted themselves to Christian values ​​and charity, strive for their spiritual perfection within the Church and devote their strength to the service of the Faith and helping others.

3) Is it a military Order?

The order was to become military in order to protect pilgrims and the sick, as well as Christian territories in the Holy Land. Having lost the island of Malta in 1798, the Order ceased to fulfill its military function. Now the Order only maintains its military traditions.

4) Is it a knightly Order?

Traditionally, the Knights of the Order belonged to chivalrous and noble families professing Christianity. To this day, the Order remains knightly, as it adheres to the values ​​​​of chivalry and nobility. And, despite the fact that now most of the members do not come from ancient noble families, they are accepted into the Order for their services to the Church and the Order.

5) What kind of work does the Order do?

Based on its diplomatic relations established with 104 states, the Order of Malta works in the field of medical and social care and humanitarian assistance in more than 120 countries of the world. The order runs hospitals, medical centers, outpatient clinics, nursing homes for the elderly and the disabled, and special centers for the terminally ill. In many countries, the corps of volunteers of the Order provide first aid and social services, carry out rescue and humanitarian actions.

Malteser International, the Order's worldwide mercy agency, works on the front lines during natural disasters and armed conflicts.

Through its organization CIOMAL (International Committee of the Order of Malta), the Order has been fighting leprosy for more than 50 years, a disease that, unfortunately, is still a scourge in several regions of the world.

The Order also carries out work in the field of culture.

6) Who leads the Order?

The life and activities of the Order are determined by its Constitution and Code.

The head of the Order is the 79th Prince and Grand Master Matthew Festing, elected by the Grand Council of State for life. The Grand Master is assisted by the Sovereign Council, which in turn is elected by the General Assembly (an assembly of representatives of all members of the Order, which meets every 5 years). The new Government Council is an advisory body to the Sovereign Council, it makes recommendations on political, religious, medical and international issues. The Board of Auditors performs audit functions. Both Councils are also elected by the General Assembly.

The Magisterial Judges, appointed by the Grand Master and the Sovereign Council, deal with legal matters.

7) What is the international structure of the Order?

Today there are organizations of the Order in 54 countries. The Order has 6 Grand Priories, 6 Sub-Priories, and 47 National Associations.

8) How many members are in the Order?

The Order consists of over 13,500 Knights and Dames.

9) Where has the main humanitarian work been carried out in recent years?

The most significant relief projects were carried out in Kosovo and Macedonia, in India, in Southeast Asia after the tsunami and in Afghanistan. Recent assistance has been provided in Pakistan, Mexico, Congo, South Sudan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Georgia and Haiti.

10) How do they become members of the Order?

Membership of the Order of Malta is by invitation only. Only individuals with impeccable Catholic morals and behavior, who have adequately shown themselves to the Sovereign Order and its organizations, are allowed to be admitted to the Order, helping them in their work. The respective Grand Priory or National Association is responsible for offering admission to the Order. The exact addresses can be found here: Europe - Africa - Americas - Asia and Oceania

12) How does the Order carry out diplomatic activities?

In accordance with international law, the Order maintains bilateral diplomatic relations with 104 states. It has permanent observer status with the UN and the Commission of the European Union, as well as with 18 international organizations such as FAO and UNESCO. Diplomatic relations enable the Order to take timely and effective action in the event of natural disasters and military conflicts. Due to its inherent neutrality, impartiality and apolitical nature, the Order can act as an intermediary when any states turn to it for help in resolving conflicts.

13) How is the activity of the Order financed?

The activities of the Order are financed mainly by its members. The funds come from private donations and their type varies by country and situation. Funds for hospitals and medical work are usually contracted to government health and social care systems. The same is true for rescue services. Work in developing countries is often supported by grants from governments, the European Commission or other international organizations. Funding also comes from donations and charitable contributions to the activities of the Order.

14) Where is the Order located?

After the loss of the island of Malta, the Order settled permanently in Rome in 1834. On the rights of extraterritorial property, he owns two head offices: the Main Palace on Via dei Condotti 68, where the residence of the Grand Master is located and meetings of the Government bodies are held; and Trunk Villa on the Aventine Hill. The latter houses the Grand Priory of Rome - an ancient association of members of the Order in the central part of Italy - and the Embassy of the Order in the Italian Republic.

Meeting of the Head of the House of Romanov and Her Heir with the Prince - Grand Master of the Order of Malta

Interesting fact
In Rome, at the gates of the residence of the Knights of Malta on the Aventina, a special hole was made according to the project of Piranesi. From there you can see the dome of St. Peter's Cathedral and three states: Malta (which owns the residence of the order), 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 is always on duty near it.
There are about 10.5 thousand subjects of the Order who have his passport. The passport of the Order of Malta is recognized by many countries, its holder has the right to visa-free entry to 32 countries. It's not easy to get it. Official languages ​​- Latin, Italian.

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 the subject of 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.

The Order has a non-commercial planned economy. Sources of income - primarily donations, sale of postage stamps, souvenirs, etc.
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 have never been published.
Diplomatic relations with Russia were restored in 1992 by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation BN Yeltsin and are now carried out at the level of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassadors. Diplomatic relations are carried out by diplomatic missions with accreditation in the states - places of representative offices. Russia's interests are represented by the Representative of the Russian Federation to the Vatican.

Knights of Malta, order, Maltese cross- Many people have heard about it, but do not really know what it is. The Knights of Malta are not Maltese by nationality, but representatives of the chivalry of a number of European countries. , due to its geographical position lay on the path of the Crusades. The island was used for the rest and rehabilitation of the knights, and a hospital was organized 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 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 the defeat in the war with the Turks, it moved to Malta, which was then under the control of the Spanish king, who presented it to the Hospitallers.

The knights had their own fleet, which they were able to place 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 old tapestries in the museums of Malta depict scenes from the battles of that time.

During the time of chivalry, it was prestigious to be a member of the Order of Hospitallers, and the 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 leasing 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 accepted as a knight of the order. In Malta, two of his paintings (originals) and several copies have been preserved, which tourists can see in Valletta. Pavel I was a Russian Knight Hospitaller.

The clothes of the Knights of Malta depict a white cross of the original form 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, wore a red cross on a white background.

The order lost its former influence and power after the invasion of Malta by Napoleon. Bonaparte took away the land from the Hospitallers, from which they received the main income. Some of the knights went to his service, and some were forced to leave Malta. However, the Hospitallers are the only medieval knightly order that has survived to this day. Now it consists of about 13 thousand people. 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.

Original taken from

The Order of Malta retains its sovereignty within the framework of international law, it is provided with the status of a permanent observer at the UN. It has the right to issue its own passports, stamps and mint coins. The Military Order of Malta has diplomatic relations with one hundred countries, its sovereignty is recognized by 105 states.

The Knights of Malta are called upon to cooperate with the Black nobility, the Vatican and various papal and royal orders, in particular with the Jesuits. The core of the Order of Malta is the Order of the Garter and the Society of Pilgrims subordinate to it.

Worldwide business

• Control over central banks and financial institutions subordinate to them. Examples: Bank of Great Britain (1694), Bank of France (1716/1800), US Federal Reserve (1913), Vatican Bank (1942), German Central Bank (1948/1957), European Central Bank (1998).


• Interest in the US Federal Reserve: M.M. Warburg & Co (1798, Germany), Chase Manhattan Bank (1799, USA), N M Rothschild & Sons (1811, London), Lazard Brothers Bank (1848, USA), Israel Moses Sieff (Italy), Lehman Brothers (1850, USA ), Kuhn (1867, now part of Lehman Brothers) and Goldman Sachs (1869, USA).


• Banks. Examples: Citibank, Bank of America (controlled by the Jesuit Order),

• Secret transactions and placement of capital in offshore zones


• Insurance companies


• World Foundations: Rockefeller Foundation (1913). Founded (by the Pilgrim Society and the Knights of Malta) by John D. Rockefeller, Sr., and his son, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and their adviser, Fredrick T. Gates, in New York in 1913.


• Ford Foundation (1936)


• International Monetary Fund (1944)


• World Banking Group (1945)

“The World Bank was formally established on December 27, 1945, following the ratification of the Bretton Woods Agreement, which resulted from the United Nations Monetary and Financial Policy Conference (July 1 - July 22, 1944). In fact, the World Bank is part of the UN system.

World Bank divisions:

• International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (1945)


• International Finance Corporation (1956)


• International Development Association (1960)


• International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (1966)


• Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (1988)


• World movement for federalism (1947, Switzerland)


• European Investment Bank (1958, Luxembourg)


• United Nations Capital Development Fund (1966) (part of United Nations Program for International Development, 1965)


• The Legacy Foundation (1973), which is supported by about one hundred major corporations, including Chase Manhattan Bank, Dow Chemical Company, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, GlaxoSmithKline, Mobil, and Procter & Gamble.


• Asia Foundation (1974), funded by the American International Development Agency, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, United Nations Development Programs, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom


• United Nations Foundation (1998), in which CNN founder Ted Turner plays a special role.


• The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (2000) is the largest and most "transparent" "charitable" foundation with Bill Gates, Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett as trustees. Some members of the Trilateral Commission are also involved in this "charitable" project.

Information corporations: Media, Software/IT, Electronics, Telecom.

Entertainment industry: propaganda of fear and manipulation of consciousness, information repression (strict enforcement of copyright, monopolies on ideas, control of media information policy), surveillance of social media users, censorship on the Internet.

• military corporations


• Energy and mining corporations (oil, coal, metals, diamonds, water)


• Transport corporations: water transport, road transport, airlines, aircraft manufacturing, rail transport.


• Pharmaceutical corporations


• food corporations


• and many others

At the annual meetings of the secret Bilderberg Club (founded by the Knight of Malta, Josef Retinger), deals are made with geopolitical considerations in mind.

Intervention in politics and legal matters

• Management of global control structures


• Political structures


• Global Financial Structures


• United Nations (1919/1945, formerly known as the League of Nations)


• The Order of Malta has permanent missions to the UN and UN specialized commissions and agencies: UNESCO (education, science, culture), World Food Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization, World Health Organization, High Commissioner for Refugees, High Commissioner for Human Rights, Industrial Development Committee.


• Permanent Court of Arbitration (1899)


• The Carnegie Foundation (1903) donated $1.5 million to build and operate the Peace Palace (1913). It houses the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the library of international law. Since 1922, this building has also housed a completely separate structure, the Permanent Court of International Justice, which was later called the International Court of Justice in the UN system (1945).


• European Court of Human Rights (1950)


• World Trade Organization (1944)


• The Order of Malta is also a member of the following international organizations:


• International Committee of the Red Cross (1863, Geneva)


• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (1919, Geneva)


• International Committee for Military Medicine and Pharmacy (1921, Brussels)


• International Institute for the Unification of Private Civil Law (1926, Rome)


• Council of Europe (1949, Strasbourg)


• European Commission (1951, Brussels)


• European Council (1961, Brussels)


• International Organization for Migration (1951, Geneva)


• Latin Union (1954, Santo Domingo, Paris).


• Inter-American Development Bank (1959, Washington)


• International Institute of Humanitarian Law (1970, Sanremo, Geneva)


• Participation in the global intelligence service (including ECHELON) and in the special services of various countries in order to advance the interests of the Vatican, Jesuits and Freemasons.


• Military structures: NATO, UN troops, Black Water private military company


• Creation of fronts of mercy. This is a favorite pastime of the Catholic Churches and the Jesuit Order. So they are trying to hide their reactionary nature from people and disguise their current activities. Sometimes these seemingly harmless charities use the information they receive to organize espionage in other countries. Examples:


• Rotary International (1905). More than 32,000 clubs in 200 countries around the world.

"Members of the Rotary Club are like Scouts who have grown up and achieved success." This short phrase indicates the origin of the members of the Rotary Club.

Order of Malta

The Order of Malta (Ionites, Hospitallers, Knights of Rhodes) is the spiritual and 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 (the Palace of Malta, or the Main Palace at Via Condotti, 68, residence, and the Main Villa on the Aventina). Since 1998, the Order has also owned Fort St. Angelo, which also has extraterritorial status for 99 years from the date of the conclusion of an 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 the subject of abstract legal discussions.

There are not so many scientific works on the international legal status of the Order of Malta among Russian scientists. Candidate of Historical Sciences V.A. Zakharov. In this section, we will rely 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. 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 the Ionites, then the geographical names of the territories owned by the order were added to it. The order of Malta began to be called only after it received the possession of Malta. Subsequently, no longer having territories, it retained precisely this name of its own ".

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 translates into Russian: "The Sovereign Military Order of the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem Rhodes and Malta".

The basic law of the Sovereign Order of Malta since 1961 has been its Constitution, which was drawn up with the closest participation of Vatican strategists after the crisis that broke out 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 notes: "The close connection of 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 related prerogatives of the Order as a subject of international law in relations with states ".

Consider some of the 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, along with other ascetics, built in Jerusalem on the site of an old hospice 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 of the Hospitallers came from.

In 1099 the Brotherhood of Hospitallers was transformed into the Manashe order. The political situation that developed after the creation of the Kingdom of Jerusalem by the Crusaders prompted the Order of Hospitallers to take on military responsibilities to protect not only pilgrims and the sick, but also the territories received 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 choose its head" regardless of any secular and 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 presented at the Peace Congress of Westphalia (1643-1648), as well as at the Nuremberg negotiations of sovereigns. He also takes part in the conclusion of 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 XIX century. The activity of the order focuses on medical and charitable activities. National associations of knights appear: 1859 in Rhine-Westphalia, 1875 - in England, 1877 - in Italy, etc.

Because since the end of the XIX century. the residence of the Sovereign Order of Malta is located on the state territory of Italy, the Italian state and its courts have repeatedly 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, declared that the Order of Malta is a sovereign institution, therefore the decrees of the Grand Master of the Order do not need the exequatur of the King of Italy.

The sovereign position of the Order of Malta is also confirmed in the Convention of the Italian Ministry of War 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 in the twentieth century. there was a period that could well end with the loss of the order, both its sovereignty and its religious, spiritual and knightly character.

The issue 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 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 with the Holy See were established. In 1937, similar relations were formalized with Francoist Spain.

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

However, in 1960 the Order of Malta was declared a corporation, which, from the point of view of international law, cannot be considered as a religious, military, aristocratic or sovereign community. Salvation came from the Italian government. Relations between the Italian Republic and the Order of Malta were finally determined by diplomatic notes, which the parties exchanged 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 the side of not only European, but also the main world powers still did not follow.

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

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

The S. M. O. M. has its own Courts of First Instance and Courts of Appeal with Presidents, Judges, Custodians of Justice and Advisory Assistants of the Sovereign Council.

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

In the twentieth century The Order of Malta never acquired sovereignty, according to experts in international law, at present it is a state-like entity, "Its sovereignty and international legal personality is a legal fiction. The UN shares a similar opinion."

History of the Order of Malta from creation to the start 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 made pilgrimages to the Holy Sepulcher and other holy places. Even when Jerusalem first fell into the hands of Muslims in the 7th century, and there were obstacles for pilgrims, especially individual ones, the pilgrimage continued. For such pilgrims, Charlemagne opened shelters in Jerusalem. However, at the beginning of the 11th century, with the advent of new Muslim rulers, the situation changed. The pilgrims were mistreated and harassed in every possible way. In the end, Caliph Hakim Fatimit, a fanatic and insane tyrant, in 1009 razed the Holy Sepulcher to the ground and destroyed all Christian shrines.

Thirty years after the death of Hakim, several merchants from Amalfi (in Italy) managed to restore the orphanages and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. However, the obstacles on the way of pilgrims and Christians in Palestine were not removed. This situation excited Europe, and many European princes - adventurers, incited by the fiery appeals of the English preacher Peter the Hermit and Pope Urban II, were tempted to go on a crusade and recapture the holy places from the Saracens. The first attempt of 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 to the feet of the Christians.

This fortunate turn of events inspired the Amalfi congregation to turn into "Hospitallers", ministers of Jerusalem's Benedictine hospital dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and rally around their leader, Brother Gerard of Saxony. He was a Benedictine who expanded the congregation and turned it into the Order of Saint 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 on the spot, but also in affiliated branches, later formed in different parts of Europe. In 1113, Pope Pascal II took the Order under his patronage and, as a reward for his service, gave him a new, more militant status in the person of his brother Gerard. The original document certifying this important moment in the history of the Order is in the Library of Malta. It reads: "Pope Pascal II grants to his venerable son Gerard, founder and provost of the Hospital in Jerusalem, a charter establishing the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem on this and that side of the sea, in Europe and in Asia."

With the resumption of the war with the Saracens, some of the Knights of the Order became warriors, they, along with new followers, formed the basis of the Order of the Knights of the Temple or the Templars. This Order soon gained great power and importance when its knights were called to directly fight 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 gathered only by 1189. This time, among other leaders was King Richard I of England, soon called the Lionheart, thanks to which, basically, success was achieved . However, the strife among the leaders harmed the Order more than fatigue from battles. The chivalrous prowess that underpinned the Crusade began to fade, and soon Richard was alone in his struggle. His firmness and desire for the set goal, together with great energy and self-sacrifice, led to victory at the Battle of Acre. However, this was the last thing he could do. Soon Richard 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 the pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land. Strengthened the military significance of the Order of its second head, Raymond de Puy. He was the first to be called the Grand Master (1125-1158) and continued to increase the strength, influence and power of the Order. Now the Order began to take on the character of a knight, but its members made three monastic vows: chastity, obedience and poverty.

However, after the Muslims, deploying regular active actions, in 1291 captured the last possessions of Christians, 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 with a thirst for power, professed the ideas of Freemasonry, weaved secret intrigues, going against the ideals of the Order. All this forced the Knights of the Order to look for a new home.

It took 19 years for this, and in 1308 they found an ideal place on the Byzantine island of Rhodes and achieved territorial independence. A year after the move of the Knights of St. John to Rhodes, in 1309, the Templars became so mired in their intrigues that their organization was banned, and five years later, in 1314, their last grandmaster, Jacques de Molay, was burned in Paris. The Hospitallers inherited a significant part of their property. More importantly, however, the Order of Saint 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 represented many places where the knights could build the necessary fortifications, as well as a large amount of strong building material. With the settlement in the new place, the then Grand Master, Fouquet de Villare (1305-1319), coped well 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), which prevailed in the Order. All of them were aristocrats, at least in the fourth generation, which was confirmed by the fact that they were the sons of the most famous families of Europe. All of them, without exception, were drafted into the Order only after careful consideration. Candidates who passed the test were inducted into the Knights with great fanfare. Accompanied by the Knight Grand Cross, who conducted their initiation, they passed bareheaded to the armory and dressed appropriately for their new status. Their comrades invited them to the Metochion hall, where they sat on a carpet laid on the ground and received bread, salt and a glass of water. The knight who presided over the ceremony would later give a banquet in honor of the new Knights and their friends, also allowing one to feel the asceticism appropriate to the ceremony. New initiates became novices for a year, after which they were attracted by the Convention, the main structure of the Order for military service. Each year of service was called "caravan". After three such "caravans" the Knight received, at least for two years, a place in the Convention. 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. The usual service for them was in hospitals or order churches, however, they were not completely exempted from service 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, who were called for military service from respected, but not necessarily aristocratic, families.

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

Another classification was based on nationality, according to which the Knights belonged to one of the eight "Languages". These were: Aragon, Auvergne, Castile, England (with Ireland and Scotland), France, Germany, Italy and Provence. The presence of three French "Languages" was not accidental, since the French numerically significantly outnumbered the Order.

The 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, the Priors, the Bailiff, the Knights of the Grand Cross and the Deans of the "Tongues". While the Supreme Council performed the usual administrative functions, the General Assembly of the members of the Order was convened once every five years, and sometimes once every ten years. These meetings were reported a year in advance, allowing the Tongues and individual Knights to prepare draft reforms for consideration.

The emblem of the Order was an eight-pointed cross, introduced by Grandmaster Raymond de Puy, symbolizing the eight virtues (Beatitudes), the four sides of the cross also meant the four virtues: Prudence, Moderation, Courage and Justice. The oaths given by the Knights upon entering the Order gave it a religious character. The newly initiated were to hug and kiss each other as a token of friendship, peace and brotherly love. From now on, they called each other "brothers."

With the transfer of Rhodes from the Byzantines to the management of the Order, the Knights began to seek recognition of their independence. All Christian powers and Catholic nations came to regard the Order in its full definition as the Sovereign Military Order of Saint 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 body of nobility bound by celibacy and obligations to help the poor, heal the sick, and wage constant war against the Muslims in the Mediterranean. This last oath could not be strictly observed, since, being located on the island, the Knights could not continue successful operations on land. Despite this, they continued to store and maintain their weapons, including chain mail and plate armor, both for themselves and for their horses. Each Knight had three horses: fighting, racing and pack, and also kept servants who carried a shield and banner. In addition, the Knights soon began building more galleys and other vessels, making it possible to increase attacks on enemy sea lanes from and around Turkey. After some time, the Knights gained seafaring experience and other abilities that allowed them to turn into Christian corsairs.

Although the spirit of the Crusades was lost for a long time, and the Christian states began to maintain peaceful relations with the Muslims and the Mongol invaders, the Order never left a sense of danger to Christianity, and it kept its oath to fight Islam, regardless of the presence or absence of allies. The first naval operation on account of the Knights of Rhodes was the destruction in 1312 by a small detachment led by the Grandmaster Fouquet de Villare himself, formerly one of the admirals of the Order, 23 Turkish coastal ships. Soon, competing with him, the Grand Commander (Grand Commander) Albert Schwarzburg, supported by the Genoese corsairs, led a combined fleet of 24 galleys and defeated 50 Turkish ships from Ephesus. Less than a year later, with eight ships of the Order and six Genoese galleys, he defeated a fleet of 80 Turkish ships.

In 1334, an alliance was concluded in Avignon between the King of France, Venice, the fleet of the Pope and the King of Cyprus in an attempt, under the banner of the Knights of the Order, to kindle the fire of the Crusade. Meanwhile, in a naval battle, they destroyed the 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 attack the Muslims, and the order led these actions or provided their ships. The galleys of the Knights of the Order, on which they made swift and fearless attacks without the possibility of defeat, were popular in Europe. Reports of their exploits were published on large sheets in Naples, Marseille and Venice and became legendary. But the galleys required strong men. They were filled with rowing slaves, warriors, sailors, and also loaded with weapons and provisions, so that there was often nowhere to go to bed. There was no protection from the scorching sun, rain and sea water. Products flooded during a sudden storm became unusable, 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 considering 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 off Imbros. Ten years later, the combined fleet of the Order and Venice under the command of Raymond Berenger (the 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, captured Adalia with the help of Christian corsairs. But the greatest success came in 1365, when, with only 16 galleys, he sacked Alexandria.

Not all actions of the Order were exclusively military in nature. The knights often became Christian corsairs, attacking and capturing 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 galleys of the Order broke into the Black Sea and attacked the wasp nests of Muslim corsairs, which had long existed here. The first time the Knights failed, they lost Grandmaster Heredia and many Knights to their enemies. However, on the second attempt, success was achieved.

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

The beginning of the turning point was the capture by the Egyptian Mamluks 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 Lastic (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 recaptured. However, at that moment a threat loomed over Christianity from the Turks under the leadership of Mehmed II Fatih the Conqueror. Starting with the capture of Constantinople in 1453, he also captured the islands of Kos, Lemnos and Lesvos in four years.

These Muslim successes created a number of potential bases around Rhodes from which to attack the island and the headquarters of the Knights. In 1462, the General Assembly of the Order met specially 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 tried to raise a combined fleet against the Muslims. However, due to internal disagreements, all Christian powers refused. Henceforth, the Order remained 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 by Admiral Ludovicus di Scalenge of a large number of Turkish ships in 1502. Five years later, the Order achieved its greatest victory in a merciless battle with a 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 Sultan of the Ottomans did not forget about the Order for a minute. He always admired the valor of the Knights and, after ascending the throne, respectfully treated them and their new Grand Master, Philip Viyer de l'Isle Adam (1521-1534). However, such feelings did not prevent him from continuing the work of his ancestors, seeking to throw the Knights off Rhodes. He waited for time, gathered forces and began his attack on Rhodes in 1522. The Order's fleet was at that moment 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 laid siege to Rhodes. The huge Turkish army was opposed by 600 knights and about 7,000 soldiers. After half a year of the siege, the exhausted and half-starved Knights, who had lost most of their soldiers and 240 "brothers" betrayed by one of them, d'Amaral, were forced to capitulate on Christmas Day 1522. The knights freely leave Rhodes, but also showed them honors when they left the island for their galleys.

The Order was defeated, but not dishonored. His high prestige was maintained, and although the Order was in disorder, this gave a chance to recover and continue the fight. But there was one urgent matter - to find a new home.

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 North Africa and the New World, invited The Order of Saint John used Sicily as a temporary home in search of a new home.

The knights hoisted their banner at 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 was launched in Nice, which was built for the Order . She was sent to Syracuse and joined the remnants of the fleet there. It would be useful to tell more about this karakka, since she 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 goods that could not be transported by galleys. They were, of course, not as mobile and fast, but better armed, which made them very useful as an addition to the main fleet. "Santa Anna" had 132 feet. (40.2 m) long and 40 ft. (12.2 m) wide, 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 a large number of falconets and half-guns, the arsenal contained personal weapons for 500 people. The ship had a crew of 300, but could accommodate an additional 400 light infantry or cavalry. However, the most important feature of the Santa Anna was the cannonball-resistant metal skin. It 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, and also in neighboring France at Villefranche and Nice. Periodically, the council met in Syracuse aboard the Santa Anna. Naturally, the most frequently discussed issue at these meetings was the search for a new home. 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, the first to turn to the King of France for help. However, Francis I was more interested in getting the support of Suleiman against his opponent - Charles V. Wherever l'Isle Adam turned, he was refused everywhere. It seemed that although respect for the Order was maintained, it was no longer popular. Perhaps because the Order, which remained faithful to the Pope and its oath to fight only with the infidels, could not be useful in solving anyone's national interests. Moreover, nationalism at that time was becoming the main dominant 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 got to the King of England Henry VIII, he received a slightly different answer. His position did not differ from others, besides, the English monarch was going to marry and, in his matrimonial affairs, had already begun his lawsuit 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 in the amount of 20,000 crowns. The amount was significant, but it was very little help for the project, as the Grandmaster was expecting help from the courts 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 raised from the bottom of the harbor of Famagusta (Cyprus). It was identified because, along with the emblem of the Tudors, it also had the coat of arms of the Grandmaster.

L'Isle Adam returned to Sicily very disappointed. He understood that he would have to abandon plans for an attack on Rhodes, and that the Knights were becoming more and more interested in worldly affairs and breaking vows. Idleness was driving their organization into decline. He realized that if a new home was not found soon, the Order would likely fall apart.

Charles V also became aware of his unrest and disappointment, shared by the Knights. After several years of the Order's stay 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 these deserted rocky islands, devoid of vegetation, with poor soils and lack of water, he could not use in any way. However, he wanted 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 makes it even more useless to own it. 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 relocation to Malta? This idea came to him and was proposed by him to the Order.

L'Isle Adam was not happy with this offer. 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 location of the emperor. Finally, he asked for time in order to collect information about Malta. However, when he received them from an expedition immediately sent to Malta, he was even more alarmed. The island of Malta, as reported in the report, is a mountain of soft sandstone about seven leagues (30 km) long and three or four wide (15 km). Its desert surface is covered with 3-4 feet (about 1.5 m) of soil, very stony and unsuitable for agriculture. Where possible, the Maltese grow cotton and cumin, which they exchange for grain, and also cultivate some fruits. With the exception of a few springs, there is no running water, and the 12,000 inhabitants in Malta and another 5,000 in Gozo are mostly peasants living in primitive villages. There is only one city, 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 had two vast harbors capable of accommodating a large number of galleys. This gave the Order's naval forces good bases, and l'Isle Adam could not help but think that the Order's property could now be replenished mainly through corsairs. This required ships and, accordingly, a harbor. This circumstance was the only positive in his thoughts. However, l'Isle Adam would not have accepted the emperor's proposal under other circumstances, but now they were putting a lot of pressure on his decision. Another circumstance that could not be overlooked was that some of the Knights were already beginning to leave the Convention, returning to the weakened subsidiary branches (Commandories) in Europe, and this may have been the first sign of the 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, now in the National Library of Malta, provided to l'Isle Adam, read: "given to the Knights in order that they may freely exercise their Sacred Duty for the benefit of all Christianity and use their forces and troops against the perfidious 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. The obligatory, although not specifically noted, dubious "gift" in the form of Tripoli was also implied.

When the Maltese learned of this they were justly 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 had pledged the islands to Don Gonsalvo Monroy, and swore on the four gospels that The Maltese Islands will never be transferred to another owner. Ironically enough, this Magna Carta of Malta is now also displayed in the Library of Malta, next to the rescript of Charles V mentioned. The Maltese sent an embassy with a protest to the Viceroy of Sicily, but when it arrived, the Order's galleys were already in Syracuse, and Grandmaster l'Isle Adam had already been convicted of power over Malta through his representative, the bailiff. On October 26, 1530, Grandmaster l'Isle Adam and his Knights departed on the carrack "Saint Anna" to the Grand Harbor of Malta, to their new home.

Most of the Maltese population then experienced difficult times. Their life was a routine grueling struggle for existence, accompanied by constant attacks by Muslim corsairs who captured people into slavery. 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 advent 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, noticed by the Maltese historian. Most likely, this can be explained by the fact that some were waiting for the arrival of the Knights, entwined with the laurels of numerous feats, but the rumor quickly spread that many of them violated their vows and celibacy, leaned 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 patronage 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 the Cathedral of Mdina, 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 they started.

For more than 400 years, the Maltese ruled the country themselves through an autonomous commune called the Universita, represented by four members who held the title of "Giurati" (supreme members of the municipality) under the chairmanship of the Captain of the Wand (della Verga). He was so called because of the staff, which the page always carried in front of him, and was also called in Arabic by the title Hakem. This position was elective, but became almost hereditary in the De Nava family, owners of Fort San Angelo. The presence of a 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 possession of Malta in Mdina, a 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 gates under the canopy carried by the Giurati and swore on the great cross of the cathedral and the cross of the Order to preserve the privileges and treat the islands as promised by the king of Aragon and Sicily. After that, the Captain of the Wand 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 in Arabic a fortified city. But in 1428, after the Maltese expressed dissatisfaction with their ruler, King Alfonso V of Aragon and Sicily, about the fact that he, in need of money, had mortgaged the island to his aristocrats, the king accepted their protest and confirmed their ancient privileges. On this occasion, he called Mdina "a noble jewel in his crown", and the Maltese began to call their city Notabile, although the name Mdina was preserved in everyday life.

The Knights were supposed to make the one city their headquarters. But instead, they settled in Birgu, a small village located, however, on the banks of the Grand Harbor under the protection of Fort San Angelo. They made their choice, because in Birgu they could keep their ships and sea services close at 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 whatever was necessary. In the narrow streets of Birgu, they began to build their Compounds, 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, erected 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 Grand 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, he himself settled in it, settling in a house built about a hundred years ago for the De Nava family, the 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 undertaking, no doubt discussed among the majority of the islanders, who still had doubts about the prospects of the Order in Malta. However, after a while, the relationship began to improve.

The feast of the Candlemas especially helped the rapprochement of the Knights and the Maltese. At this annual event on February 2, the parish priests of Malta and Gozo met with the Grand Master and presented him with decorated candles. The grandmaster addressed the audience with a speech about urgent matters and discussed with them the possibilities of cooperation between the secular authorities and the church for the benefit of the people.

The order began to mint 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 newcomers mixed with the people, but brought new meaning to the life of the islanders.

L'Isle Adam must have been pleased, as the Order's move to Malta seemed to be going well. But he was not satisfied, because he did not get Rhodes out of his head and hoped that one day he would be able to recapture his former home. His hopes were strengthened when his galleys sailed for the first time 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 at Modon and destroyed it. They then captured the city and returned to Malta with booty and 800 Turkish prisoners. A little later, Salvatti, together with the great Genoese admiral Andrea Doria, attacked Coron.

These two maritime 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 wrangling with the Pope, the English King Henry VIII in 1532 proclaimed himself the head of the Anglican Church and began to obstruct 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. The members of the English "Tongue" were aristocrats who were born in England, Scotland or Ireland and invested part of the property in the corresponding commandery or monastery. However, some of the knights who arrived at that time in Malta 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 back, and the Supreme Prior had to pay the transport costs.

What worried l'Ile Adam most, however, was the insubordination among some of the young Knights, who were no longer trained under the strict authority of the Order and were fighting off the hands. Some of them, with their recklessness, crossed all acceptable limits. In this regard, the General Assembly added additions to the disciplinary code. The article read: “If anyone enters the house of a citizen 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 (“experience” of service) without hope of forgiveness. In addition, if anyone breaks the doors or windows of citizens' houses day or night, he will also serve a punishment, such as will be imposed by the Grandmaster. It was practically impossible to prevent a duel among hot-tempered and cocky youths, always ready to insult an opponent and revering personal courage to 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 happened to the next Grandmaster, the Frenchman Didier de Saint Jaye, who died in 1536.

The new Grandmaster (1536-1553) was the Spaniard Juan d'Omedes. It was an “old-fashioned” Knight who, like l’Isle Adam, did not resign himself to the expulsion from Rhodes in his soul, but fully realized the inevitability of finding the Order in Malta. Like l'Isle Adam, he was a strict disciplinarian, however, unlike his predecessor, he did not allow the Knights any liberties. He punished when needed. Punishments in the Order were not easy. When Knight Oswald Messingbeard fought John Bebington during the Ace