Who were the Knights Hospitallers?
- Davit Grigoryan
- Feb 4
- 12 min read
Updated: Feb 16
The Order of Malta, or the Order of Hospitallers, is the world's oldest and most renowned knightly order, having played a pivotal role in the history of the entire Christian world. Celebrating its 900th anniversary in 2013, it continues to be a strong and united organization. To trace the history of the order, it is necessary to embark on a journey to the times preceding the First Crusade. The Holy Land, where Jerusalem is built, has attracted Christian pilgrims since the fourth century, with their journey culminating at the Holy Sepulchre, the most important shrine in the Christian world. The flow of pilgrims to the Holy City did not cease even when Jerusalem came under Arab Muslim rule in the seventh century.
Formation of the Order of Knights Hospitallers
In the eighth century, Charlemagne, the Emperor of the Franks, built a hospice in the Holy Land, providing Christian pilgrims with lodging and medical care. They operated until the early 11th century, when during the reign of Caliph Al-Hakim, the Christian communities in Jerusalem faced persecution and repression, and the hospices were abolished. Only 30 years after the Caliph's death, a few merchants from the Italian city of Amalfi managed to restore these hospices, which came to be known as hospitaller houses, or 'hospitals' in Latin.
In these hospices, guests received shelter, food, medical care, and the opportunity to pray according to church rites. The Hospitallers referred to the pilgrims as 'lords' and considered themselves their servants, taking responsibility for the guests' safety.
On July 15, 1099, Jerusalem fell to the forces of the Crusaders. Inspired by the successes of their co-religionists, the Hospitallers, united under the leadership of Gerard, one of the founders of the hospices for pilgrims, announced the creation of a spiritual order known as the Order of Hospitallers or the Order of Saint John. Fourteen years later, Pope Paschal II accepted the order under the protection of the Holy See. The Papal Bull confirmed the existing order and granted it the right to freely elect its leaders without interference from secular or ecclesiastical authorities.
Expansion and Aristocratic Status
The next ten years marked the flourishing of the order. From the beginning, many Crusader knights and European aristocrats, in gratitude for their aid, donated part of their property and savings to the order. Gradually, the order expanded in the Holy Land and beyond its borders. Branches were established in cities across Europe, and the Hospitallers earned respect and esteem from powerful feudal lords. In the context of fierce battles with the Arabs, who did not accept the loss of Jerusalem, more and more Hospitallers took up arms to protect pilgrims and joined the ranks of defenders of Christian holy sites. As a result, the military role of the order grew.
In 1120, with the arrival of Raymond of Puy as the second Grand Master, the final formation of the order was completed. Through his efforts, the brotherhood was transformed into a knightly monastic order. Members of the order came to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the presence of the Patriarch of Jerusalem and took three monastic vows: poverty, chastity, and obedience. Raymond of Puy became the First Grand Master of the Jerusalem Order of Hospitallers of Saint John.
The members of the order were divided into three groups: knights, who performed both military and humanitarian functions; chaplains, who were responsible for the order's religious activities; and sergeants, who served the first two groups. To become a knight of the Order of St. John, one had to be a European noble who provided evidence of their noble lineage. The requirements were especially strict in Germany, where a knight had to prove noble ancestry for 16 generations. The order did not accept members whose parents were involved in trade or banking activities. By the 13th century, due to these strict requirements, the Order of Hospitallers had become the most aristocratic order in Europe.
Military Achievements and Land Ownership
In 1124, with the help of the Hospitaller knights, the Arab siege of Jaffa, the main port of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, was lifted, and Tyre, the wealthiest city in the Eastern Mediterranean, was captured. In 1136, Raymond of Tripoli granted the Hospitaller knights several of his fortresses. Within a few years, the Order of Hospitallers had more than 500 knights, who successfully defended over 50 fortresses in Lebanon alone.
In many coastal cities of the East, Byzantium, and Western Europe, they established hospitaller houses. The Hospitaller fortresses were situated along nearly all the pilgrimage routes, from Acre to Antioch, and from Edessa to Sinai. The order gradually became a major landowner. Thus, it acquired holdings both in Palestine and in Europe as rewards for military achievements and services rendered to monarchs. Knights of honor, who took a vow of poverty, donated their property and real estate to the order. It inherited the lands of its fallen knights, who often designated the order as their heir. Each holding of the order was called a commandery, and typically, in each one, the order established a hospice dedicated to Saint John of Jerusalem.
By the beginning of the 13th century, the Order of Hospitallers had become the main military force of the Christians in Palestine, holding back the onslaught of the numerically superior Muslims. At the same time, it is important to note the internecine conflicts that occasionally flared up between members of different orders. There were known clashes between the Hospitallers and the Templars, who competed for influence in Jerusalem, sometimes leading to bloodshed. However, united by a common enemy, the orders more often cooperated than clashed with each other. Despite their fierce resistance, fortresses and cities fell one by one.
Relocation and Continued Resistance
In 1291, despite the valor of the Knights of the Red Cross (Templars) and the White Cross (Hospitallers) fighting side by side, Acre was captured by the Muslims. The Kingdom of Jerusalem ceased to exist, and Europe lost its last holdings in the Holy Land. The order was forced to evacuate from Palestine and set sail for the island of Cyprus, which belonged to King Henry II. Defeated and wounded but unbroken, the Hospitaller knights landed on the island and were solemnly received by the king. The order became vassals of the King of Cyprus and received from him the extensive feudal estate of Limassol as a fief. Here, the order established a hospice for the poor and pilgrims who, despite the loss of Palestine and Jerusalem, continued to visit the Holy Land. By maintaining their fleet, the Hospitallers not only provided for those in need on the island but also accompanied them at sea, engaging in successful combat against pirates.
Twenty years on Cyprus helped the Order of Hospitallers to regain strength and replenish its treasury through numerous contributions from Europe and military trophies at sea. The influx of new knights from Europe increased, and the order began to regain its former power. However, according to medieval feudal law, although the order retained a degree of autonomy, it was still subject to its liege lord. This was manifested in various ways, including the payment of tribute and the obligation to provide military service.
The Siege of Rhodes and Final Defeat
Relations between the unpredictable Lusignan king of Cyprus and the Grand Master of the Order, Guillaume de Villaret, gradually soured, especially after the Grand Master’s arrest. As tensions grew, the Hospitallers turned their attention to Rhodes, an island off the coast of Asia Minor, despite its control by the Turks. After a four-year campaign, the Knights of St. John successfully expelled the Turks in 1309, securing Rhodes and the surrounding islands as their new stronghold.
The Hospitallers moved their headquarters to Rhodes, earning the title Knights of Rhodes. The Grand Master of the Order assumed the status of an independent prince, free from secular and non-religious authority—a position officially confirmed by Pope Clement V. During this period, the knights established a large hospice on the island and constructed new fortifications, including a magnificent palace that still stands as a testament to their architectural grandeur. They also built warehouses, and schools, and significantly expanded their naval fleet.
Meanwhile, the persecution of the Knights Templar had begun in Europe. Soon after, Pope Clement V dissolved the Templars and transferred much of their wealth to the Hospitallers. By that time, the Order had grown into a vast network with 656 commanderies across Europe, each maintaining a well-organized hospice.
Inheriting the Templar assets, the Knights of St. John rose to unprecedented power, enabling them to wage a relentless 214-year struggle against the Egyptian Mamluks and the Turks. During this time, the Hospitallers not only cemented their reputation but also emerged as a dominant maritime force.
Under their leadership, a formidable naval fleet was assembled, incorporating the finest maritime innovations of the era. They constructed massive galleys, heavily armored and equipped with fifty oarsmen arranged in two rows. The pinnacle of their naval engineering came in the 15th century with the construction of the Saint Anne, regarded as the world's first armored warship. By battling pirates and Muslim fleets, the Order maintained maritime security across the Eastern Mediterranean for two centuries.
In 1453, after a prolonged siege, Constantinople fell to the Ottomans. In the aftermath, the Order of St. John became the last stronghold of Christianity in the region and a key adversary of the Turks.
The first major Ottoman attempt to seize Rhodes came in 1480 when a force of 70,000 men landed on the island and laid siege to the fortress of San Nicolas, the central point of its defenses. Using powerful siege artillery, the Turks launched relentless assaults against the stronghold, which was defended by just 600 knights and 5,000 soldiers. Despite the Pope’s attempts to rally a united Christian fleet, internal divisions among European powers thwarted any coordinated response.
Nevertheless, the Order, bolstered by the island’s strategic geography and the unwavering courage of its knights, endured the two-month siege and ultimately repelled the decisive Turkish assault.
The next Ottoman assault on Rhodes came forty-two years later, during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent. Though determined to capture the island, Suleiman held a deep respect for the valor of the Hospitaller knights and even sympathized with their Grand Master, Philippe de Villiers de l'Isle-Adam.
For six months, the Turks launched repeated assaults on the fortress, only to be met with fierce resistance. In September, they breached the western bastions and broke into the fortress, but the Grand Master, leading a small detachment, rushed to reinforce the defense. The knights managed to repel the invaders, forcing them to retreat. That month alone, the Ottoman army suffered 10,000 casualties. Despite the staggering losses, the siege continued for another three months.
On December 17, 1522, the Ottomans launched a final, desperate assault that lasted three days. They overran the outer city, forcing the knights to retreat into the crumbling inner citadel. Exhausted and outnumbered, the defenders could fight no longer. Recognizing their courage, Sultan Suleiman offered the Order honorable terms of surrender. On December 20, a white flag was raised over the ruins of Rhodes.
When Emperor Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire learned of the Knights' heroic stand, he reportedly remarked, "No battle was lost as honorably as the battle for Rhodes."
Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta
Eight years after the Order’s exile from Rhodes, Charles V, aiming to bolster his influence in the Mediterranean, granted the Hospitallers the city of Tripoli on the North African coast and the islands of Malta near Sicily. Establishing their new headquarters in Malta, the knights became known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta.
Their priority was to strengthen their new stronghold by constructing fortifications and restoring their fleet. For over two centuries, the warships of the Maltese Order patrolled the Mediterranean, safeguarding European traders and pilgrims from pirates and hostile forces.
In 1535, the Hospitallers' fleet, alongside Spanish ships, launched a raid against Algerian pirates and Khayr al-Din Barbarossa. Together, they besieged and captured the Turkish fortress of Goletta, Barbarossa's arsenal, liberating around 10,000 Christian captives.
Fortified with strongholds, the rocky island of Malta became the bastion of the entire Christian world in the heart of the Mediterranean. In the autumn of 1541, the Order's fleet joined Charles V’s campaign, supporting a 30,000-strong army in an attack on Tunis, a key stronghold of North African pirates.
In 1551, the Turkish army of Suleiman the Magnificent landed on Malta. However, the island proved impregnable. After devastating nearby villages and enslaving 6,000 locals, the invaders withdrew. That same year, the Turks made another attempt to land on Malta but were repelled and redirected toward Tripoli, which they captured after a fierce battle.
The main battle for Malta occurred in 1565, known as the Great Siege of Malta. For three months, a 50,000-strong Turkish army relentlessly assaulted the besieged island. On September 6, the penultimate day of the siege, a 6,000-strong detachment of soldiers, sent from Sicily by Spanish King Philip II, landed on Malta’s eastern coast. With heavy losses, the Turks abandoned the island, having suffered 25,000 casualties.
The defense of Malta was led by Grand Master Jean Parisot de Valette. By the age of 30, he had already participated in the Battle of Rhodes, and his valor had earned him renown throughout Europe. In 1566, a year after the siege, he founded a city that became the new capital of the Order, named Valletta in his honor.
By the end of the 17th century, the Order had become an independent state with a renowned fleet. The naval academy in Malta was regarded as the best in the world, attracting the sons of many rulers for their education. European monarchs frequently employed Maltese captains and admirals, and the Order established public schools and built the famous Maltese College, which later gained university status. Serving as the maritime shield of Europe, the Maltese knights' fleet played a pivotal role in every naval battle fought by European Christian nations against the Turks.
The Knights Hospitallers in Russia
From the mid-18th century, the Maltese Order began to decline due to several factors. As the fleets of European powers grew stronger and their dominance in the Mediterranean increased, the need for the Order's naval services diminished, leading to a reduction in its political significance and influence. Additionally, under the influence of reformist sentiments in Europe, the role of the Roman Catholic Church—always a cornerstone for the Hospitallers—began to wane. This shift also impacted the internal climate of the Order, which was occasionally destabilized by disputes.
In 1792, the French Revolution resulted in the confiscation of all the property belonging to the Maltese Order in France. To mitigate this severe blow, the Order signed a convention with Russia to establish commanderies in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Later, an additional treaty secured three more residences for the Order. However, these agreements only partially compensated for the losses the Hospitallers suffered due to the French Revolution and could not protect the Order from the immediate threats it faced.
On June 10, 1798, while en route from Toulon to Egypt, a French fleet commanded by Napoleon Bonaparte landed on Malta. Acting decisively, Napoleon took advantage of the Order's statutes, which prohibited the shedding of Christian blood, forcing the knights to sign a convention. The terms stipulated that Malta would come under French sovereignty, and the knights had to leave the island within three days.
In response, members of the Russian Grand Priory gathered at the residence of the Maltese knights in St. Petersburg to protest the capture of Malta. They condemned Grand Master Baron Gonthier for surrendering the island without a fight and announced his deposition. They then appealed to Emperor Paul I to accept the Order under his patronage.
On November 10, Emperor Paul I took all loyal members of the Order under his highest patronage and St. Petersburg was declared the headquarters of the Maltese Order. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Paul I was declared the Grand Master of the Jerusalem Order of Saint John, following a proposal by the Maltese knights in St. Petersburg.
However, many Grand Priories, particularly those in Catalonia, Navarre, Aragon, Castile, and Rome, refused to recognize Paul as Grand Master. From that moment, Russia became an integral part of the Maltese Order, inheriting all the corresponding attributes. The Maltese cross not only appeared on the empire's coat of arms but also became a symbol of one of its most prestigious military units, the Cuirassiers.
At the initiative of Paul I, complex negotiations with the British regarding Malta began after its liberation from the French. However, England did not accede to the emperor's requests, which deeply offended him. This was one of the reasons for Russia's exit from the Second Coalition against France, and soon, Paul I's rapprochement with Napoleon began to take shape.
On the night of March 12, 1801, Paul I was murdered by conspirators. This event marked the decline of the Order in Russia. Sixteen years later, the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem was abolished in Russia.
Although the sovereign rights of the Order over Malta were confirmed by the Treaty of Amiens in 1802, the Hospitallers were unable to return to the island. After a brief stay in Messina, the Order settled in Rome, where it established its headquarters in the Magistral Palace and the Magistral Villa, which became its territorial property.
Today, the world’s oldest order, despite the loss of its former power, continues its activities. The Maltese Order is recognized as a subject of international law and maintains the status of a sovereign entity. It holds observer status at the United Nations and the Council of Europe and maintains diplomatic relations with 107 countries, supported by a significant number of ambassadors.
Comments