The Order of the Hospitallers is the most famous and illustrious of the spiritual knightly orders. Its full name is the Sovereign Military Order of Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and Malta. The seat of the Order, since 1834, has been located in Rome on Via Condotti. The Order also owns the Palace of the Grand Masters on the Aventine Hill.

The history of the Jerusalem, Rhodes and Maltese sovereign military Order of the Hospitallers of St. John, also called the Order of the Johannites, or Hospitallers, has its roots in ancient times.

The famous historian G. Scicluna, who worked for a long time as the director of the National Library of Valletta, writes that the first mention of the monastic brotherhood of the Hospitallers dates back to the 4th century AD. e., when Christian pilgrims rushed to the Holy Places.

The brotherhood got its name from the hospital, or hospice, that he founded in Jerusalem. The hospital in Jerusalem continued to exist after the Muslims captured the Holy Places of Christianity. The monks provided shelter to pilgrims and treated the sick.

Between 1023 and 1040, several merchants from Amalfi, a city on the southern coast of Italy that was one of the centers of Levantine trade until the end of the 16th century, founded a new hospital or, more likely, restored the old one, destroyed by order of the Egyptian Caliph Hakim. The hospital was located in Jerusalem, not far from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and consisted of two separate buildings - for men and women. Under him, the Church of Mary the Latin was built, in which services were conducted by Benedictine monks. The day of remembrance of John the Baptist in the church calendar became the most solemn holiday of the Johannites.

Brotherhood and Crusades

The importance of the Brotherhood of Hospitallers especially increased during the era of the Crusades (1096-1291). When the crusaders led by Godfrey of Bouillon entered Jerusalem on July 15, 1099, during the First Crusade, they found the hospital in operation. As a sign of gratitude for their help in taking the city, Godfrey of Bouillon generously rewarded the Hospitallers. However, what exactly this assistance consisted of is not known for certain.

Only the legend has survived to this day that Gerard, the head of the monastic brotherhood, selflessly tried to help his co-religionists during the siege. Knowing that famine had begun in the camp of the besiegers, he threw not stones, but freshly baked bread from the city wall onto the heads of the soldiers of Godfrey of Bouillon. Gerard was captured and was threatened with death, from which he was miraculously spared: before the eyes of the judges before whom he appeared, the bread turned into stones. Many knights joined the brotherhood; it soon took upon itself the protection of pilgrims on their journeys to the Holy Places. The Hospitallers not only built hospitals, but also fortified fortresses along the pilgrim roads.

Brotherhood becomes an order

The head of the Brotherhood of Hospitallers (during the days of the first crusade he was called rector), Brother Gerard, came from Provence or Amalfi. Apparently, Gerard not only possessed remarkable piety, which allowed the Hospitallers to canonize him as a saint, but was, as often happened with saints, an efficient organizer. Through his efforts, the brotherhood was transformed into a monastic order. When its members came to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and, in the presence of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, pronounced three monastic vows - obedience, piety and non-covetousness, they could hardly imagine that the new Order was destined to outlive all other medieval knightly orders and exist until the end of the 20th century.

Order Of Malta
Posted by - Melfice K. Posted by - Melfice K.

Order of the Hospitallers (Johannites)
(Alliance de Chevalerie des Hospitaliers de Saint Jean de Jerusalem)

(Brief historical sketch)
Part 1.

This Order is perhaps the oldest of the twelve known monastic-knightly Orders of the Middle Ages.

Of these dozen, the most noticeable mark on the history of the Middle Ages in general, and in particular on the history of the Crusades, was left by three - the Hospitallers, the Templars and the Teutons. The Templar Order ceased to exist in the first half of the 14th century; the other two still exist today, although they now do not play any noticeable political and military-political role. They have degenerated into charitable public organizations, i.e. returned to the state from which they started.

This Order is known by a number of names and, moreover, its names have changed over time.

In Russia it is known under the following names:
*Hospice House of the Jerusalem Hospital;
*Order of St. John of Alexandria;
*Order of St. John the Baptist;
*Order of St. John of Jerusalem;
*Order of St. John;
*Order of Malta;
*Order of Hospitallers;
*Order of Johannes.

In French the name is known:
*Alliance de Chevalerie des Hospitaliers de Saint Jean de Jerusalem-Knight's Hospital Union of Saint John of Jerusalem.

Names known in English:
*Religious Military Order of the Roman Catholic Church-Religious Military Order of the Roman Catholic Church;
*Order of Saint John-Order of St. John;
*Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta-Sovereign Military Hospital Order of Malta;
*Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta- Independent Military Hospital Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and Malta;
*The Chivalric Alliance of Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem- Knight's Hospital Union of St. John of Jerusalem;
*The Order of St.John of Jerusalem-Order of St. John of Jerusalem;
*The Order of the Knights of Malta-Order of the Knights of Malta;
*Sovereign Military Order-Sovereign Military Order.

The abbreviation is also known S.M.H.O.M. - S overeign M ilitary H ospitaller O rder of M alta.

The name Sovereign Military Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and Malta was included in the name of the Order in 1936. The word Hospitaller was adopted in the 19th century and added to the previously existing name. The word Sovereign was added after the loss of Malta in 1800 to reflect the autonomous extraterritorial principle; the words Military (Military) and of Malta (Maltese) do not reflect the modern meaning, but reflect its historical and chivalric traditions.

The leaders of the Order were called:

* until the summer of 1099 -Rector;
*summer 1099 - 1489 - Founder and Director only Gerard, subsequent ones - Magistery;
*1489 -1805 - Grand Magistery;
*1805-28.3.1879 - Lieutenant Magistery;
*28.3.1879-present -Grand Magistery;

From the author. In our literature, it is more common to call the leaders of the Orders “Grand Master” or “Grand Master” instead of “Grand Master”. This is more of a philological debate and has no fundamental significance.

The order was led at different times (the list is incomplete):
*1070 (1080?,1099?) -1120 - Gerard Beatified (Gerard the Blessed);
*1120-1160 - Raymond du Puy (Raymond de Puy);
*?-1217-? -Garen de Montagu;
* ? -1309-?- Fulk de Villaret (Falk de Villaret);
*?-1441-? -de Lastic (de Lastik);
*? -1476-? -Helion Villeneuve (Helion Villeneuve)
*? - 1481 - Pierre d "Aubusson (Pierre d" Aubusson);
*1481 -1534 -Philippe Villiers l "Isle Adam (Philippe Villiers de Lisle Adam);
*1534-? Juan de Homenez;
*1557-1568 - Jean Parisot de la Valette (Jean Parisot de la Valette);
*1568-1572 -Pietro del Monte;
*1572-1582 -Jean de la Cassiere (Jean de La Cassiere);
*?-1603 -Alof de Wignacourt;
*?-1657 -Lascaris (Lascaris);
*1657-? -Martin de Redin (Martin de Redin);
*?-1685-? -Karafa;
*1697-1720 -Raymond de Rocaful;
?-? -Pinto de Fonseca (Pinto de Fonseca);
*?-1797 - Emmanuel de Rohan (Emmanuel de Rohan);
*1797-1798 -Ferdinand von Hompesch (Ferdinand von Hompesch)
*1798-1801 -Pavel Petrovich Romanov (Holstein-Gottorp);
*1803-1805 -Giovanni-Battista Tommasi (Giovanni Battista Tommasi);
*15.6.1805-17.6.1805 -Innico-Maria Guevara-Suardo (Innizo-Maria Guevara-Sardo);
*17.6.1805-5.12.1805 -Giuseppe Caracciolo (Giuseppe Caracciolo)
*12/5/1805-1814 -Innico-Maria Guevara-Suardo (Innico-Maria Guevara-Sardo);
*1814-1821 -Andrea di Giovanni e Centelles (Andrea di Giovanni and Centelles);
*1821-1834 -Antonio Busca a Milanese (Antonio Busca a Milanese);
*1834-1846 -Carlo Candida (Carlo Candida);
*1846-1865 -Philip von Colloredo (Phillip von Colloredo);
*1865-1872 -Alessandro Borgia (Alexander Borgia);
*1872-1905 -Giovanni-Battista Ceschi a Santa Croce (Giovanni-Battista Cechi a Santa Croce);
*1905-1931 -Galeazzo von Thun und Hohenstein (Galeazzo von Thun und von Hohenstein);
*1907-1931 - in fact, due to Galeazzo’s illness, the Order was controlled by the lieutenant of the grandmaster - Pio Franchi de "Cavalieri" (Pio Franchi de "Cavalieri);
*1931-1951 -Ludovico Chigi Albani della Rovere (Ludovico Chigi Albani della Rovere);
*1951-1955 -Antonio Hercolani-Fava-Simonetti (Antonio Hercolani-Fava-Simonetti). (Hold the title of lieutenant grandmaster);
*1955-1962 -Ernesto Paterno Castello di Carcaci (Ernesto Paterno Castello di Karachi); (Hold the title of lieutenant grandmaster);
*1962-1988 -Angelo Mojana di Cologna (Angelo Mojana di Colona);
*1988-present - Andrew Bertie (Andrea Bertier).

The reign of grandmaster Didier de Saint-Gail (XIV-XV centuries) is unknown.

The distinctive feature of the Hospitallers is the white eight-pointed cross, also known as the Maltese cross, on a black cloak.

Later, from about the middle of the 12th century, a white eight-pointed cross is worn on the chest on a red supervest (a cloth vest that follows the cut of a metal cuirass and is worn on top of the cuirass or instead of it).

In the picture on the right is an officer of the Cavalry Regiment of the Russian Army in 1800 in a red supervest with a white Maltese cross (“guard attached to the Grand Master”).

Russian Emperor Paul I was the Grand Master of the Order of Malta in 1798-1801.

By the early Middle Ages, Jerusalem had become a major place of pilgrimage for Christians, although the difficulties faced by travelers passing through a country constantly in turmoil, divided by wars and squabbling local leaders, coupled with the long journey through a sea overrun with pirates and marauders, made this venture extremely dangerous.

And in the Holy Land there were almost no Christian organizations capable of providing overnight accommodation, medical care, and food to the pilgrims, who, moreover, were often captured by local residents for ransom.

From the author. The term "hospital", which is understood today by everyone as a military hospital or a hospital for the wounded in war, and is understood only as a purely medical institution, in those days meant a much broader concept. The Latin word "hospital" translates as "guest". We can say that the Hospital of that time was a hotel or shelter where a traveler could receive the whole range of services he needed (overnight, food, treatment, rest, protection, security, religious services), and largely free of charge.

During Gerard's reign, the Hospital was a purely peaceful organization. The number of beds in the hospital reached 2 thousand. Methods of then advanced Arabic medicine were used. He created the first Charter of the Hospital, which was simply amazing for that time, characterized by the absence of any rules and regulations.

The cutout from the map of Jerusalem shows the Hospital in red.

The hospital was located near the Church of Saint John the Baptist and not far from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Abbey of Santa Maria Latina.

The hospital was organized in two sections - one for men dedicated to Saint John, the other (for women) dedicated to Mary Magdalen - and both sections were initially under the authority of the Abbey of Santa Maria Latina.

Help was provided to the wounded and sick of all faiths, which brought the Hospital much income from grateful patients and allowed the Hospital to become independent from the Benedictine Abbot shortly after the Crusaders took the city. With independence, the Hospital abandoned the worship of Saint Benedict in favor of Saint Augustine.

In 1107, the then Christian king of Jerusalem, Baldwin I, officially approved the monastic Brotherhood and assigned it the land on which the Hospital was located.

The picture shows a panorama of modern Jerusalem with a view of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the site where the Hospital was located.

Under Gerard's leadership, the brothers formed themselves into a religious brotherhood, taking solemn vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

To symbolize their renunciation of all worldly things, their uniform was simple clothing and a white cross, which later became eight-pointed as a symbol of the eight beatitudes.

By the bull Postulatio Voluntatis of February 5, 1113, Pope Paschal II approved their charter, with the exception of references to any military regime of operation.

This bull read:
"To Our Venerable Son Gerard, Founder and Director of the Hospital of Jerusalem and all his legitimate followers and successors....,
You asked us that the Hospital which You founded in the city of Jerusalem, near the church of St. John the Baptist, should be strengthened by the authority of the Papal See and strengthened by the protection of Apostle Saint Peter.. .......
We agree to your requests with paternal mercy, and we confirm by the authority of this existing decree, this House of God, this Hospital, is subject to the Apostolic Eye, and is protected by Saint Peter.....,
that you are the actual administrator and director of this hospital, and we desire that, in the event of your death, no one can be placed in charge of it by trick or intrigue, and that the respected brothers may choose according to the will of God......,
we confirm forever, both for you and your heirs...
all advantages, privileges and property which it now possesses in Asia and Europe and which may be acquired in the future shall be exempt from all taxes."

In subsequent years, under the auspices of the Brotherhood, hospitals for pilgrims were founded in Europe, mainly in the port cities of Saint-Gilles, Asti, Pisa, Bari, Otranto ), Taranto and Messina. In these hospitals, pilgrims could prepare for the pilgrimage, wait for the ship and prepare for the long and dangerous journey across the Mediterranean, and rest after the pilgrimage before returning home.

Gerard died in 1120 and the day of his death is still listed in the calendar of the Order of Malta.

But even before Gerard’s death, a group of crusader knights, led by a certain Raymond du Puy, originally from Provence, joins the Brotherhood. (who later became the second head of the Hospital after Gerard)

It is not entirely known exactly when the Brotherhood began to engage in the function of military defense of the Holy Sepulcher and fight the infidels wherever they found them. It is approximately believed to be between 1126 and 1140.

The first military task performed by the new brother knights was the physical protection of the pilgrims marching from Jaffa to Jerusalem from the bandits constantly harassing them.

Very quickly the task grew into the responsibility of clearing the surrounding area from robbers and infidels in general.

From this time until the fall of Malta, the Masters, or Grand Masters (from 1489), were both Religious Superiors and Military Commanders of the knights.

Thus, between 1126 and 1140 the Brotherhood increasingly became a military-religious organization, although the functions of charity for weak and sick pilgrims remained.

During the same period, the name of the organization “Brotherhood” was replaced by “Order” (“Ordo” (Order)), as was already customary in military-religious communities in Europe.

There is no exact information regarding the origin of the first Knights Hospitaller. It is quite obvious that the vast majority of them were French, because... the bulk of the crusaders of the First Crusade were from France and Raymond de Puy was also French. However, most of the Order's hospitals in Europe were located in southern Italy, and most of the donations came from Spain. Therefore, there is every reason to believe that among the Knights Hospitaller there were many Italians and Spaniards.

In 1137, Pope Innocent II approved the rule according to which a brother who had previously joined the Order did not have the right to independently withdraw from his vow. This required the consent of all other brothers.

Those who entered the order took three ordinary monastic vows - celibacy, poverty and obedience
In addition to the brothers, a number of privileges and protection of the Order were also received by the so-called “brothers” (confratres) and “donors” (donati), i.e. those who helped the Order either by direct participation in hostilities or financially. This system did not exist in other Orders

The Order very quickly became a powerful military-monastic organization. His military power already in 1136 prompted the king of Jerusalem to hand over to the Hospitallers the fortress of Bethgibelin, an important strategic point on the southern border, covering the port of Ashkalon. The Hospitallers, at their own expense, strengthened and expanded the fortress.

How can we explain the emergence and very rapid development of the military monastic Orders at the beginning of the 12th century, and the Order of the Hospitallers? in particular?

The thing is. that the monarchs and large feudal lords of that time were good warriors, often quite good military leaders, but not administrators at all. We can say that they were all just robbers in royal robes.

They knew how to conquer territories and fortresses, and plunder them too. But the 12th century was the century of the formation of statehood. Social development required stable borders, laws, and stability of the country. And only the military-monastic Orders, with their carefully developed charters and members who learned to implement them, bound by a single goal, not having their own selfish interests, cemented by discipline and having in their hands a permanent trained and united army could be and were in fact the centers, the embryos of the emergence of states

This is what attracted kings to the Orders, who saw their support in these organizations, and wealthy people seeking lasting protection from the tyranny of large feudal lords, and the Catholic Church, which saw in the Orders a means of strengthening the power of the papal throne.

Between 1142 and 1144 the Hospitallers acquired five counties in the Tripoli district, a sovereign principality in the north of the kingdom. In total, by this time there were already about 50 fortified castles in the hands of the Hospitallers. including the important fortresses of Krak des Chevaliers (Crac) and Margat. The ruins of these castles still stand on commanding heights above the valleys, reminiscent of the times of the Crusades and the power of Christianity over these lands.

In the photo above are the ruins of the order's castle Krak des Chevaliers.

In the photo on the right are the ruins of the order's castle Margat.

The Knights of the Order, realizing their power, were not very scrupulous with the church authorities. They simply ousted the Abbey of Santa Maria Latin from the center of Jerusalem and occupied the buildings that previously belonged to the abbey.

The Hospitallers took an active part in the Second Crusade, introducing elements of order and organization into the ranks of the crusaders, which helped to win a number of victories. However, the campaign ended in failure.

In the rather long half-century period between the end of the Second Crusade (1148) and the beginning of the Third Crusade (1189), the history of North Africa is rich in events of struggle between Christians and Muslims. There was everything here - the ferocious cruelty of both, and the conclusion of alliances, and betrayal and successful assaults on cities on both sides. In all these events, the Hospitallers take an active part. In 1177, the Hospitallers, together with the Templars, took part in the Battle of Ascalon and made a significant contribution to the victory of the Christians.

Muslims, led by Atabek Nuretdin, managed to organize resistance to the crusaders. In 1154, he captured Damascus and launched an attack on the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

In 1187, Saladin invades the Kingdom of Jerusalem and lays siege to Tiberias. He takes over the city.

Within a few weeks, all the fortresses of the kingdom fell. Then it was the turn of Jerusalem and Tire itself. By this time, discord between the Templars and Hospitallers, including military skirmishes and serious battles, led to the weakening of both Orders, mutual hostility and mistrust. There was no real defense of Jerusalem and the city fell.

In 1189, the Third Crusade begins. By 1191, after a two-year siege, the crusaders managed to capture the fortress of Saint-Jean d'Acre (Acres).

In the first half - mid-13th 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. In 1244, at the end of the VI Crusade, the Hospitallers suffered a serious defeat at the Battle of Gaza. The master and many knights are captured.

But in 1249, the Hospitallers took part in the VII Crusade. And again, failure - the loss of the Battle of Mansur, during which the master and 25 senior leaders of the Order were captured.

The Crusaders are haunted by one failure after another. The Hospitallers become the rearguard of the last Crusades. They continue to hold their fortresses even when other crusaders have already left Palestine.

They held Krak des Chevaliers until 1271, Margat until 1285. When Jerusalem fell in 1187, the Hospitallers moved their residence to Acre (Saint-Jacques d'Acre). But in 1291 the last stronghold of Christianity in Palestine had to be abandoned.

The wounded master of the Order of the Ioannites, who covered the evacuation of the townspeople and their boarding of the ships, was the last to board the ship.
Thus ended the era of the Crusades, and with it the era of the heyday and greatness of military monastic orders. The orders had to look for their niche in new historical conditions.
The Teutons will delay their fall by switching to the Christianization of the Baltic states.
The Templars would never find their place in Europe and would be defeated in 1307 by the French king Francis the Fair and Pope Clement V, who feared for their power.

The Hospitallers, first stationed on the island of Cyprus and then moving to the island of Rhodes, will continue their active existence with naval operations in the Mediterranean against pirates.

But more on that in Part 2.

Literature
1.Guy Stair Sainty.THE SOVEREIGN MILITARY HOSPITALLER ORDER OF MALTA (Site www.chivalricorders.org/orders/smom/crusades.htm)
2.E.Lavvis, A.Rambo. The era of the Crusades.
Rusich. Smolensk 2001

3.M.Tkach, N.Kakabidze. Secrets of knightly orders.

Ripol Classic. Moscow. 2002 4.Myachin A.N. and others. One Hundred Great Battles. EVEN. Moscow. 1998 Joannites - Hospitallers

The order of knighthood was founded in 1099, Jerusalem, at the hospital of Gregory the Great and the library of Charlemagne.

WITH1098 - Hospitallers of St. Lazarus at the leper hospital.Hospitallers of Lazarus - white robe with an eight-pointed green cross. The basis of the order were knights who fell ill with leprosy.

Motto- Pro Fide, Pro Utilitate Hominum - For the faith, for the benefit of people!

Tuitio Fidei et Obsequium Pauperum - Defending the Faith and helping the poor and suffering!

Motto of the Hospitallers of Lazarus: Atavis et armis - To the ancestors and weapons!

Patron - St. John the Baptist, Hospitallers of Lazarus - St. Lazarus

Control of the Mediterranean Sea - After the loss of the Holy Land, the Johannites set themselves a new goal: protecting Christian ships from Muslim pirates and freeing the slaves they had captured.

Hymn- Ave Crux Alba

Symbols and shrines of the Johannites

Owl - symbol of the wisdom of the order

The right hand (right hand) of St. John the Baptist. The palm is missing two fingers, the little finger and the middle one

2. Location of the Order and chronology

2.1. In the Holy Land

1098 - 1291, Jerusalem

1244, Battle of Forbia. The Order of St. Lazarus lost its master and all its knights, including lepers.

1255, the status of the Hospitallers of Lazarus is confirmed by a bull of Pope Alexander IV

1262, Pope Urban IV also confirms the Lazarite charter

2.2. On islands

1291 - 1310, Cyprus

1306 - 1522, Rhodes

1348, on the island of Lazaretto in the Venetian Lagoon, the Green Knights founded the Leper Infirmary

1523 - 1530, seven years of wandering

1530 - 1798, Malta

1789 - 1799, during the French Revolution, Louis XVIII, while in exile, as Grand Master of the Green Knights, called them to himself

2.3. Order in Russia

1798 - 1803, St. Petersburg

1798 - 1801, Paul becomes the 72nd Grand Master of the Order of Johannes I . He establishes, in addition to the Catholic one, an Orthodox Priory. 12 conspirators kill him in the Mikhailovsky Castle (St. Petersburg).

1928, in Paris, a complete list of Hereditary Commanders of the Russian Priory is provided, these are 23 names, 10 of which have already died. The living 12 commanders sign the Declaration on the re-establishment of the Orthodox Order of John. The Order of Malta does not recognize its Orthodox brethren, but their organization continues to exist as the Union of Descendants of Hereditary Commanders under the patronage of the House of Romanov.

2.4. Currently in Rome

1853, death of the last Lazarite knighted before the French Revolution

2008 - 2017, Matthew Festing - 79th Grand Master of the Hospitallers

2012, split of the Order and founding of Saint Lazare International in Jerusalem, with its own Grand Master

On April 16, 2012, the Vatican Secretariat of State published a statement on April 16 in response to frequent inquiries to the Holy See regarding its relationship to a particular order of knighthood. The Apostolic Capital explained that there are only 5 orders that are given the title of knighthood: the Supreme Order of Christ, the Order of the Golden Spur, the Order of Pius IX, the Order of St. Gregory the Great and the Order of St. Sylvester. The Holy See also recognizes the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and the Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem as knightly. Other orders - new institutions and everything connected with them - are not recognized by the Holy See, since it does not guarantee their historical and legal legitimacy, their goals and organizational systems. In this regard, the Secretariat of State warns that one must refrain from holding ceremonies in churches and places of worship for the presentation of knighthood diplomas or awards issued without the consent and recognition of the Holy See. Such events are said to be spiritually detrimental to many “people of good will.”

2013, Matthew Festing, who has served as Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta since 2008, spoke about the current situation in the order, which will celebrate the 900th anniversary of its founding on February 9, 2013. The Order currently has 13, 5 thousand knights and has diplomatic relations with 104 states, AP reports. “On the one hand we are a sovereign state, on the other hand we are a religious order, on the third hand we are a humanitarian organization. So we are a mixture of all of these,” said Master. Matthew Festing hopes that in the near future it will be possible to make it easier for people of non-aristocratic origin to join the order, especially in Europe. “Of course, this principle [the principle of recruiting new members of the order only from noble families] is not outdated - but we should not forget that we live in the 21st century. In order to become a knight of our order in Europe, indeed, belonging to noble blood is one of the conditions. But this is only one of the conditions - there are a number of other requirements. In other places - Australia, Central and North America, Southeast Asia - the requirements for new members are based on different principles,” said Matthew Festing.

2015, the official process of beatification of the deceased began Andrew Bertie '78 Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitality Order of Saint John, Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta. Andrew Bertie became the head of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in 1988 and served the order until his death in 2008. Under his leadership, the Knights of Malta provided aid to the poor and sick throughout the world. Andrew Bertie is the first Knights of Malta leader to be beatified. The inaugural mass for the beatification process, which was also attended by Cardinal Raymond Burke, patron of the Knights of Malta, was officiated by Cardinal Agostino Vallini, Vicar of the Diocese of Rome.

On December 10, 2016, the 50th Grand Master of the Green Knights - Jan, Count of Dobrzynski and Dobrzycki, was consecrated by Pope Francis as Commander of the Papal Equestrian Order

25 January 2017, Grand Master of the Order of Malta Matthew Festing (No. 79) resigned after conflict with the Vatican. This was reported by Reuters. This happened as a result of Festing’s personal meeting with Pope Francis. “The pope asked him to leave his post and he agreed,” an order spokesman said. Now the decision must be approved by the government of the order - the Sovereign Council. After Festing's final resignation and until the election of a new Grand Master, Grand Commander Ludwig Hoffmann von Rumerstein will act as head of the order. This step came as a surprise to the knights - as a rule, the master holds his post for life. Festing's resignation was led to by a conflict with the Holy See after the overthrow of the Grand Hospitaller of the Order, Albrecht Freiherr von Boeselager, due to his too liberal interpretation of the dogmas of Catholicism. When the pontiff created a commission to investigate the circumstances of the incident, the order issued a statement in which it asked the Vatican not to interfere in its internal affairs. The Order of Malta is a knightly religious order of the Catholic Church. It has observer status at the UN and the Council of Europe and maintains diplomatic relations with 105 states. The order itself considers itself a state, although this assertion is disputed by many international lawyers. At the same time, the order issues its own passports, prints stamps and currency. The Grand Master of the order is the papal viceroy.

Since 2017, Ludwig Hoffmann von Rumerstein has been acting as Master until the elections.

May 2, 2018, b the former locum tenens of the Order of Malta, Giacomo Dalla Torre, was elected grand master. This was announced on Wednesday by the press service of the ancient religious order at the end of the meeting of the State Council, at which the vote took place.As locum tenens, 74-year-old Giacomo Dalla Torre, elected to this post a year ago after the resignation of Grand Master Matthew Festing, was supposed to reform the order's constitution. Dalla Torre became the 80th Grand Master and must take the oath before the Vatican Under-Secretary of State for General Affairs, Archbishop Angelo Becciu, who was appointed papal delegate to the order after Festing's resignation. The Grand Master is elected for life. Dalla Torre has been the head of the Grand Priory of Rome since 2008 (one of the 12 oldest associations of the order) and belongs to the upper class (first class) of knights, who represent the religious elite of the order and from which its head can be chosen. Dalla Torre joined the order in 1985, and in 1993 he took a vow of obedience. He had already been Grand Commander (second in command of the order) and then Locum Tenens (temporary head of the order) after the death of Grand Master Andrew Willoughby Ninian Bertie in 2008, before the election of Matthew Festing to the post.

3. Structure of the Order

Eight Languages ​​of the Order

1. Provence, symbol - Archangel Michael, emblem - coat of arms of Jerusalem

2. Auvergne, symbol - St. Sebastian, emblem - Blue Dolphin

3. France, symbol - St. Paul, emblem - coat of arms of France

4. Castile and Leon, symbol - St. James the Lesser, emblem - coat of arms of Castile and Leon

5. Aragon, symbol - St. George the Victorious, emblem - Mother of God

6. Italy, symbol - Catherine of Bologna, emblem - blue inscription ITALIA

7. England, symbol - Flagellation of Christ, emblem - coat of arms of England

8. Germany, symbol - Epiphany, emblem - Black double-headed eagle

Management of the Order

At the head of the order was the Grand Master (Master). His rule was elective and usually lifelong, although there were cases of overthrow and even murder of Grand Masters. The master made decisions on all current affairs of the order. However, his power was not unlimited. He was subordinate to the General Chapter, which met at the headquarters of the order usually once a year at the proposal of the Grand Master and determined the policy of the order for the near future. The competence of the Chapter also included the election of the Master. The Pope and the kings of the Crusader states very rarely interfered in these elections; From the 15th century, however, the practice of transferring this position to his protégés began.

The Grand Master's closest associates were:

Grand Commander - Deputy Grand Master and administrative and economic head of the order

Seneschal - dealt with military issues, weapons and the construction of fortresses

Grand Hospitaller - was responsible for the charitable activities of the order, sanitary and medical issues

Great Sacristan - responsible for clothing and partly for military uniforms

Grand Treasurer - was responsible for the finances and treasures of the order.

4. Hospitaller buildings

Famous Hospitaller fortresses

Krak des Chevaliers (Syria)

Markab Fortress (Syria)

Fortress in Akko (Israel)

Rhodes Fortress (Greece)

Fortress in Kusadasi (Türkiye)

Fortress on the island of Halicarnassus (Türkiye)

Hospitaller Library

From the moment of its founding, the Order began diligently replenishing its Charlemagne library with ancient books on philosophy, medicine, including palmistry, shipbuilding and navigation... and now their collection of ancient works is very large.

I became interested in the history of the Order of Hospitallers when I was planning to vacation on the island of Rhodes. These knights were based on the island for several centuries and were known as the Knights of Rhodes. But now the Order of Hospitallers is better known as the Order of Malta.

Initially, it united monks, who were also warriors - knights. This order of chivalry, considered the oldest, was founded during the First Crusade in 1113. That year, Pope Paschal II issued a papal bull.

The symbol of the members of the order is a white eight-pointed cross.

Interior decoration of the Maltese Chapel (St. Petersburg)

Initially, the task of the Order of Hospitallers was to welcome pilgrims to the Holy Land. The Order provided pilgrims with overnight accommodation and medical care. The Latin word "hospital" translates as "guest". In 1107, King Baldwin I of Jerusalem allocated land in Jerusalem to the Ionite Order (as the order was also called).

At first, the Order of the Hospitallers was not involved in military operations, but over time the monks began to guard pilgrims. To do this, they built fortified points and hospitals throughout Europe.

However, Christians did not rule the Middle East for long. In 1187, Saladin invades the Kingdom of Jerusalem and captures Jerusalem. When Jerusalem fell, the Hospitallers moved their residence to Acre.

The Knights of the Hospitaller Order left Acre in 1291, first they moved to the island of Cyprus, then in 1307 to , which they recaptured from Byzantium.

In Rhodes, the knightly order reached its peak. Here, in the palace of the Grand Master, the leadership of the Order of the Hospitallers was located: Master, Prior and administration of the Order.

The administration of the Order of St. John consisted of eight Bailiffs: the Commander-in-Chief (managed the general property), the Marshal (chief of the military staff), the General Hospitaller (managed the hospitals), the Drapier (responsible for the supply of the armed forces), the Chief Admiral (managed the fleet), the Turcopolier (managed mercenaries), Chief Chancellor (managed the office), Chief Bailiff (responsible in Rhodes for protecting the defense of the castle of St. Peter). Each of the managers managed branches in Europe.

All members of the Order were divided into three main classes: knights, priests and combat sergeants. Later a fourth class appeared - sisters.

Knights, depending on their origin, were divided into: full-fledged knights, obedient, loyal and preferential. Of course, in order to occupy a high position in the order, it was necessary to come from a good family, but with talent and perseverance, a knight could make a career.

Street of Knights Rhodes

After the Order of the Hospitallers left the Holy Land and settled in Rhodes, it became not just a military order, but a naval order. It was thanks to the presence of the fleet that the Order of St. John outlived all others. The Hospitallers raided Muslim ports and ships, seizing rich booty, including hostages. Nowadays they would call it piracy.

In 1480, the Turks attempted to capture Rhodes, but the knights fought back. However, in 1522, the Ottoman Empire captured the island.

The terms of surrender were very lenient. The Sultan promised that the Catholic faith would be preserved on the island, the churches would not be desecrated, and the Order would be able to leave the island with all its ships, relics, weapons and wealth.

The knights, left homeless, began to wander, and the Grand Master negotiated with European monarchs about their location.

The Order eventually agreed to the island of Malta, which was granted to them by King Charles V of Sicily on March 24, 1530.

The conditions of ownership were an annual tribute in the form of 1 falcon (paid accurately until 1798), not using the harbor of Malta by ships of the Order in conflict with Sicily and recognition of vassalage from the King of Spain. Although in fact it was assumed that the Order's fleet would fight Algerian pirates.

picture from the site: http://ru-malta.livejournal.com/193546.html

The Hospitallers were also involved in the ebony trade, that is, they exported slaves from Africa to America.

Gradually, the Order of Malta became increasingly dependent on the emperor and the Pope. In 1628, the Pope decreed that in the period between the death of one grandmaster and the election of another, the Order was governed directly by the Pope. This gave the Vatican the opportunity to radically influence the election of a new grandmaster.

Through its representatives, the Vatican gradually took away the property of the Order. The Order is in decline.

When the Mediterranean states created their own naval forces in the 17th-18th centuries, the Maltese was no longer needed. Eventually Napoleon conquered Malta and the order lost its sovereignty.

By the end of the eighteenth century, the Russian fleet became the main threat to the fleet of the Ottoman Empire. This led to a rapprochement between the Order of Malta and the Russian Tsar. In 1797, Paul I organized a new main priory on the territory of the Russian Empire and prepared a campaign of ships in defense of the Order of Malta.

However, after his murder in the Mikhailovsky (Engineers) Castle on the night of March 13, 1801, the Order of Malta left Russia.

On February 9, 1803, the Pope appointed Giovanni-Battista Tommasi as grand master of the Order, who temporarily placed the residence of the Order first in Catania, then in Messina on the island of Sicily.

At the end of the Napoleonic wars, the Paris Agreement of the victorious powers on March 30, 1814, Malta was finally recognized as a possession of the British crown.

After Tomassi's death in 1805, the Order eked out a miserable existence. No more than thirty people with the title of knight and a small number of service personnel live in the Order's Residence. After leaving Malta, the Order no longer has any military power and will never have again. The head of the order is approved by the Pope and bears the title of lieutenant master. The Order does not even have the opportunity to invite members of the Order living in the priories to elections. Actually, the Order exists only in name.

In 1831, the seat of the Order moved to Rome to the building of the Grand Priory of the Order in Rome, Palazzo Malta on Aventine Hill, and then to the building of the former residence of the Order's ambassador to the Papal See, Palazzo Malta on Via Condotti. via Condotti) near Piazza di Spagna.

In 1910, the Order organized a field hospital that would save many lives during the Italo-Libyan War of 1912. The Order's hospital ship "Regina Margarita" will transport more than 12 thousand wounded from the combat area.

During the First World War, a whole network of field hospitals of the Order operated in Germany, Austria, and France.

In the post-war period, the Order continued and is still engaged in humanitarian and medical activities, mainly in countries professing Catholicism.

Today the Order has about 10 thousand members and ranks second in number among Catholic organizations after the Jesuit Order (a purely monastic religious non-military organization).

Currently, the Order includes 6 Main Priories (Rome, Venice, Sicily, Austria, Czech Republic, England) and 54 national commanderies, one of which is in Russia.

Knightly Orders in history are quite an interesting phenomenon. On the one hand, stories about them are shrouded in romanticism and mysticism, and on the other, various kinds of outrages and barbarism. It is known that from 1100 to 1300, 12 knightly spiritual orders were formed in Europe, but three orders turned out to be the most viable and famous. These are the Order of the Templars, the Hospitallers and the Teutonic Order. In this article we will look at them in more detail and try to fill the gaps in this topic.

Order of the Tamliers

Officially, this order was called the “Secret Knighthood of Christ and the Temple of Solomon,” but in Europe it was better known as the Order of the Knights of the Temple. His residence was in Jerusalem, on the site where, according to legend, the temple of King Solomon (temple - temple (French)) was located. The knights themselves were called templars. The creation of the order was proclaimed in 1118-1119 by nine French knights led by Hugo de Payns from Champagne. For nine years these nine knights remained silent, not a single chronicler of that time mentions them. But in 1127 they returned to France and declared themselves. And in 1128 the Church Council in Troyes (Champagne) officially recognized the order.

The Templar seal depicted two knights riding the same horse, which was supposed to speak of poverty and brotherhood. The symbol of the order was a white cloak with a red eight-pointed cross.

The goal of its members was “to take care, as far as possible, of roads and paths, and especially of the protection of pilgrims.” The charter prohibited any secular entertainment, laughter, singing, etc. Knights were required to take three vows: chastity, poverty and obedience. The discipline was strict: “Everyone does not follow his own will at all, but is more concerned about obeying the orderer.” The Order becomes an independent combat unit, subordinate only to the Grand Master (de Paynes was immediately proclaimed by him) and the Pope.

From the very beginning of their activities, the Templars gained great popularity in Europe. Despite and at the same time thanks to the vow of poverty, the order begins to accumulate great wealth. Each member donated his fortune to the order free of charge. The order received large possessions as a gift from the French king, the English king, and noble lords. In 1130, the Templars already had possessions in France, England, Scotland, Flanders, Spain, Portugal, and by 1140 - in Italy, Austria, Germany, Hungary and the Holy Land. In addition, the templars not only protected pilgrims, but also considered it their direct duty to attack trade caravans and rob them.

Templars by the 12th century. became owners of unheard of wealth and owned not only lands, but also shipyards, ports, and had a powerful fleet. They lent money to impoverished monarchs and thereby could influence government affairs. By the way, it was the Templars who were the first to introduce accounting documents and bank checks.
The Knights of the Temple encouraged the development of science, and it is not surprising that many technical achievements (for example, the compass) were primarily in their hands. Skilled knight surgeons healed the wounded - this was one of the duties of the order.

In the 11th century The Templars, as “the bravest and most experienced people in military affairs,” were granted the fortress of Gaza in the Holy Land. But arrogance brought a lot of harm to the “soldiers of Christ” and was one of the reasons for the defeat of Christians in Palestine. In 1191, the collapsed walls of the last fortress defended by the Templars, Saint-Jean-d'Acre, buried not only the Templars and their Grand Master, but also the glory of the order as an invincible army. The Templars moved from Palestine first to Cyprus, and then finally to Europe. Huge land holdings, powerful financial resources and the presence of knights of the order among high dignitaries forced the governments of Europe to reckon with the Templars and often resort to their help as arbitrators.
In the 13th century, when the Pope declared a crusade against the heretics - the Cathars and the Albigensians, the Templiers, the support of the Catholic Church, almost openly came out on their side.

In their pride, the Templars imagined themselves omnipotent. In 1252, the English king Henry III, outraged by their behavior, threatened the Templars with confiscation of land holdings. To which the Grand Master replied: “As long as you do justice, you will rule. If you violate our rights, you are unlikely to remain king.” And this was not a simple threat. The Order could do it! The Knights Templar were many influential people in the kingdom, and the will of the overlord turned out to be less sacred than the oath of allegiance to the order.

In the XIV century. King Philip IV the Fair of France decided to get rid of the obstinate order, which, due to lack of affairs in the East, began to interfere, and very actively, in the state affairs of Europe. Philip did not at all want to be in the place of Henry of England. In addition, the king needed to solve his financial problems: he owed the Templars a huge amount of money, but he did not want to give it back.

Philip used a trick. He asked to be accepted into the order. But Grand Master Jean de Male politely but firmly refused him, realizing that the king wanted to take his place in the future. Then the Pope (whom Philip placed on the throne) invited the Templar Order to unite with its eternal rivals - the Hospitallers. In this case, the independence of the order would be lost. But the master again refused.

Then, in 1307, Philip the Fair ordered the secret arrest of all Templars in the kingdom. They were accused of heresy, serving the devil and witchcraft. (This was due to the mysterious rites of initiation into members of the order and the subsequent preservation of the secrecy of its actions.)

The investigation lasted seven years. Under torture, the templars confessed to everything, but during a public trial they renounced their testimony. On March 18, 1314, the Grand Master de Male and Prior of Normandy were burnt to death. Before his death, the Grand Master cursed the king and the Pope: “Pope Clement! King Philip! Not even a year will pass before I call you to God’s judgment!” The curse came true: the Pope died two weeks later, and the king died in the fall. Most likely they were poisoned by the templars, skilled in making poisons.

Although Philip the Fair failed to organize the persecution of the Templars throughout Europe, the former power of the Templars was undermined. The remnants of this order were never able to unite, although its symbols continued to be used. Christopher Columbus discovered America under the Templar flag: a white banner with a red eight-pointed cross.

The official name is “The Order of the Horsemen of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem” (gospitalis - guest (Latin); originally the word “hospital” meant “hospital”). In 1070, a hospital for pilgrims to holy places was founded in Palestine by the merchant Mauro from Amalfi. Gradually, a brotherhood was formed there to care for the sick and wounded. It grew stronger, grew, began to exert quite a strong influence, and in 1113 it was officially recognized by the Pope as a spiritual knightly order.

Knights took three vows: poverty, chastity and obedience. The symbol of the order was an eight-pointed white cross. It was originally located on the left shoulder of the black robe. The mantle had very narrow sleeves, which symbolized the monk's lack of freedom. Later, knights began to wear red robes with a cross sewn on the chest. The order had three categories: knights, chaplains and serving brethren. Since 1155, the Grand Master, who was proclaimed Raymond de Puy, became the head of the order. The General Chapter met to make the most important decisions. Members of the chapter gave the Grand Master a purse with eight denarii, which was supposed to symbolize the knights’ renunciation of wealth.

Initially, the main task of the order was caring for the sick and wounded. The main hospital in Palestine housed about 2 thousand beds. The knights distributed free aid to the poor and organized free lunches for them three times a week. The Hospitallers had a shelter for foundlings and infants. All sick and wounded had the same conditions: clothing and food of the same quality, regardless of origin. From the middle of the 12th century. The main responsibility of the knights becomes the war against infidels and the protection of pilgrims. The Order already has possessions in Palestine and Southern France. The Johannites, like the Templars, began to gain great influence in Europe.

At the end of the 12th century, when Christians were driven out of Palestine, the Johannites settled in Cyprus. But this situation did not suit the knights much. And in 1307, Grand Master Falcon de Villaret led the Johannites to storm the island of Rhodes. The local population, afraid of losing their independence, fiercely resisted. However, two years later the knights finally gained a foothold on the island and created strong defensive structures there. Now the Hospitallers, or, as they came to be called, the “Knights of Rhodes,” became an outpost of Christians in the East. In 1453, Constantinople fell - Asia Minor and Greece were completely in the hands of the Turks. The knights expected an attack on the Oszhrov. It was not slow to follow. In 1480 the Turks attacked the island of Rhodes. The knights survived and repelled the attack. The Ioannites simply “became an eyesore to the Sultan” with their presence near its very shores, making it difficult to rule the Mediterranean Sea. Finally, the Turks' patience was exhausted. In 1522, Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent vowed to expel Christians from his domains. The island of Rhodes was besieged by a 200,000-strong army on 700 ships. The Johannites held out for three months before Grand Master Villiers de Lille Adan surrendered his sword to the Sultan. The Sultan, respecting the courage of his opponents, released the knights and even helped them with the evacuation.

The Johannites had almost no land in Europe. And so the defenders of Christianity arrived on the shores of Europe, which they had defended for so long. Holy Roman Emperor Charles V offered the Hospitallers the Maltese archipelago to live in. From now on, the Knights Hospitaller became known as the Order of the Knights of Malta. The Maltese continued their fight against the Turks and sea pirates, fortunately the order had its own fleet. In the 60s XVI century Grand Master Jean de la Valette, having at his disposal 600 knights and 7 thousand soldiers, repelled the attack of a 35 thousand-strong army of selected Janissaries. The siege lasted four months: the knights lost 240 cavaliers and 5 thousand soldiers, but fought back.

In 1798, Bonaparte, going with an army to Egypt, took the island of Malta by storm and expelled the Knights of Malta from there. Once again the Johannites found themselves homeless. This time they found refuge in Russia, whose emperor, Paul I, they proclaimed Grand Master as a sign of gratitude. In 1800, the island of Malta was captured by the British, who had no intention of returning it to the Knights of Malta.

After the assassination of Paul I by the conspirators, the Johannites did not have a Grand Master or a permanent headquarters. Finally, in 1871, Jean-Baptiste Cescia-Santa Croce was proclaimed Grand Master.

Already from 1262, in order to join the Order of the Hospitallers, it was necessary to have a noble origin. Subsequently, there were two categories of those entering the order - knights by birthright (cavalieri di giustizzia) and by vocation (cavalieri di grazzia). The latter category includes people who do not have to provide evidence of noble birth. It was enough for them to prove that their father and grandfather were not slaves and artisans. Also, monarchs who proved their loyalty to Christianity were accepted into the order. Women could also be members of the Order of Malta. Grand Masters were chosen only from knights of noble birth. The Grand Master was almost a sovereign sovereign, Fr. Malta. The symbols of his power were the crown, the “dagger of faith” - the sword and the seal. From the Pope, the Grand Master received the title of “guardian of the Jerusalem court” and “guardian of the army of Christ.” The order itself was called the “Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem."

The knights had certain responsibilities to the order - they could not leave the barracks without the permission of the Grand Master, they spent a total of 5 years in the convention (dormitory, more precisely, the barracks of the knights) on the island. Malta. The knights had to sail on the ships of the order for at least 2.5 years - this duty was called a “caravan”.

By the middle of the 19th century. The Order of Malta is transforming from a military one into a spiritual and charitable corporation, which it remains to this day. The residence of the Knights of Malta is now located in Rome.

The Cross of the Order of Malta has served since the 18th century. one of the highest awards in Italy, Austria, Prussia, Spain and Russia. Under Paul I it was called the cross of St. John of Jerusalem.

In the 12th century. in Jerusalem there was a hospital (hospital) for German-speaking pilgrims. He became the predecessor of the Teutonic Order. Initially, the Teutons occupied a subordinate position in relation to the Order of the Hospitallers. But then in 1199 the Pope approved the charter of the order, and Henry Walpot was proclaimed Grand Master. However, only in 1221 were all the privileges that the other, senior orders of the Templars and Johannites had extended to the Teutons.

The knights of the order took vows of chastity, obedience and poverty. Unlike other orders, whose knights were of different “languages” (nationalities), the Teutonic Order was mainly composed of German knights.
The symbols of the order were a white cloak and a simple black cross.

The Teutons very quickly abandoned their duties of protecting pilgrims and treating the wounded in Palestine. Any attempts by the Teutons to interfere in the affairs of the powerful Holy Roman Empire were suppressed. Fragmented Germany did not provide the opportunity to expand, as the Templars did in France and England. Therefore, the Order began to engage in “good activities” - to carry the word of Christ to the eastern lands with fire and sword, leaving others to fight for the Holy Sepulcher. The lands that the knights conquered became their possession under the supreme power of the order. In 1198, the knights became the main striking force of the crusade against the Livs and conquered the Baltic states, at the beginning of the 13th century. founding the city of Riga. This is how the state of the Teutonic Order was formed. Further, in 1243, the knights conquered the Prussians and took the northern lands from the Polish state.

There was another German order - the Livonian Order. In 1237, the Teutonic Order united with him and decided to move to conquer the northern Russian lands, expanding its borders and strengthening its influence. In 1240, the order's allies, the Swedes, suffered a crushing defeat from Prince Alexander Yaroslavich on the Neva. And in 1242
The same fate befell the Teutons - about 500 knights died, and 50 were taken prisoner. The plan to annex Russian territory to the lands of the Teutonic Order was a complete failure.

The Teutonic Grand Masters were constantly afraid of the unification of Rus' and tried to prevent this by any means. However, a powerful and dangerous enemy stood in their way - the Polish-Lithuanian state. In 1409, war broke out between him and the Teutonic Order. The combined forces in 1410 defeated the Teutonic knights at the Battle of Grunwald. But the Order's misfortunes did not end there. The Grand Master of the order, like the Maltese, was a sovereign sovereign. In 1511, he became Albert of Hohenzollern, who, being a “good Catholic,” did not support the Reformation, which was fighting against the Catholic Church. And in 1525 he proclaimed himself the secular sovereign of Prussia and Brandenburg and deprived the order of both possessions and privileges. After such a blow, the Teutons never recovered, and the order continued to eke out a miserable existence.

In the 20th century German fascists extolled the previous merits of the order and its ideology. They also used the symbols of the Teutons. Remember, the Iron Cross (a black cross on a white background) is an important award of the “Third Reich”. However, the members of the order themselves were persecuted, apparently as having failed to live up to their trust. The Teutonic Order exists in Germany to this day.