The Knights of the Order of Malta
The Knights of St. John, the Knights Hospitaller or the Knights of Malta. There are many names that this order has been called throughout history, which began in the 11th century and continues today.
The history of Malta and the country's current state cannot be understood without knowing who the Hospitaller Knights were. The traces of this order founded in Jerusalem are still present in many towns and villages on the island, and its symbol, the eight-pointed cross, is also the country's icon.
Origins of the Order
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John was founded in the year 1050 when a group of men set up a hospital to attend to pilgrims arriving every year to the Holy Land.
When these knights had been granted the Pope's approval to carry out their hospitaller work, their expansion and rapid growth began. They founded hospitals in Rhodes, as well as other cities and thus established themselves as an official order with a hierarchy and military values.
In the year 1530, the monarch, Charles V passed the islands of Malta onto the Knights of Malta to contain attacks by the Ottoman Empire on his assets in Europe. The Knights subsequently settled in the Three Cities, where they built defensive fortifications.
The Great Siege of Malta
In 1565, a few years after the Knights had settled in Malta, the Ottoman troops attacked the archipelago to conquer these valuable islands and control the trade routes in the Mediterranean.
The Knights of Malta were a much lesser force than that of the Ottoman Empire, however, they managed to hold out for several months and were consistently supported by their fellow people who fought with courage and bravery. The victory of the Knights, who fought under the command of the Grand Master Jean Parisot de la Valette, brought great wealth and international support to the islands of Malta.
A few years after the Great Siege of Malta, the Knights built a new city called Valletta, which is now the capital.
The legacy of the Knights
The Hospitaller Knights governed Malta for around 250 years until Napoleon's troops took the island and exiled them.
During their period of governance, the Knights built several cities and towns in Malta, providing them with urban structures and important buildings. The main legacy of the Knights is the Co-cathedral of St. John, Fort Saint Elmo, the Grand Master's Palace and the Manoel Theatre.
