The hospital military sovereign Order of Midsummer's Day of Jerusalem, Rhodos and Malta , more commonly called, according to the times, Order of the Hospital , hospital Order , Order of Rhodos , Religion or Order of Malta , is a sovereign catholic organization with humane vocation, created in the middle of the 11th century by Latin originating in Amalfi (Campanie, Italy) of the monastery Saint-Jean-L' Chaplain with Jerusalem.
Installed in turn to Jerusalem, Cyprus, Rhodos, Malta and finally Rome since 1834, this order, at the same time religious and military, since its creation is turned towards the poor and the patients under the terms of the first rule of the Order: To protect the faith, to help the poor ones, to accommodate the homeless persons, to look after the patients and to work for peace and the good in the world . Nevertheless, during its long existence, it was also one of the principal ramparts of the Christian Occident, during the Croisade S initially, then at the time where its sailors aguerris furrowed the the Mediterranean, before developing starting from the Renaissance, an envied medical knowledge and universally recognized.
Today, the seat of the Order is with Rome, Via dei Condotti close to the Place of Spain. Its seat and its Palate of the Aventin enjoy a statute of Extraterritorialité, thus making it possible the “Order of Malta” to be considered, rightly, like the only governmental structure in the world with humane vocation.
Its current humanitarian actions remain mainly turned towards the Pauvre t-piece. The Order is also very active in the fight against the Lèpre and overall the medical care; moreover, one can note the existence of specific missions of Secourisme S emergency at the time of natural disasters or assistance Humanitaire towards the refugees at the time of armed conflicts, which currently ensures its presence in more than 120 countries throughout the world.
The official currency of the Order, in Latin, is: ( Defense of the Faith and Assistance to the Poor ). Its members are often called the “Hospitalier S”, or the “black Moines” because of their clothes of chorus.
History
v.1080-1522: from Jerusalem to Rhodos
v.1080-1291: Jerusalem
Origins
The Order has its origins with the founded monastery Holy-Marie-of-Latin with Jerusalem, in the middle of the 11th century, by merchants Amalfi silverings. The superior, Gerard Tenque, creates towards 1080 beside his monastery a “hospital” (or old people's home) dedicated to Jean the Baptist. Its role is to accommodate and look after the Christians come to achieve a pilgrimage in Holy Land. Jerusalem is, at that time, under Moslem domination.
Organization of the order
At the time of the First Crusade in 1099, Jerusalem passes under Christian domination. This catch, wanted by the pope Urbain II, reinforces in an important way the insecurity in the area. This is why the hospitallers, recognized like monastic order the February 15th 1113 by the Pope Pascal II, become quickly after their foundation a military Ordre, the Holy Land second after the Templiers. Raymond of Puy, Large Master of the Order between 1120 and 1160, takes care of this transformation by structuring it into three classes: the bellatores (warlike - i.e. soldiers) constitute the first class, the sacerdotes (monks) the second, the other members being gathered within a third class, the laboratores (i.e. workers). The Church protests a time against the militarization of the Order by recalling him that its first duty is to help the poor and the patients; but after the catch of Jerusalem in 1187 by Saladin, one puts up with this solution. The members of the Order take as war cry: '' Midsummer's Day, Midsummer's Day! '', the reason is that Jean the Baptist is the protective saint about Malta. At the request of Raymond of Puy, the pope Innocent II allots to Hospital, in 1130, the red flag with white cross - such as it floats still nowadays on the palates of the order -. But it will be necessary to await the publication in 1496 “ princeps of the Order ” so that the form of the cross to four branches bifides finds a significance spiritual through the eight blisses of the Christ. Before this date, the various illustrations show the dress marked of a pattée Croix, potencée, some simple times bifide, but seldom .
In 1153, the pope Eugene III gives his approval of the Rule of the Hospital ones. Like Templiers, the Hospital ones then will play, until the 13th century, a leading role on the political chessboard of the Royaume of Jerusalem. In 1137, they receive Foulques I {{er}}, king de Jérusalem, the guard of the fortress of Bath-Gibelin; in 1142 that of the Krak of the Knights. Their military structure and their fortified towns make a very effective army of it, even if she does not hesitate to interfere into the control of the kingdom, forming at the court a true “party of the war”, which is opposed to the “foalta”, frank lords born out of Holy Land, more favorable to an agreement with the Moslems.
In 1181, appear the first official statutes of the Order concerning the reception of the patients.
The power of the Order comes above all from its possessions to Occident. Indeed, its double vocation, soldier and monastic, attract the favors of the nobility to him, which feels nearer to these monk-knights than ecclesiastical institutions. That is particularly striking in the South of France and the Iberian peninsula. The king Alphonse I {{er}} of Aragon goes until leaving the third of his kingdom to the military orders with his death in 1134. The Hospital ones organize these received gifts of the Occident in commanderies, themselves gathered as priories, then as large priories, whose chiefs, the priors, answer directly the large-Master, supreme leader of the Order. These commanderies, managed by too old brothers to fight, send out of Holy Land subsidies necessary to the continuation of the fight against the Moslems.
In 1206 appear the first official and known statutes of the Order: in agreement with division in three orders of the medieval company, they confirm the three classes established by Raymond of Puy:
- those which fight, noble knights and sergeants commoners.
- those which request, the chaplains
- those which work, being useful brothers
The exodus following the loss of Saint Jean d' Acre
The Order follows the vicissitudes of the Latin States of Holy Land and their progressive retreat towards the coast. The May 28th 1291, the crusaders lose Saint Jean d' Acre at the conclusion of a bloody battle during which the Large hospital Master, Guillaume de Villiers, is seriously wounded. The Christians are then obliged to leave the Holy Land and the religious orders such as the Templiers and the Hospitaliers do not escape this exodus. The Great control of the order is then moved with Cyprus.
1291-1309: Cyprus
With the difference of the Templier S, which reorganize in Occident, the Order is folded up towards Cyprus where already the titular king of Jerusalem is, Henri II of Lusignan, which sees of an evil eye such a powerful organization being installed on its kingdom. There, the Order founds in 1301 a structure worked out for its possessions in Occident based on the “Languages”. These “Languages” are regional groupings of large priories, themselves regroupings of commanderies. They are seven, then eight starting from 1492, and each one is directed by a pillar, which one will call later Baillif:
- the “Language of Provence”: all South of France in addition to Provence, with two great priories, Toulouse and Saint-Gilles; the pillar of Provence is large commander and second the large-Master in his functions.
- the “Language of Auvergne”: all the center of France; only one great priory, that of Bourganeuf; the baillif of Auvergne has the statute of Maréchal, ordering army which the Order constitutes.
- the “Language of France”: cover in fact only the north of France, with the large priories of Aquitaine (seat with Poitiers), of Champagne and France; the baillif of France is the Large hospital one of the Order; he has as a function to manage the charitable activities of the Order.
- the “Language of Spain”: it recovers all the Iberian peninsula, with the large priories of Amposta or Aragon, of Catalogne, Castille and León, of Navarre and Portugal; the baillif of Spain east clothier of the Order (this load will be, after 1492, that of the Baillif of Aragon), i.e. it is in load of clothing for the brothers and the patients. In 1492 an eighth Language is made up because of the scission of that of Spain in two parts:
- : * the “Language of Castille” guard the Castille, León and the Portugal. After 1492, the pillar of Castille is large chancellor of the Order.
- : * the “Language of Aragon” inherits Amposta, the Catalogne and Navarre
- the “Language of Italy”: large priories of Metz-native, Barletta, Capoue, Rome, Pisa, Lombardy and Venice; the baillif of Italy is the admiral of the fleet about Malte
- the “Language of England”: all British Isles with the large priories of England, Scotland and Ireland; the baillif of England east turcopolier, i.e. ordering light troops.
- the “Language of Germany”: large priories of Bohemia, Denmark, High-Germanic, Low-Germanic, Hungary, Poland and Sweden. The pillar of Germany is the only one not to have a large office.
In 1306, the pope Clément V authorizes the Hospital ones to arm their ships.
This administration, specimen for the time, makes it possible the Order to benefit great from its possessions in Occident and to maintain the hope a reconquest the Holy Land.
1310-1523: Rhodos
Between 1307 and 1310, the Order, whose competition with the king of Cyprus does not cease being accentuated, conquers the island of Rhodos, then under Byzantine sovereignty , which becomes its new seat. Of their insular position, the Hospital ones develop the large fleet which will make their reputation.In 1311, they create the first hospital of the island of Rhodos.
Their richness still increases by the transfer AD providam of the goods of the Templiers, the May 2nd 1312 (except for their possessions of Spain and the Portugal, where two orders are born from ashes about the Temple, the Ordre of Montesa and the order of Christ). The Order of Midsummer's Day, which one starts to call “of Rhodos”, transforms its military action into war of race, then not very different from piracy, attacking even Christian boats and practitioner slavery. Sign of an enrichment of the Order at the same time as of a conquest of sovereignty, the large Masters start to beat currency with their effigy.
In 1344, the Hospital ones conquer the town of Smyrna, in current the Turkey, but lose it in 1402.
But, while the knights of Rhodos exert the maritime control of the Aegean Sea, the Othoman dynasty conquers little by little the territories the failing empire of Byzance and the Latin States of Greece born of the fourth Crusade. In 1396, a crusade supported by the Order essuie a failure strapping with Nicopolis. The sultan Bajazet I {{er}} has from now on the freehands in Balkans. Only its defeat of 1402 vis-a-vis the Mongolian of Tamerlan saves Rhodos. With the failure of Nicopolis, any hope of terrestrial reconquest of the Holy Places by the Order is definitively lost. The knights cannot act any more but by the war of race in the Mediterranean.
In 1440 then in 1444, the island of Rhodos is besieged by the sultan of Egypt, but will never be conquered.
In 1453, the sultan Mahomet II seizes Constantinople; the large Master Jean de Lastic prepares with a seat. This one is put around Rhodos only in 1480 and the large Master Pierre d' Aubusson pushes back with three recoveries the attack of the troops of the pasha Misach, former Byzantine prince converted with Islam, thanks to helps coming from France, led by the proper brother of the large Master, Antoine d' Aubusson. The decisive seat takes place in 1522. The sultan Soliman '' Splendid the '' besieges for five months the town of Rhodos with: 200,000 men and manages to take it only following the treason of the large chancellor of Amaral. Impressed by the heroic resistance of the large Master Philippe de Villiers of Isle-Adam, it grants unrestricted passage to the knights survivors. Carrying in thirty ships their treasure, their files and their relics, of which the invaluable icon of the Virgin of Philerme, one of the symbols of the Order, the knights definitively leave the Eastern Mediterranean and the proximity with the Muslim world on January 1st 1523.
1523-1530: the wandering
The Hospital ones start in 1523 wandering a seven years which leads them to Civitavecchia, in Italy, then, in 1528, the pope Clément VII, old Hospital, the point of disjunction with Viterbe; but finally, they leave for Nice in France little time afterwards.
1530-1798: the Order in Malta
The installation in the archipelago
The emperor Charles Quint, including/understanding the utility which a military order in the Mediterranean vis-a-vis the Othoman projections can have (Algiers is conquered by famous the Barberousse in 1529), entrusts to the Order the archipelago Malta, dependence of the Royaume of Sicily, by an act of the March 24th 1530. The knights find themselves with the outposts of Christendom, but the large Master of Villiers of Isle-Adam always maintains the hope to reestablish in Rhodos. It is only with its death, in 1534, that the Hospital ones give up the East definitively. Vis-a-vis Othoman progress (Tunis is taken in 1534), the borgho , main city of the archipelago, are strengthened. Whereas this threat weighs on the new seat of the Order, the Réforme carries to Northern Europe a great blow to the possessions of the Hospital ones. Many commanderies are secularized and certain great priories cease purely and simply to exist, like those of Sweden and Denmark. In 1540, the king of England Henri VIII removes de facto the Language of England. It is in this difficult context that the Order must face the greatest test of its history: the “large seat” of 1565.
The “large seat” of 1565
The Turkish fleet which presents the May 18th 1565 in front of Malta account more than 160 galères and: 30,000 men, vis-a-vis the 800 knights and: 1,450 soldiers that the large Master Jean Parisot of Valette convened.The Othoman S take seat on the peninsula of Sciberras which dominates Birgu and its Large Port. However at the end of the peninsula the Fort Saint-Elme is that the Othoman S must reduce to silence in order to be able to launch the attack on Birgu. This fort whose fortifications are not completed yet is held by 60 knights and a few hundreds of men. The Othoman chief of the S the Dragut corsair hopes to take the fort in five days. The fifty guns Turkish S start to ram the fort and the Othoman S leave to the attack but the knights resist. However the fort is insulated, encircled by the Othoman galères on a side and other by the terrestrial troops, the numerical weakness of the knights preventing them from launching a counter-attack to break surrounding. The knights, famished, reinforced by the few soldiers who manage to join the fort with the stroke, hold several weeks but the situation quickly becomes critical. That of Saint-Elme falls the June 23rd, two hundred knights find death there.
Moreover, to demoralize the knights remaining of the island, the Othoman commander, Mustapha pasha, lance in the roads of the rafts carrying the crucifiés bodies defenders of the fort of Saint-Elme. In answer to that, Jean Parisot of Valette makes decapitate the prisoners Othoman S and dispatch their heads in the enemy lines with blow of gun.
The Othoman S turn then to Birgu in July but time that they lost vis-a-vis the Fort Saint-Elme was made profitable by the Order to require of the assistance in all the Christian Europe . The two other forts, Saint-Angel and Saint-Michel, hold good, as well as the enclosure of Birgo , whose the Turks, managed to make an entry there the June 7th are pushed back. The situation of besieged Maltese is critical when arrives the September 7th the “Great help”, the Spanish army coming from Sicily. The Turks are constrained with raising the seat. The Turkish S are folded up then leaving approximately: 30,000 died on the ground while the Christian losses rise only with: 9,000 died and 219 killed knights. The Othoman failure is undeniable, this glorious page of the Order opens one long period of prosperity for Malta.
Lépante and seizure of the Order on the Western Mediterranean
After the failure of the seat, the Order is found in the center of the attentions of the European catholic powers. The October 7th 1571, the Hospital ones are illustrated with the Bataille of Lépante, where the fleet of holy Ligue, ordered by gift Juan of Austria, destroyed the Othoman fleet. Another celebrates maritime battle is delivered, the August 16th 1732, in with broad of Damiette in Egypt.After Lépante, the danger in the Mediterranean does not come any more fleet of Othoman war but of the “barbaresque” corsairs of North Africa. The Order launches out again in the corso , the war of race, which of counter-attack which it was in the beginning, quickly becomes a means for the knights of growing rich by the boarding by the cargoes but especially by the trade by slaves, whose Valetta becomes the first Christian center.
The Order enters then during a time of singular changes: the knights beginners him must carry out four “caravans”, four forwardings of race at the time four consecutive years in Malta, but receive the permission often thereafter to be used their sovereign as origin. The central institutions of great magistère grow rich by the race and transform the European commanderies into a system of benefit which makes it possible the aristocracy to place its sons juniors, that it often makes admit in the order as of childhood so that they are placed better in the “race with the commanderies”. Thus, one finds few knights achieving all their career in the order, but on the contrary an important rotation beginners come to often achieve their “caravans”, which, once provided with a commandery, from there will serve their king, in the navy. The French Lord High Admirals of the S, such Coëtlogon, of Estrées, Tourville or Suffren, are all of the knights of Malta.
Malta and culture
With, the island - and thus the Order - of Malta became a meeting place and of refinement where crossed many artists such Caravage, Rubens, Baccio Bandinelli, or . One cannot nevertheless not speak about “Maltese School” in the literal sense because the influences were very diverse; but their heritage, by in particular of many portraits of members of the Order, remains very important.Moreover, the Order of Malta accumulated very many treasures baroques at the 18th century: one finds there in particular tapestries carried out by the Gobelins between 1708 and 1710 and the large library of Malta built between 1786 and 1796 according to the plans of Stefano Ittar. In 1798, one counted there: 80.000 books. Because of the loss of the island in 1798, this library was inaugurated only in 1812 by the English, and it is only in 1976 that it received its current name of “Library national of Malta”.
Malta and medicine
, The Hospitalier S will develop in a very important way the techniques of Médecine and care of the body. One can in particular quote the first anesthesias at the end of the 18th century, with sponges soaked with Opium that the patients sucked until disappearing.But all really begins in 1523 when the Hospital ones innovate in the emergency Médecine by creating the first ship hospital with the Caraque “ Santa Maria ”; then in 1550, during the war against the Othoman corsair Dragut, they install infirmaries of countryside under tents in order to be able to look after the wounded soldiers. In parallel, in 1530, the Large Master Villiers of Isle-Adam creates a “Commission of health” made up of two knights and three notable by installing the first “Crowned infirmary” and a apothicairie on the island of Malta. This complex, innovator at the time, are built on the east coast of the island opposite it port in order to be able as soon as possible to accommodate the casualties conveyed by sea. However, will have to be awaited 1532 so that it is finished.
Later, in 1575, a second hospital will be built on the other side of the island of Malta.
In 1595, the Medical school of Malta is created; later, appear the School of Anatomy and Surgery (1676), then the school of pharmacy of Malta (1671) and finally the medical library of Malta (1687). But will have especially to be awaited 1771 so that creates for itself famous Université of medicine of the island of Malta which will add to famous Mediterranean its medical practices, a world attractivity.
One can also note the creation of the School of mathematics and nautical sciences within the University of Malta in 1782; then, in 1794, the creation of the pulpit of dissection of Malta.
The Revolution and the exile
In 1792, the French revolution confiscates the French goods about Malta, like those of all the other religious orders. The Large priory of France east dissolves this same year. The order then loses the three quarters of its incomes in France.In 1793, the island of Malta escapes from little from a revolt fomented by spies from the Convention.
Following the triumphs of Napoleon Bonaparte in Italy in 1796-97, the large Master Ferdinand de Hompesch request with the tsar of Russia Paul I {{er}} to become the guard of the order. The October 10th 1798, the 249 knights of the Order exiled in Russia proclaim it “Large Master about Malta”, but that is not enough to protect the island and the order from the French invasion by Napoleon in 1798 (which drives out them island), then English in 1800.
The election of Paul I {{er}} in 1798 causes many objections. Indeed, this one is orthodoxe and Marié. This event without precedent in the history of the Order leads the Pope Pie VI not to recognize it like large Master. With the death of Paul I {{er}}, in 1801, his/her son Alexandre I {{er}} of Russia, conscious of this irregularity, decides to restore the old customs and habits of the catholic Order of Hospital, by an edict of the March 16th 1801 by which it leaves the free members profès choose a new chief. Nevertheless, being given impossibility of joining together the whole of the voters, the count Nicholas Soltykoff takes over temporarily the duties of the load. Finally, in 1803, it is agreed that the nomination of the large Master will fall only and exceptionally to the Pope Pie VII then reigning; the February 9th 1803, the pope chooses the elected candidate of the Priory of Russia, the baillif Jean-Baptiste Tommasi.
Since 1798: a State without territory
Driven out, the Order seeks nevertheless to recover its territory with Malta, and succeeds in making pass to Amiens the March 25th 1802 a treaty which envisages the restitution of its insular territory; but this event will not occur because France and England are again in war. The Large Tommassi Master installs the staff of the Order with Messine in Sicily, then with Catane in Italy, while waiting for the possibility of returning to Malta.In 1814, the treaty of Paris recognizes the England (Anglican E) sole owner of the island of Malta, which moves away still a little more the hopes of a return. In 1822 however, the convention of Vérone once again recognizes the legitimacy of the complaints of the Order but in front of an international blockade, the island is not restored to them.
In front of this “State without territory”, the pope Leon XI grants to them in 1826 like cold comfort a convent and a church with Ferrare in Italy. In 1834, anchored well in Italy, the Order installs definitively its staff with Rome with the papal blessing.
Starting from 1864, the international organization in “Languages” about Malta disappears with the profit from creation from “National associations” or “Prieuré S”. In 1879, the pope Leon XIII restores the dignity of “Large Master” who was vacant since the death of Tommassi in 1805.
As from this moment, the Order of Malta created through the Europe (and more largely the world) of the local foundations which will make it possible to perpetuate the initial wishes of the first knights, i.e. “Defense of the Faith and Assistance to the Poor”: In 1951, the cardinal Nicola Canali, Large Master of the equestrian Order of Holy Sepulchre and large Prior about Malta with Rome, in vain tried to be made elect Grand Master about Malta; but the office plurality of these functions with that of Holy Sepulchre was incompatible, one thus refused the possibility to him of arising. Nonsatisfied, the Canali cardinal sought the support of the Vatican in order to withdraw with the Order of Malta his sovereign character and to put it under the single supervision of the the Vatican. Its intentions failed, but it resulted from it a deep crisis which led the members about Malta to reconsider their Constitutions. And it is finally a new constitutional charter which was promulgated by the members about Malta and which was approved in 1961 by the pope Jean XXIII what put a term at ten years of tumults.
In 1998, after two centuries far from Malta, the Order of Malta east reintroduced on the island, where the République of Malta placed at its disposal the strong Saint-Angel with Valetta.
The Order today
Legal situation
The Order is recognized by the nations like a subject of public International law, as well as a State. It emits stamps, beats currency, delivers passports, has ambassadors, etc Cependant it is a Souveraineté without territory (the possessions in Rome and Malta are not under their own jurisdiction but under sovereignty Italian and Maltese respectively) and limited (out of religious matter, the order is pledged with the the Holy See). It maintains the diplomatic relations with whole share with 97 powers by the means of its ambassadors and also has a seat of permanent observer near the the United Nations, of the European commission and the international main organizations. The Order of Malta to the possibility of beating house on these maritime, air and terrestrial buildings.The Order of Malta remains despite everything a religious organization Catholique depend on the the Holy See - the large cardinal Master with the dignity of - what can, on certain rare occasions, being at the origin of polemic because of positions of some of these members; nevertheless, its finality first remainder its hospital mission towards disinherited and the needy ones.
One counts approximately: 11000 members about Malta and: 80000 voluntary regular throughout the world which makes live the hospital activities. The “national festival” of the Order proceeds the day of the Saint Jean Baptiste, i.e. on June 24th. In this occasion in France, the members of OHFOM meet each year with the Château of Versailles.
National hospital activities
The order has also always officially a character Militaire - even if it is not armed any more - and Catholique but it especially preserved its hospital mission: “to help and look after”; what makes about Malta the oldest humane organization (approximately 900 years of age). To conclude it, it lays out mainly of a personnel Bénévole. Each national association organizes itself its own works, which it manages according to the laws of the country where it resides. These “associations” finance themselves its activities Médicale S, hospital and Humanitaire S thanks to contributions, gifts at the time of national searches or thanks to many Leg S.In France, the Order of Malta is not recognized like really sovereign and does not have with Paris of an ambassador but a “official Representative near France”. This last represents the French hospital Œuvres about Malta (OHFOM), an charitable organization founded in 1927. This French association is very active in the fight against the Lèpre, precariousness and in the medium of the Secourisme and for the whole of its activities, she was recognized of public utility in 1928 by the government French. Its a little particular statute does not prevent it from receiving in 2007 the “ Humane Grand Prix ” of the Institut of France.
To promote its action near the public and to allow him to call upon the gift in confidence, the French section of the order, as an association, adheres to the Comité of the Charter.
See also: French hospital Works about Malta
International humane diplomacy
The Order of Malta is present in more than one hundred of country permanently and its diplomatic activities lead it to intervene at the time of natural disasters or of armed conflicts as in 1969 with the Biafra, with the Vietnam in 1974, in Uganda in 1980 but also for example in Yugoslavia in the years 1995/99.-
“International Hospital Committee about Malta”
-
“International Malteser”
-
“International committee about Malta”
Its seat is located at Geneva in Suisse.
Philatelic emissions
The Order emits stamps since 1966 starting from its small territory of the Via dei Condotti with Rome. These stamps are produced very exactly by the “ Masterly Poste of the Sovereign Order of Malta ” and thanks to an agreement signed the November 4th 2004 with the Italy, it is entitled to convey mail with its own stamps in about fifty country. It should be noted that the letters franked with stamps from the Order can only be dispatched since the seat of the Masterly Post office with Rome.The emission of these stamps gets for the Order considerable resources; in particular since they are dimensioned by certain large philatelic catalogs Italian, like the Sassonne or the Unificato . Nevertheless, out of strict postal matter, the stamps emitted by the Order are not recognized by the Universal postal union (UPU).
The stamps emphasize the symbols of the Order as well as the outstanding historical periods of its history: one thus finds red banners with white cross, portraits of Grands Masters, religious scenes, the armorial bearings of the Order… But also recently, of the scenes representing the current actions of hospital Works.
Emissions numismatics
The Order started to emit its clean Monnaie only after its installation on the island of Rhodos, i.e. after 1310 at the time when the Order of Malta strongly grew rich and which it really gained its Souverain t-piece. On these coins, the portraits of the Grands Masters of the Order are reproduced on the back while on the recto a Croix is. The typical cross with four branches bifides of the Maltese cross appears only after 1520.The Maltese monetary system was made up in equivalent share of parts in Cuivre, Argent and Or according to an internal act going back to 1530. To, this system was called in question by a strong emission of parts in Argent. The Maltese currency consisted of “ scudo ” (ecu), of “ dried up ” and “ grani (grains)” with for value: 1 scudo = 12 dried up = 240 graini
Nowadays, this currency has nothing any more but one value Numismatique.
Hierarchy of the Order
The members of the Order are divided into various classes, according to the degree of religious engagement of the members, themselves subdivided of categories, according to the degree of nobility. Finally in the same class exist distinctions.The large Master is currently Frà Andrew Willoughby Ninian Bertie.
See also: Large Masters about Malta
See also: Hierarchy in the Order of Malta
See also: Prayer of the Knights about Malta
Order pro merito Melitensi
The order of knighthood “ pro merito Melitensi ” reward the personalities which acquired particular merits towards the order or which supported or took part in its hospital works. Decorated do not become therefore members of the order.
See also: Order pro merito Melitensi
See too
- military Orders and monk
- French hospital Works about Malta
| Random links: | Sphere armillaire | Boucherville | Kingdom of Ayutthaya | Prat d' Albis | The Man (re-examined) |