!!!Malteser, Ritter-Orden

Knights of Malta, also known as Knights of (the Hospital of) 
St. John of Jerusalem, Sovereign and Military Order of the 
Knights Hospitaller of Saint John of Jerusalem; Catholic order 
dedicated to world-wide humanitarian work with headquarters in Rome. 
Developed around 1099 out of a brotherhood providing hospital care and 
accommodation to pilgrims en route to the Holy Land. After the fall of 
the Fortress of Acre the order operated from Cyprus and Rhodes and, 
from 1530, from Malta. Endowed with sovereignty by Emperor 
Karl V. Since that time, the order has been commonly known as 
Knights of Malta rather than Knights of St. John.

\\
When Napoleon conquered Malta in 1798 the order's headquarters was 
moved to Rome. In Austria there is a Grand Priorate with historic 
commendams at Mailberg, Fuerstenfeld and Maria Pulst. Active at 
national and international level as an ambulance service and 
charitable organisation.


%%language
[Back to the Austrian Version|AEIOU/Malteser,_Ritter-Orden|class='wikipage austrian']
%%

[{FreezeArticle author='AEIOU' template='Lexikon_1995_englisch'}]
[{ALLOW view All}][{ALLOW comment All}][{ALLOW edit FreezeAdmin}]