![]() ![]() But the Knights of St John thrive elsewhere in later centuries. Both orders have to leave the Holy Land after the fall of Acre in 1291. In their militant role the knights are matched by the other great 12th-century order, that of the Templars. It is a measure of their power that the great castle of Krak des Chevaliers is one of their strongholds - a hospital with thicker walls than most. It becomes a religious order which the knights can join, committing themselves to chastity, to good works and to warfare for the Christian cause.Īs they grow in power, the Knights of St John become an important part of the army of the kingdom of Jerusalem, fighting battles against the Muslims while also maintaining their charitable function in the care of the sick. In 1113 the hospital is taken under papal protection. Crusader knights, grateful to have their wounds healed or illnesses cured, devote themselves to the hospital's cause or endow it from their estates. With the arrival of the crusaders in Jerusalem, in 1099, the hospital grows in importance and in wealth. Founded in the 11th century by Italian merchants from Amalfi to look after sick pilgrims in Jerusalem, the hospital takes its name from the nearby church of John the Baptist. ![]() The hospital of St John of Jerusalem is older than the crusades. The Knights of St John of Jerusalem: 1113-1291 But the concept of an order of knights, sharing high ideals of chivalry, only develops later - when the challenge of Christian service confronts the crusaders in Jerusalem. Men who will make this commitment, in support of their chosen leader, deserve a special status.Ĭeremonies are developed to emphasize this status, whether the knight is dubbed in the heat of a battle or more elaborately in church. Heavy cavalry is now the most important element in warfare, but the provision of a strong horse and full armour is expensive. If one attempts to join our Order merely as a fraternity “club”, or for a title, that or anything else could never make him or her a “Knight Templar.” Being a Knight Templar is not a remnant of the past, it is a way of life.Knighthood evolves among the Franks and Germans in the early Middle Ages. These duties are not stipulations they are a code gladly taken by a Knight Templar. His code of honor demands the core of knighthood in its unquestionable obligation to help the poor, the sick, the persecuted, the old, the needy, the helpless, the hungry, the cold, the unprotected. Fellowship and aid to the less fortunate, the helpless are a Templar’s duty, his sworn duty. This is not a question: “Do I have time?” Or, “I will get to that soon.” This is not subject to negotiation or scheduling. We believe there will always be a place for knights as long as there is poverty, the needs of the elderly, the sick, the helpless, and the persecution of the church. Our Order believes that there is still a place for knights in the 21st century. Our mission is just as compelling today, if not more so than it was 886 years ago. We have stayed true to our original charter by defending the persecuted church in foreign lands. Later, the Order was responsible for protecting Christians in the Holy Land itself. to protect Christians journeying to and from the Holy Land. ![]() It will take men and women like those of the Supreme Military Order of the Jerusalem Temple. It will take men and women with the courage of true knights to stand up and be counted and to demand accountability from our respective governments on their relations with countries that persecute Christians. It will take men and women with the dedication of true knights to make the changes that are needed. That distinguishing feature is the willingness to engage in “knightly combat,” the battle against evil. A knight, however, is distinguished from those who merely dispense aid to the poor and disadvantaged. ![]()
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