It is
an amazing saga. Formed a thousand
years ago, they were
- Compassionate caregivers
to the sick
- Fierce warriors against
enemies of Christendom
- Master builders of magnificent
castles
- A naval force that plagued
the Turks
The Knights
of Malta were founded by Amalfitan
merchants and monks as a hospital
about A.D. 1000, to treat pilgrims
journeying to the Holy Land,
but military necessity soon
forced on them a warring as
well as a benevolent medical
role. They grew into one of
the two wealthiest and extremely
disciplined and powerful brotherhoods
of the Middle Ages and a pillar
of defense for the Holy Land
in the Crusades. Master builders,
they built the most fortified
and inaccessible castles which
became the model for European
castles for the next two centuries.
The knights
seemingly disappeared from sight,
reemerging in the twentieth
century as a powerful sovereign
state supported by the Vatican.
They are dedicated today to
international relief operations.
In
this video we trace their incredible
history with major attention
given to their key role in the
Crusades.
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