Our History

 

                              PREAMBLE:  HISTORICAL CHRONICLE

 

 

             The Order was first instituted by the Blessed Gérard, in circa the year

1048 for the protection of pilgrims to the Holy Land. Later it developed into a

Sovereign Order  dedicated to the defence of Humanity and to Hospitaller and

Charitable works. Thus  the motto of the Order is: “Pro Utilitate Hominum”.

 

             The Order’s long stay of almost 300 years in Malta, together with their

dedication to the island which it turned into a formidable fortress and helped it

to withstand  mighty onslaughts from the Turkish armada during an epic siege

in the year 1565. The Order  subsequently gave in to Napoleon Bonaparte, left

Malta in 1798, and regrouped in  St. Petersburg to their Protector,  Czar Paul I, Emperor of All the Russias, and elected him their Grand Master. However, their long stay in Malta of almost 300 years, where they left a legacy of beautiful palaces and patronised great works of art by famous sculptors and painters such as Caravaggio,  forever linked Malta with the Order and  earned them the internationally acclaimed name of “Knights of Malta”. The Order thus became known as the KNIGHTS OF MALTA and their eight-pointed Maltese cross is seen in numerous places on the island of Malta and is also emblazed in a large imposing sign on all Air Malta’s fleet of aeroplanes.

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                        When His Imperial Highness Czar Paul I, Emperor of all the                                                                                                                                     Russias, was elected and accepted proudly to be Grand Master of                                                                                                                          the Order following the historical events which forced the Order to                                                                                                                         leave Malta in 1798, the Order adapted itself to the circumstances: it                                                                                                                        became ECUMENICAL – this is a very important new characteristic                                                                                                                        which propelled the Order to larger dimensions and the Order was                                                                                                                         henceforth not restricted solely to Roman Catholics. H.R.I.H. Czar                                                                                                                          Paul I was recognised and accepted throughout Europe and                                                                                                                                   universally as the new Grand Master of the Order. The Order was                                                                                                                            thus Re-Constituted clearly distinguishing it from other Orders                                                                                                                               which today try to falsely portray themselves as a direct continuity                                                                                                                        to the original Order.

 

In 1976 the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Hospitallers Knights of St. John, Knights of Malta, transferred its Seat and Headquarters back again to Malta.

 

On January 31^st, 2003, Count Louis Scerri Montaldo was elected as the present Sovereign Prince Grand Master of the Order. A new Constitution was instituted by the new Prince Grand Master Louis Scerri Montaldo who declared that the Order has now to be run on modern lines and that the lacunas of past leaderships and all shortcomings together with any complacency are to be overcome and the slate wiped clean of all undesired effects which may have ensued as a result. This is to be a new beginning following the Russian Grand Master, H.M.I.H. Tzar Paul I.

 

             The new Prince Grand Master also declared that the Dames of the Order should be entrusted

with increasingly important roles so as to help the Order. Prince Grand Master Montaldo also

restored the marine tradition of our Order, He created the “Institute of the Open Seas” of the

Order in Malta, with the expert professional participation of Russian Members of our Order, and this

is now linked to the prestigious “Academy of Science” of Moscow. This is now being  further developed

to enhance the international prestige of the Order in all possible spheres. It is to be pointed out that

 underwater marine research has already been carried out and DVD recordings have been filmed

of this work by our Institute and exhibited at International Festivals with great success.

 

 

Further to this, the Order is proud to possess a Radio amateur station with the call-sign 9H1OSJ

granted by the Maltese government since the year 1985 and situated in Malta. It is apt to point

out that the Montaldo family of the present Sovereign Prince Grand Master stems from ancient

aristocratic roots. In fact, we find that during the XIVth century Leonardo Montaldo and

Antoniotto di Montaldo were Doges (nowadays equivalent to the titles of “Dukes”) in what was

then the Republic of Genova.

 

 

 

The Montaldo family, whose name is sometimes also spelt “Montalto”, is also linked to the aristocratic French and English branches of the Montault family. In 1248, the french Bérard de Montault took part in the Crusades together with Saint Louis IX. This branch of the family extends also to Philippe de Montault, Duc de Navailles, Marshall of France during the reign of King Louis XIV.

 

Another branch of the family which settled in England with Eustace de Montault took part with William the Conqueror in the battle of Hastings in 1066. Trasimondo Montalto, son of Unfrido, Lord de Montault, was the Commander-in-Chief of Count Roger of Normandy.

 

The family of the new Prince Grand Master have also been closely connected with the Order for several centuries: 12 members of the Montalto family joined the Order between the years 1441 and 1784 In 1530, Antonio Montalto signed in Messina, Sicily, the “Exequatur” for the donation of the islands of Malta and Gozo, as well as the city of Tripoli in North Africa, to the Order of the Knights by the Emperor Charles V.

 

Another member of the Montalto family, Chev. Giovanni Battista Montalto, took part in the defence of Fort St. Elmo during the Great Siege of Malta in 1565. He was wounded and later died in Vittoriosa/Malta. He was buried in the imposing Cathedral of St. John built by the Knights in Valletta and his tomb is covered by a marble slap with a latin inscription honouring his name.

 

 

 

Another of the Montalto family, Knight of Malta, is also buried in the Cathedral of Mdina in   Malta and his tomb is also covered by a marble slab with a latin inscription honouring his   name. In 1576, Chev. Michele Montalto was named captain of the galleon of the Order of the   Knights of Malta called “Magistrale”. Another ancestor directly linked to the new Grand  Master was Antonio Montalto who became famous in the history of the Knights of Malta  through his exploits of courage and bravado and one of his exploits is narrated in the  book entitled “Nobles of Malta”: In 1749, in Rhodes, Antonio Montalto, who had been made  prisoner by the Turks, organised a revolt and took over the ordinance galley “La Lupa”    under the command of Mustafa the Turkish Pasha of Rhodes himself. He liberated the 140    Christian slaves on board after having tied the Pasha in his own cabin and proceeded to  sail at full speed to Malta.

 

The stupefaction of the Knights on seeing this galley arriving in Malta, with all its Turkish crew and the Pasha of Rhodes prisoners, was indescribable. Antonio Montaldo was given    a hero’s welcome by the Knights of Malta.

 

The Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta, is proud to have as its  Prince Grand aster Count Louis Scerri Montaldo whose family is already steeped          closely in past historical links with the Order of the Knights but who is now wisely    opening a new chapter by opening wide the doors without distinction to creed or colour.           The Order is now eliminating all prejudices, the cause of friction between peoples, and embraces all persons believing in one Almighty God and with true nobility of soul.