00:00 The Knights of Malta, officially known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, have a lineage dating back almost a thousand years and were founded before the crusades to care for pilgrims in the Holy Land.

01:51 The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, also known as the Knights of Malta, was established as a military monastic order in the 11th century and grew in importance during the Crusades.

03:13 After being removed from the Holy Land, the Knights of Rhodes constructed a naval fleet and became known as the Knights of Rhodes, with their own military, coinage, and diplomatic relations, until they were given the islands of Malta in 1530 and became the Knights of Malta.

04:39 The Knights of Malta ruled Malta for 268 years, became prosperous, expanded into the New World, but eventually lost control of the island when it was invaded by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1798.

06:05 The Knights of Malta lost their country but maintained their diplomatic status, and in the 19th century, they shifted their focus back to their original mission of helping those in need.

07:35 The Sovereign Military Order of Malta, despite not having controlled any territory for over 200 years, still maintains its sovereignty and has diplomatic relations with 112 countries, official relations with five others, observer status in various international bodies, and engages in humanitarian operations similar to the International Red Cross.

09:03 The Knights of Malta are a religious order with three classes of knights, 13,500 members worldwide, 80,000 volunteers, and over 25,000 staff who provide disaster relief, help refugees, and manage medical centers, hospitals, and homes for the elderly.