Knights Hospitallers

The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (known simply also as the Knights Hospitaller) was a religious military order that was founded in Jerusalem during the 11th century AD. Although the order was initially established to provide care for poor and sick pilgrims, it later took up arms to defend pilgrims and the Holy Land. After the fall of the Crusader states, the knights relocated and continued their fight against the Muslims. The role played by the Knights Hospitallers in the defense of Christendom allowed the order to maintain its relevance long after the Crusades and the Middle Ages. The order has survived till this day, losing its military role, but retaining its original commitment