MILITARY ORDERS—HOSPITALLERS—TEMPLARS—TEUTONIC KNIGHTS.
One of the most significant fruits of the first crusade was the creation
and growth of the military orders—the Hospitallers, or Knights of St.
John, the Templars, and the Teutonic Knights.
_The Hospitallers, or Knights of St. John._—This famous organization,
which was for centuries a bulwark of Christendom and which still exists,
originated earlier than the crusades, but first attained power and
repute in those exciting days. In the year 1023 the Egyptian caliph, who
held possession of Jerusalem, was induced by the entreaty of the
merchants of Amalfi to allow them to found in the sacred city a hospital
for the care of poor and sick Latin pilgrims. A building near the Holy
Sepulchre was secured for the purpose and dedicated to the Virgin, with
the title of “Santa Maria de Latina.” As the multitude of pilgrims and
their needs increased, a more commodious hospitium was erected. This was
named after the sainted Patriarch of Alexandria, John Eleemon (the
Compassionate). St. John the Baptist seems, however, to have secured the
honor of becoming the ultimate titular patron of this order of nurses
and almoners. When Jerusalem fell into the possession of the crusaders
in 1099, Gerard, the hospital Master, endeared himself and his little
band of helpers to the multitude of wounded. Godfrey de Bouillon endowed
them with the revenues of his estates in Brabant. His example was
followed by others. Many with spirits chastened by their own sufferings
gave themselves personally to the work of the Hospitallers. Gerard, the
Master, organized the brethren into a religious order, exacting from
them the triple vow of poverty, obedience, and chastity. Each member
wore a black robe, and upon his breast an eight-pointed white cross.
Anticipating our history, in 1113 the order was dignified by the special
sanction of Pope Paschal II. Raymond du Puy, a noble knight of Dauphine,
became Master in 1118, and enlarged the function of members by requiring
of them, in addition to the triple vow, an oath of military service. The
order was then divided into (1) knights, whose special work was in the
camp and field; (2) clergy; (3) serving brethren, or hospital
attendants. Later it was necessary to subdivide its numerous adherents
into seven classes, according to the language they spoke. The order was
a republic, whose officers were elected by the suffrage of all, but who,
once installed, wielded an autocratic power. Its fame spread throughout
all countries. Multitudes enlisted under its auspices for service in the
Holy Land; it became possessed of enormous property throughout Europe;
its agents were at all courts, and its Briarean hands were felt at every
centre of power throughout Christendom.
_The Templars._—In the year 1114, four years before the Hospitallers had
enlarged their function to include military duties, a Burgundian knight,
Hugh de Payen, and eight comrades bound themselves by oath to guard the
public roads about Jerusalem, which were continually menaced by Moslems
and freebooters. King Baldwin II. assigned these good men quarters on
the temple site of Mount Moriah, whence their title, “Pauperes
Commilitones Christi Templique Salomonici.” At first the Templars seem
to have gloried in their poverty, as indicated by the original seal of
the order, which represents two knights mounted on a single horse. Their
members augmented until they shared with the Hospitallers the glory of
being the chief defenders of the new kingdom of Jerusalem. Hugh de Payen
was sent by Baldwin II. as one of his ambassadors to secure help from
European powers. The Grand Master, appearing before the Council of
Noyes, January, 1128, obtained for his order the formal approval of the
church. He returned to Palestine with three hundred knights,
representing the noblest families of Europe. Among them was Foulque of
Anjou, afterwards the King of Jerusalem. Brotherhoods of Templars were
founded in Spain by 1129, in France by 1131, and in Rome by 1138. The
mantle of the Knight Templar was white with a plain red cross on the
left breast. The clerical members wore black. Their banner bore the
inscription, “Not unto us, O Lord, but unto Thy name be glory!”
The history of the Hospitallers and the Templars until the fall of the
sacred city is that of the kingdom itself. In all battles these knights
of the white and the red cross were conspicuous for bravery, and by the
unity and discipline of their organizations gave steadiness to the
progress of the cause, or at least retarded other disasters which
finally befell it.
_Teutonic Order._—The Order of Teutonic Knights of St. Mary’s Hospital
at Jerusalem was founded in 1128. During its earlier history its members
limited their endeavors to religious and charitable work. It was not
until 1190, during a later crusade than that we have been narrating,
that it acquired military organization. From that time, as a purely
German order, it shared with the Hospitallers and Templars the charters
bestowed by the Pope and emperors, and contested with them the palm of
heroism and power. Its peculiar badge was a black cross on a white
mantle.