A Simplified History: The Knights of St. John, The Baptist, of Jerusalem, now known as the Knights of Malta, originated as a group of monks attached to a hospice in Jerusalem. Their mission was to aid travelers visiting the Holy Land. The eight points of the cross stand for the merits that the Members of "The Order" were required to abide by, eight Obligations or Aspirations:
To live in truth, have faith, repent of sins, give proof of humility, love justice, be merciful, be sincere and whole-hearted and endure persecution. The four arms of the cross represent Faith, Justice, Temperance and Fortitude.
Born out of the chaos of the early middle ages, these armored and mounted warriors revolutionized warfare. They became the the corner stone of the new political feudalism. For over six centuries the medieval knights dominated the battlefields. At first, the church attempted to tame them. That having failed, the church then enlisted them to help with the first crusade of 1095. These knights received a status that was the the envy of kings and queens. They were master mariners, builders, and navigators. They were known to have acquired vast wealth through their exploits for their order. They were also the first organized group of firefighters and paramedics.