There are hundreds of countries in the world, each with its own territory and national strength. Theoretically, no matter how big or small the territory is, whether the country is strong or weak, each country is an independent political power that brooks no interference from others.
However, in reality, some small countries are often affected by external factors, otherwise it is difficult to maintain the livelihood and economic stability of their citizens. For example, the Vatican has only 0The country of 44 square kilometers, although its territory is small, it has established strong ties with the outside world.
In contrast, the Vatican is still a country with independent territory, but there is one country that does not even have an inch of territory, and it has 104 countries that recognize that it has survived for a full 900 years.
What's the story behind it?
In 1530, a group of knights in armor and swords arrived in the Kingdom of Sicily on a long journey, and they sought an audience from the king. Although the king was puzzled by the knights' intentions, he received the knights' head with the highest courtesy.
However, when the head of the regiment took out the Pope's handwritten letter from his pocket, the King of Sicily was even more confused. In the letter, the Pope asked the King of Sicily to lease the island of Malta to the Knights of St. John and to bless the King.
Although the king was unhappy with the idea of renting the island to strangers, the commander then showed a letter from the Roman emperor, which forced the king to put aside his dignity and accept the order's request.
Eventually, the King of Sicily leased the entire island to the Knights for one Maltese eagle coin per year.
The Knights rejoice, and after years of wandering, they finally have their own land! To commemorate this historic occasion, they decided to change their original name to the Knights of Malta.
This was the birth of the Knights of Malta. You may wonder how a small order of knights could have the support of the Pope and the Roman Emperor to establish their own state on the territory of others.
Behind all this, it is related to the predecessor of the Knights of Malta, the Knights of St. John. Throughout the long history of Europe, Catholicism has always been dominant.
However, not everyone in this world believes in God, and Catholicism has a long-standing enemy – Muslims.
As time went on, the dispute between the two sides intensified. In 1095 A.D., the Pope, who had no patience, took the stage to give a speech and recruited a wide range of recruits to plan a crusade to eliminate the power of the Muslims.
In order to expand the scale of recruitment, the Pope even promised in public: "Participate in this war to exterminate the infidels, and your soul will be redeemed and go straight to heaven after death!" ”
For the faithful, this promise was far more precious than the title of nobility and **, and the people were so enthusiastic that they joined the crusade and began the crusade. The war lasted for more than 200 years, during which countless people were injured and even killed.
A French nobleman couldn't stand it, so he united with several priests to create the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem to treat wounded soldiers.
As time passed, they saved more and more people, and their reputation grew, and many nobles and wealthy merchants took the initiative to donate, greatly expanding the size of the Order.
When Jerusalem learned of this, it voluntarily handed over a part of its property and territory to the Order. They originally thought that this was to leave a way out for themselves, but it turned out to be like a meat bun beating a dog, and it was gone.
With this help, the Order established a military order and took refuge with the Pope. With the support of the papacy, the Knights annexed part of the territory of Jerusalem and established a small state.
In order to expand their power, the members of the Order put down their scalpels, picked up their swords, and participated in the Crusades, which began a 900-year history.
In 1291 A.D., the city of Jerusalem was broken, and the Knights lost all their territory. Most people believe that this once-glorious country will come to an end. However, the members of the Order did not give up, and they decided to pack their bags and look around for new territories.
The Knights first came to Cyprus in the Mediterranean, where they recuperated for several years, and then occupied the island of Rhodes in the Mediterranean. Although the territory is limited, the terrain here is treacherous, easy to defend and difficult to attack.
What's more, the members of the Order still maintained their strong faith in Catholicism, which made them resilient in their long struggle against the pagan Ottoman Empire.
Although the Ottomans were troubled by the Order's frantic battles, the Order, by virtue of their faith and geographical location, successfully resisted the Ottoman invasion.
Their stories teach us that even in the most difficult times, as long as we don't give up, we can find new hope and a way out.
In the decades-long standoff, both sides have paid a huge price. The patience of the Ottomans gradually ran out, and the Knights suffered heavy losses. Finally, in 1522 AD, the Ottomans decided to take a step back and promised to guarantee the safety of the Order, but they had to move out of Rhodes.
So, the Knights packed their bags and set out on a wandering journey again. The chief, believing that they had made a sacrifice for the sake of Catholicism, approached the Pope, who had to bear the matter for the sake of face.
Thus, the Knights of Malta was officially established in Sicily and became a completely new nation. However, this calm did not last long, and more than two hundred years later, the Knights of Malta suffered another serious crisis.
Napoleon, as the hegemon of Europe, resolutely defended his territorial sovereignty. Although the Knights of Malta were subordinates of the Pope, in the eyes of Napoleon, they were just a small country.
Faced with Napoleon's threat of annihilation, the Knights of Malta had no choice but to evacuate the island of Malta and lost their territory ever since. In the decades that followed, the Knights of Malta wandered from place to place, and although the nations were destined for their lives, they were no longer able to gain an independent territory.
In the end, they had to return to Rome and lease two buildings from Italy** as residences. However, even in this situation, the Knights of Malta insisted that they were an independent nation, and 104 countries recognized their status.
Why is that? How can a country that does not even have a land of land maintain its rule and existence? There is only one answer: money.
The Knights of Malta started with the opening of hospitals and continued to practice medicine for hundreds of years, with thriving businesses and lucrative incomes in hospitals around the world. In addition, they are a country recognized by the Pope, and officially recognized titles are also very popular, and a large amount of income can be obtained each year by selling them.
Therefore, although the Order of Malta has no territory, it is known as the "local tyrant" with its extremely high income, and it is recognized by many countries that its status is not surprising that in February ** dynamic incentive program . In today's world, the Order of Malta is undoubtedly a unique existence, without a single square meter of territory, but in Italy and other places, it has opened hospitals and sold knighthoods, and has become an independent regime recognized by 104 countries, which is the so-called "money power".