Drink: A taste of chivalry

In Rome, there is a palace which is the capital of the world’s smallest state.

In Rome, there is a palace which is the capital of the world’s smallest state. The medieval Church had many mansions. As well as orders devoted to prayer and contemplation, there were other bodies, for whom the way of the cross was also the way of the sword. In the 11th century, the Papacy established the Knights Hospitallers, or Knights of St John, whose headquarters were in Jerusalem. The Knights protected pilgrims and fought to preserve the crusaders’ conquests. But as the power of Islam grew, they were thrown on the defensive. Driven from Palestine, they made a stand in Rhodes, where their great castle still dominates. In 1522, Suleiman the Magnificent invaded Rhodes. After a siege, the Knights were forced to surrender, but on chivalrous terms. Suleiman lived up to his name.