Order of St. John - Texas

Origins & Background

The Order of St. John of Jerusalem traces its roots back to a hospice for pilgrims in Jerusalem in the 11th century, eventually becoming a religious/military order. Sovereign Military Order of Malta+2Wikipedia+2. Over centuries it developed major holdings, power and privileges in Europe, and by the 18th century had extensive territories, income, and connections across states.

Position in 1789

• By the late 18th century, the Order was relatively powerful but also exposed to major secular and revolutionary changes. For example:
• In France, the Order had been thriving within the 1789 borders of France the Order had three “langue's” (administrative divisions) and six priories. Museum of the Order of St John+1.
• French property made up about 60% of the Order’s income at that time. Museum of the Order of St John+1.
• The Grand Master in 1789 was a French noble, Emmanuel de Rohan-Polduc, personal friend of Louis XVI. Museum of the Order of St John.
• In Malta (where the Order was headquartered at that point), the Order’s stability was tightly linked to its fortunes in France Museum of the Order of St John+1.

Thus, in 1789 the Order was still a significant institution, but vulnerable to the seismic social and political shifts sweeping Europe (especially France).

The Impact of the French Revolution & Aftermath

• The year 1789 (and the events in its wake) marked a turning point for the Order. Key developments:
• In August 1789 the French Revolution abolished tithes storjaweb.files.wordpress.com+1
• Although in September 1789 church-property confiscation occurred, initially the Order’s property in France was spared (but only temporarily). storjaweb.files.wordpress.com+1
• However by 1790 and 1792 the French revolutionary government moved to suppress many of the privileges of the Order. For instance, on 13 Feb 1790, the Republic suppressed all religious orders except the Order of St. John. hmml.org
• Then on 19 September 1792 the French National Assembly decreed that all the Order’s property in France would be confiscated and its seigneurial rights abolished. hmml.org+1
• The loss of French income and properties hit the Order hard — since a majority of its income came from French lands Museum of the Order of St John

The Broader Decline & Loss of Loss of Malta

• While 1789 was the spark, the full collapse of the Order’s territorial and financial power took place over the subsequent decade:
• The Order’s stronghold in Malta was lost when Napoleon Bonaparte invaded and captured Malta in June 1798. Wikipedia+1
• The Order’s “navy” and military capabilities were effectively ended with that loss. Wikipedia
• The weakening of the Order’s institutional base and loss of its major assets in France and Malta meant it could no longer operate in the same way. L-Università ta' Malta

Why 1789 Matters

• The year 1789 was a pivotal marker:
• It marks the onset of revolutionary forces which directly targeted institutions like the Order of St. John, which embodied noble privilege, religious/military power, and large landholdings.
• For an organization such as this, the story is a case study in how old institutions must adapt (or perish) when the legal, financial and social foundations shift dramatically.
• The Order’s decline illustrates the risk of dependence on one major country/region (France) for income and legitimacy, and the vulnerability when state power changes.

Summary Timeline