The Military and Hospitaller Orders emerged in the 12th century as Christendom engaged with the threats and the opportunities offered by its Muslim and non-Christian neighbours. In an Irish context, the Knights Hospitaller and the Knights Templar were the most significant expressions of this unusual vocation that sought to combine military service with monastic observance. Arriving with the first Anglo-Norman settlers, the orders were granted vast landholdings and numerous privileges in Ireland to support their activities in Palestine and the Middle East. From the outset, the knights were...
The Military and Hospitaller Orders emerged in the 12th century as Christendom engaged with the threats and the opportunities offered by its Muslim an...