The Ghostly Past

Chapter 21

He told her first of an order of Knights, a Catholic Military Order that arose in the eleventh century: the Knights of St John. They were also known as the Knights Hospitaller for their work with the sick. They fought and conquered in Jerusalem in 1099 during the First Crusade, and were charged by the Pope with defending the Holy Land. When Islamic forces took it back, the Knights moved to Rhodes and then later to the tiny island country of Malta in 1530.

They were the defenders of the Mediterranean, bringing peace and prosperity. The indigenous Maltese people weren't so happy, he mused, but came to accept the Knights and the trade and infrastructure they brought with them.

In 1565, Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent attempted to invade Malta with 40,000 men, aiming to gain a new base in the Mediterranean. There were only 700 knights and perhaps 8000 soldiers on the island. It became known as the Great Siege of Malta. Miraculously, the knights prevailed, the Ottomans giving up, leaving with only 15,000 of their forces alive, though the order was severely depleted.

"That's where the curse begins." Max sighed. "In the first years following this carnage. It was 1570, and an English knight, Sir Arthur Howard, a member of the order, in opposition to his family, who had become staunch Protestants many decades earlier, fell in love. There was a noble lady named Rosa Vella, a noblewoman in Maltese society."

He explained that knights could not marry though there were certainly those that had their dalliances with peasants and local women. Sir Arthur however, brave and noble as the story goes, loved a noble woman.

He was a hero of the siege, along with two of his great friends. Sir Richard de Blanchefort, a French knight who was known as fierce and handsome, second only to Arthur in skill it was said. Sir Percy, another English knight, was known to be kind and noble, a diplomat as much as a warrior, liked by everyone he knew.

Then there was George Carew, Arthur's squire, another true friend for many years, a young ambitious man.

The final important person in the tale was named Dorian. His surname was lost over the centuries. He came from Turkey, an ottoman and yet was regarded highly by the Knights, who somehow overlooked what they saw as his 'heretical' faith for his scholarly ways and friendship. He was travelling the world when he fell in with the knights and stayed there on Malta.

For a long time, they were all very happy. The five men, despite their difference in station and belief lived as close as brothers. And though it was forbidden, Arthur and Rosa's love bloomed quietly.

The story goes that two sources of resentment began to poison the group. The first was George the squire. He became jealous, resentful of the superior social position of his friends. He sought to be made a member of the order, but this was unlikely.

The second was Rosa and Arthur whose love began to sour. Their quarrels were becoming legendary. One night, she stormed out of a dinner with them, weeping. Sir Richard went after her, and comforted her. George and Dorian, walking together, stumbled across this scene and Richard insisted his motives were pure in holding the lady.

Arthur was sent on a mission to the North, to the city of Mdina. Percy and Dorian went with him. George had been unwell and stayed behind. Meanwhile, Richard and Rosa, left behind, found their affection for one another growing and George encouraged it, sowing seeds of discord.

However, Dorian returned earlier than expected and walked in on Richard and Rosa playing together. It was clear to him that this was no innocent diversion, but a love affair. Horrified, he confronted the pair and threatened to tell Arthur.

Richard instigated a fight between them, a fight Dorian could not win and he fell, gravely wounded and unable to write to his friend to tell him of the betrayal.