Knights of St. John

The Knights of St. John are a minor faction in Empire: Total War.

Starting Position

Basics at start

• Protectorates – None
• Allies – None
• Trade Partners – None
• Enemies – Barbary States, Pirates
• Religion – Catholic
• Government – Absolute Monarchy
• Ruler –Ramon I (King)
• Population – 64,216
• Prosperity - Destitute
• Prestige – Feeble
• Treasury – 7500
• Technology – None
• Gentlemen – None
• Missionaries – None
• Rakes – None

Europe Theatre

Valleta, Malta

Starting Buildings – Military Governor’s Encampment Infrastructure - Basic Roads Population – 64,216 Wealth – 2625 Religion – Catholicism 100.0% Starting Towns/Ports – Marsaxlokk (Shipyard) Later Villages/Ports – None

General Information

The Knights of St. John initially control only the tiny island of Malta. They have a small fleet and actively engage in naval warfare with the Barbary States. They rarely, if ever, expand their territories to outside of Malta. Due to Malta's lack of resources, the Knights of St. John are a relatively weak faction that can often be ignored.

The AI of the Knights of St. John may sometimes acquire major factions as protectorates when these factions are on the verge of defeat. 

History

During the first half of the 18th century, the Grand Masters of the Order of Saint John kept on fortifying their islands of Malta and Gozo with batteries, redoubts, entrenchments, and forts. Manuel Pinto da Fonseca, Grand Master from 1741 till 1773, started a dispute with the King of Sicily proclaiming the sovereignty of the Order of Malta. Pinto's lavish rule also depleted the finances of the Order and the ensuing bankruptcy marked the steady decline experienced by Malta in the last three decades of the century. Due to this, the Order also became unpopular with the Maltese. When Napoleon landed in Malta in June 1798, the knights could have withstood a long siege, but they surrendered the island without fighting. The French occupied Malta until 1800, when they were ousted by the Maltese aided by Britain. Malta became a British protectorate, then a colony and remained as such until independence in 1964.