Did you know the Knights of St John were among the first to develop a maritime rescue network?
As the Order established itself in Malta during the 16th century, its mastery of the sea went beyond warfare. Along the island’s rugged coastlines, the Knights built watchtowers, fortresses, and signalling systems that doubled as a kind of proto-rescue network. Their galleys, swift and expertly manned, were often first on the scene when merchant vessels floundered or storms battered the shore. In a time when the sea was as feared as it was revered, the Order’s actions reflected a deep moral duty to protect all who ventured across the waves — friend or foe, Christian or not. Their maritime vigilance helped lay the foundations for principles of seafaring humanitarianism that still resonate in modern naval traditions.