Maltese Cross: Meaning, Origin and Connection with the Knights Templar

The Maltese Cross is one of the most recognizable chivalric symbols in the world. With its four deeply notched arms and eight points, it immediately evokes knights, the Crusades, and the history of the Holy Land.

However, its history is often misunderstood. The Maltese Cross is not originally a symbol of the Order of the Temple: it is historically linked to the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem, another great religious and military order of the Middle Ages.

Its name itself can be misleading: the symbol existed long before the knights settled on the island of Malta in 1530. Before being called the "Maltese Cross," it was primarily known as the Cross of Saint John.

What, then, is the origin of the Maltese Cross? Why does it have eight points? What do they mean? And what is the real connection between this cross, the Hospitallers, and the Templars?

What is the Maltese Cross?

The Maltese Cross is an eight-pointed cross consisting of four branches that widen toward the outside and each divide into two tips.

In its traditional representation associated with the Order of Saint John, it is generally white. To this day, it remains one of the primary emblems of the Sovereign Order of Malta.

Its very distinct geometry makes it quite easy to distinguish from a Latin cross, a cross pattée, or the many forms of red crosses associated in the modern imagination with the Templars.

What is the origin of the Maltese Cross?

The history of the symbol is older than its current name.

According to the history presented by the Order of Malta, the eight-pointed shape has ancient, likely Byzantine origins. It also appears in the maritime republic of Amalfi, in southern Italy, where coins attest to its use as early as the late 11th century.

This connection is important because Amalfitan merchants participated in the creation of a hospital establishment in Jerusalem intended to welcome and care for pilgrims.

It was around this hospital and a community led by Brother Gerard that the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem gradually developed.

The eight-pointed cross thus became linked to this community and took the name Cross of Saint John.

Who were the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem?

The Hospitallers constitute an order distinct from that of the Templars.

Their origin dates back to the second half of the 11th century, when a hospital community developed in Jerusalem to assist pilgrims and the sick.

Under the leadership of Brother Gerard, this community gradually took on an institutional form.

On February 15, 1113, Pope Paschal II officially recognized the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem through the bull Pie postulatio voluntatis. This recognition was a fundamental milestone in the history of the Order.

Were the Hospitallers only caregivers?

No.

Assisting the poor, the sick, and pilgrims remained at the heart of their vocation, but the context of the Latin East gradually led the Order to also develop a military dimension.

The Hospitallers thus became, like the Templars, a religious military order, while retaining their specific hospital vocation.

Why is it called the Maltese Cross?

This is an essential distinction: the Maltese Cross was not born in Malta.

After the fall of the main Latin states in the East, the Order of Saint John continued its history in the Mediterranean.

It established itself in Rhodes in 1310. Its members then became commonly known as the Knights of Rhodes.

After leaving Rhodes in the early 16th century, the Order remained for several years without a permanent territory.

In 1530, Emperor Charles V ceded the island of Malta to them. The knights then gradually took the name Knights of Malta.

The white eight-pointed cross, which had already been associated with the Order for much longer, thus became known as the Maltese Cross.

In other words:

the symbol predates the name "Maltese Cross."

Why does the Maltese Cross have eight points?

The eight points are the distinctive element of the symbol and have received various interpretations throughout the history of the Order.

However, one should avoid presenting any modern list of eight chivalric values as a certain historical meaning.

The Eight Beatitudes

In the spiritual tradition of the Order, the eight points are notably linked to the eight Beatitudes.

This interpretation recalls the religious nature of the Order of Saint John, whose members combined Christian vocation, care for the sick, and, gradually, military defense.

The eight virtues associated with the members of the Order

Another tradition connects the eight points to eight qualities or duties attributed to the members of the Order:

• loyalty;
• mercy;
• frankness;
• courage;
• glory and honor;
• contempt for death;
• solidarity toward the poor and the sick;
• respect for the Church.

These values must be understood in the religious and chivalric context specific to the Order of Saint John.

The eight "Languages" of the Order

The eight points have also been associated with the ancient "Languages" of the Order.

These Languages were major groupings corresponding to the geographical origin of the knights:

• Auvergne;
• Provence;
• France;
• Aragon;
• Castile and Portugal;
• Italy;
• Germany;
• England, with Scotland and Ireland.

The meaning of the eight points is therefore richer than a simple modern list of values such as courage, strength, or protection.

Is the Maltese Cross a Templar cross?

No. The Maltese Cross is not an emblem specific to the Order of the Temple.

It is historically associated with the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, which successively became the Order of Rhodes and then the Order of Malta.

The Templars and the Hospitallers were two distinct institutions. Nevertheless, they evolved for several centuries within the same historical environment: crusades, the Holy Land, pilgrimages, fortifications, and the defense of the Latin states of the East.

This historical proximity explains in part why their symbols are frequently conflated today in popular culture, modern illustrations, and various objects inspired by medieval chivalry.

Is there, despite everything, a link between the Templars and the Hospitallers?

Yes, but this link does not mean that their emblems were interchangeable.

After the suppression of the Order of the Temple in 1312, Pope Clement V assigned Templar properties to the Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem via the bull Ad providam.

Many former Templar possessions thus came under Hospitaller administration.

This historical succession also contributed to bringing the two orders closer together in collective memory, but the Templars and the Hospitallers retained distinct histories and identities.

To delve deeper into the history of the Templars: Order of the Temple: origin, history, and fall of the Templars .

Templars and Hospitallers: what are the differences?

Maltese Cross, cross pattée, and Templar cross: what are the differences?

Not all medieval crosses designate the same order or the same tradition.

The Maltese Cross

It has eight perfectly distinct points and historically belongs to the world of the Hospitallers of Saint John.

The cross pattée

The cross pattée is a heraldic form whose branches widen toward their ends. It exists in different historical contexts and does not in itself constitute an exclusively Templar symbol.

Discover its history in our article: Cross Pattée: meaning of the Templar symbol .

The cross associated with the Templars

The Templars are historically associated with a red cross worn on their clothing. However, its exact representation is not uniform across all medieval sources.

It is therefore better not to turn a specific modern form of a cross pattée into the unique and immutable emblem of the Order throughout its entire existence.

To compare emblems more broadly: Templar symbols: meaning of crosses, seals, and mottos .

Is the Cross of Jerusalem the same thing as the Maltese Cross?

No.

The Cross of Jerusalem is composed of a large cross potent surrounded by four smaller crosses. It is primarily associated with the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem and the historical context of the Crusades.

The Maltese Cross, with its eight points, is linked to the history of the Order of Saint John.

These two symbols therefore belong to a similar historical universe, but they have different forms, origins, and associations.

For more information: Cross of Jerusalem: meaning, origin, and history of the symbol .

Key dates in the history of the Maltese Cross and the Hospitallers

What does the Maltese Cross mean today?

The Maltese Cross retains several dimensions today.

First, it remains a religious and institutional emblem directly linked to the Sovereign Order of Malta. The white eight-pointed cross is still present in its activities, ceremonies, and medical and humanitarian works.

Beyond this institutional use, it has become a much more widely recognized historical symbol.

It can evoke:

• the legacy of chivalric orders;
• assistance to the most vulnerable;
• duty and service;
• courage;
• the Mediterranean history of the Order of Saint John.

These contemporary interpretations, however, must be distinguished from the traditional historical meanings attributed to the eight points.

Why is the Maltese Cross still used today?

Its visual power partially explains its longevity.

With its eight immediately recognizable points, the Maltese Cross has a particularly strong silhouette. It still appears in emblems, buildings, works of art, organizations linked to the legacy of Saint John, and various contemporary representations of the chivalric world.

The Sovereign Order of Malta itself still uses it as one of its official symbols.

The Maltese Cross in contemporary jewelry

Today, the Maltese Cross is also used in jewelry inspired by medieval and chivalric history.

It is found in particular on rings, pendants, and bracelets. Its distinctive geometry makes it easily identifiable, even on small pieces of jewelry.

However, it is more accurate to refer to these pieces as jewelry inspired by the chivalric heritage rather than reproductions of jewelry historically worn by the Knights of Malta or the Templars.

Choosing such a piece of jewelry can be driven by several motivations: an interest in history, aesthetic appeal, symbolic attachment, or simply a taste for the medieval world.

Frequently asked questions about the Maltese Cross

What does the Maltese Cross mean?

The Maltese Cross is the historical emblem of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, which became the Order of Rhodes and then the Order of Malta. Its eight points are associated in the tradition of the Order with the eight Beatitudes and various virtues linked to its members.

Why does the Maltese Cross have eight points?

The eight points have received several interpretations. They are traditionally associated with the eight Beatitudes, eight virtues of the Order, and, in a later historical reading, the eight ancient "Tongues" that grouped its members according to their geographical origin.

What is the origin of the Maltese Cross?

The eight-pointed form predates the Order's establishment in Malta. The official history of the Order attributes ancient origins to it and highlights its use in Amalfi before its adoption by the Hospitaller community of Saint John of Jerusalem.

Why is it called the Maltese Cross?

The Order of Saint John settled on the island of Malta in 1530. Its members then became the Knights of Malta, and their white eight-pointed cross gradually became known as the Maltese Cross.

Is the Maltese Cross a Templar symbol?

No. The Maltese Cross is historically associated with the Hospitallers of Saint John. The Templars were a distinct order, even though the two institutions coexisted in the Holy Land during the Crusades.

What is the difference between the Maltese Cross and the cross pattée?

The Maltese Cross has eight points created by four deeply indented arms. The cross pattée has four arms that widen toward their ends and exists in various heraldic and religious contexts.

What is the difference between Templars and Hospitallers?

The Templars and Hospitallers were two distinct military religious orders. The former were founded at the beginning of the 12th century and became notably associated with military protection in the Holy Land. The Hospitallers found their origins in an 11th-century hospital community dedicated to assisting pilgrims and the sick before also developing a military function.

Does the Order of Malta still exist today?

Yes. The Sovereign Order of Malta still exists. Its official name today is the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta. It maintains medical, humanitarian, and assistance activities.

What to remember about the history and meaning of the Maltese Cross?

The Maltese Cross is much more than just a decorative shape associated with the Middle Ages.

Its history is deeply linked to that of the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem, whose origins go back to a community destined to assist pilgrims and the sick in the Holy Land.

The eight-pointed symbol itself predates the Order's arrival in Malta. After Jerusalem and Rhodes, the arrival of the knights on the island in 1530 eventually gave it the name by which we know it today.

Its eight points have received various spiritual and institutional interpretations, while its silhouette has gradually become one of the most famous emblems of the European chivalric tradition.

Finally, it is essential not to confuse the Maltese Cross with a Templar symbol. Hospitallers and Templars shared part of the same historical context, and some Temple assets were transferred to the Hospitallers after 1312, but they were indeed two different orders.

Historical sources and further reading

• Sovereign Order of Malta – The eight-pointed cross: history and meaning
• Sovereign Order of Malta – From the 11th century to the present: history of the Hospitallers
• Sovereign Order of Malta – Hospitallers, Knights of Rhodes, and Knights of Malta
• National Archives – The Templars and the transfer of their assets to the Hospitallers in 1312