Once upon a time, the Knights of Malta meant something. They were an order of knights who joined up to fight the Muslims. They lost, and relocated to Malta (donated to them by the King of Spain) in the 16th century where they augmented their income with a little piracy and mercenary work (mostly for the French).

They lost a lot of their properties in Europe because of the Reformation and especially the French Revolution. Napoleon took Malta from the Knights in 1798, and they removed to Rome. They had a fair amount of property in Russia, and the Russian Emperor claimed to be the Grand Master of the Order.

Leo XIII reorganized the Knights as a lay order in 1879, dedicating them to humanitarian and charitable work. During World War II, they did a great deal of charitable work, especially in Europe, which continues to this day.