Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/321

Rh nomination to commanderies, even when vacated in his own dominions. He also merged the two effete Orders of St. Sepulchre and St. Lazarus into that of St. John. How far this union could be considered a boon to the latter is not very apparent, inasmuch as both in wealth and public estimation it was immeasurably superior to the two fraternities now incorporated with it.

It has also been stated that a cardinal’s hat was conferred on D’Aubusson as a mark of personal favour on the occasion. The fact is, that D’Aubusson was made a cardinal in 1485, three years before Djem was transferred to the court of Rome. That appointment was moreover an honour of a very questionable kind. The position which the Grand-Master enjoyed as the head of the Order of St. John and supreme ruler at Rhodes was not in any way enhanced by the acquisition of the red hat. It would, indeed, have been better for his reputation could the historian have recorded that he had rejected the bauble. The real reason for his investiture was that the Pope had need of his great diplomatic talents in dealing with the nations of the East. The cardinal’s hat was coupled with the title of papal legate, a post which insured for the service of Innocent one of the most efficient agents possible for the delicate task of intercourse with the Turkish court.

Before the Pope had matured any of those projects for the reconquest of the East which were teeming within his ambitious brain he died, and his place was filled by the infamous Alexander VI. During his sway the position of the unfortunate Djem was very different from what it had been in the lifetime of Innocent. The knights who had been permitted to reside with him at the papal court were summarily dismissed, and he was confined as a close prisoner in the castle of St. Angelo. The last vestige of control over the fate of the miserable prince was thus taken away from the fraternity, and it can in no way be held responsible for what followed. Alexander, feeling himself secure in the possession of his prize, at once opened up communications with Bajazet, who made an offer either to continue to the Pope the payment of the allowance hitherto made to Djem