Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/412

382 and this seemed the proposal which met with the most general consent.

A request was consequently made by the Grand-Master, supported by the authority of the Pope, to Charles V., emperor of Germany, in whose possession these islands then were as an offshoot of the kingdom of Sicily, for their transfer to the Order of St. John. To this application the emperor returned a favourable answer, as he was delighted at the prospect of setting up a new and formidable barrier against the aggressions of the Turk, who, now that Rhodes had fallen, appeared likely to threaten the kingdom of Sicily. He fettered his offer, however, by two very unpalatable conditions; one that the city of Tripoli on the north coast of Africa should be coupled with the islands, and the other that the Order should render fealty to him. The city of Tripoli was a charge which would greatly impede the free action of the knights, and exposed as it was would lock up a large portion of their available force. As regarded the question of fealty, one of the main principles involved in the foundation of the Order was its cosmopolitan character. Embodying within itself, as it did, members of every nation in Europe, it was impossible that fealty should be rendered to any one sovereign without offence to the others. Still, the emperor’s gift was not to be hastily rejected, and L’Isle Adam trusted that with a little patience he might succeed in softening the severity of the conditions.

Meanwhile a body of commissioners, eight in number, one of each langue, was appointed to visit the islands in question, and to report to the council then residing at Viterbo on their capabilities. L’Isle Adam was the more disposed to let matters take their course quietly and slowly, since a prospect had suddenly developed itself of his being able to recover possession of the city of Rhodes. Achmet pasha, to whom, as we have already seen, the command of the Turkish army was intrusted, upon the degradation of Mustapha, had been despatched into Egypt to quell an insurrection there. Having succeeded in this, his ambition prompted him to renounce allegiance to the sultan, and to establish himself as a sovereign prince over the kingdom. As a support in his new and insecure position, he sought the assistance of such European powers as he con-