Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/684

648 Vienna, and at the end of that time was made grand-bailiff of Brandenburg. He was the youngest Grand-Master elected for centuries, being only fifty-three years of age.

His rule opened with a gleam of prospenty from the favourable disposition of the emperor of Russia towards the fraternity. Paul I. had always been its enthusiastic admirer, and now that he had reached the throne, he gave a practical proof of his Mend- ship. The Polish priory was largely augmented and converted into a Russian one, with a revenue of 300,000 forms. This priory was divided into ten commanderies for knights and three for chaplains, and was incorporated into the Anglo-Bavarian langue. The emperor also assumed the title of “Protector of the Order of Malta.” In the council of Rastadt, which opened in 1797, it was proposed to combine the Order of St. John with that of the Teutonic knights, but the project fell to the ground in the midst of other more important matters. Indeed, there was so strong a feeling amongst the revolutionary party in favour of the destruction of both fraternities, that no measure tending to strengthen them was likely to prove acceptable.

At length the year opened which was destined to remove the Order from the home where it had dwelt during nearly three centuries. The treasury was at this moment in an alarming state of deficit; most of its revenues had been confiscated, or were unavailable; the plate and jewels had been either melted down or disposed of, and but little remained to defray the expenditure necessary for placing the island in a proper state of defence. At this time there were present at the convent the following knights, viz.:—200 of the three French langues, 90 Italians, 25 Spanish, 8 Portuguese, 4 German, and S Anglo-Bavarian, making a total of 332; but of these only 280 were, from age and other causes, capable of bearing arms. The garrison consisted of the Maltese regiment of 500 men, the Grand-Master’s guard of 200, the battalions of the men-of-war and galleys, 700; artillery, 100; chasseurs of the militia, 1,200; and sailors, 1,200, making a total of nearly 4,000 men; to which might be added 3,000 of the simple militia of the island, who, under ordinary circumstances, might be counted on to do faithful service.

The destruction of the Order was determined on by the followilig decree, which was drawn up by the French directory, dated