For those who know a little of the Order of Malta's history, the current dispute with the Holy See may prompt a case of déjà vu. The Order has found its way through a similar crisis before, and can do so again - although this time the happy ending will be more hard-won.
In his 1957 novel LesChevaliers de Malte, Roger Peyrefitte told the real story, full of financial scandals, intrigues and plots, of a complicated conflict between the Holy See and the Order of Malta. On one side, as he told it, there was the clerical yearning of Cardinal Canali, who wanted to get his hands on the Order's money and power. On the other side, the chivalric nobility of a handful of knights who strove to maintain their independence and their honour, gained over a thousand years of battles and recognised by popes, emperors and kings.
