Knight of Justice
The Knights of Justice or Professed Knights, form the first of the three classes of members of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta together with the professed conventual chaplains. They make vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. According to the Order's Code, "they are religious in all respects and they comply with the universal and particular norms that concern them."
The religious superior of the Knights of Justice, under the Prince and Grand Master, is the Grand Commander, currently Fra' Emmanuel Rousseau. Most Knights of Justice are members of a Priory or Subpriory.
All Knights of Justice have the title Fra' . They are divided into the following ranks:
- Venerable Bailiff Knights Grand Cross of Justice Professed in Perpetual Vows
- Knights Grand Cross of Justice Professed in Perpetual Vows
- Commanders of Justice Professed in Perpetual Vows
- Knights of Justice Professed in Perpetual Vows
- Knights of Justice Professed in Temporary Vows
- Knights admitted to the Novitiate
Membership numbers
There are currently thirty-two Knights of Justice.Historical membership numbers of professed knights
| Year | Number |
| 1871 | 36 |
| 1880 | 39 |
| 1895 | 46 |
| 1938 | 24 |
| 1968 | 24 |
| 1986 | 24 |
Prominent living Knights of Justice
The abbreviation S.A.E. stands for Sua Altezza Eminentissima, His Most Eminent Highness; it is used by the Prince and Grand Master.The abbreviation S.E. stands for Sua Eccellenza, His Excellency; it is used by the members of the Sovereign Council, by grand priors, and by those knights who are bailiffs.
| Name | Priory or Subpriory | Notes |
| S.A.E. Fra' John T. Dunlap | Prince and 81st Grand Master | |
| S.E. Fra' Emmanuel Rousseau | Rome | Grand Commander |
| Fra' Francis Vassallo | Bohemia | Receiver of the Common Treasure |
| S.E. Fra' Richard Wolff | Our Lady of Lourdes | Member of the Sovereign Council |
| S.E. Fra' John Eidinow | England | Member of the Sovereign Council |
| S.E. Fra' Joao Augusto Esquivel Freire de Andrade | Naples and Sicily | Member of the Sovereign Council |
| S.E. Fra' Thomas Mulligan | Our Lady of Lourdes | Member of the Sovereign Council |
| S.E. Fra' Nicola Tegoni | Our Lady of Lourdes | Member of the Sovereign Council |
| S.E. Fra' Roberto Viazzo | Rome | Grand Prior of Rome |
| S.E. Ven. Balì Fra' Ruy Gonçalo do Valle Peixoto de Villas Boas | Rome | |
| Fra' Gherardo Hercolani Fava Simonetti | Rome | |
| Fra' Giovanni Scarabelli | Rome | Conventual Chaplain |
| Fra' Jean-Louis Mainguy | Rome | |
| S.E. Ven. Balì Fra' Angelo Chiastellaro | Lombardy and Venice | |
| S.E. Fra' Nicolò Custoza de Cattani | Naples and Sicily | Grand Prior of Naples and Sicily |
| Fra' Alessandro de Franciscis | Naples and Sicily | former Grand Hospitaller |
| Fra' Ignazio Toraldo di Francia | Naples and Sicily | |
| Fra' Luigi de Palma | Naples and Sicily | Chaplain |
| S.E. Fra' Pierre Melchior Henri de Bizemont | Bohemia | Grand Prior of Bohemia |
| Fra' Karel Eduard Paar | Bohemia | former Grand Prior of Bohemia |
| Fra' Bertrand Allard de Sotteville de Villermont | Bohemia | |
| Fra' Julian Chadwick | Bohemia | |
| Fra' Jean Michel Furlan | Bohemia | |
| S.E. Fra' Gottfried von Kühnelt-Leddihn | Austria | Grand Prior of Austria |
| Fra' Ludwig von Call zu Rosenburg und Kulmbach | Austria | |
| Fra' Leon Sireisky | Austria | Chaplain |
| Fra' Duncan Gallie | Austria | |
| S.E. Fra' Max Rumney | England | Grand Prior of England |
| Fra' Richard Berkley-Matthews | England | Chancellor of the Grand Priory of England |
| Fra' Ian Scott | England | former Grand Prior of England |
| Fra' Paul Caffrey | England | |
| Fra' Mathieu J. Dupont | Our Lady of Lourdes | |
| Fra' Guy de Lustrac | Member of the French Association |
Robes
The black church robe worn by the Knights of Justice has a different shape from that worn by the knights of the second and third classes. It is distinguished by the cross of Malta on the left side. The cross is completely white.The Knights of Justice in perpetual vows wear an additional garment called a scapular. It hangs from the back of the neck like a yoke and wraps around the back and then rests over the left forearm. It has four large tassels and is embroidered in gold with the symbols of the Passion of Christ.
The red military uniform of the Knights of Justice is distinguished by a white collar, white lapels and white cuffs. The feathers of the feluca worn by Knights of Justice are white instead of black.
Knights in minority
Until 1961 Knights of Justice could be admitted to the Order in minority, i.e. when they were children. This would give them seniority when applying for commanderies in the Order. Most of these Knights of Justice in minority did not take solemn vows when they became adults.Prince Philipp of Liechtenstein and Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein were admitted as Knights of Justice in minority at the ages of four and three on 15 November 1950; Neither brother took vows as an adult; Prince Nikolaus is now a Knight of Honour and Devotion. The last Knight of Justice in minority was Count Franz-Alfred von Hartig, who was admitted 31 May 1951 when he was sixteen; he never took vows and is now a Knight in Obedience and the Order's ambassador to Romania.