Knights of Malta, 1523-1798 by Reuben Cohen is a textbook about a Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of a military, chivalric, and noble nature. Though it possesses no territory, the Knights of Malta is often considered a sovereign entity of international law, as it maintains diplomatic relations with many countries. Excerpt: "On January 1, 1523, a fleet of fifty vessels put out from the harbor at Rhodes for an unknown destination in the West. On board were the shattered remnants of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, accompanied by 4,000 Rhodians, who preferred the Knights and destitution to security under the rule of Sultan Solyman. The little fleet was in a sad and piteous condition. Many of those on board were wounded; all—Knights and Rhodians alike—were in a state of extreme poverty."