Relations with Portugal
The Sovereign Order of Malta is recognized and has bilateral diplomatic relations with 113 countries, among which the Republic of Portugal. It also maintains diplomatic relations with international organizations and the European Union.
Since the onset, the history of the Order of Malta and Portugal was closely interlinked. The Portuguese fleet contributed to guarantee navigation security in the Mediterranean Sea and the Knights of the Order to protect, host and take care of pilgrims to the Holy Land.
Portugal’s prominence within the Order grew overtime. The Order established a Priory in Leça do Balio (1123) and later in Crato (1340). Fra’ Afonso of Portugal, the eldest son of Afonso Henriques, first king of Portugal, was elected 12th Grand Master of the Order (1202 -1206). The Langue of Castille, Léon and Portugal was later established as the eighth administrative division of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem (1462).
Portugal gave three other Grand Masters to the Order: Fra’ Luis Mendez de Vasconcellos (1622 – 1623), who was recognized for the various naval expeditions against the Ottoman Empire and was the first Portuguese Grandmaster in Malta. Vasconcellos served as Grandmaster for less than six months, as he died in 1623; Fra’ Antonio Manoel de Vilhena (1722 – 1736), who erected an impressive number of fortifications, private, public and ecclesiastical buildings in the whole Maltese archipelago. He also founded the town of Floriana. Vilhena’s magistracy was marked by the only attempt to end the perpetual conflict with the Ottoman Empire and establish a peace treaty, which unfortunately did not materialize; and Fra’ Manuel Pinto de Fonseca (1741 – 1773), who contributed enriching the Maltese architecture with baroque buildings, established the first printing press at the Magistral Palace, and founded the University of Malta. Pinto de Fonseca is also recalled for the suppression of a Muslim revolt in 1749. He served the Order as Grand Master for 32 years.
Since 1899, the national association Assembly of the Portuguese Knights of the Order of Malta has been operating in Portugal with the status of a Private Social Security Institution.
The diplomatic relations between the Order of Malta and Portugal date back to 1951, when N. H. Conte Alvise Emo Capodilista presented his credentials to the Portuguese government as Minister of Legation. Diplomatic reciprocity was established in 1962, when António Augusto Leite de Faria presented his credentials to the Order. In 1971, the diplomatic mission of the Order was elevated to the status of Embassy. Since then, the Order of Malta has maintained Ambassadors accredited to the Republic of Portugal.
On 14 May 1982, a Cooperation Agreement was signed in Lisbon between Portugal and the Order of Malta. The Agreement aims at facilitating, developing and diversifying the mutual cooperation in the humanitarian, scientific and technical fields.
In October 2023, the Grand Master of the Order of Malta, Fra’ John T. Dunlap, visited Portugal and went to the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. State visits to Portugal took place in 2010 and 2015, among the last ones.
For a complete outline of the history of the Order of Malta:
https://www.orderofmalta.int/history/1048-to-the-present-day/
For projects and activities of the Order of Malta in Portugal:
https://www.ordemdemaltaportugal.org/
