Hospitality

[Lat. hospital it as; Sp. hospital i dad.] State or quality of being hospitable; act of receiving and entertaining strangers or guests; practice of welcoming visitors with hearty and generous kindne . Hospitaller, n. In its original acceptation, this name was applied to certain religious bodies, who held it their duty to provide lodging and entertainment for persons engaged in pilgrimages; - hence, in a moder nized sense, one who resides in an hospital to receive and care for the destitute stranger, the disabled, or the sick. Hospitallers, or ORDER OF ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM, n. pl. ( Hist .) This celebrated military order originated in a monastery, chapel, and hospital, founded at Jerusalem by some merchants of Amalphi in 1048. In 1099 the hospital received increased territories from Godfrey de Bouileon, who transferred its government from the monks to his knights. In 1113 they were confirmed as a spiritual order by Pope Pascal II. The H. greatly distinguished themselves in the crusades, especially at Jerusalem in 1152, and at Acre in 1191. In 1308 their order was united with that of St. Samson of Jerusalem. They conquered Rhodes, Aug. 15, 1309, and from their sett ement in that island are sometimes called the Knights of Rhodes. Their wealth was much increased in 1311 by the addition of