The Academy was originally set up by Grand Magisterial Decree of H.R.H. Don Francisco de Borbon y Escasany dated 30th November 2002 with the main aim being to promote the study of the history of the Order of Saint Lazarus and of Western Chivalry in general. In November 2014, during an International Meeting in Malta, a decision was made to re-vitalise and re-organize the Academy. The new statute was approved during the International Meeting in June 2017, and a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Foundation of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem was signed in November 2019. The Academy is now a fully registered stand-alone academic voluntary organization registered in accordance with Maltese legislation [LPA – 141 | V/O1969]. Its activities and services can be followed from its dedicated website.
The aim of the present Academy is:
- to promote the historical knowledge related to the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, and other Crusader and related orders of chivalry as this relates to the hierarchy, their components, their traditions, their laws and their ancient history, as well as their relations with Christian Churches.
To realise its objectives, the Academy has undertaken the following activities:
- Set up an electronic and paper resource library in collaboration with the Order’s Office of the Grand Archivist, the latter being housed at the Torri ta’ Lanzun Archival Library.
- Establish itself as a publishing house to enable it to promote the publication of academic studies related to the Order and also publish the academic journal Acta Historiae Sancti Lazari Ordinis.
- Organize regular academic meetings to bring together interested academics and thus encourage discussion on controversial issues related to the history of the Order.