Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta
Something (1803-present)
Location: Rome, sort of
Capital City: Palazzo Malta
Government type: Theocratic Elective Monarchy, possibly a micronation, or a sovereign entity without territory
Main languages: Italian
Main religions: Catholic Christianity
Exactly what the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM) is isn't entirely clear. Some sources call it a country, a country without territory, a micronation, a sovereign subject of international law, a sovereign religious order, and any combination of those things, it's sovereign, but that's where the consensus seems to end. The issue seems to hinge on whether or not the Order's headquarters buildings in Rome, the Palazzo Malta and the Villa del Priorato di Malta are sovereign territory of the Order, or Italian territory the order happens to own. Pretty much every source you will find, from online references to statements by foreign governments (Italy included), seems to have a different interpretation on the Order's status. Not even the website of the order themselves clarifies the issue. I've gone down this rabbit hole about a dozen times and never found a conclusive answer. According to worldstatesmen, as of June 2025, SMOM is recognized as sovereign by 115 countries.
Chronology
1099: Order of the Knights of Saint John founded in Jerusalem
1113: Papal recognition granted as the Order of Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem
1310-1523: The Order rules over Rhodes
1530-1798: The Order rules over Malta
1802: Treaty of Amiens states Malta is to be returned to the Order, but this never happens
1803: Reestablishement of the Order in exile
1822: Order recognized as sovereign by the Treaty of Verona
1834: Current headquarters in Rome established
1869: Palazzo Malta and Villa del Priorato di Malta given extraterritorial rights
1994: Given UN observer status
Currency
Scudo (1962-present)
1 Scudo = 12 Tari = 240 Grani
Coins from SMOM in the collection
•1 Scudo, 1964 (Grand Master Angelo de Mojana (1962-1988), silver (.986), SMOM mint, X#9)