In Hospitaller historiography, the Rhodian phase (1306/09-1522) is often discussed in terms of the development of an ‘Island Order State’ (henceforth IOS),1 that is, the coming together of the international Order of St John and the island of Rhodes (and other Aegean outposts) led to the formation of a unique political structure in late medieval Europe. A key characteristic of this IOS was its dependence on outside sources for its needs, in particular, to replenish its ruling caste of knights who all came from outside Rhodes. On the other hand, the IOS shared many similarities with other polities, in that it had to deal with issues that any state was faced with, ranging from religious affairs to questions related to urban development, defence, and the economy.peer-reviewe
