ABSTRACT
The commanderies of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem in Lower Alsace were founded during the thirteenth century (see Fig. 25.1). The first one was Dorlisheim, which dates from the beginning of the century, while Rhinau and Sélestat only appeared in the early 1260s. As elsewhere, these establishments had to support the Order’s mission of war and charity in the East. However, the Hospitallers’ appearance in Lower Alsace is relatively late by comparison with the beginning of their development in the south and the west of Europe, directly after the founding of the Order in the early twelfth century. It was only in the thirteenth century that they benefited from the interest of local society and especially of the bishops of Strasbourg.
