Introduction

The fifth of the British four-yearly conferences on the military orders could not make use of its home in the old Hospitaller priory buildings in Clerkenwell because of building work. Cardiff University provided its first-class conference facilities, and thanks are due to the Vice-chancellor and the academic staff, who, under the leadership of Helen Nicholson, Denys Pringle and Peter Edbury, worked so hard to make the conference an outstanding success. Peter Edburyy generously took the responsibility of editing this volume.