Brother Konrad Christiansen
Brother of the Knights of St. John (Hospitaller Infirmarian)
Basic Information
Name: Brother Konrad Christiansen
Birth: March 1171, near Næstved, Zealand (Denmark)
Family: Son of a prosperous farmer, living near the Hospitaller commandery at Antvorskov; given to the Order as a tithe after surviving a severe childhood fever
Order: Knights Hospitaller (Knights of St. John)
Skills: Preparation of medicines, tending the sick, literacy in Latin, full martial training
Role: Brother assigned to infirmary duties; battle‑trained
Timeline
1171 (Birth)
Born near Næstved, Zealand, Denmark.
1179 (Age 8) — Novitiate & Training
Entered the Antvorskov commandery; sent to the Holy Land for formal training at Castle Margat, a major Hospitaller fortress. Shows aptitude for healing and studies medical texts, aided by early Latin literacy.
1185 (Age 14) — Service as a Squire
Assigned to a Knight‑Brother overseeing the infirmary at Margat. Duties primarily medical, with full martial training as a warrior of the Order.
1189–1191 — The Siege of Acre
Served in the camp hospital treating casualties of battle and disease; participated in the defence of the siege camp during sallies by Saladin’s forces. Noted for reliable service by superiors.
Detailed Narrative
Origins near Antvorskov
Raised near the Hospitaller commandery at Antvorskov, Konrad’s survival from a severe fever led his family to tithe him to the Order. His early schooling included Latin, which later opened the door to studying medical treatises within the community of the sick and poor the Hospitallers served.
Formation at Castle Margat
After entry at Antvorskov, Konrad was sent east to Castle Margat. There he combined martial drill with practical healing—compounding simples, preparing balms, and dressing wounds—under the direction of experienced brothers.
Infirmary Service and Arms
Placed under a Knight‑Brother managing the Margat infirmary, Konrad learned to balance the Order’s dual vocation: caritas and militia. Though his daily labour served the sick, he never neglected the arms‑training required of a Hospitaller.
Acre: Surgeon and Soldier
During the long Siege of Acre, Konrad’s work in the camp hospital was relentless. He tended the wounded, managed fevers and flux, and when the lines were threatened, he took his place on the defences alongside his brothers, embodying the Hospitaller ideal.