Hereditary Commanders of The Knights Hospitaller
In 1798, Nikolay Nikitich Demidov (who was not a prince, despite of fervent desires of some scribblers to put that title in front of his name) was made a Family Commander of the Russian Grand Priory of the Order of Saint John, by Czar Paul I. Those favoured by Emperor Paul and his son Alexander I of Russia, had been given beneficed Commanderies, and others were encouraged to use their wealth to create their own Commanderies; it is these which were known as Family or Ancestral Commanderies.
In 1811, a Ukase was enacted which brought this institution to an end. However by personal grant of the Emperor, the title of "Hereditary Commander" was held by some descendants who qualified. For a full discussion on the arguments which surround this institution consult the essay "The Foundation Deeds of Family Commanderies of the Order of Malta in Russia."
In 1928 a group of descendants of the original Family Commanders formed an Association. By 1958, the group was chaired by Grand Duke Vladimir (successor to the Russian Throne). This group regulated the claims of the descendants. On 14 April 1958, under his signature of Grand Duke Vladimir decided in favour of Paul Demidoff; "de faire droit à Votre requête et de confirmer Votre titre de Commandeur Héréditaire de l'Union des Descendants des Commandeurs Héréditaires et Chevaliers du Grand Prieuré Russe de l'Ordre de St. Jean de Jérusalem en tant que descendant direct de Demidoff Nicolas fils de Nicétas qui, par grâce de Mon trisaïeul, S.M. l'Empereur Paul I-r Grand Maître de l'Ordre de St. Jean de Jérusalem avait été élevé le 2I Jullet 1799" - in translation; "to grant Your request and to confirm Your title of Hereditary Commander of the Union of the Descendants of the Hereditary Commanders and Knights of the Russian Grand Priory about St John of Jerusalem as a direct descendant of Demidoff Nicholas son of Nicétas which, by grace of My great-great-grandfather, H.M. the Emperor Paul I Grand Master of the Order of St John of Jerusalem had been elevated 21 July 1799"
Alexandre Tissot Demidoff (of Berkshire England) chairs an Association which seeks to continue the humanitarian tradition of the Russian Grand Priory, to which Alexander Demidoff (of Paris, and son of Paul Demidoff above) belongs.
The Family Commanderies established during the reigns of Paul I and Alexander I of Russia as part of the non-Catholic Grand Priory include those of:
Narychkine, Count Chéréméteff, Prince Youssoupoff †, Stroganov †, Count Samoiloif ‡, Prince Belosselsky, Prince Dolgoroukov, Davydov, Prince Barytinsky, Prince Démidoff, Prince Troubetzkoy, Count Worontzoff, Maruzzi †, Beklechev †, Prince Tioufiakine †, Count Olsoufieff, Gerebtzoff, Count Strogonoff †, Boutourline, Potemkine †, Tchirikoff †, Prince Khilkoff ‡, Prince Odoevsky †, and Prince Youssoupoff †.
Key. † Direct Male line from the first Commander extinct. ‡ Direct Male line is extinct, but the family was reinstated via the female line by the Imperium.
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