The Curse of Oak Island – Season 12, Episode 20: The Knights of Malta Connection
The Knights of Malta – Who Were They?
Before we dive into this week’s finds, it’s important to understand who the Knights of Malta were.
Originally known as the Knights Hospitaller, they were no ordinary religious group. They were warrior monks, crusaders, and allies of the legendary Knights Templar.
They fought in the Holy Land, built fortresses across Europe, and after the fall of Jerusalem, they didn’t disappear. They became more powerful.
After 1307—when the Templars were dismantled—the Hospitallers absorbed much of their treasure and secrets. They eventually settled in Malta by the 1500s, where they dug tunnels, fortified cities, and then faded into legend.
But what if their journey didn’t end in Malta?
Lot 5: Ground Zero for Discovery
The focus of this episode is Lot 5, a newly acquired section of Oak Island.
From the beginning, it’s been a hotspot of mysterious finds—and now, it’s delivering something incredible.
Among the ruins of an old stone foundation near the shoreline, archaeologists uncovered what looked like a simple button.
But this was no ordinary button.
It had a starburst pattern—not clockwise, not counterclockwise, but something rare… something strikingly similar to buttons worn by Knights of Malta uniforms.
This wasn’t just a fashion accessory.
It was a breadcrumb from a forgotten world.
Historical Bombshell: Isaac Doners and the Malta Connection
Then came a major revelation from researcher Judy Rudabush.
She uncovered documents showing that a Knight of Malta named Isaac Doners traveled to Nova Scotia in the 1630s.
Not only that—he settled just across the water from Oak Island.
Even more fascinating? His family, the DeVilliers, were Grand Masters of the order.
So now, we have:
- Lineage
- Proximity
- And a direct connection between Lot 5 and the Knights of Malta
Coincidence? Or calculated legacy?
Beads, Buttons, and Beacons from the Past
More artifacts start to emerge on Lot 5—buttons, bottle glass, pottery fragments, and most importantly… Venetian trade beads.
These beads are significant because they trace back to the Mediterranean trade routes—routes deeply connected to the Knights of Malta.
These weren’t just decorative trinkets. They were part of a coded message, a trace left by travelers with purpose.
Two beads.
Same color.
Same origin.
Same message:
“We were here.”
Fred Nolan’s Swamp Wall: Man-Made or Myth?
Now we move across the island to the northern swamp—once the obsession of the late Fred Nolan, who believed a man-made wall or dam existed beneath the muck.
This week, Rick Lagina and Tom Nolan dig deep into that claim—and suddenly, they find it:
- Massive boulders, aligned at the same elevation
- A cut timber, not random driftwood, but a log clearly shaped by axe, wedged between the stones
This is construction—deliberate, ancient, and strategic.
Exactly the kind of underground architecture the Knights of Malta were famous for.
Smoke or Fire? The Puzzle Comes Together
Let’s pause and look at what’s on the table:
- A button matching Knights of Malta attire
- Venetian beads traced back to the Mediterranean
- A swamp wall made with purpose
- And historical records of a Knight of Malta living nearby in the 1600s
This isn’t just smoke.
This is fire.
Could the Knights of Malta—guardians of Templar secrets—have continued their mission on Oak Island?
Is Lot 5 part of a relay station, where information, treasure, or coded relics were passed down?
A Legacy Passed in Silence
Here’s what many viewers miss: Nothing on Oak Island is random.
The artifacts being found weren’t lost.
They were left behind, perhaps on purpose—breadcrumbs for those wise enough to follow.
The Knights of Malta were strategists.
They didn’t just travel—they planted themselves in key, hidden places around the world.
If Oak Island was one of them…
This might be one of the greatest untold chapters in North American history.
Not Just Templars Anymore – The Malta Brotherhood Rises
For years, we’ve heard that the Knights Templar might have come to the New World.
But now, a new chapter begins:
The Knights of Malta are stepping into the spotlight.
If the Templars passed down secrets, gold, or sacred knowledge, the Knights of Malta may have been the ones to protect and carry it forward—from Jerusalem, to Rhodes, to Malta, and then to Nova Scotia.
The Barter Token Connection
Let’s not forget the lead barter token found near Smith’s Cove.
Its symbolic design and coded meaning line up eerily well with Lot 5’s discoveries.
Put that token beside the Knights of Malta button…
You’re looking at two puzzle pieces from the same story—finally snapping together.
Lot 5: A Staging Ground, Not a Campsite
The layered constructions, the mix of European artifacts, and the coded clues suggest that Lot 5 wasn’t just a temporary stop.
It may have been a strategic operations base:
- A place where secrets were passed
- Where relics were exchanged
- And where something may have been hidden before the Money Pit was ever dug
Final Thoughts: A Relay of Secrets
As Rick Lagina wisely said:
“It feels like the mystery of Oak Island was solved incrementally.”
This was never about one group, one moment, or one treasure.
It’s about generations of secret keepers—Templars, Malta knights, and others—building a relay of mysteries, layer by layer, each protecting what came before.
Now, the team is preparing for a trip to Malta, where the archives may hold the final answers.
This isn’t just a field trip.
It’s the next critical chapter in solving the Oak Island mystery.
The Real Treasure: Truth
The Curse of Oak Island is no longer just about lost gold.
It’s about:
- Brotherhoods who guarded ancient secrets
- Artifacts that speak across centuries
- And brave modern explorers trying to bring those secrets to light
We’re not chasing myths anymore.
We’re uncovering a legacy.
And if the Knights of Malta left something behind…
We may be standing closer than ever to discovering it.
