The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM) is directly allied with international Freemasonry, from where they recruit their new elite brethren. Hence, the Knights of Malta and the Knights Templar are the Rosicrucian upper-degrees of Freemasonry.
[link to www.bibliotecapleyades.net]


"The degree of Knight of Malta is conferred in the United States as "an appendant Order" in a Commandery of Knights Templar. There is a ritual attached to the degree, but very few are in possession of it, and it is generally communicated after the candidate has been created a Knights Templar...."
[link to www.bibliotecapleyades.net]