“In the past, the defence of the faith was riding horses, fighting enemies,” Fra Critien said. “Now we can defend the faith by being an example to those around us.”
That first part is quite important. Knights could have been thugs or even warlords but they weren't. Not because they would have been stopped by the state, which were fairly small and weak at the time, but because they largely chose not to.
And many crusaders went further than that. They chose a risky expedition often at a great expense of their families for no discernible earthly benefit.
Being a gentleman in the modern world is laudable but it happens under a completely different set of incentives.
Still, Malta is beautiful and definitely worth a visit. Especially for Europeans since flights and stay are very cheap.