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Knights Templar
In days of old and Knights were bold…………or hired thugs, mercenaries, bandits, vagabonds……………..take your pick.
But there was one group of knights that definitely conjure romance, intrigue, speculation and sells copious amounts books and paraphernalia. The Knights Templar.
Having just recently read, in detail, about the Knights Templar I was quite surprised to learn the fruition, history, and the demise of these Christian Knights.
Why were they Christian Knights? Well, way back in medieval times, when popping to the loo was an arduous, health diminishing trial in itself, a gang of French-born ‘brothers’ got together and offered their services, to assist pilgrims on their journey to the Holy Land. Originally named the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon. And as the name suggests, they took roost in Temple Mount - a castle reportedly built on the site of the legendary Temple of Solomon.
So, they were now rubbing shoulders with the King of Jerusalem and had a firm stronghold in the most wanted country in the medieval world. The Catholic Church then jumped on the band wagon and endorsed the Knights in 1129, which resulted in an exponential rise in members and their power. They lived on charity and donations, hence the reason why they were known as Poor Knights of Christ or the Poor Fellow soldiers of Christ.
But aside from their fighting ability the Knights were very business savvy and many of the members were born from noble blood. The, now Christian, Order set up a simple form of banking, comparable to our cheque system; the Christian Pilgrims deposited their worldly treasures with a local Templar residence, before their offshore journey to the Holy Land. The Templar’s issued the pilgrim with a kind of credit note or “cheque”, and once they safely reached the other side they cashed their cheque, to the value of their goods they left behind. Ingenious brilliance I say!
As security and banking tycoons, coupled with the seal of approval from the Pope himself, money was coming in thick and fast for the Templar’s. The non-combat members of the Christian Order built forts, castles, managed farms, vineyards. They were also merchants and manufacturers right across Europe and the Holy land. At the height of their popularity the Knights Templar could boast close to 20,000 members and received more riches, more land and the backing of noblemen, who were also keen to join the Order.
The Knights were also granted exemption from adhering to local laws; therefore did not pay tax. They were free to pass, without question, from country to country and did not have to abide by any authority - other than the Pope. However all good things must come to an end and support for the Knights Templar faded, after a succession of failed battles and general lack of control in the Hold Land. The Muslims took over Jerusalem in 1187, the crusaders (which did not fraternize with the Templar’s) then stepped in and held power for only 15 years, before the Turks moved in.
By then the Knights Templar were well and truly out of the game, being pushed north, then into Syria and finally back to their homelands.
In 1306, the new Pope, Pope Clement V requested an audience with the Grand Masters of the Knights Hospitallers and the Knights Templar, to discuss a merger of the Orders. Neither Master was happy with the idea but the Pope kept pushing the issue. Finally, in 1307, De Molay, Grand Master of the Knights Hospitallers, arrived. To his detriment, De Villaret, the Grand Master of the Templars did not bother attending until months later. In the Templar’s absence the Pope and the Hospitaller discussed the gossip that had been circulating about the Knights Templar regarding possible inappropriate rituals – including homosexuality – corruption & fraud.
King Philip of France, who was in fact up to his neck in debt with the Templar’s, jumped at the chance to pour fuel onto the rumours and he put pressure on the Pope to act against the Templar’s. On Friday 13th (a day synonymous with superstition and reportedly stems from this actual day) October 1307 the Templar’s were arrested in France and tortured until they confessed to the rumours, slander, fabrication etc. And by November the rest of the Templar’s, across Europe, had been arrested and charged. The templar’s every defense was quashed by King Phillip, who ordered they be burned at the stake in 1310. Further nit-picking from Phillip resulted in the abolition of the Order in 1312 and all their wealth was handed over to the Hospitallers.
So, job done.
The plotting and the scheming, instigated by a devious opposition, the The Grand Master of the Knight’s Templar was burned on 8th March 1314. During his ordeal he exclaiming that the King and the Pope would soon follow and he will meet them before God. Both the King and the Pope died before the year was out. The rest of the Templar’s were let off, after it was ruled there was no conviction to answer to. Some joined the Hospitallers and others retired. There is speculation that some Templar’s moved to Scotland and Switzerland, and Templar’s in Portugal simply changed their name to Knights of Christ.
The Catholic Church has since retracted the unjust accusations against the Templar’s and blamed the deaths solely on the then King of France. A lost document written in the 1200's, and apparently incorrectly archived in the Vatican, was found in 2001. The document confirmed the Catholic church had requested the Templar’s be absolved of all heresies. Well, better late than never I suppose.
If all the details are true it certainly paints the Templar’s as a just and true bunch with a head for business, which led to a rise of jealous men all looking for a piece of what they had?
But on the flip side these saintly souls did start their careers as sword wielding Holy War fanatics who became power and money hungry, which ultimately led to their downfall?
It’s so far back in history that we may never know the full true story………unless there is indeed a Knight Templar descendant out there holding on to a secret document, along with the Holy Grail, the Shroud of Turin and the Arc of the Covenant…………
Andrea Elliott
www.holisticwords.wordpress.com
holisticwords@gmail.com
Catholic Church : christian knights : Christian Order : christian pilgrims : Grand Master : Holy Land : Knights Hospitaller : knights of christ : Knights Templar : Templar Knight :
Catholic Church : christian knights : Christian Order : christian pilgrims : Grand Master : Holy Land : Knights Hospitaller : knights of christ : Knights Templar : Templar Knight :
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