The Knights Templar
Wrapped in mystery and intrigue, the Knights Templar stand out from the pages of history as the keepers of Catholicism’s greatest, most dangerous secrets. In legend, the Knights are known as the guardians of the Holy Grail, the Arc of the Covenant, and other Holy relics. Historically, they are remembered as the “Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon,” the disciplined guardians to Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land. Although the order is one of the most intriguing secret societies, the literature written on the Templars is minute and thus it is one of the least understood societies in history. Sadly, the order’s important contributions to history are so vastly overshadowed by scandal and intrigue that fact and fiction have become “so intertwined that extracting a pristine truth is almost impossible" (Macintyre 1). The information that is known, however, proves that the order’s significance is far greater than the persistent legends that encompass the popular perceptions of the Knights Templar. Formed in 1096 by St. Bernard in the aftermath of the first crusade, the Knights
Templar made their home on the Temple Mount Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem for nearly two centuries (Marzuni) . The earliest Templars were a purely militaristic company bound to a monastic lifestyle of chastity, poverty, and obedience. Income#, which depended on donations, was tight causing the Templar seal to depict two knights riding on one horse. Official endorsement from the Vatican in 1128, however, allowed the order to become the wealthiest of the crusade’s military units (Dafoe 1). In 1139, Pope Innocent II excused the Order from obedience to local laws. This meant that the Templars could now travel freely through all countries, were not required to pay taxes, and excused from all authority except that of the Pope (Burman 40). With the Pope’s endorsement and the ability to move and act freely, the Knights began to form businesses, acquire land, and build
Templar made their home on the Temple Mount Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem for nearly two centuries (Marzuni) . The earliest Templars were a purely militaristic company bound to a monastic lifestyle of chastity, poverty, and obedience. Income#, which depended on donations, was tight causing the Templar seal to depict two knights riding on one horse. Official endorsement from the Vatican in 1128, however, allowed the order to become the wealthiest of the crusade’s military units (Dafoe 1). In 1139, Pope Innocent II excused the Order from obedience to local laws. This meant that the Templars could now travel freely through all countries, were not required to pay taxes, and excused from all authority except that of the Pope (Burman 40). With the Pope’s endorsement and the ability to move and act freely, the Knights began to form businesses, acquire land, and build
Cited: Burman, Edward. The Templars: Knights of God. Destiny Books. Rochester, Vermont. 1986. Dafoe, Stephan. “Who Were the Knights Templar?.” Templar History.com. 1997 - 2008 http://www.templarhistory.com/who.html* Macintyre, Ben. “Crusading monks...and a truth more gripping than fiction.” The Guardian. London. April 29, 2006. <https://www.lexisnexis.com/us/lnacademic/returnTo.do?returnToKey=20_T344 6415374> Martin, Sean. The Knights Templar: The History & Myths of the Legendary Military Order. Thunder Mouth Press. 2005 Marzuni, Marcy. Decoding the Past: The Templar Code. The History Channel. November 7, 2005. Sora, Steven. Secret Societies of America’s Elite. Destiny Books. Rochester, Vermont. 2003. * Stephen Dafoe is an author of three books chronicling the history of the Knights Templar. He owns and operates Templarhistory.com as “a means to provide information on the history, mystery, myth and legacy of the Knights Templar and related topics.” Templarshistory.com is an independent website.