The Knights Templar - 1424 Words

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 â€Å"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†¦show more content†¦For military functions, their ships included maneuverable war galleys while commercially the ships were large enough to transport pilgrims, troops, horses and trade cargoes to their Mediterranean bases in Italy, France, Spain and the Holy Land (Sora 17). Although the original Templar organization was eventually destroyed by a jealous and indebted King Philip of France in 1307, the Knight’s accomplishments and contributions to Europe have had such a profound effect that they continue to influence the modern world (Martin 123-124)#. Many Templar supporters and Knights escaped persecution and arrest in France by fleeing to Switzerland, Germany, Spain, and England. There, they continued their business activities underground or through other orders and names (Martin 140-141). From the original Templar banks grew the famous Swiss security and privacy based bank accounts of the extremely wealthy. Their banks no longer had the freedom it enjoyed during the Templar’s Golden Age, but its location in a neutral country with a highly organized military force gave patrons incentive to invest in Swiss Bank accounts (Sora 27).# From Templar architecture and masonry grew the famous secret organization of Free Masons. The stone masons and architectural guilds that constructed Templar churches, castles, and political buildings were infiltrated by the Knights. With Templar influence, members of the guilds not only built churches and governmentShow MoreRelated Knights of Templar Essay1427 Words   |  6 PagesKnights of Templar The Knights Templar were the manifestation of a new chivalry which united the seemingly incompatible roles of monk and warrior. As the first religious military order, these dedicated men were models for successive orders including the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, later known as the Hospitallers, and the Teutonic Knights of the Hospital of St. Mary, two contemporary, rival brotherhoods. These and other orders, flourishing during the 12th-14th centuriesRead MoreThe Knights Templar Essay1249 Words   |  5 PagesThe Knights Templar The Knights Templar, who were also known as The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (History), was probably quite possibly the most famous of Western Christian military groups. This groups popularity lasted about two centuries during the Early Middle Ages, also known as the Dark Ages. The group was founded in the year 1118 by Hugh de Payens, who later would become the first Grand Master of the Knight Templar. They are most widely recognized becauseRead MoreKnights Templar : Facts And Causes Of The Crusades1078 Words   |  5 Pagesthe Holy Land. 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Their primary responsibility, at least initially, was to provide protection to Christians making pilgrimages to the Holy Land. They rose in power, both religious and secular, to become one of the richest and most powerful entities in Christendom. By the time of their disbandment in 1307, this highly secretive organization controlled vast wealth, a fleet of merchant ships, and castles and estatesRead MoreKing Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table Essay2967 Words   |  12 PagesKing Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table The legends of King Arthur of Britain and his Knights of the Round Table, among the most popular and beloved of all time, originated in the Middle Ages. As they do today, medieval people listened to the accounts of Arthur with fascination and awe. It is certain that popular folktales were told about a hero named Arthur throughout the Celtic parts of the British Isles and France, especially in Wales, Cornwall, and Brittany (Lunt 76). Other storiesRead MoreEurope s Inner Demons By Norman Cohn1486 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to Cohn, this same idea can also can be tied to the treatment and subsequent â€Å"crushing,† as Cohn says, of the Knights Templar. However this was done likely not directly out of fear of the Devil, but out of the political profit King Philip IV of France. This persecution was sanctioned by the Pope both in the case of the Waldensians as well as in the case of the Knights Templar. This ties back to his thesis about the tie this has to the European witch hunts in that it illustrates the vast spread