Knights Templar

Templar, also known as Knight Templar, was a member of the Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon, a Catholic military order founded during the Crusades that served as a model and inspiration for later military organisations. The order was created to guard Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land, but by the 12th century, it had expanded its military responsibilities. 

Rival orders, however, reacted angrily to its rising power and money. The order was abolished by King Philip IV of France after being falsely convicted of blasphemy and blamed for Crusader failures in the Holy Land.

During the mediaeval era, the Knights Templar was a huge organisation of devoted Christians whose goal was to safeguard European visitors visiting places in the Holy Land while also carrying out military actions. Tales of the Knights Templar, their financial acumen, their military prowess, and their work on behalf of Christianity during the Crusades have captivated historians and the general public for centuries.

Knights Templar History and Foundation

Seven knights, led by Hugh of Payns, a French knight and nobleman from Champagne, vowed to protect Christian pilgrims in Jerusalem and the Holy Land, creating a fraternity that took monastic vows, including poverty vows and lived in a small community with a rigorous code of conduct. In 1120, King Baldwin II of Jerusalem (r. 1118-1131) granted the knights permission to occupy his palace, the former Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem's Temple Mount, as their headquarters. Since the structure was known as 'The Temple of Solomon,' the fraternity was immediately dubbed 'the Order of the Knights of the Temple of Solomon,' or simply the 'Templars.'

The Templars were first regarded as a branch of the Cistercians and were officially recognised as an order by Pope Honorius II (r. 1124-1130) at the Council of Troyes in January 1129 (the first such military organisation to be founded). Knights of the order were allowed permission to wear the white hooded cloak created by Cistercian monks in 1145. The knights quickly adopted their characteristic white cloak and began to wear a red cross on a white backdrop as an emblem. Fighting over theological doctrine was not an impediment as long as the purpose was legitimate - the Crusades and defence of the Holy Land being just such a reason - and the order obtained the Church's official endorsement. Templar knights fought their first significant combat against Muslims during the Second Crusade in 1147. (1147-1149).

Who are the Templars?

During the Crusades, Christian forces conquered Jerusalem from Muslim rule in 1099, and groups of pilgrims from all around Western Europe began to visit the Holy Land. After fulfilling their vows, the majority of Crusaders returned home, and Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem were attacked by Muslim raiders. In late 1119 or early 1120, eight or nine French knights led by Hugh de Payns swore to commit themselves to the pilgrims' safety and to create a religious community for that reason, out of compassion for their situation.

During their journey, however, many of them were robbed and killed when they passed into a Muslim-controlled area. Around 1118, Hugues de Payens, a French knight, founded the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon, subsequently known simply as the Knights Templar, with the help of eight relatives and acquaintances. They established headquarters on Jerusalem's holy Temple Mount, the source of their now-iconic name, with the support of Baldwin II, the governor of the city, and vowed to defend Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem.

The Knights Templars at Work

The Knights Templar developed a flourishing banking network and grew to wield great financial power. Religious pilgrims might deposit assets in their home countries and withdraw cash in the Holy Land using their banking system.

The Templars' austere code of behaviour (which included no sharp shoes and no kissing their mothers, as stated in "The Rule of the Templars") and unique style of attire (which comprised a white habit embroidered with a plain red cross) made them famous. An oath of poverty, chastity, and obedience was taken by the members. They were forbidden from drinking, gambling, or swearing. Prayer was an important part of their daily lives, and the Templars had a special devotion to the Virgin Mary. The Knights Templar created new chapters throughout Western Europe as their number and prominence expanded. The Templars had a large fleet of ships, controlled the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, and functioned as a main bank and lending organisation to European monarchs and nobility during the height of their power.

The Fall of the Knights Templar

Muslim forces retook Jerusalem in the late 12th century, turning the tide of the Crusades and forcing the Knights Templar to move numerous times. The Fall of Acre in 1291 signalled the end of the last Crusader bastion in the Holy Land. Over the decades that followed, European backing for military actions in the Holy Land began to wane. Furthermore, many secular and religious authorities began to question the Templars' riches and authority.

By 1303, the Knights Templar had lost their stronghold in the Muslim world and had relocated to Paris. There, King Philip IV of France decided to overthrow the order, possibly because the Templars had refused to lend the indebted sovereign more money.

The Knights Templar Today

The Catholic Church has admitted that the Knights Templar's persecution was unjustified. The church says that secular powers urged Pope Clement to overthrow the order. While most historians agree that the Knights Templar dissolved 700 years ago, others believe the order survived underground and is still operating today in some form. Some organisations, most notably the Freemasons, resurrected some of the mediaeval knights' emblems, ceremonies, and customs in the 18th century. Several worldwide organisations modelled after the Knights Templar are now recruiting members. 

These organisations have representation all around the world and seek to maintain the original mediaeval order's principles and traditions. Various stories regarding the knights' strange tasks have appeared throughout the years. Knights Templar history and the stories about the fabled Templars have recently made their way into popular books and movies.

According to some historians, the Knights Templar may have kept the Shroud of Turin (a linen garment believed to have been laid on Jesus Christ's corpse before burial) hidden for hundreds of years after the Crusades ended. Another popular idea is that the knights discovered and kept holy artefacts and relics such as the Holy Grail, the Ark of the Covenant, and crucifixion-related pieces of the cross. Other theories and legends concerning the hidden operations of the Knights Templar exist. 

The Da Vinci Code, a popular novel and film, proposes that the Templars were involved in a plot to protect Jesus Christ's lineage. Even though most of this speculation is based on conjecture, there's no doubt that the Knights Templar have aroused the public's curiosity and will continue to do so for years to come.

A member of the Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon, Templar was a member of the Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon. During the Crusades, a Catholic military order was formed that served as an influence for later military organisations. King Philip IV of France dissolved the order after being falsely accused of heresy and blamed for Crusader failures in the Holy Land. At first, the Templars were thought to be a branch of the Cistercians. In 1129, Pope Honorius II (r. 1124-1130) recognised them as a religious order. During the Second Crusade, Templar knights engaged in their first serious fight with Muslims.

Conclusion

Thus, in this article, we talked about Knights Templar and its related history. It was said to be known as one of the popular as well as wealthy Western Christian Military Order. It was also known as "Order of Solomon's Temple" or "Knights Templar" or "Templars". They were said to be founded in 1119 in Jerusalem and existed for almost two centuries.