The Knights Templar

[Theres]

there has been alot written about this fascinating faction, both fact and fiction (try saying THAT three times fast!).
the Templars were founded in the 12th century, possibly at the behest of St. Bernard, to escort pilgrims safely to the Holy Lands.
after great success in battle during the Crusades, the Templars earned a reputation as brutal warriors who would fight to the last to support their Holy cause. they also amassed enormous wealth!
using their reputation and their fortune, the Knights became a viable force in European politics, until by the early 14th century they controlled a good portion of the banking interests of the area. this made them a significent threat to the powers that be, most notably the Church in Rome. King Phillip of France was also feeling the pressure, as the French economy at the time was near ruin. knowing that he could never raise an army strong enough to stop the Templars should they become agressive, he conspired with the Pope to initiate a series of 'pre-emptive strikes' by bringing the Templars to trial on various charges of blasphemy and heresy. with the execution of the Templar hierarchy (most notably Jacques DeMolay), the order was effectively smashed.
or was it?
there are many questions about this. why would an organization as wealthy, powerful and dedicated to their cause as the Templars just accept their fate so easily? had they wished, they could have crushed Phillip and conquered France, consolidating their power into an almost invincible base. but instead DeMolay went to the gallows very quietly, and the Templars slipped into history with a whimper.
there are those who say that the Templars are still around, that DeMolay volunteered to die to take the heat off of the Order, allowing it to slip into the shadows with all there wealth. there are stories that suggest the Templars are now a super secret, super powerful underground society that is responsible for the founding of such groups as the Freemasons and the Rosecrucians.
and one theory says that the Knights will return to power soon, revealing a secret power source based on the Holy Grail that will allow them to rule the world!
we may never know.
a fascinating book based on this theory is 'Foucault's Pendulum' by Umberto Eco. not an easy read, but i highly recommend it to anyone interested in the Templars and the mythology that has risen up around them.

for more... http://orb.rhodes.edu/encyclop/religion/monastic/Templar.html

and...
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14493a.htm

[Danustouch]

wow...looks really interesting.

I saw a documentary a while ago, about the Holy Grail, and they explored the Templar's possible roll in hiding it. One of the supposed sites where the Grail could be hidden, is in an abbey once built and used by Templar's. But..supposedly, nobody has been able to dig it up yet...Do you have any info on this abbey, Greenman?

[Theres]

hummm... i do think that Eco mentions this Abbey in his book (in fact, i believe there were two of them). i believe it was in central France.
if i can find it, i'll post the name.

[Earthcup]

What about the heresy thing? Weren't they also linked to the Church of Amor heresy, in which the Grail is seen as the Magdalene carrying Jesus' child, Saint Sara?

Some people have said the Hanged Man in the major arcana was originally meant to represent a tortured templar...

Think there's Templar treasure on Oak Island? :D

If the Templars still exist, which I doubt, I think they could have had an instrumental hand in the evolution of Freemasonry and the Rosicrucians but they didn't start them.

[SwissCelt]

Powerful as the Templars were, the Church was even more powerful, and more importantly had a monopoly over popular opinion in Europe. There was no "Radio Free Vatican" that could have offered an alternative voice to the masses. When the Church brought forth its charges of heresy and homosexuality against Templar leadership, that would have obliterated the Templars' chances of regrouping with a class of fresh recruits... the bulk of whom had been recruited among devout boys already inclined to give their allegiance to the Church by joining into monastic orders (which, after all, is what the Knights Templar were.)

[Earthcup]

Is it me or do we have more questions than answers? :eyebrow: :D

[Danustouch]

*Bump*

[Calixto]

Actually, not everyone went along with the destruction of the Templars.

In Germany, Scotland, and Iberia, the governments refused to persecute the Templars. When the Pope dissolved the Order, the members simply switched to other militant Orders present there.

In Spain they all became members of the Order of Santiago. In Germany, they joined the Order of the Teutonic Knights. In Scotland, Templars aided Robert the Bruce in his climactic battle against Edward II of England, and the winning of Scottish independence. Then they were dissolved...and disappeared. This is why so many think that there is so much Templar imagery in Scottish Rite Freemasonry.

The main persecutions took place in France (one of the strongholds of the Order, because all the Founders were from there) and in Italy, and territory belonging to their rivals, the Hospitalers.

In Holy Blood, Holy Grail the authors believe that the Priory of Sion, another order which supposedly kept the Jesus Bloodline alive and well, was allied with the Templars for a long time. They also draw connections to the Cathar or Albigensian Heresy.


Cal

[Fear-farsain]

I've got a copy of Holy Blood, Holy Grail somewhere. Is it worth reading? I've only really dabbled in the history of the Templars, its really my uncle's forte, but I am interested in finding out more.

[Caelin]

I believe the abbey you mentioned is Rosslyn, in Scotland. So far people have said that, buried underneath it is: the embalmed head of Jesus, secret scrolls carried from Jerusalem, the Holy Grail, and a vast collection of other bits and pieces.

The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail is catalogued under "Esoteric History", which tells you all you need to know about it, really :)

[Theres]

hmmmm... that's not the Abbey i was thinking of, but we have discussed Rosslyn here in the past.
you might enjoy this...

http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?threadid=17312

[Amber Ravenstar]

The Hiram Key, by Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas

Great book that makes connections between the Templars, Freemasonry, the Jerusalem Church and ancient Egypt. Not sure if their theories are without flaws, but there is some great info and history on the Templars and photos of Rosslyn Chapel.

[Caelin]

Thanks Greenman, and sorry for just assuming you wouldn't have heard of it! I keep meaning to go, its only six miles away from here, but I've never got along there!

[Theres]

six miles?
oh go... GO! (and be sure to post some pictures)

[Xander67]

*bump* yes please post pics I would LOVE to see them :D

[Earthcup]

Holy Blood, Holy Grail I've heard is interesting. I read Margaret Starbird's The Woman With The Alabaster Jar, which is a very interesting view of the same heresy. She wrote it after reading and deciding to dissporove Holy Blood, Holy Grail and ended up convincing herself and discovering new connections.....

Anyone read the Templar Revelation? I picked it up the other day but haven't looked at it yet. I heard it claims the Templars were teaching that John the Baptist was actually Christ or something like that........

[Danustouch]

Bump