Origins of a Holy Order

In the aftermath of the First Crusade’s capture of Jerusalem in 1098, Christian pilgrims faced perilous journeys to the Holy Land. Responding to this crisis, two French nobles – Hugues de Payens and Godfrey de Saint-Omer – proposed creating a monastic order dedicated to protecting travelers. In 1119, with approval from King Baldwin II of Jerusalem, they established their headquarters at the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount, believed to stand on the ruins of Solomon’s Temple. Thus was born the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, beginning humbly with just nine members.

These first Templars wore donated clothing, lived in captured mosques, and often couldn’t afford warhorses – a fact memorialized in their emblem of two knights sharing one horse. Their early poverty stood in stark contrast to what they would become. Under the patronage of Bernard of Clairvaux, the influential Cistercian abbot who helped draft their rule, the order gained papal recognition at the Council of Troyes in 1129.

Military Might and Financial Empire

From their modest beginnings, the Templars grew into one of medieval Europe’s most formidable military and financial institutions. Their disciplined warrior-monks became the shock troops of the Crusades, distinguishing themselves in battles like the disastrous Horns of Hattin in 1187, where they chose martyrdom over abandoning the True Cross.

But their true power stemmed from an unexpected source: finance. The order developed Europe’s most sophisticated banking system, offering services including:

– Secure transport and storage of valuables
– Letters of credit (early checks)
– Loans to kings and popes
– Tax collection and financial advising

At their peak, the Templars controlled 9,000 estates and 870 castles across Europe with annual income reaching £600,000 – dwarfing England’s royal revenue of £30,000. Their Paris temple became the de facto treasury for French royalty, while London’s branch safeguarded England’s crown jewels.

The Road to Persecution

After the fall of Acre in 1291 – where Templars made their last heroic stand in the Holy Land – the order’s purpose came into question. Their vast wealth and independence increasingly troubled secular rulers, particularly France’s King Philip IV, who owed them substantial debts.

Philip, already notorious for expelling Jews and Italian bankers to confiscate their assets, saw an opportunity. He pressured Pope Clement V (his puppet after moving the papacy to Avignon) to investigate rumors of Templar heresy. The charges included:

– Denying Christ during initiation rites
– Idol worship (allegedly of a head called Baphomet)
– Homosexual practices
– Financial corruption

On Friday, October 13, 1307 – the origin of the “Black Friday” superstition – Philip launched a coordinated dawn raid, arresting hundreds of Templars across France. Under brutal torture, including the infamous “strappado” and foot-roasting, many confessed to outrageous crimes.

The Templars’ Legacy

Despite Clement’s eventual recognition that the charges were baseless, political pressure forced the order’s dissolution in 1312. Last Grand Master Jacques de Molay was burned at the stake in 1314, legend says cursing his persecutors from the flames. Remarkably, both Philip and Clement died within a year, fueling myths of Templar vengeance.

The order’s legacy persists through:

– Banking innovations that shaped modern finance
– Architectural contributions like Gothic churches
– Inspiration for later organizations including the Freemasons
– Enduring conspiracy theories about hidden treasures and secret knowledge

From Dan Brown’s novels to modern financial terms, the Templars’ dramatic rise and fall continues to captivate seven centuries after their suppression – a testament to their enduring impact on Western history and imagination.