The Knights Templar A Brief History The What

The Knight’s Templar A Brief History

The What? The Poor Fellow Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon

The World at the Time…

So, what the heck are the Crusades? • A series of Military expeditions instigated by Popes and undertaken by Christian Kings to recover the Holy Land from the Muslims • Between 1096 c. e. and 1249 c. e.

The Crusades had already been going swimmingly… • 1095 – The First Crusade preached by Pope urban II • 1096 – The First Crusade initiated • 1099 – Jerusalem captured from the Muslims

It all started with… • Hugh de Payen and nine other members of the French nobility. • They traveled to Jerusalem in 1118. • They met Bowdoin I, King of Jerusalem.

No, THIS St. Bernard! Saint Bernard de Clairveaux, 1090 - 1153

In the year 1128, Bernard assisted at the Council of Troyes, which had been convoked by Pope Honorius II. It was at this council that Bernard traced the outlines of the Rule of the Knights Templars who soon became the ideal of the French nobility. Bernard praises it in his "De Laudibus Novae Militiae".

Purpose: • To Protect Pilgrims on their Journeys to the Holy Land. • To fight for the Christian right to the Holy Land Motto: Non nobis Domine, non nobis. Sed nomine Tuo, da gloriam. Not unto us oh Lord, not unto us. But in Thy name, we “give glory”.

The Knights in action. v 1119 - Knights Templar founded (some sources cite 1118) v 1128 - The Council of Troyes, the Rules of the Order adopted v 1145 - Second Crusade preached v 1146 - Second Crusade initiated, then crushed in 1148 outside Damascus in Syria v 1165 - Templars firmly established in Jerusalem and other major towns of Palestine, as well as Europe

The Ark of the Covenant

Modern Banking!

The Saracen Fights Back! Ø 1187 - Jerusalem recaptured by Muslims, led by Saladin (Salah ad-Din Yusuf Ibn Ayyub) Ø 1187 - Pope Gregory VIII preaches the Third Crusade in his letter Audita Tremendi Ø 1190 - Third Crusade fails to relieve Jerusalem; Richard I of England Philip II of France depart for the Holy Land Ø 1192 Richard I enters treaty with Saladin; Jerusalem opened for Christian pilgrims

The Crusades continue… v 1198 - Fourth Crusade preached v 1213 - Fifth Crusade preached v 1228 - Jerusalem somewhat surprisingly liberated by Frederick II's treaty with the Sultan of Egypt; held until 1244, during which time the Templars reinstated themselves on the Temple Mount v 1249 - St Louis's Egyptian Crusade, the last large-scale offensive of its type

The Last Days of the Order • 1291 - Acre falls as the last bastion on the Crusader state in Palestine • 1307 - Philip the Fair arrests Templars on October 13 th • 1310 - 54 Templars burned at stake to harass remaining Templars into confession • 1314 - Jacques de Molay and Guy de Auvergne* martyred, burned at the stake on an island in the river Seine in the middle of Paris. * Many modern research sources cite it was really Geoffrey de Charnay who was martyred with de Molay

Our Hero Ø Comte Jacques Bernard de Molay Ø Born 1244 c. e. in Vitrey, Department of Haute Saône, France Ø 23 rd and Last Grand Master of the crusading order of the Knights Templar Ø Died by the hand of Philip IV on March 18, 1314 c. e. , in the Place du Vert-Gallant, on the Ile de la Cité, Paris

Friday, October 13, 1307 ACCUSED OF: • Heresy • Denying Christ and trampling the Cross • Worshipping a Cat -Headed Statue • Worshipping Baphomet

TORTURE!

The End? – Jacques de Molay recants X “I think it only right that at so solemn a moment, when my life has so little time to run, I should reveal the deception which has been practiced, and speak up for the truth. Before heaven and earth, and with all of you here as my witnesses, I admit that I am guilty of the grossest iniquity. But the iniquity is that I have lied in admitting the disgusting charges laid against the Order. I declare, and I must declare, that the Order is innocent. Its purity and saintliness is beyond question”.

The Last Laugh? Clem Phil De. Molay’s Curse… “Pope Clement, Chevalier Guillaume de Nogaret, King Philippe, before a year, I am ordering you to appear before the tribunal of God. Cursed you will all be! Cursed until the 13 th generation! “

The Last Laugh! Jacques de Molay, tu es vengé!

Robert the Bruce

Bannockburn