Knights Templar in 250 Facts

[RolandVT]

There are two versions of Templar/Assassins myth. The first one claims that during the Crusades Templars were actively fighting the Assassins; the latter claims exactly the opposite – that the former used the latter as killers-for-hire for political assassinations. Some even claim that Guillaume de Nogaret, Philip IV and Pope Clement V were murdered by the Assassins hired by escaped Templars.

The latter might be true as the Assassins did kill (Philip of Montfort, lord of Tyre) or attempted to kill (future king Edward I of England) Christian rulers. True, the order of Assassins officially ceased to exist in 1275 but (it happened and happens all the time) some of its members very likely “went into private practice” (creating dynasties of killers) and offered their lethal services to a highest bidder.

However, there is no evidence that Templars ever hired the Assassins to do the “wet job” for them… and the three criminals (let’s call a spade a spade) who destroyed the order of Templars might have died from natural causes.

The claim of a permanent armed conflict between the Templars and the Assassins is… well, a myth. The Order of Assassins or simply the Assassins were a Nizari Isma’ili (the second largest branch of Shia Islam) order that existed between 1090 and 1275 AD, founded by Hasan al-Sabbah (king Hasan I of Alamut).

Although the Assassins did kill (or attempted to kill) several Christian leaders, its main adversaries (not surprisingly) were the Sunni Muslim leaders of Fatimid, Abbasid, and Seljuk dynasties.

It is true that the first known Christian victim of the Assassins (Raymond II, count of Tripoli) was killed most likely in retaliation to the establishment of the Knights Templar at Tartus… however, there is no record of any retaliation by Templars.

It is also true that Assassin envoys to the king Amalric of Jerusalem were ambushed and slain by a Templar knight while returning from the negotiations, an act apparently sanctioned by the Templar Grand Master Odo de Saint Amand.

In 1213, in retaliation for the murder of Raymond of Antioch, count of Tripoli Bohemond IV and the Templars laid (ultimately unsuccessful) siege to Qala’at al-Khawabi, an Isma’ili (and thus the Assassins) stronghold near Tartus. However, all these were isolated incidents; there is no evidence of an ongoing, decades-long war between Knights Templar and the Assassins.

Hence, the narrative of the Assassins and Templars being sworn enemies popularized by various forms of media, including video games like the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series is… well, a myth. In reality, there was no direct, systematic conflict between the two.

[RolandVT]

Knights Templar were medieval, strictly Catholic, military-religious order – essentially the elite shock troops of a Christian Army fighting a religious war with Muslims– which had but one objective: be the keepers and protectors of the Ark of the Covenant and (by extension), of Jerusalem and the Crusader States in Palestine.

Hence, it is NOT possible to revive it – for a number of reasons. First, there is no Outremer anymore; second, no one even knows exactly where the Ark of the Covenant really is (let alone owns it); Jerusalem is well-protected by the armed forces of the State of Israel… and a religious war against Muslims is illegal.

Actually, it was illegal when the so-called “Templar Revival” (Neo-Templarism) when some Freemasons made the first attempts to do just that. Hence, no one claiming the “Templar Revival” is trying to revive the real order of the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon… or anything.

In reality, they are building from scratch totally new organizations according to their (totally and completely incorrect) perceptions of Knights Templar. They are building a secret (or at least secretive) occult/esoteric secret society that searches for some “forbidden” hidden knowledge, worships strange gods and conducts very strange rituals.

Not surprisingly, most of these attempts are based on western esotericism, with other groups incorporating New Age beliefs, or freemasonry. Many neo-Templar groups are highly secret and necessitate initiation.

However, there are some groups that are only ceremonial, and attempt to replicate what they view as the chivalric ideals of the original Order without any esoteric (occult/neopagan) elements.

Obviously, none of these groups has anything to do with real Knights Templar.

[RolandVT]

Actually, Neo-Templarism is the correct term, not “Templar Revival”, because in reality so-called “revivalists” did not revive the order of Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (it was and is impossible). They were building (under the “Templar” brand) a totally different organization – something that the order of Templars never was.

Some of these “revivalists” claim to be secret continuations of the original Templars (in other words, to be founded by Templars who survived persecutions of the early 14th century).

This is total bunk because there was only one genuine successor to Knights Templar – the Military Order of Christ in Portugal. Those surviving Templars that did not join it, mostly joined Hospitallers or other monastic orders (military or civilian) … or just returned to the secular life. No one was them was even thinking about reviving the order of Templars even in secret as it was impossible.

However, these ideas took hold and in the 18th century, a notion of the Templars secretly continuing their existence and activities began to spread, particularly within freemasonry in France and Germany.

This idea was based off of previous legends (yes, fiction) of the Templars embedding themselves in Freemason guilds to continue their activities; this (totally preposterous) idea led to the creation of several Templar grades in various Freemason organizations.

Out of such was formed the masonic rites of the Strict Templar Observance created by Baron Karl von Hund, which Jean-Baptiste Willermoz subsequently turned into the Rectified Scottish Rite.

Gradually, the latter gradually crafted the rite’s mythology (yes, mythology) and symbolism to place less emphasis on historical Templar succession and more focus on symbolic Temple rebuilding and restoration of man’s original innocence.

However, Christian concepts and theology were made increasingly central which was the only connection of this Rite to Knights Templar. Still, ultimately through this change this Rite gave up the claimed connection to the Templars.

[RolandVT]

More precisely, he is considered as such, which is not exactly correct. It would be far more appropriate to confer this distinction on Chevalier Ramsay. He claimed, without supporting historical evidence, that European Freemasonry came about from an interaction between ‘crusader masons’ and the Knights Hospitaller.

Ramsay was initiated as a Templar by his mentor François Fénelon into the non-Masonic Ordre du Temple. Ramsay was initiated into Freemasonry only around 1730. Since Ramsay’s Templarism predated his relationship with Freemasonry by some 20 years, this is the likely source for the introduction of Templarism into Freemasonry – and makes him the real father of Neo-Templarism.

Bernard-Raymond Fabré-Palaprat was a Catholic priest, a physician, a self-proclaimed mystic and a “serial religious entrepreneur” with ambitions of a megalomaniac. In 1804, he founded a self-styled order (i.e., not recognized as such by anyone whose opinion mattered) called Ordre du Temple, claiming direct descent from the original Knights Templar. Producing no evidence whatsoever.

In 1812, he founded the Johannite Church – a Gnostic Christian denomination which claimed continuity with the primitive Johannine Christianity of saints John the Baptist and John the Apostle, and other Christian scriptures attributed to John.

Predictably, he did not stop there and proclaimed himself Grand Master of the Templars and Sovereign Pontiff of the Primitive Catholic religion, opposing the Church of Saint Peter.

Ordre du Temple was (predictably) based on Larmenius Charter or “Charter of Transmission”. The Charter is a coded Latin manuscript allegedly created by Johannes Marcus Larmenius (who may or may not be a real person) allegedly in February 1324, detailing the transfer of leadership of the Knights Templar to Larmenius after the death of Jacques de Molay.

It also has appended to it a list of 22 successive Grand Masters of the Knights Templar after de Molay, ending in 1804, the name of Bernard-Raymond Fabré-Palaprat appearing last on the list. Not surprisingly, it was the latter who revealed the existence of the Charter in 1804… and very possibly created the list (if not the whole document).

In the document, Larmenius, then an aged man, implies that the Grand Mastership of the Knights Templar Order was transmitted to him ten years earlier by the imprisoned Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar who was burned at the stake in March of 1314.

In the document, Larmenius states he has become too aged to continue with the rigorous requirements of the Office of Grand Master, and transfers his Grand Mastership of the Templar Order to Franciscus Theobaldus, the Prior of the Templar Priory still remaining at Alexandria, Egypt.

With this declarative Charter, Larmenius sought to protect the Order for perpetuity by continuing the legitimate line of Grand Masters of the order of Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon.

The Charter traces the Order through a dark period until its semi-private unveiling at the Convent General of the Order at Versailles in 1705 by Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, elected Grand Master of the Templar Order, and later Regent of France.

The Larmenius Charter is still used today by some in the neo-Templar movement as a means to claim legitimacy back to the original Order (so Fabré-Palaprat probably was the “father of Neo-Templarism”).

Over the last century, conclusions regarding its legitimacy seem to have settled firmly into the camp of “Forgery” and “Hoax”. However, even some distinguished historians disagree… which is a grave mistake.

Grave mistake for one fundamental reason: Jacques de Molay had no motive for transfer of leadership of the Knights Templar. For starters, he had no such right – Grand Master of Knights Templar was elected, not appointed – and violation of this right immediately made his successor illegitimate.

Second, in 1312 was legally dissolved by the Pope so in 1314 it already did not exist. Which made his successor illegitimate twice. True, theoretically the order could have been restored by one of the next Popes, but it had to be restored first – before the election (or appointment) of the next Grand Master could have taken place.

So… sorry, folks, but the Larmenius Charter is a forgery; its claims are a hoax; Fabré-Palaprat is a fraud… and his Ordre du Temple is an impostor that has no relation (and no connection) to the order of Knights Templar.

Which (obviously) is true for all “Neo-Templar” orders and their founders.

[RolandVT]

At least these guys are honest – the United Religious, Military and Masonic Orders of the Temple and of St John of Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes and Malta (its full name) does not claim any direct lineal descent from the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon.

However, it does have something very important in common with Knights Templar: unlike the initial degrees conferred in a regular Masonic Lodge, which (in most Regular Masonic jurisdictions) only require a belief in a Supreme Being regardless of religious affiliation, this order is one of several in which membership is open only to Freemasons who profess a belief in Christianity (of any kind).

Actually, they come even closer to Knights Templar – one of the obligations of its members is to protect and defend the Christian faith.

The word “United” in its full title indicates that more than one historical tradition and more than one actual order are jointly controlled within this system. The individual orders ‘united’ within this system are principally the Knights of the Temple (Knights Templar), the Knights of Malta, the Knights of St Paul, and only within the York Rite, the Knights of the Red Cross.

Depending upon the geographical jurisdiction, the Knights Templar exist either as part of the York Rite or as an independent organization. Though the York Rite and the independent versions share many similarities there are key differences which are described below.

Outside the York Rite, membership is by invitation only. Candidates are required to be Master Masons, and Royal Arch Masons, and to sign a declaration that they profess the Doctrine of the Holy and Undivided Trinity.

Local bodies of Knights Templar are known as Preceptories; local bodies of Knights of St Paul are known as Chapters; local bodies of Knights of Malta are known as Priories; all operate under a Grand or Great Priory, often with an intermediate level of Provincial Priories.

[RolandVT]

Neo-Templar groups are extremely diverse, with a wide variety of beliefs and spiritual aspects. They are usually chivalric orders (orders of knights, by the original Catholic military orders of the Crusades, which claim variously to descend from, have revived, or adapted the original Knights Templars.

Neo-Templar themes, myths and symbols have influenced and been influenced by many other esoteric movements. Other orders draw from Freemasonry (or are part of the latter).

Many are secret societies and require initiation through (often elaborate) ritual. Other orders incorporate ideas from the New Age movement, or are merely ceremonial organizations only in existence for social and chivalric purposes, or to grant titles in exchange for money for status purposes.

Some exist to promote arcane and extremist magical-esoteric concepts and agendas, many of which are related to the Ascended Master teachings, as well as belief in aliens and/or other entities.

The truth of a historical continuation between these groups and the original Templars as claimed by some is extremely dubious. The idea of the Templars’ continued existence has been criticized by scholars of Templar history, and is rightfully described as “totally insane.”

Masonic groups latched on to the idea of having heritage of the Knights Templars as a way to back up the idea of an ancient heritage. Neo-Templar groups, typically that do not claim descent, are reputable and are averse to identification with other orders, given their association with perceived cultish and fringe organizations.

These are typically Christian (that they share with Templars) and desire to emulate the perceived Christ-like aspects of the original Knights Templars, through promoting chivalric Christian values and participating in charity work

However, all these organizations have one feature in common: they are in no way related (let alone descended from) the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon.

In other words, they are not “revived” but brand-new organizations built from scratch (often based on a totally incorrect perceptions of the order of Knights Templar).

[RolandVT]

Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.) has nothing in common with the order of Knights Templar except its name (it is usually translated from Latin as “Order of Oriental Templars”). And even that is disputable – it can be translated as “Order of the Temple of the East” (no relation to Solomon’s Temple, obviously).

It is an occult secret society and hermetic magical organization founded at the beginning of the 20th century… which means that it, indeed, has nothing in common with medieval, strictly Catholic, military-religious order – essentially the elite shock troops of a Christian Army fighting a religious war with Muslims– which had but one objective: be the keepers and protectors of the Ark of the Covenant and (by extension), of Jerusalem and the Crusader States in Palestine.

Unlike just about all other major “Neo-Templar” organizations, it is alive and well today… however, whether it can be labeled “Neo-Templar” is a really big question.

Its origins are shrouded in mystery: it originated in Germany or Austria in the beginning of XX century. Nothing verifiable is known of the Order until 1904 so that’s when it was most likely founded.

Its apparent founder was Carl Kellner, a wealthy Austrian industrialist who wanted to establish an Academia Masonica within which high-grade Freemasonic degrees could be conferred in German-speaking nations.

But Kellner went much further than that: he claimed that he had discovered a key which offered a clear explanation of all the complex symbolism of Freemasonry and of nature itself. Kellner wanted O.T.O. to preserve and confer this key.

After Kellner died in 1905, his partner Theodor Reuss (occultist, freemason, journalist, and singer) succeeded him as the head of O.T.O. Under his leadership the latter became involved in sex magic (an oxymoron – these two are not compatible).

In 1910 Reuss met (in) famous Aleister Crowley and in 1910 admitted him to the first three degrees of O.T.O. One thing led to another and after Reuss died in 1923, Crowley assumed control of the Order.

Predictably, he radically changed the order, The guiding philosophy of O.T.O. from this point on became Crowley’s own occult system, Thelema. With this change O.T.O. ceased its bestowal of Masonic degrees and membership requirements.

The declared objective of O.T.O. is “to instruct the individual [member] by allegory and symbol in the profound mysteries of Nature, and thereby to assist each to discover his or her own true Identity” (whatever that means).

[RolandVT]

Sir Winston Churchill famously described Russia as a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. He was wrong about Russia – there is nothing enigmatic or mysterious about Russian civilization if you spend the necessary time (not much, actually) thoroughly studying it.

However, this quote describes the Knights Templar to a ‘t’ – there are still lots of Templar mysteries and until I completed this book, there were far more questions than answers.

One of the biggest mysteries was why on Earth Templars confessed to the absolutely ridiculous and deeply insulting charges. Charges invented by French inquisitors and (with the exception of rampant homosexual activities and – for only 12 of Templars of heresy) having nothing to do with reality?

Even the heresy charges – the foundation of the case against individual Templars and the order as a whole – had nothing to do with real “heresy of The Twelve”. In reality, they were practicing Ark Templar – the Unitarian (Arian) Christian heresy built around the Ark of the Covenant… but the charges were nothing of that sort.

Templars were charged with denying Christ (true for only The Twelve – and even for them not explicitly); spitting on the Cross (not true at all); homosexual relationships (true) ordered by their superiors (not true) and… wearing a small belt which had been consecrated by touching a strange idol, which looked like a human head with a long beard (not true at all).

On August 12, 1308, inquisitors added more heresy charges: they alleged that the Templars worshipped idols, specifically made of a cat and a head, the latter having three faces. No traces of these idols have ever been found despite lightning-fast and comprehensive arrests and very, very thorough charges.

Still, at the very first trial held from October 19 to November 24, 1307 in Paris, a total of 138 prisoners gave a full testimony and almost all (!!) admitted guilt to one or more charges – even the most ridiculous. Ditto at subsequent trials in France.

True, torture was involved (where there was no torture, there were no confessions) … but all Templars were conditioned to withstand much more horrific tortures in the hands of Muslims – and still confessed.

The only logical explanation is that The Twelve were afraid that under torture they might inadvertently disclose the location of the Ark of the Covenant which for them was unacceptable. So, they chose to confess to avoid torture – and thus started the “chain reaction of confessions”. In short, they lied to protect the Ark.

[RolandVT]

Now this is a really interesting animal in the zoo of Neo-Templarism. Unlike any other Neo-Templar organization, Order of the New Templars (Ordo Novi Templi – ONT) could claim to be a reincarnation of the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon.

A national-socialist reincarnation – its founder Lanz von Liebenfels (Adolf Joseph Lanz) even tried to be recognized as one of ideological predecessors of Adolf Hitler. Which might have been partially true, in fact.

Reincarnation because ONT founder could have claimed that his order had the same fundamental objective (adapted to the early XX century, of course) than the order of Knights Templar.

Indeed, the latter was the medieval, strictly Catholic, military-religious order – essentially the elite shock troops of a Christian Army fighting a religious war with Muslims– which had but one objective: be the keepers and protectors of the Ark of the Covenant and (by extension), of Jerusalem and the Crusader States in Palestine.

Lanz von Liebenfels claimed (at least implicitly) that ONT was the order of knights (right-wing radicals) that were to become the elite shock troops of an Aryan (not Arian, but Aryan) Army fighting the existential war with Communists (Bolsheviks, actually) and the “inferior races”. And thus, to protect Vienna (he was born and raised in the city), Greater Germany (which included Austria) and the whole European (Christian) civilization.

But the similarities/connections did not end there. Both orders were founded by Cistercians: like Bernard of Clairvaux, Lanz von Liebenfels was a member of this religious order. The rule of the latter became the foundation of Latin Rule of Templars – and ONT was similar in its structure to the Order of Cistercians.

Furthermore, ONT founder he claimed to have become “enlightened” after finding the tombstone of a Knight Templar. However, in 1899 he decided to go solo, left the Cistercian Order and began developing ideology (almost a religion) that had nothing to do with Templars at all: “blue-blond Aryanism”, “lower races” and especially Theozoology. Which (obviously) made ONT a decidedly neo-pagan reincarnation of Knights Templar.

Ultimately, Lanz von Liebenfels became the founder of Ariosophy (“wisdom of the Aryans”) which ironically sounded (only sounded, of course) the same as Arianism – a Unitarian Christian heresy practiced by top 12 Templars.

Ariosophy became far, far more influential that Theozoology (which remained other obscure); however, it was his magazine Ostara (named after West Germanic spring goddess Ēostre… and neopagan spring equinox festival) that – most likely – ideologically influenced Adolf Hitler.

Adolf Hitler was reportedly one of the avid publication’s readers in his late teens, and it is highly probably that it did significantly influence his worldview. In the preface of issue one in the 3rd series of Ostara, circa 1927, Lanz von Liebenfels confidently wrote:

“One shall remember that the swastika- [i.e., National-Socialist] and fascist movements are basically offspring of Ostara“

Not surprisingly, his perceptions of Knights Templar and their history were weird (to put it mildly). He perceived the Templars pretty much as all other Neo-Templar groups: as a medieval occult society that searched for the “forbidden knowledge”, Holy Grail… the whole nine yards.

However, he went much, much further than that (in the Nazi direction, of course). He somehow came up with the idea that the Templars had the goal of establishing an Aryan empire (!!) across the entire Mediterranean area (not true at all).

He interpreted the persecution of the Templars as a triumph of racially inferior people whose aim was to undermine the rule and purity of the Aryan race. In addition, he was convinced that the Catholic Church had been suppressing true Christian teaching since that time, as the core of which he regarded his ideas of a racial struggle.

He envisioned the ONT as a new beginning of the crusade against lower races that had been interrupted for centuries. Total rubbish, of course (to put it mildly), but racists always had (still have) serious mental health issues.

Hitler never admitted that he owed any of his ideology to anybody; all his ideas were his – and his only. Hence, he predictably refused to acknowledge any “ideological debt” to Lanz and his paper.

After Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938, Lanz hoped for Hitler’s patronage, but the latter instead banned him from publishing his writings, all copies of Ostara were removed from circulation and ONT for all practical purposes ceased to exist.

There are rumors that it went underground (interestingly, it was not officially banned) and still secretly exists today but these are… well, rumours.

Lanz von Liebenfels died in Vienna, in 1954, at the ripe old age of 79.

[RolandVT]

The Order of Templars in Portugal played a key role during the Portuguese Reconquista by taking, settling or defending the territory from the Muslims. Hence, it became highly influential in Portugal and a valuable partner to the Portuguese Crown.

So valuable that, unlike elsewhere in Europe, it suffered no persecution at the time of its dissolution, its members and property in Portugal being instead transferred by King Denis to the Order of Christ, created specifically for this very purpose. In other words, Knights Templar in Portugal were simply rebranded – and that was it.

After the infamous trials of the Templars in France and the subsequent orders of Pope Clement V to dissolve the order, most countries complied, ceding Templar lands to the Hospitallers.

Only two kings – Kings Denis of Portugal and James II of Aragon proclaimed they found no fault of heresy, blasphemy or immorality in the Templars in their respective realms. Which was, obviously, true.

However, the true reason for this bold statement by King Denis was that, while in the rest of Europe Templars were the problem (they did not fit into its political system), in Portugal and Aragon they were the solution. Solution to genuinely existential problem for both countries – the Muslim problem.

This was not surprising since the Templars had become key to the success of the Reconquista in Aragon and Portugal and their vast holdings were critical to the continued security of these kingdoms.

Pope Clement V could not afford an open conflict with two mighty kingdoms in Iberia, so he grudgingly accepted the fact that in those kingdoms the Templars will not be prosecuted.

However, he still ordered the kings to transferring Templar property to the Order of Hospitallers… but King Denis objected to this as well. For two strategic reasons: foreign Hospitaller command could be disadvantageous to fight the Muslim threat from north-Africa and the large amount of border fortifications concentrated in the hands of the Hospitallers could mean a strategic risk for Portugal.

It was another proof that the whole “Templar affair” had nothing to do with the truth – it was all about politics. Cut and dry, plain and simple, loud and clear.

In 1314, Pope Clement V died (or was murdered). His successor John XXII reacted favorably to the proposal by King Denis to create a new Order that would replace the Templars in Portugal. No surprise here – the Pope definitely did not want Portugal to fall to the Muslim (a very real possibility without the Templars).

The new Military Order of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Order of Christ for short) was made official on March 14, 1319 by the Papal bull Ad Ea Exquibus. King Denis promptly granted the Order “all castles, properties and goods” belonging to the Templars (i.e., kept them in their ownership). Thus, the Order of Christ became the ONLY official (and thus genuine) successor to Knights Templar.

Transference was seamless – many knights joined the new Order, with no arrests having been made (let alone trials held). The last Master of the Templars in Portugal Dom Vasco Fernandes ended his days as commander of Montalvão fortress on the eastern border – a fate vastly different than Jacques de Molay’s. Fernandes and many former members henceforth proudly added to their signature, “at one time knight of the Templars“.

One of the later Grand Masters of the Order of Christ was none other than Prince Henry the Navigator, who helped launch the European age of discovery and at whose school of seamanship and navigation Columbus studied.

In 1789, Queen Maria I of Portugal secularized the order which officially ended the history of Knights Templar – a fundamentally religious, Catholic order. In 1910, with the end of the Portuguese monarchy, the order was officially extinguished.

In 1917, the order was revived, with its Grand Master to be the President of Portugal (it still exists today). However, it was revived in name only – now it is the order of merit (an organization that only confers a corresponding award to an individual in recognition of military or civil merit).

Confers on behalf of the Portuguese government that is.