Newman The Real History Behind The Templars 2007

REVELATION
Praise for
Te Real History Behind the Da Vinci Code:
!l, likc Sam Cookc sang, you dont know much about history, Ncwmans
cncyclopcdic, AtoZ look at topics ranging lrom Apocrypha to Vrcn,
Christophcr providcs pcrspcctivc and insight. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Vitty and charming, but noncthclcss rational in cxplanation and complctc
in background rcscarch, Te Real History Behind the Da Vinci Code sccks not
so much to rclutc thc novcl, but to clucidatc on thc truth, and not so much
to disparagc thc mistakcs ol Mr. 8rown but to makc rcadcrs rcalizc that thc
history is biggcr than any onc pcrson, pop ular novclists includcd.
Business World
Tc book . . . givcs thc truth about topics uscd in 8rowns ction. . . .
Vcllwrittcn and prccisc, it is thc work ol a woman who writcs what shc
knows. Statesman Journal (rcgon)
For lans ol an 8rowns pop u lar Te Da Vinci Code, Sharan Ncwmans Te
Real History Behind the Da Vinci Code is a musthavc companion.
Te Sunday Oregonian
Ncwman has arrangcd hcr discussion ol thc pcoplc, placcs, and cvcnts in
Te Da Vinci Code in an cncyclopcdic lormat, crcating a book that is both
acccssiblc and lun to rcad. Rccommcndcd lor all librarics.
Library Journal
Te Real History Behind the
TEMPLARS
SHARAN NEWMAN
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
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THE REAL HISTORY BEHIND THE TEMPLARS
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Copyright 2007 by Sharan Newman
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Ac know ledg ments
Prolcssor Malcolm 8arbcr, lor his gcncrosity now and ovcr thc ycars in shar
ing his prolound knowlcdgc ol thc Tcmplars and lor cnduring my many
cmail qucstions and vcntings.
Prolcssor Paul Crawlord, Calilornia Univcrsity ol Pcnnsylvania, lor his hclp
on thc Tcmplars, Philip thc Fair, and thc Univcrsity ol Paris.
r. Rozannc ldcr, Cistcrcian !nstitutc, lor giving mc instant inlormation
on 8crnard ol Clairvaux.
Prolcssor Norman Hinton, Univcrsity ol !llinois, Springcld, cmcritus, lor
Middlc nglish rclcrcnccs to thc Tcmplars.
Prolcssor Janus Mocllcr Jcnscn, Univcrsity ol Southcrn cnmark, lor giving
mc litcrary background on Tcmplar idcals in anish sagas.
Prolcssor Kurt \illads Jcnscn, Univcrsity ol Southcrn cnmark, lor advicc
on thc likclihood ol Tcmplars in cnmark.
Courtncy dc Mayo, Ricc Univcrsity, lor spcnding a tcdious day copying all ol
thc Marquis Albon lor mc.
Prolcssor 8rian Patrick McGuirc, Roskildc Univcrsity, lor chccking my scc
tion on cnmark and thc Cistcrcians.
Prolcssor Hclcn Nicholson, Cardi Univcrsity, lor advicc on Tcmplars and
Hospitallcrs and lor rclcrring mc to othcr cxccllcnt sourccs.
Prolcssor Jcrcy Russcll, UC Santa 8arbara, cmcritus, (but not with mc) lor
chccking my Latin translations and giving advicc on mcdicval thcology.
Mmc. Alcssandra Tchcrnik lor chccking my !talian translations.
vi Acknowledgments
Kylc Volcy, 8all Statc Univcrsity, lor copying scvcral books ! couldnt nd
in my own library.
And all thc mcmbcrs ol thc McdicvL list, who dcbatcd just what intcrdict
consistcd ol whcn ! couldnt nd a solid answcr.
All ol thcsc pcoplc kindly hclpcd mc in my rcscarch. Any crrors in this book
arc totally my own. Tcy did thcir bcst.
Map drawn by Marcia Noland
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7

Contents
Introduction xiii
PART ONE
Te Poor Knights of Christ
1. Te Beginning of the Order 3
2. Hugh de Payns 11
3. Baldwin II, King of Jerusalem 17
4. Hugh, Count of Champagne 23
5. Bernard of Clairvaux 28
6. Hugh de Payns Takes the Templars on the Road 35
7. Te Council of Troyes 38
8. Go Forth and Multiply 41
9. Te Life of a Templar, According to the Rule 51
10. Melisande, Queen of Jerusalem 56
11. Fulk of Anjou, the Queens Husband 64
12. Te Temple in Jerusalem 70
13. Te Popes Get Involved (You Knew Tey Would) 74
14. Te Second Crusade 81
x Contents
PART TWO
Te Glory Years
15. Grand Masters 11361191 95
16. Between the Second and Tird Crusades (11501191) 114
17. Who Were the Saracens, Anyway? 122
18. Saladin 128
19. Richard the Lionheart 138
20. Te Assassins 148
21. Te Hospitallers 156
22. Grand Masters 11911292/93 164
23. Te Templars and the Saint, Louis IX of France 180
24. Templars and Money 189
25. Te Temple in Paris 205
26. Te Temple in London 211
27. Te Last Stands; Te Fall of Acre and Loss of the Holy Land 217
PART THREE
Te End of the Order
of the Poor Knights
28. Jacques de Molay: Te Last Grand Master 12921313 227
29. Philip the Fair 239
30. Friday the Tirteenth; the Arrest and Trials of the Templars 247
31. Te Charges Against the Templars 265
32. Guillaume de Nogaret 272
xi Contents
33. Te Council of Vienne and the End of the Order 277
34. Time Line of the Trials 285
35. Te Trials Outside of France 289
36. Te Secret Rite of Initiation 304
37. Marguerite Porete 313
38. Who Were the Templars? 316
39. Te Other Guys; Regional Military Orders 325
40. Baphomet 337
41. Te Cathars 341
PART FOUR
Te Beginning of the Legends
42. Templars in Fiction 353
43. What Happened to the Templars? 358
44. Te Holy Grail 365
45. Templars in Denmark: Bornholm Island 373
46. Te Templars and the Shroud of Turin 381
47. Templars in Scotland: Rosslyn Chapel 387
48. Te Freemasons and the Templars 396
Epilogue 408
How to Tel if You Are Reading Pseudohistory 411
Templar Time Line 415
Recommended Reading 421
Index 425
Introduction
Last ycar ! was in Francc to spcak about an 8rowns book Te Da
Vinci Code, cxplaining thc placcs whcrc thc ction divcrgcd lrom his
tory. At onc stop a tccnagcd boy lrom thc Ncthcrlands askcd mc (in
cxccllcnt nglish) about thc Tcmplars. ! wcnt into my standard lcc
turc about thcir litcrary conncction to thc Grail and thc myths sur
rounding thcir dissolution in ..a. Hc listcncd politcly lor a whilc and
thcn intcrruptcd to ask, Ycs, but what wcrc thc Tcmplars: id thcy
rcally cxist:
! camc to a lull stop. Tat young man had acccptcd that thc novcl
was ction. Tcrclorc, hc had assumcd that thc Tcmplars wcrc also
ction.
Vhcn ! startcd to think about it, it madc pcrlcct scnsc. Vhcn !
rcad scicncc ction, ! cant judgc whats bascd on cuttingcdgc scicncc
and what thc author madc up. Vhy should ! cxpcct rcadcrs ol histori
cal ction to know which charactcrs in a book rcally cxistcd:
Tc story ol thc Tcmplars is dcnitcly thc stu ol cpic romancc.
From thc timc ol thc crcation ol thc ordcr, lcgcnds bcgan to swirl
around thcm. Somc ol thcsc lcgcnds thc Tcmplars crcatcd thcmsclvcs.
thcrs appcarcd in popu lar chroniclcs ol thc latc twcllth and carly
thirtccnth ccntury. vcr thc ycars thc Tcmplars wcrc admircd and
xiv Introduction
rcvilcd, adorcd and loathcd. Tcy wcrc considcrcd by somc to bc thc
closcst that a ghting man could comc to salvation and by othcrs
nothing morc than matcrialistic moncygrubbcrs. Tcir mass arrcst on
ctobcr ., .c,, shockcd thc Vcstcrn world. Somc dclcndcd thcm,
othcrs bclicvcd thcy wcrc hcrctics. Many who thought thcy wcrc prob
ably innoccnt ol thc chargcs still lclt thc Tcmplars had gottcn a comc
uppancc that thcy richly dcscrvcd.
Sincc thc rdcr ol thc Knights Tcmplar was dissolvcd, thc sto
rics about thcm havc grown and mutatcd until thcy arc hardly rccog
nizablc. For thrcc hundrcd ycars altcr thc cnd ol thc ordcr, thc
Tcmplars wcrc largcly lorgottcn. !l anything, thcy wcrc sccn as an
anachronism that had cndcd wcll altcr it had ccascd to bc ol any usc.
Tc othcr military ordcrs survivcd by changing and adapting to thc
ncw world.
Tcn thcrc wcrc two grcat spurts ol intcrcst in thc Tcmplars.
Tc rst was at thc cnd ol thc cightccnth ccntury whcn thcy wcrc
rcdiscovcrcd by Protcstant uropc. Tcy bccamc a symbol ol rcsis
tancc to papal tyranny and, in Francc, thc tyranny ol thc monarchy.
Catholics rcspondcd by rcmcmbcring thc Tcmplars as thc last dc
lcnsc against thc cncmics ol Christ.
At thc cnd ol thc cightccnth ccntury, thc crcation ol Tcmplar
myths took a hugc lcap. Tc ncw socicty known as thc Frccmasons
was sprcading across uropc. Trough thc cnthusiastic corts ol a
Gcrman baron, Karl von Hund, who publishcd undcr a pcn namc, thc
story ol thc Tcmplars was graltcd on to Masonic ritual and lorc. Tis
opcncd thc door lor a wcalth ol imaginativc thcorics rcgarding thc
Tcmplars, all ol which had morc to do with thc political situation in
uropc at that timc than thc history ol thc Tcmplars.
Tc sccond grcat dcvclopmcnt in thc Tcmplar myth camc in thc
twcnticth ccntury. Latc \ictorian writcrs, such as Jcssic Vcston, had
wovcn thc Tcmplars into uro pc an lolklorc. 8ut it was not until thc
lattcr part ol thc ccntury that thc gcncral public bccamc intrigucd by
thcorics linking thc Tcmplars to cvcrything lrom thc Holy Grail, to
Cathar Hcrcsy, to modcrn sccrct socictics. Currcntly, thcrc arc so
many bclicls about thc Tcmplars that ! nd it impossiblc to kccp up
Introduction xv
with thcm. Tcy sccm to havc bccn involvcd with cvcrything cxccpt
thc Kcnncdy assassination, and that might bc ncxt.
Tis book is an attcmpt to givc thc known lacts about thc Knights
Tcmplar, lrom thcir bcginnings in ... or ..ac to thc dissolution in
..a and bcyond. !t is my hopc that this will makc it casicr lor pcoplc
who arc rcading thc latcst Tcmplar book, cithcr ction or history, to
scparatc lact lrom ction and givc thcm a basc lrom which to cvaluatc
thc idcas prcscntcd. ! havc arrangcd thc book chronologically, with
somc chaptcrs bcing an ovcrvicw ol cvcnts and othcrs locusing on in
dividual pcoplc or subjccts. Vhcn thcrc arc words in bold type, that
mcans thcrc is a scction dcvotcd to that onc topic. Somc scctions ovcr
lap in subjcct mattcr, giving a dicrcnt vicw ol pcoplc and cvcnts.
! havc oltcn hcard that rcadcrs arc put o by lootnotcs. Plcasc dont
bc. You dont havc to rcad thcm. Tcy arc thcrc to lct you know that
!vc donc my bcst to nd thc most accuratc inlormation availablc. Tcy
arc also thcrc so that il you wish, you can go to thcsc sourccs and chcck
thcm lor yoursclvcs. Tcn you can dccidc il !m right or not. 8ut il
yourc willing to trust mc, thcn just ignorc thcm. !ll bc vcry attcrcd.
Studying history mcans that onc has to bc part scicntist, part dctcctivc,
and part psychologist. Tc cvidcncc is not always complctc and thats
why, whcn historians comc to conclusions, thcy always lct pcoplc know
what sourccs thosc conclusions arc bascd upon.
So dont worry about my citations. !ll bc vcry happy il you simply
cnjoy thc book.
PART ONE
Te Poor Knights of Christ
CH A P T I R ONI
Te Beginning of the Order
H
ow docs a lcgcnd bcgin:
!n thc casc ol thc Knights ol thc Tcmplc ol Solomon at
Jcrusalcm, it bcgan in obscurity. No contcmporary chroniclcr mcn
tions thcir cxistcncc. Vc only know thcy cxistcd by ..a bccausc thcrc
is a chartcr lrom that ycar witncsscd by Hugh de Payns in which hc is
callcd thc Mastcr ol thc Tcmplc.
Latcr gcncrations would tcll thc story ol thc rst Tcmplars, cach
onc a littlc dicrcntly:
At thc bcginning ol thc rcign ol 8aldwin !!, a Frcnchman camc
lrom Romc to Jcrusalcm to pray. Hc had madc a vow not to rc
turn to his own country, but to bccomc a monk altcr hclping thc
king in thc war lor thrcc ycars, hc and thc thirty knights who ac
companicd him would cnd thcir livcs in Jcrusalcm. Vhcn thc king
and his barons saw that thcy had achicvcd rcmarkablc things in thc
war . . . thcy adviscd thc man to scrvc in thc army with his thirty
knights and dclcnd thc placc against brigands rathcr than to bc
comc a monk in thc hopc ol saving his own soul.
Tat is thc cxplanation lor thc bcginning ol thc Tcmplars givcn by
Michacl, thc Syrian patriarch ol Antioch, in about ..c. At about thc
4 The Real History Behind the Templars
samc timc, an nglishman, Valtcr Map, gavc a somcwhat dicrcnt
account:
A knight callcd Payns, lrom a district ol 8urgundy ol thc samc
namc, camc as a pilgrim to Jcrusalcm. Vhcn hc hcard that thc
Christians who watcrcd thcir horscs at a cistcrn not lar outsidc thc
gatcs ol Jcrusalcm wcrc constantly attackcd by thc pagans, and
that many ol thc bclicvcrs wcrc slain in thcsc ambuscadcs, hc pit
icd thcm, and . . . hc tricd to protcct thcm as lar as hc could. Hc
lrcqucntly sprang to thcir aid lrom wcllchoscn hiding placcs and
slcw many ol thc cncmy.
Valtcr vicws thc lound cr ol thc ordcr as a sort ol Lonc Rangcr
who cvcntually cnlistcd othcr knights to join him in his work. Tis
would makc a good movic plot, but it is unlikcly that a man doing this
would livc long cnough to cstablish an ordcr ol knights.
Yct anothcr story ol thc rst Tcmplars is lrom a latcr writcr, 8cr
nard, a monk at Corbic. Hc wrotc in .aa, ovcr a hundrcd ycars altcr
thc ordcr bcgan, but hc was drawing on a now lost vcrsion by a noblc
man namcd rnoul living in Jcrusalcm about thc samc timc as thc
othcr writcrs. 8crnard wrotc:
Vhcn thc Christians had conqucrcd Jcrusalcm, thcy installcd
thcmsclvcs at thc Tcmplc ol thc Scpulchcr and many morc camc
thcrc lrom cvcrywhcrc. And thcy obcycd thc prior ol thc scpul
chcr. Tc good knights thcrc took counscl among thcmsclvcs and
said, Vc havc abandoncd our lands and our lricnds and havc
comc hcrc to clcvatc and glorily thc rulc ol God. !l wc stay hcrc,
drinking, cating and hanging around, without doing work, thcn
wc carry our wcapons lor nothing. Tis land has nccd ol
thcm. . . . Lct us gct togcthcr and makc onc ol us thc mastcr ol us
all . . . to lcad us in battlc whcn it occurs.
So 8crnard bclicvcd that thc mcn had originally bccn pilgrims,
pcrhaps staying at thc church ol thc Scpulchcr undcr thc supcrvision
5 The Beginning of the Order
ol a pricst, and it was only through borcdom that thcy dccidcd to lorm
a ghting unit.
Finally wc havc thc account ol Villiam, Archbishop ol Tyrc. Hc
is thc onc most oltcn quotcd and it is his vcrsion that has most oltcn
bccn acccptcd. Sincc hc was born in Jcrusalcm and cducatcd in u
ropc, hc had both acccss to thc rcc ords and thc polishcd stylc ncccs
sary to prcscnt thc history.
!n that samc ycar |...| somc noblcmcn ol knightly rank, dcvotcd
to God, pious and God lcaring, placcd thcmsclvcs in thc hands ol
thc lord patriarch lor thc scrvicc ol Christ, prolcssing thc wish to
livc pcrpctually in thc manncr ol rcgular canons in chastity, and
obcdicncc, without pcrsonal bclongings. Tc lcading and most
cmincnt ol thcsc mcn wcrc thc vcncrablc Hugh ol Payns and
Godlrcy ol St. mcr. As thcy had ncithcr church nor xcd abodc,
thc king gavc thcm a tcmporary homc in his palacc which was on
thc south sidc ol thc Tcmplc ol thc Lord, . . . Tcir main duty,
imposcd on thcm by thc patriarch and thc othcr bishops lor thc
rcmission ol thcir sins, was that thcy should maintain thc salcty ol
thc roads and thc highways to thc bcst ol thcir ability, lor thc bcn
ct ol pilgrims in partic u lar, against attacks ol bandits and ma
raudcrs.
Tcsc cxplanations havc a lcw things in common. Tcy all imply
that Hugh de Payns was thc rst ol thc Tcmplars and that King
Baldwin II ol Jcrusalcm was thc onc to rccognizc thcm, cithcr as
knights committcd to thc protcction ol pilgrims or as a group ol rcli
gious mcn who wishcd to dcvotc thcir military skill to thc dclcnsc ol
thc Christian scttlcmcnts. Tcy also agrcc that at rst thc Tcmplars
livcd at thc sitc thc crusadcrs bclicvcd to bc thc tcmplc ol thc Holy
Scpulchcr, thc placc whcrc Jcsus had bccn buricd. !t was only altcr
thcy bccamc a military ordcr that thc mcn movcd to thc kings palacc,
in what was bclicvcd to bc thc Tcmplc ol Solomon. Tcy may havc
sharcd quartcrs at thc bcginning with thc Hospitallers, who had bccn
cstablishcd in thc Holy Land sincc .c,c.
Tc chroniclcs arc unclcar on whosc idca it was to havc an ordcr ol
mcn who livcd likc monks and lought likc soldicrs. Altcr all, ghting
monks: Tat didnt makc scnsc. Mcn who lought had to shcd blood,
shcdding blood was a sin. Monks praycd lor thc souls ol warriors whilc
dcploring thcir violcncc. Tc idca was that ghting mcn wcrc a ncccs
sary cvil to protcct socicty lrom thc lawlcss. Somc ol thcm would nd
rcligion, givc up thcir aggrcssivc ways, and join a monastcry, but who
cvcr hcard ol a rcligious ordcr whosc mission was to go into battlc:
!t was an idca born ol dcspcration. Vith thc succcss ol thc rst
wavc ol crusadcrs, Jcrusalcm and thc sitcs ol thc 8iblc wcrc oncc again
opcn to Christian pilgrims. And thc pilgrims camc in drovcs lrom all
thc corncrs ol Christcndom.
8ut, whilc thc citics ol Jcrusalcm, Tripoli, Antioch, and Acrc had
bccn takcn, thc roads that conncctcd thcm wcrc still, lor thc most
part, in thc hands ol thc Moslcms. And thcrc wcrc a numbcr ol towns
that had not bccn conqucrcd. Tc pilgrims wcrc lair gamc lor raiding
partics. At astcr in ... a party ol somc scvcn hundrcd was attackcd
whilc going lrom Jcrusalcm to thc Jordan Rivcr. Trcc hundrcd ol
thcm wcrc killcd and anothcr sixty capturcd and sold into slavcry.
Valtcr Maps story ol Hugh dc Payns singlchandcdly guarding a
watcring holc may havc comc not lrom thc Tcmplars but lrom thc
cxpcricnccs ol a Russian, thc abbot anicl. !n about ..c,, hc told ol a
placc bctwccn Jaa and Jcrusalcm whcrc thc pilgrims could gct watcr.
Tcy would stay thcrc lor thc night in grcat lcar lor it was ncar thc
Moslcm town ol Ascalon lrom whcncc thc Saraccns would issuc and
massacrc thc pilgrims.
cspitc thc dangcrs, pcoplc wcrc still dctcrmincd to makc thc
journcy. Tc initial conqucst ol thc Holy Land had bccn mcant to rc
opcn Jcrusalcm to pilgrims. Somcthing had to bc donc to protcct
thcm. 8ut King 8aldwin and thc othcr crusadcr lords didnt havc thc
mcn or thc rcsourccs to patrol all thc routcs to thc sitcs ol thc 8iblc
that thc pilgrims wcrc dctcrmincd to scc. Vhocvcr had thc idca lor
thc Tcmplars, it was grcctcd with cnthusiasm by local lords. !n thc cnd
it was dccidcd that Hugh and his lricnds could scrvc God bcst by
kccping His pilgrims salc.
Tc Tcmplars wcrc at rst a local group with no conncction to thc
papacy. Tcy rcccivcd thc approval ol thc patriarch ol Jcrusalcm, Gar
mund, and may havc bccn prcscntcd at a church council hcld at thc
town ol Nablus on January a, ..ac.
Tc council was not convcncd to cstablish thc Knights ol thc
Tcmplc but to discuss problcms that had dcvclopcd in thc twcnty
ycars sincc thc lounding ol thc Latin kingdoms. Tc main worry was
that grasshoppcrs had bccn dcstroying thc crops lor thc lour ycars
past. Tc gcncral lccling was that this was a divinc punishmcnt bc
causc morals had slackcncd sincc thc conqucst ol Jcrusalcm. So most
ol thc twcntyvc pronounccmcnts that thc council passcd addrcsscd
thc sins ol thc csh.
!t is intcrcsting that cvcn though this was a rcligious council,
thcrc wcrc as many lay lords as bishops participating. Tis shows that
thc conccrns wcrc widcsprcad and nccdcd to bc solvcd by all thosc in
powcr.
Tis council intcrcsts mc bccausc scvcral historians ol thc Tcm
plars mcntion it as il it wcrc important to thc lormation ol thc Tcm
plars, but, whcn ! wcnt to thc o cial rccords, nothing was said
about thcm. !nstcad, thc canons (laws) that wcrc cnactcd at Nablus
dwcll on which sins thc lords and clcrics ol Jcrusalcm thought wcrc
thc worst. Scvcn ol thcm lorbid adultcry or bigamy and lour con
ccrn sodomy. Fivc morc dcal with scxual and othcr rclations bc
twccn Christians and Saraccns, which wcrc not allowcd unlcss thc
Saraccn had bccn baptizcd. Tc gcncral implication sccms to havc
bccn that il pcoplc stoppcd doing thcsc things, thc ncxt harvcst
would bc bcttcr.
Tcrc is no ocial rcport as to whcthcr thc dccrccs ol thc council
wcrc lollowcd or il thc ncxt ycars crops wcrc unmolcstcd. From othcr
sourccs, it appcars that sins ol thc csh wcrc committcd as usual.
Tc only canon that might rclatc to thc Tcmplars, a group still in
its inlancy, is numbcr twcnty: !l a clcric takcs up arms in thc causc ol
Also spcllcd Varmund and othcr variations. !m not surc what his mothcr callcd him.
dclcnsc, hc is not hcld to bc guilty. !t docs not mcntion knights
bccoming military clcrics.
All thc samc, this was a radical dcparturc. cspitc thc looscning
ol thc command against gcncral warlarc in thc casc ol thosc who
lought lor God, pricsts and monks had always bccn absolutcly lorbid
dcn to ght.
Howcvcr, at Antioch, thc ycar bclorc thc council, Count Rogcr
and most ol his army had bccn killcd outsidc thc walls ol thc city in a
battlc still known as thc Ficld ol 8lood. !n ordcr to savc Antioch,
thc Frankish patriarch, 8crnard, issucd arms to anyonc who could
carry thcm, including monks and pricsts. Luckily, thc clcrics didnt
havc to ght, but thc prc cc dcnt had bccn sct.
Tis was thc atmosphcrc in which thc rdcr ol thc Tcmplc was
lormcd.
xv ol thc myths that thc Tcmplars told about thcir own bcginning
was that lor thc rst ninc ycars thcrc wcrc only ninc knights. Tis is
rst mcntioncd in Villiam ol Tyrc but was oltcn rcpcatcd by latcr
chroniclcrs who lcarncd it lrom thc Tcmplars ol thcir own timc.
Vcrc thcrc only ninc mcmbcrs: Probably not. Vhilc thc rdcr ol
thc Tcmplc didnt sccm to havc grown vcry much in thc rst lcw ycars,
it wouldnt havc lastcd at all with so lcw mcn. Tc numbcr ninc might
havc bccn choscn bccausc it wcnt with thc ninc ycars lrom thc lound
ing until thc Council of Troyes, whcrc thc ordcr was givcn lormal
rccognition.
Somc scholars think thc Tcmplars may havc bccn inucnccd by
mcdicval numbcr symbolism. Ninc is a circular numbcr: no mattcr
how much it is multiplicd, thc digits always add up to ninc or a mul
tiplc ol it, and thcrclorc could bc sccn as incorruptiblc. Many ycars
altcr thc lounding, thc poct antc surmiscd that thc numbcr ninc was
choscn bccausc ninc is thc holy ciphcr ol thc ordcr ol angcls, thrcc
timcs thc holy ciphcr thrcc ol thc Trinity.
! dont think that thc rst knights wcrc wcll cnough cducatcd to
comc up with somcthing that csotcric. Howcvcr, Villiam ol Tyrc was,
and it is in his chroniclc that wc rst nd this idca. !ts vcry possiblc
that thc numbcr was Villiams invcntion and that it was takcn up by
thc Tcmplars ol his timc and addcd to thcir own vcrsion ol thcir lcg
cnd. Tcrcs no way to tcll, but thc numbcr ninc did bccomc part ol
Tcmplar lorc and was uscd in thc artwork in somc Tcmplar chapcls.
From thcrc it camc to bc considcrcd a lact simply bccausc thc lcgcnd
had bccn rcpcatcd so oltcn.
So wc know vcry littlc about thc rst ycars ol thc Knights Tcmplar.
Tcrc arc a lcw chartcrs lrom Jcrusalcm and Antioch that arc wit
ncsscd by thc carly mcmbcrs. 8ut thcsc arc not gilts to thc Tcmplars,
mcrcly cvidcncc that thcsc mcn cxistcd and wcrc in thc Holy Land.
Tcrc arc no surviving rcc ords ol donations to thc ordcr bclorc ..a.
!t is human naturc to want to ll in thc gaps, thc blank spaccs on
thc maps, thc parts ol thc story that dont sccm cnough. Tis is what
happcncd to thc story ol thc rst Tcmplars. At thc timc, thcy wcrcnt
considcrcd important cnough lor thc chroniclcrs to mcntion. 8ut
sixtyodd ycars latcr, whcn thcy wcrc an important part ol socicty,
pcoplc wantcd to know how it all bcgan.
And so thc lcgcnds wcrc born and startcd to grow. Tcy arc grow
ing still.
J Chartcrs ol thc Holy Scpulchcr no. .c, in Ticrry Lcroy, Huges de Payns (Troycs, acc.)
p. ..
2 Michacl thc Syrian, in Malcom 8arbcr and Kcith 8atc, Te Templars: Selected Sources Translated
and Annotated (Manchcstcr Univcrsity Prcss, acca) p. a,. Takcn lrom thc Chronique de Michel le
Syrien, Patriarche Jacobite dAntioch (116690), cd. and tr. J. 8. Chabot (Paris: rncst Lcrous, .c)
p. ac..
3 Valtcr Map, De nugis curialium/Courtiers Tries, tr. Frcdcrick Tuppcr and Marbury 8ladcn
glc (London, .a) p. .
4 Tcxt in Anthony Luttrcll, Tc arlicst Tcmplars, in Autour de la premire croisade. Acts du Col
loque de la Society for the Study of the Crusades and the Latin East (ClcrmcntFcrrcnd, aaa juin
.) cd. M. 8alard (Paris: Publications do la Sorbonnc, .6) p. .6. Quant li Chrcstiicn orcnt
conquis Jhcrusalcm, si sc rcndircnt asscs dc chcvalicrs au tcmplc dcl Scpucrc, ct mout scn !
rcndircnt pius dc toutcs ticrcs. s cstoicnt obcissant au pricux dou Scpucrc. !l i ot dc boins chc
valicrs rcndus, si priscnt conscl cntriaus ct discnt: Nous avoumcs gucrpics noz ticrcs ct nos
amis, ct sommcs chi vcnu pour la loy icu i lcvcr ct cssauchicr. Si sommcs chi arrcstc pour boirc
ct pour mcngicr at por dcspcndrc, sans ocvrc lairc, nc noicnt nc laisons darmcs, ct bcsoingc cn
cst cn lc ticrc: . . . Prcndons conscl ct laisons mcstrc dun dc nos, . . . kc nous conduic cn bataillc
quant lius cn scra. (my translation)
5 Villiam ol Tyrc in 8arbcr and 8atc, pp. aa6. Tcxt in Guillaumc dc Tyr, Chronique, cd. R. 8. C.
Huygcns, a vols. Corpus Christianorum Continuatio Mcdiavalcs 6 and 6A (Turnholt, .6)
.a., pp. odcm anno quidam nobilcs viri dc cqustri ordinc, dco dcvotci rcligiosi ct ti
mcntcs dcum, in monu domini patriarchc Christi scrvicio sc mancipantcs, morc canonicorum
rcgularium in castitatc ct obcdicntia ct sinc proprio vcllc pcrtpctuo vivcrc prolcssi sunt. !ntcr
quos primi ct prccipui lucrcnut viri vcrncrabilcs Hugo dc Pagainis ct Gaulridus dc Sancto Al
dcmaro. Quibus quoniam ncquc ccclcsia crat ncquc ccrtum habcbant domicilium rcx in palatio
suo, quod sccus Tcmplum omini as australcm habct partcm, cis ad tcmpus conccssit
habitaculum, . . . Prima autcm corum prolcssio, quodquc cis a domino patriarcha ct rcliquis
cpiscopis in rcmissioncm pcccatorum iniunctum cst, ut vias ct itincra maximc ad salutcm pcr
cgrinorum contra latronum ct incursantium insidias pro viribus conscrvarcnt.
6 Malcolm 8arbcr, Te New Knighthood (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. .
7 Quotcd in dward 8urman, Te Templars, Knights of God (Rochcstcr, \T: cstiny 8ooks, .6)
p. .6.
8 CharlcsJoscph Hclclc and H. Lcclcrq, Histoires de Conciles dapres les documents Originaux,
t. \a (Paris: Lctouzcy ct An, ..a) p. a.
9 8cnjamin Z. Kadcr, n thc rigins ol thc arlicst Laws ol Frankish Jcrusalcm: Tc Canons
ol thc Copuncil ol Nablus, ..ac, Speculum April . (Latin Canons rcproduccd lrom 8ibi
lotcca Apostolica \aticana, MS \at. Lat. . Fols. .rr) pp. ..
J0 !bid. p. . Si clcricus causa dclcnssionis |sic| arma dctulcrit, culpa non tcncantur. (my trans
lation)
JJ !bid. p. a and in articlc. Scc also Stcvcn Runciman, A History of the Crusades \ol. !! (Cam
bridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .a) pp. .ca.
J2 Villiam ol Tyrc, p. . Cumquc iam annis novcn in co luisscnt proposito, non nisi novcm
crrant.
J3 8arbcr and 8atc, p. .
J4 Quotcd in Maric Luisc 8uistTiclc, Tc !nucncc ol St. 8crnard ol Clairvaux on thc Forma
tion ol thc rdcr ol thc Knights Tcmplar, cd. Michacl Gcrvcrs Te Second Crusade and the
Cistercians (Ncw York: St. Martins Prcss, .a) p. .
J5 !bid.
J6 Marquis dAlbon, Cartularie Gnral de l Ordre du Temple 1119?1150 (Paris, ..) p. .. !t was a
donation madc in Marscillc and thcrc arc scvcral unccrtaintics about it.
CH A P T I R T WO
Hugh de Payns
A
mid all thc dicrcnt thcorics about thc bcginning ol thc Tcm
plars thcrc is onc constant. Tc lound cr ol thc ordcr was a ccr
tain Hugh dc Payns, knight.
Somc say hc and a lcw comradcs rst approachcd thc patriarch ol
Jcrusalcm, asking to livc a monastic lilc in thc city. thcrs rcport thc
mcn wcnt to Baldwin II, king ol Jcrusalcm. Still othcrs suggcst that it
was 8aldwin who askcd Hugh and his lricnds to act as protcctors to
thc many pilgrims coming lrom thc Vcst to Jcrusalcm.
!n all ol thcsc, thc main constant is Hugh.
8ut who was Hugh: Vhcrc is Payns: Vhat was his background
and who wcrc his lamily: Vhat could havc lcd him to dcvotc his lilc
to ghting lor God:
cspitc his importancc, cvcn in his own day, a contcmporary bi
ography ol Hugh has ncvcr bccn lound. Nor has any mcdicval writcr
cvcn mcntioncd rcading onc. ! nd this intcrcsting bccausc it indicatcs
to mc thc uncasincss pcoplc lclt about thc idca ol warrior monks.
thcr mcn who loundcd ordcrs, likc Francis ol Assisi or Robcrt ol
Arbrisscl, had biographics writtcn about thcm immcdiatcly altcr thcir
dcaths. Tc main purposc ol this was to havc an cycwitncss account ol
thcir saintlincss in casc thcy wcrc suggcstcd lor canonization. l thc
littlc that was writtcn about Hugh, nothing was ncgativc, but thcrc
Hugh de Payns and Godfrey of St. Omer before King Baldwin II. ( Bibliotheque
Nationale)
docs not sccm to havc bccn any scnsc that hc was in linc lor saint
hood.
So how do wc nd out morc about this man who startcd it all:
Tc rst cluc wc havc is lrom thc chroniclcr Villiam ol Tyrc. Hc
says that Hugh camc lrom thc town ol Payns, ncar Troycs in thc
county ol Champagnc. Villiam also mcntions Hughs companion,
Godlrcy ol St. mcr, in Picardy, now Flandcrs. Tcsc two mcn sccm,
in Villiams cycs, to bc coloundcrs ol thc Tcmplars, but it was Hugh
who bccamc thc rst Grand Mastcr. Tis may havc bccn through
natural lcadcrship, but it also may havc bccn bccausc Hugh had thc
right conncctions.
Payns is a small town in Francc, ncar Troycs, thc scat ol thc
counts ol Champagnc. !t is situatcd in a lcrtilc larmland that cvcn
thcn had a rcputation lor its winc. !ts not known whcn Hugh was
born, or who his parcnts wcrc. Tc rst mcntion ol him in thc rcc ords
is lrom about .c.cc, whcn a Hugo dc Pcdano, Montiniaci domi
nus, or Hugh ol Payns, lord ol Montigny, witncsscd a chartcr in
which Hugh, count of Champagne, donatcd land to thc abbcy ol
13 Hugh de Payns
Molcsmc. !n ordcr to bc a witncss, our Hugh had to havc bccn at lcast
sixtccn. So hc was probably born around .c,c.
vcr thc ncxt lcw ycars, lour morc chartcrs ol thc count arc wit
ncsscd by a Hugo dc Pcanz or Hugo dc Pcdans. Actually, thc placc
namc is spcllcd slightly dicrcntly cach timc it appcars. !t is also
spcllcd Hughcs. Spclling was much morc ol a crcativc art back thcn.
Howcvcr, its lairly ccrtain that thcsc arc all thc samc man. Tcsc
show that Hugh was part ol thc court ol thc count ol Champagnc,
pcrhaps cvcn rclatcd to him.
Tc last ol thcsc chartcrs in Champagnc is lrom .... Tc ncxt
timc wc nd thc namc Hugh dc Payns, it is in ..ac in Jcrusalcm. Tis
is highly suggcstivc, as Hugh is witncss to a chartcr conrming thc
propcrty ol thc rdcr ol St. John (thc Hospitallers). So now wc havc
conrmation ol thc story that Hugh was in Jcrusalcm in .....ac to
lound thc Tcmplars outsidc ol latcr historics. Howcvcr, it is not until
vc ycars latcr that Hugh witncsscs a chartcr in which hc lists himscll
as Mastcr ol thc Knights Tcmplar. !n bctwccn, hc is witncss to a
donation madc in ..a by Garamond, patriarch ol Jcrusalcm, to thc
abbcy ol Santa Maria dc Josaphat. Hcrc Hugh is listcd only by thc
namc Hugonis dc Pcans. Tcrc is no mcntion ol thc Tcmplars and
Hugh is ncar thc cnd ol thc list ol witncsscs, showing that hc was not
onc ol thc most important pcoplc prcscnt.
How did Hugh gct to Jcrusalcm: Vhat happcncd in thosc vc
ycars bctwccn witncssing a chartcr as a layman and bccoming Mastcr
ol thc Tcmplars: Vc can gucss, but unlcss morc inlormation appcars,
wc cant know lor ccrtain.
Tc most likcly rcason lor Hugh to havc gonc to thc Holy Land
was in thc company ol Count Hugh. Tc count madc a pilgrimagc to
Jcrusalcm, his sccond, in .... Tcrc is no list ol his companions, but
it would t that Hugh dc Payns would havc bccn in his company.
Hugh was alrcady among thosc at court oltcn cnough to bc a witncss
to thc counts donations and thcrclorc onc ol his licgc mcn. 8ut hc
must havc bccn rclcascd lrom his obligation to his lord lor, whcn
Count Hugh rcturncd homc, Hugh dc Payns rcmaincd in Jcrusalcm.
Vhy:
Again, Hugh hasnt lclt anything to tcll us. Vas it as pcnancc lor
his sins: Most pilgrimagcs wcrc intcndcd as a qucst lor divinc lorgivc
ncss. Many pcoplc havc insistcd that knights only wcnt to thc Holy
Land lor wcalth, cithcr in land or goods lootcd lrom thosc thcy con
qucrcd. 8ut in Hughs casc, oncc hc dccidcd to rcmain in Jcrusalcm hc
rcsolvcd to livc thc lilc ol a monk, owning nothing.
!t is cvcn morc surprising bccausc Hugh apparcntly lclt a wilc
and at lcast onc young child bchind. His wilc was namcd lizabcth.
Shc was probably lrom thc lamily ol thc lords ol Chappcs, land quitc
closc to Payns. Tcir son, Tibaud, bccamc abbot ol thc monastcry
ol La Colombc. Hugh may havc had two othcr childrcn, Guibuin
and !sabcllc, but ! dont nd thc cvidcncc lor thcm complctcly con
vincing.
!n principlc, any marricd pcrson wishing to join a rcligious ordcr
had to havc thc pcrmission ol his or hcr spousc and that spousc was
also to join a convcnt or monastcry. !n practicc, howcvcr, this didnt
happcn that oltcn, cspccially among thc nobility. Vhcn Sybilla ol
Anjou, countcss ol Flandcrs, rcmaincd in Jcrusalcm to join thc nuns at
thc convcnt ol 8cthany in ..., hcr husband, Ticrry, rcturncd to
Flandcrs and continucd his lilc. Somctimcs, thc spousc rcmarricd. !t
is not known what happcncd to lizabcth. Pcrhaps shc dicd bclorc
Hugh lclt Champagnc.
Hugh did not abandon thc placc ol his birth. Vhcn hc rcturncd
to uropc to drum up support lor thc Knights ol thc Tcmplc, hc rc
ccivcd his grcatcst support in Champagnc. !t was at thc Council of
Troyes, only a lcw milcs south ol Payns, that thc ordcr rcccivcd o
cial papal approval.
Tcrc wcrc also scvcral Tcmplar commandcrics ncar Payns. nc ol
thcm, at lcast, was loundcd by Hugh. onations continucd to thc
Tcmplars ol Payns until thc carly lourtccnth ccntury, just bclorc thc
arrcst ol thc Tcmplars. Many ol thc donations arc clcarly salcs un
dcr anothcr namc, as whcn in .a., a knight namcd Hcnri ol Saint
Mcsmin gavc two clds ncar thc prcccptory to thc Tcmplars ol Payns.
!n rcturn, thc Tcmplars gavc Hcnri lourtccn livrcs. !n anothcr casc,
do ol Troycs gavc thc Tcmplars somc mills. do was about to lcavc
15 Hugh de Payns
on Crusadc and so thc Tcmplars gavc him lorty livrcs with thc promisc
ol twcnty morc whcn (or il ) do rcturncd.
Howcvcr, altcr lounding thc commandcry, it appcars that Hugh
donatcd nothing morc to it. Hc rcturncd to Jcrusalcm, probably around
..c, and dicd in ..6. May a is thc traditional datc.
Tc rcc ords wc havc lrom thc carly twcllth ccntury givc no morc
inlormation on Hugh dc Payns. l coursc, much has bccn lost ovcr thc
ycars. Somc ol thc Tcmplar rccords in uropc wcrc dcstroycd altcr thc
dissolution ol thc ordcr at thc Council of Vienne. Tis docsnt sccm to
havc bccn bccausc thc inlormation was sccrct or hcrctical, simply that it
was no longcr nccdcd and thc parchmcnt could bc scrapcd and rcuscd.
Tc main Tcmplar archivcs, which might havc had morc inlorma
tion on Hugh, wcrc not in uropc, howcvcr, but in Jcrusalcm. Tcy
wcrc movcd to Acrc and thcn Cyprus, whcrc thcy wcrc in ..a. Var
and conqucst cnsurcd that anything lclt was scattcrcd or dcstroycd.
Pcrhaps thcrc was oncc a biography ol sorts ol Hugh dc Payns. !t
sccms to mc that somconc would havc wantcd to tcll thc world morc
about him. Vhat wc can dcducc lrom his actions is that hc must havc
bccn a strongwillcd man, vcry dcvout and with thc ability to convincc
othcrs to scc and lollow his vision. Hc docs not sccm to havc bccn
particularly wcll cducatcd. Nothing in his lilc or background would
indicatc that hc was involvcd in anything ol a mystical naturc, nor
that hc loundcd thc Tcmplars to protcct somc ncwly discovcrcd trca
surc or sccrct, as modcrn myths statc.
Hugh dc Payns was most likcly a dccply dcvout layman who
wantcd to scrvc God by protccting His pilgrims and His land. Hugh
uscd his wcalth, such as it was, and his lamily and social conncctions
to makc this possiblc. Nothing morc.
J Villiam ol Tyrc, cd. R. 8. \. Huygcns, CCCM 6 .a.,.6 (8rcpols, Turnholt .6) !ntcr quos
primus ct prccipui lucrunt viri vcncrabilcs Hugo dc Paganis ct Gaulridus dc Sancto Aldcmaro.
2 Ticrry Lcroy, Hughes de Payns, Chevalier Champenois, Fondateur de LOrdre des Templiers
(Troycs: La Maison du 8oulangcr, acc.) p. .. Cartulairc dc Molcsmc, n. ac p. a..
3 Lcroy, p. .. Chartcrs listcd arc lor abbcys all in thc arca ol Troycs.
4 HcnriFranois clabordc, Chartres de Terre- Sainte Provenant de l Abbaye de N.-D. de Josaphat.
8..F.A.R. a. (Paris: rnst Torin, .c) no. .c..
5 Lcroy, p. .. Cartulairc dc Saint Spulcrc no. .c, magistcr militium Tcmpli.
6 Chartres de Terre- Sainte Provenant de l Abbaye de N.-D. de Josaphat, cd. HFrancois clabordc,
(Paris, .c) p. . Chartcr no. .a.
7 Michacl 8ur, La formation du comt de Champagne (Univcrsit dc Lillc !!!, .,,) p. a,.
8 Lcroy, p. . cspitc scvcral popular modcrn books ol ction and somc that say thcy arc non
ction, thcrc is no truth to thc talc that Hughs wilc was namcd Cathcrinc St. Clair.
9 Tibaud was clcctcd abbot in ... Tibaud dc Pahcns, lius Hugonis primi magistri tcmplc
Jcrosolymitani. Quotcd in Lcroy, p. .
J0 Lcroy, pp. ... Ncithcr ol thc childrcn is listcd as son or daughtcr ol Hugh. Tcy might bc
lrom anothcr branch ol thc lamily who took ovcr Payns altcr Tibaud cntcrcd thc monastcry.
JJ Karcn Nicholas, Countcsscs as Rulcrs in Flandcrs, in Aristocratic Women in Medieval France,
cd. Tcodorc vcrgatcs (Philadclphia: Univcrsity ol Pcnnsylvania Prcss, .) p. .a.
J2 Lcroy, p. .ac.
CH A P T I R T HR I I
Baldwin II,
King of Jerusalem
B
aldwin ol Lc 8ourq accomplishcd thc drcam ol many ol thc
knights ol thc First Crusadc. Hc wcnt lrom bcing a shirttail rcla
tivc ol Godlrcy ol 8ouillon and his brothcr, 8aldwin !, thc hcrocs ol
thc crusadc, to bccoming king in his own right, marrying a princcss
and ruling a rcalm that had bccn conqucrcd lor thc glory ol God.
Hc also was thc man who rst gavc thc Tcmplc ol Solomon to
Hugh de Payns and his knights, thus starting both thc rcality and thc
lcgcnd ol thc Tcmplars.
8aldwin was thc son ol Hugh, count ol Rcthcl, and a cousin ol
thc Lotharingian brothcrs ustacc, Godlrcy, and 8aldwin. Hc wcnt
with thcm on thc First Crusadc and rcmaincd. Vhcn ustacc rc
turncd homc to bccomc count ol 8oulognc, Godlrcy, thc Protcctor ol
thc Holy Scpulchcr, dicd and 8aldwin bccamc thc rst king ol Jcru
salcm, thcir cousin was givcn thc county ol dcssa to rulc.
Vhcn thc crusadcrs arrivcd, dcssa had only bccn undcr Moslcm
control a short timc, and thrccquartcrs ol its population was Chris
tian. Most ol thcm wcrc Armcnian Monophysitcs, who wcrc consid
crcd hcrctics by thc Grcck rthodox 8yzantincs. Toros, thc
rthodox prcvious rulcr ol thc county, had bccn dcposcd by his pcoplc
shortly altcr thc arrival ol thc crusadcrs. Tc Armcnians wcrc willing
to bc rulcd by thc Vcstcrn crusadcrs as long as thcy could practicc
thcir lorm ol Christianity.
Unlikc many ol thc carly scttlcrs, 8aldwin sccms to havc adaptcd
to thc customs ol his ncw land. Hc acccptcd thc Armcnian patriarch
with all thc honors duc to his high ccclcsiastical dignity, gavc him vil
lagcs, loadcd him down with gilts and showcd him grcat lricndship.
Tc dicrcnt Christian sccts ol thc county wcrc allowcd to continuc
thcir lorms ol worship, not lorccd to conlorm to thc Roman ritcs.
!n his dcsirc to assimilatc with his ncw subjccts, 8aldwin also
took an Armcnian bridc. Hcr namc was Mora and shc was thc
daughtcr ol Khoril, princc ol Mclitcnc. Although it was a politically
sound movc and shc camc with an cxccllcnt dowry, thcrc also sccms to
havc bccn gcnuinc acction bctwccn 8aldwin and Mora. Tc rcst ol
thc marriagcs among thc noblc lamilics ol thc Latin kingdoms makc
thc stcamicst soap opcras look tamc, but in thcir ycars togcthcr 8ald
win and Mora provokcd no scandal and no talk ol divorcc. Vhcn
only daughtcrs wcrc born to thcm, 8aldwin saw no rcason why thc
cldcst onc shouldnt inhcrit dcssa.
Vhcn in ..., 8aldwin !, king ol Jcrusalcm, dicd without an hcir,
hc lclt no provision lor thc succcssion to thc thronc. Tc patriarch ol
Jcrusalcm, Arnull, callcd thc lords togcthcr to dccidc what to do.
Somc lclt that thc kings last rcmaining brothcr, ustacc, should bc
summoncd lrom 8oulognc to takc up thc kingship. thcrs lclt that it
was unsalc to wait lor ustacc. Tc timc it would takc to scnd a mcs
scngcr to uropc and back would lcavc thc kingdom opcn to anarchy
and attack.
Jocclyn ol Courtcnay, anothcr carly crusadcr, put in a votc lor
8aldwin ol Lc 8ourq. 8aldwin was ol thc samc lamily as thc latc
king, hc had donc a good job ruling dcssa, and, cvcn il his childrcn
wcrc all girls, hc had provcd hc could producc childrcn. Tcrc was still
hopc lor a boy.
Just by chancc (or pcrhaps not), 8aldwin ol Lc 8ourq was visiting
Jcrusalcm at thc timc. Hc acccptcd thc nomination and was crowncd
without dclay.
19 Baldwin II, King of Jerusalem
!t turncd out that ustacc wasnt thrillcd with thc idca ol taking
ovcr thc govcrnancc ol Jcrusalcm. Hc had startcd out lor thc Holy
Land whcn hc hcard ol his brothcrs dcath, but had only rcachcd !taly
whcn hc lcarncd ol 8aldwins coronation. Hc was apparcntly quitc
contcnt to go back to his homc in 8oulognc.
ustacc may havc rcalizcd that thc Kingdom ol Jcrusalcm was a
prizc that would nccd constant dclcnding. r hc may havc rcmcm
bcrcd what thc summcr sun in thc Ncar ast docs to lair northcrn
skin. So 8aldwin bccamc thc sccond king ol Jcrusalcm without a scri
ous strugglc. Hc gavc dcssa to his supportcr Jocclyn ol Courtcnay.
Tc ncw king laccd a mountain ol problcms, both military and
cconomic. Tc capital city ol Jcrusalcm had bccn clcarcd ol all non
Christians by thc rst crusadcrs and thcrc hadnt bccn much intcrcst
among thc Franks to rcpopulatc it. Tc city was a placc lor pilgrims to
visit, scc thc sights, buy somc souvcnirs, and go homc. 8aldwin gavc
conccssions to anyonc Latin who would sct up shops and homcs. Hc
also gavc Syrians, Grccks, and Armcnianscvcryonc cxccpt Sara
cens and Jcwsthc right ol lrcc tradc, cspccially in loodstus. !t
workcd to somc cxtcnt, but Jcrusalcm was important morc lor its his
torical and rcligious conncctions rathcr than as a major ccntcr ol tradc.
!t was thc port citics that maintaincd thc crusadcrs hold on thc land
and most ol thc Vcstcrncrs livcd along thc coast.
utsidc ol thc citics, thcrc was littlc control ovcr thc arca. Tc
pilgrims, who brought cash in, wcrc bcing waylaid on thc road by rob
bcrs. !t was impossiblc to patrol thc wholc arca bctwccn Jcrusalcm and
thc port citics. Also, many ol thc pilgrims couldnt sccm to undcr
stand that thcy couldnt just trot o to spcnd a day in 8cthlchcm or go
lor a dip in thc Jordan without guards. 8aldwin had ncithcr thc mcn
nor thc rcsourccs to protcct thcm. And yct, without thc pilgrims, Jc
rusalcm could not survivc.
!ts not ccrtain whcthcr it was 8aldwin or Hugh de Payns who
rst suggcstcd that a group ol knights takc on thc job ol pilgrim hcrd
ing. !n cithcr casc, 8aldwin was undoubtcdly thrillcd to turn thc
problcm ovcr to thc ncw rdcr ol knights. Tc Hospitallers had long
bccn cstablishcd within Jcrusalcm to providc shcltcr and carc to thc
pilgrims, many ol whom camc with thc intcntion ol dying in thc Holy
Land. 8ut in ..., whcn thc Tcmplars wcrc loundcd, thc hospital had
no military dutics. So thcrc was a dcnitc nichc lor thc knights to
ll.
King 8aldwin gavc thcm thc usc ol a scction ol thc royal palacc,
thought to bc on thc sitc ol thc Temple of Solomon, and lclt thcm to
scttlc in as bcst thcy could.
Tc ncxt lcw ycars lor 8aldwin wcrc spcnt outsidc ol Jcrusalcm.
Hc had to mop up altcr Rogcr ol Antioch dccidcd to ridc out and ght
thc rtoqid Turk !lghazi without waiting lor rcinlorccmcnts. Tc
placc whcrc Rogcr rcalizcd that hcd madc his last mistakc was cvcr
altcr known as thc Ficld ol 8lood.
8aldwin took ovcr thc govcrnancc ol Antioch until Rogcrs hcir,
8ohcmond, could rcach adulthood and arrivc lrom his homc in Apu
lia. Hc also kcpt an cyc on dcssa and whcn, in ..a, Count Jocclyn
was capturcd by !lghazis ncphcw 8alak, 8aldwin rushcd north to
maintain ordcr in thc city. Unlortunatcly, 8aldwin lcll into thc samc
trap as Jocclyn had and bccamc 8alaks prisoncr in April ..a.
Tc barons ol Jcrusalcm chosc a rcgcnt, ustacc dc Garnicr, lord
ol Sidon and Cacsarca. Hc hcld things togcthcr quitc wcll until 8ald
win was rclcascd in ..a, altcr paying a hcavy ransom and giving
8alak his vcycarold daughtcr, Yvcta, as a hostagc.
uring his captivity thc city ol Tyrc was capturcd lrom thc Turks
by thc Franks and thc \cnctians. Tc unimportancc ol thc Tcmplars
at this timc is clcar lrom thc lact that thc trcaty was signcd by thc
patriarch ol Jcrusalcm, thc archbishop ol Cacsarca, thrcc othcr bish
ops, thc abbot ol Santa Maria ol Josaphat, and thc priors ol thc Holy
Scpulchcr, thc Tcmplc ol thc Lord, and Mout Sion. Tc mastcr ol thc
Tcmplc isnt cvcn among thc witncsscs.
As soon as hc was lrcc, 8aldwin nccdcd to rcasscrt his authority.
Hc immcdiatcly gathcrcd his troops to ght thc Turks in northcrn
Syria. Hc thcn attcmptcd to takc amascus, but, likc all thc crusadcrs
altcr him, lailcd.
21 Baldwin II, King of Jerusalem
!n bctwccn battlcs, 8aldwin was busy marrying o his daughtcr,
Alicc, to thc count ol Antioch, 8ohcmond !!, now old cnough to takc
chargc. His third daughtcr, Hodicrna, was thcn marricd to thc count
ol Tripoli. For his cldcst daughtcr, Melisande, 8aldwin scnt a dclcga
tion back to uropc to ask lor thc hand ol thc widowcd count ol An
jou, Fulk. Although thcrc isnt much mcntion ol thc Tcmplars in
Jcrusalcm up to this point, Hugh dc Payns and Godlrcy ol St. mcr,
thc two rst knights ol thc ordcr, wcrc in thc party.
Tis mission back to uropc was thc turning point lor thc Tcm
plars. Hugh and Godlrcy rcturncd with mcn, moncy, and papal ap
proval. Tis last allowcd thcm to collcct donations and sct up branch
houscs to managc propcrty. Tc houscs, callcd prcccptorics or com
mandcrics, providcd horscs, loddcr and lood as wcll as cash lor thc
constant nccds ol thc lront linc Tcmplar knights.
Tc trip was also good public rclations lor 8aldwin and thc King
dom ol Jcrusalcm. Hugh and Godlrcy rcmindcd pcoplc ol thc purposc
ol thc crusadcs. Tc Tcmplar knights wcrc not looking lor individual
wcalth or land or political powcr. Tc ordcr itscll wound up having all
thrcc but no onc could havc lorcsccn that in ..a, whcn thc mcn sct
out. Vhat pcoplc in uropc saw wcrc mcn ol good birth who had
abandoncd thcir lands and lamilics in ordcr to dclcnd thc placcs whcrc
Christ had livcd and dicd lor all pcoplc. Tc cxamplc ol thc Tcmplars
was a shaming rcmindcr to thosc who had staycd bchind.
Vhcn 8aldwin !! dicd in August ..., thc Kingdom ol Jcrusalcm
was rmly cstablishcd. His daughtcr and soninlaw had givcn him a
grandson, thc luturc 8aldwin !!!, who would carry on his linc. Con
struction on thc ncw Church ol thc Holy Scpulchcr had bcgun. Hc
must havc lclt that hc had givcn his pcoplc a good basc to continuc
cxpanding thc tcrritory.
Hc may not havc considcrcd thc Tcmplars onc ol his major ac
complishmcnts but thcy would outlast thc Latin city ol Jcrusalcm by
morc than a hundrcd ycars and thcir lcgcnd would survivc long altcr
thc mighty castlcs ol thc crusadcrs had bccomc only crumbling pilcs
ol stonc.
J Rcn Groussct, Histoire des Croisades et du Royanme Franc de Jrusalem (Paris, .) p. .
2 Monophysitcs: Tis is a Christian scct that strcsscs thc divinc naturc ol Jcsus ovcr thc human
onc. Tc Armcnian Monophysitcs bcgan in thc lth ccntury and still cxist.
3 Hans bcrhard Maycr, Te Crusades (xlord Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. .
4 Groussct, p. a (quoting Matthcw ol dcssa).
5 Hc had bccn marricd twicc, oncc to an Armcnian princcss whom hc had rcluscd to acccpt bc
causc shc had bccn capturcd lor a short timc by Moslcms and hc said shc had bccn rapcd by
thcm. Tc sccond timc was to Adclaidc ol Sicily, whom hc rcpudiatcd. Maycr says that to all
appcaranccs, thc king was homoscxual (p. ,.) but hc docsnt say what thosc appcaranccs wcrc.
8aldwin was buricd ncxt to his brothcr, Godlrcy.
6 Villiam ol Tyrc, Chronique cd. R. 8. C. Huygcns, CCCM 6 (Turnholt, .6) .a, p. .
7 !bid., p. (! addcd thc part about his daughtcrs). Villiam listcd thc othcr rcasons.
8 !bid., p. c.
9 Groussct, p. ,.
J0 Villiam ol Tyrc, p. 6. cdit ctiam Surianis, Grccis, Armcnis ct harum cuiuslibct nationum
hominibus, Sarraccnis ctiam nichilominus, libcram potcstacm sinc cxactionc aliqua inlcrcndi
in sanctam civitatcm triticum, ordcum ct quodlibct gcnus qcquminus.
JJ Plcasc scc chaptcr ., Te Beginning of the Order.
J2 Maycr, p. ,.
J3 Villiam ol Tyrc, .a, a, p. ..
J4 Maycr, pp. ,c.
J5 Plcasc scc chaptcr a, Hugh de Payns.
CH A P T I R I OU R
Hugh,
Count of Champagne
O
nc ol thc carlicst mcmbcrs ol thc Tcmplars was also onc ol thc
lcw mcmbcrs ol thc high nobility to join. Hugh ol Champagnc
rcmains onc ol thc morc mystcrious ol thc rst Tcmplars.
As with so much ol thc politics in thc clcvcnth and twcllth ccntu
rics, thc story ol Hugh, rst count ol Champagnc, is that ol lamily.
Vhcn hc was born, thc county ol Champagnc didnt cxist. For most
ol his lilc hc callcd himscll thc count ol Troycs, which was thc main
holding ol his anccstors.
Hugh was thc youngcst son ol Tibaud !, who was count ol 8lois,
Mcaux, and Troycs, and ol Adclc ol 8arsurAubc. Tibaud had gaincd
somc ol his propcrty by taking ovcr lands bclonging to a ncphcw.
Tcrclorc, hc had somcthing to givc to Hugh, his lastborn son. Hughs
oldcr brothcr, StcphcnHcnry, got thc bcst propcrty, that ol 8lois and
Mcaux. Hugh inhcritcd Troycs and othcr bits lrom his mothcr and thc
propcrty ol his middlc brothcr, do, who dicd young.
Hugh did not go on thc First Crusadc in .c6, although Stcphcn
Hcnry did. Hc may not havc bccn intcrcstcd or hc may havc bccn too
busy subduing all his larung propcrtics. nc ol thcsc propcrtics was
thc town ol Payns not lar lrom Troycs. A son ol thc lord ol thc town,
Hugh de Payns, bccamc onc ol Hughs supportcrs and a mcmbcr ol
his court.
Hugh scorcd a coup in .c by his marriagc to Constancc, daugh
tcr ol Philip !, king ol Francc. Shc brought with hcr thc dowry ol At
tigny, just north ol Hughs lands.
As thc twcllth ccntury dawncd, Hugh sccmcd to bc an upand
coming young noblcman, with an cxpanding amount ol land and royal
conncctions.
!n ..ca, StcphcnHcnry dicd in battlc in Palcstinc. Hc lclt scvcral
young sons and a lormidablc wilc, Adclc, thc daughtcr ol King Hcnry
! ol ngland. Tis was Stcphcns sccond trip to thc Holy Land. !t was
said that Adclc wasnt plcascd with hcr husbands military cxploits on
thc rst trip. Hc had dcscrtcd thc crusadcr army bclorc rcaching An
tioch. Adclc insistcd hc rcturn and ght morc bravcly bclorc showing
his lacc at homc again. StcphcnHcnrys dcath in battlc apparcntly
satiscd hcr.
At about thc samc timc, ..c, Hugh had a vcry strangc cncountcr.
nc day whilc hc was travcling in thc vallcy ol Suippc, a man namcd
Alcxandcr, a pilgrim lrom thc Holy Land, camc to scc him. A chartcr
lrom thc convcnt ol Avcnay tclls what happcncd ncxt. Hugh . . . uscd
to ransom captivcs and aid thc dcstitutc. Among thcsc was a ccrtain
Alcxandcr, an impovcrishcd man lrom ovcrscas whom thc count took
into his own houschold. Tc most noblc count and his lamily trcatcd
this man so wcll that hc cvcn atc and oltcn slcpt in thc counts pcr
sonal quartcrs.
Hughs condcncc in Alcxandcr was misplaccd lor, onc night,
judging thc timc and placc appropriatc, |hc| tricd to slit thc throat ol
thc slccping count.
Tc rcc ords dont givc a rcason lor thc attack, nor do thcy say any
thing morc about thc pilgrim. Tis is onc ol thc lrustrations ol his
torical rccords.
Hugh only survivcd thc attack bccausc his mcn took him dircctly
to thc ncarby convcnt ol Avcnay, whcrc hc spcnt scvcral months rccov
cring. !n rcturn hc gavc a largc donation to thc nuns, whosc carc and
praycrs hc lclt had savcd his lilc whcn doctors couldnt.
25 Hugh, Count of Champagne
!t may havc bccn thc combination ol his brothcrs dcath and his
own ncar miss that convinccd Hugh to makc a pilgrimagc to thc Holy
Land. Hc lclt in ..c and rcturncd around ..c,. !ts not clcar whcthcr
hc and his rctinuc aidcd in thc ongoing ght to kccp thc land won by
thc rst crusadcrs or simply visitcd thc pilgrim sitcs.
Vhilc Hugh was o on his journcy his wilc, Constancc, dccidcd
shcd had cnough. Shc and Hugh had bccn marricd clcvcn ycars and
had no childrcn. Fortunatcly, most ol thc nobility ol Francc wcrc rc
latcd in onc way or anothcr and so shc was ablc to havc thc marriagc
dissolvcd on thc grounds that thcy wcrc cousins. Tis was thc mcdi
cval way around thc prohibition ol divorcc and it was uscd all thc
timc. Constancc latcr marricd 8ohcmond !, rulcr ol Antioch, and
cndcd hcr days thcrc. Hcr dcsccndants, cspccially thc womcn, playcd
important rolcs in thc history ol thc Latin kingdoms.
So upon his rcturn to Champagnc in ..c,, Hugh lound himscll
singlc. Hc soon marricd again, this timc to lizabcth ol \arais,
daughtcr ol Stcphcn thc Hardy ol 8urgundy. lizabcth was rclatcd to
a numbcr ol strong, powcrlul womcn ol thc timc. Shc was thc niccc ol
Clcmcncc, countcss ol Flandcrs, and also Matilda, duchcss ol 8ur
gundy. Hcr rst cousin was Adclaidc, thc wilc ol Louis \!, king ol
Francc.
!n ctobcr ..., Count Hugh was attcnding Popc Calixtus !! at
thc Council ol Rcims, whcrc hc and his mcn providcd an cscort to thc
bishop ol Mainz. Tc popc was, by thc way, lizabcths unclc. Lilc
was going wcll again lor thc count ol Champagnc.
Tcrclorc, it was strangc that whcn lizabcth prcscntcd Hugh
with a son, hc rcluscd to bclicvc it was his and said so publicly. Tc dat
ing ol thc blcsscd cvcnt is unccrtain, around ...,. Hugh had gonc on
his sccond pilgrimagc to Jcrusalcm in ...6 and it could havc bccn that
his wilc tricd to convincc him that shc had had a lourtccnmonth prcg
nancy. 8ut thc rcason Hugh gavc was that his doctors had all told him
that hc was stcrilc, so hc may havc thought that it was chronologically
possiblc lor him to bc thc lathcr. !n any cvcnt, thc child, udcs, and
his mothcr wcrc rcpudiatcd.
Apparcntly, thcrc was cnough doubt among othcrs ol thc lamily
as to thc lcgitimacy ol thc baby that no grcat storm ol protcst hit
Hugh. Vhilc udcs had lricnds who took his sidc ovcr thc ycars, hc
was ncvcr ablc to attract cnough support to bc a thrcat to thc ncxt
count ol Champagnc, Hughs ncphcw, Tibaud. udcs was givcn a
small cl and allowcd to livc out his lilc in pcacc.
Hugh did not try anothcr marriagc. !n ..a hc abdicatcd as count
and rcturncd to Jcrusalcm, whcrc hc joincd thc ncwly lormcd Tcm
plars. Hc dicd thcrc somctimc altcr ..c.
Tc story ol Hugh, count ol Troycs and Champagnc, is onc ol thc
rcal mystcrics ol thc Tcmplar saga. According to lcgcnd, thc ordcr was
lormcd in ..., altcr Hugh dc Payns dccidcd to rcmain in Jcrusalcm
whilc Count Hugh rcturncd to Troycs. id thc count havc any inu
cncc on thc dccision ol thc luturc lound cr ol thc ordcr to stay bchind:
As Hughs ovcrlord, Count Hugh would havc had to givc his pcrmis
sion lor Hugh to lcavc his scrvicc. Vas thc count part ol this initial
dccision to lorm a monastic military ordcr:
Vc dont know. Nonc ol thc chroniclcrs mcntion him, cxccpt to
notc that hc cndcd his lilc as a Tcmplar. !s it bccausc thcy wcrc cmbar
rasscd to say that thc count ol Champagnc chosc to bccomc subscrvi
cnt to a man who had oncc bccn onc ol his vassals: Count Hugh
sccms to havc bccn a consummatc warrior. Hc spcnt most ol his lilc
ghting or on pilgrimagc. Hc sccms a much morc likcly candidatc lor
bcing thc lound cr ol thc Tcmplars than Hugh dc Payns.
8ut hc wasnt. Hc dicd as a mcmbcr ol thc ordcr, nothing morc.
Champagnc wcnt to Tibaud, thc grcatgrandson ol Villiam thc
Conqucror and thc son ol Count StcphcnHcnry, who had dicd as a
soldicr ol God. And Hugh ladcd into a lootnotc to Tcmplar history.
J Michcl 8ur, La formation du comt de Champagne (Univcrsitc dc Lillc !!!, .,,) p. a.
2 8ur, p. a6,.
3 Ticrry Lcroy, Hughes de Payns, Chevalier Champenois, Fondateur de l Ordre des Templiers (Troycs:
La Maison du 8oulangcr, acc.).
4 8ur, ,,, quoting thc anonymous historian ol thc First Crusadc.
5 Tcodorc vcrgatcs, tr., Feudal Society in Medieval France: Documents from the County of Cham
pagne (Univcrsity ol Pcnnsylvania Prcss, ..) p. .a. Translation ol tcxt lound in Lalorc, Cartu
larie de l abbale de Saint-Loup de Troyes (Paris: . Torin, .,) ..6 no. .
27 Hugh, Count of Champagne
6 !bid.
7 8ur, p. a,.
8 !bid. Constanccs lilc story is rcally much morc intcrcsting than Hughs in my opinion.
9 dcric \italis, Te Ecclesiastical History of Orderic Vitalis \ol. \!, p. aa.
J0 8ur, p. a,.
JJ !bid.
CH A P T I R I I V I
Bernard of Clairvaux
H
c callcd himscll thc chimcra ol his agc. Hc was a mass ol con
tradictions. 8crnard, abbot ol Clairvaux, was a monk who
spcnt most ol his timc out ol thc cloistcr, a spiritual man who sccmcd
always cmbroilcd in politics and a man ol pcacc who convinccd thou
sands to ght and dic lor thcir laith. Tcrc arc many who bclicvc that
it was his championship ol thc Tcmplars that madc thcir survival pos
siblc.
8crnard cntcrs history in ... whcn hc appcars at thc gatcs ol thc
monastcry ol Citcaux dcmanding to bccomc a monk. Tis is a com
mon thcmc in storics ol mcdicval saints. 8ut 8crnards story is slightly
dicrcnt. !nstcad ol ccing thc world, hc sccms to havc brought it
along. 8crnard had convinccd thirty ol his lricnds and rclativcs to
cntcr thc monastcry with him.
8crnard was born in .cc, thc third son ol Tccclin dc Trois Fon
taincs and his wilc, Alcth dc Montbard. Tcy wcrc ol thc lowcr nobil
ity ol thc arca around ijon. 8crnards brothcrs wcrc all traincd
warriors who lought lor thcir lords, usually thc dukc ol 8urgundy.
His childhood sccms to havc bccn happy. Hc was dcvotcd to both
parcnts, particularly his mothcr, who dicd whcn hc was in his tccns.
!t was common in thc carly twcllth ccntury lor at lcast onc child in
a largc lamily to cntcr thc Church. 8crnard was thc onc appointcd lor
this. And yct, whcn hc arrivcd at Citcaux, his brothcrs Guy, Gcrard,
29 Bernard of Clairvaux
8artholomcw, Andrcw, and Nivard and his unclc Gaudry also bccamc
monks. Guy was alrcady marricd and had small daughtcrs and yct 8cr
nard had convinccd him to lcavc his lamily and join him. Not only
that, hc also convinccd Guys wilc to agrcc to this and cntcr a con
vcnt.
Such cnthusiasm couldnt bc containcd in onc placc. Vithin thrcc
ycars, 8crnard had lclt Citcaux to lound a Cistcrcian abbcy ol his own
at Clairvaux, just north ol ijon.
!ts clcar that lrom an carly agc, 8crnard had incrcdiblc powcrs ol
pcrsuasion.
8ut how did this dcvout monk bccomc involvcd with thc Tcm
plars: At rst glancc, it sccms an unlikcly pairing.
Howcvcr, whcn wc look a bit closcr, thc distancc bctwccn 8crnard
ol Clairvaux and thc Knights ol thc Tcmplc isnt so lar. Tc lound cr ol
thc Tcmplars, Hugh de Payns, camc lrom an arca ncar that ol 8cr
nards lamily. Tcy may cvcn havc known cach othcr bclorc 8crnard
lclt lor Citcaux. 8crnard ccrtainly kncw Count Hugh of Champagne,
who had abandoncd his lordship to join thc Tcmplars in Jcrusalcm. !n
a lcttcr to Hugh, writtcn about ..a, 8crnard lamcnts that thc count
has dccidcd to travcl so lar away to dcvotc himscll to God, and, cvcn
though hc is ccrtain that it is thc will ol thc Most High, hc still will
miss thc count, who has bccn so gcncrous to thc Cistcrcian ordcr.
Tc strongcst conncction is that thc rst Tcmplars camc lrom
thc samc world that 8crnard was born into. Tcy wcrc gcncrally lrom
thc lowcr nobility, mcn traincd lor war in thc scrvicc ol grcatcr lords.
Tcy wcrc not wcll cducatcd, pcrhaps lcarning to rcad Frcnch but not
Latin. Yct many ol thcm lclt uncasy about thc rolc thcy wcrc askcd to
play in socicty. Tcy rcccivcd mixcd signals lrom thc Church, which
lorbadc thc killing ol othcr Christians, but honorcd knights as protcc
tors ol thc wcak and thc litcraturc ol thc timc, which praiscd valiant
and succcsslul warriors. Tc knights kncw that succcss in battlc was
thc kcy to advancing thcir position.
Tat was all vcry wcll lor this lilc, but what about thc ncxt:
vcn though 8crnard would havc prclcrrcd that cvcry man bc
comc a monk, hc kncw that wasnt likcly to happcn. An ordcr ol
knights who lought lor Christ was thc ncxt bcst thing. Pcrhaps it was
Count Hugh who suggcstcd to Baldwin II, king ol Jcrusalcm, that
thc Tcmplars ask 8crnard to usc his inucncc to convincc thc popc,
!nnoccnt !!, and thc grcat lords ol uropc, to support thc ncw ordcr.
As onc might gucss, 8crnard ncvcr did anything hallway. Hc was
prcscnt at thc Council of Troyes in ..a to scc thc o cial rccognition
ol thc Tcmplars. vcn bclorc that, hc may havc writtcn his passionatc
dclcnsc ol thc ordcr, On the New Knighthood.
On the New Knighthood was writtcn in thc lorm ol a lcttcr to Hugh
dc Payns, in rcsponsc to his rcqucst lor a scrmon ol cxhortation to
thc brothcrs ol thc Tcmplc. Scholars havc puzzlcd ovcr this opcn lcttcr
lor ccnturics. !n it, 8crnard writcs likc a Roman gcncral scnding thc
ccnturions o to battlc thc barbarians.
Hc bcgins by comparing thc Knights ol thc Tcmplc to sccular
knights. Tc sccular knight ghts and kills lor his own bcnct and
glory. Hc also drcsscs likc a dandy, with long hair, dragging slccvcs,
pointcd shocs, and his body bcdcckcd with gold and jcwcls. 8crnard
contrasts this with thc simplc and practical gcar ol thc Tcmplars. 8oth
thc Latin and Frcnch Rules ol thc ordcr rccct this conccrn with cx
travagant clothing and may show 8crnards inucncc.
8ut 8crnard is just warming up. Hc soon gocs bcyond cvcn thc
crusading idca that it is mcritorious to ght lor God. Hc statcs scvcral
timcs that killing thc cncmy ol God is a good thing and dying whilc
doing so mcans instant admission to hcavcn. For dcath lor Christ is
no sin, whcthcr onc kills or is killcd, but mcrits grcat glory. Again hc
says, !l hc kills an cvildocr, it is not homi cidc but, il ! might put it so,
cvilcidc.
Tis is not only a classic casc ol making thc cncmy somcthing in
human, it also implics that dying whilc doing so mcans a straight shot
to hcavcn. !l thosc who dic in thc Lord arc blcsscd, how much grcatcr
arc thosc who dic lor thc Lord: vcn thosc who havc committcd
tcrriblc crimcs can nd rcdcmptionimpious wrctchcs, sacrilcgious
plundcrcrs and rapists, murdcrcrs, pcrjurcrs and adultcrcrs. Hc adds
that its a winwin dcal. uropc is glad to bc rid ol thcsc mcn and thc
dclcndcrs ol thc Holy Land glad to rcccivc thcm.
l coursc, that docsnt say much lor thc pool thc Tcmplars havc to
rccruit lrom.
Altcr praising thc lilcstylc and mission ol thc knights, 8crnard
thcn takcs thc rcadcr on a tour ol thc main pilgrimagc sitcs: thc
Tcmplc ol Solomon, 8cthlchcm, Nazarcth, thc Mount ol livcs and
thc \allcy ol Josaphat, thc Jordan Rivcr, Calvary, thc Holy Scpulchcr,
8cthpagc, and 8cthany.
Vhat is going on hcrc: Vhy is this monk tclling thcsc mcn that
its not only all right to kill nonChristians, its actually a good thing:
8crnard docs rcin in a bit at onc point, saying that thc indcls shouldnt
bc dcstroycd il thcrc is somc othcr way to kccp thcm lrom attacking
thc pilgrims, but bcttcr indcls dic than us.
Ccrtainly, thc lcttcr to thc Tcmplars ts in with thc crusading
tradition. Trcc hundrcd ycars bclorc thc First Crusadc, Charlcmagnc
invadcd and conqucrcd thc Saxons scvcral timcs, undcr thc cxcusc ol
convcrting thcm. 8ut 8crnard docsnt mcntion pcrsuasion whcn
dcaling with thc Saracens. Hc sccms dctcrmincd to glorily slaughtcr
ing thcm.
Vas this lcttcr rcally writtcn to sticn thc backboncs ol thc Tcm
plars: id thcy doubt thc rightcousncss ol thcir causc: r was this lor
thc rcst ol Christcndom, including thosc who wcrc uncasy about thcsc
knightmonks: 8crnard says that hc wrotc thc lcttcr at thc insistcncc
ol Hugh dc Payns. 8ut who was thc rcal intcndcd audicncc:
!t sccms clcar that this was 8crnards attcmpt to makc surc that
thc rdcr ol thc Tcmplars would bc acccptcd in uropc. !ts possiblc
that hc cvcn wrotc his cxhortation bclorc thc ocial rccognition ol thc
ordcr at thc Council of Troyes. vcrything about it sounds likc a
rccruiting spccch. First 8crnard points out how much morc noblc thc
Knights Tcmplar arc than thc lops hanging around castlcs at homc and
causing troublc. Tcn hc tclls thc listcncr that thc rdcr ol thc Tcmplc
could makc cvcn thc worst criminal shapc upand do it lar, lar away.
Finally, hc winds up with a tour ol thc pilgrim sitcs, placcs hc had
ncvcr sccn but thc Tcmplars kncw wcll. Tis was likcly mcant as a rc
mindcr ol why thc Tcmplars wcrc so much nccdcd. id Christcndom
want thc sitcs ol thc 8iblc to rcmain in thc hands ol unbclicvcrs:
Finally, why was it so important that this abbot gct thc word out:
Vhy not a lcttcr by thc popc or at lcast an archbishop:
nc answcr is that lrom about ..ac through ..,, 8crnard, abbot
ol Clairvaux, was probably thc most inucntial man in Christcndom.
Tc samc intcnsc passion that convinccd most ol his lricnds and lam
ily to givc up a worldly lilc lor a strict monastic onc had bccn lct loosc
upon thc rcst ol uropc. 8crnard was a tirclcss writcr and hc ncvcr
minccd words. Hc gavc advicc to most ol thc rulcrs ol thc day, chidcd
othcr abbots lor laxity, and lurcd thc rowdy studcnts ol Paris away
lrom thc brothcl and into thc cloistcr.
! havc bccn trying to gct a handlc on 8crnard lor morc than thirty
ycars now and hc still slips away. Tc man was obviously immcnscly
charismatic. Hc had a way with words that no translation can com
plctcly cvokc. !ts worth lcarning Latin just to watch 8crnard play
with thc languagc. His pcrsonal lilc sccms to havc bccn abovc rc
proach.
n thc othcr hand, hc was a tcrriblc nag. Somc ol his lcttcrs arc so
critical that pcoplc must havc cringcd whcn thcy saw his scal on thcm.
Hc also tcndcd to go ovcrboard lor causcs hc bclicvcd in. Tc cxhorta
tion to thc Tcmplars is onc cxamplc. Anothcr thing that ! havcnt
quitc lorgivcn him lor is his dctcrmination to scc that thc work ol thc
tcachcr and philosophcr Pctcr Abclard was condcmncd.
His cnthusiasm nally backrcd on him with thc lailurc ol thc
Second Crusade, in .., which hc had prcachcd. Tc rst sign that
things wcrc unravcling was whcn hc lcarncd that a monk namcd
Radull was cncouraging thc crusadcrs to massacrc thc Jcws in thc
Rhincland. 8crnard was horricd and hc immcdiatcly raccd thcrc to
stop thc murdcrs, with much succcss. phraim, a Jcw lrom 8onn, who
was a child at thc timc, latcr wrotc, Tc Lord hcard our outcry, and
Hc turncd to us and had mcrcy upon us . . . Hc scnt a dcccnt pricst,
onc honorcd and rcspcctcd by all thc clcrgy in Francc, namcd Abb
8crnard ol Clairvaux, to dcal with this cvil pcrson. 8crnard . . . said
to thcm: !t is good that you go against thc !shmaclitcs. 8ut whosocvcr
touchcs a Jcw to takc his lilc, is likc onc who harms Jcsus himscll.
Vhat arc wc to makc ol this man: !n his own lilc, hc was consid
crcd a saint by somc and an opinionatcd busybody by othcrs. Hc was
canonizcd shortly altcr his dcath and, cvcn bclorc hc dicd, at lcast onc
ol his lricnds startcd writing his biography with an cyc to sainthood.
Tcrc wcrc thosc who also vilicd him lor his prcaching ol thc
crusadcs and lor his intolcrancc ol Pctcr Abclard and othcr scholars.
nc ol thc most vicious ol 8crnards dctractors was thc nglish writcr
Valtcr Map. Map was only about thirtccn ycars old whcn 8crnard
dicd in .., but his latcr association with Cistcrcian monks and his
admiration lor Abclard sccms to havc sourcd him on thc abbot. Hc
calls 8crnard a Lucilcr, shining brightcr than thc othcr stars ol night,
and tclls storics ol how hc lailcd to pcrlorm miraclcs, including how
8crnard could not raisc a boy lrom thc dcad. Mastcr 8crnard badc
thc body bc carricd into a privatc room, and, shutting cvcry onc out
hc lay upon thc boy, and altcr a praycr arosc, but thc boy did not arisc,
lor hc lay thcrc dcad. Tcrcupon ! |Map| rcmarkcd, Hc was surcly
thc most unlucky ol monks, lor ncvcr havc ! hcard ol a monk lying
down upon a boy without thc boy arising immcdiatcly altcr thc
monk.
Valtcr Map also dcspiscd Tcmplars, Hospitallcrs, Jcws, and hcr
ctics but hc savcd his most acid commcnts lor thc Cistcrcians and thcir
rcvcrcd abbot. His grcatcst complaint about 8crnard and, by cxtcn
sion, thc Tcmplars, was not that thcy wcrc dcpravcd or sacrilcgious
but that thcy wcrc proud and grccdy. Tis vicw ol thc Tcmplars was to
continuc throughout thcir cxistcncc.
!t may bc that 8crnards lamc did go to his hcad, although his
pridc was mostly in his absolutc conviction that hc kncw bcst. Tc
Cistcrcians who camc altcr him may wcll havc donc thcir bcst to gct
and kccp all thc propcrty thcy could, but in that thcy wcrc no dicrcnt
lrom most othcr monastic ordcrs.
Vhatcvcr opinion onc has ol 8crnard, hc is lar too complcx a pcr
son to labcl simply. His inucncc ovcr socicty in thc rst hall ol thc
twcllth ccntury was incrcdiblc and, to mc, still hasnt bccn satislactorily
cxplaincd, although many havc tricd. Tis is a pity bccausc, in ordcr to
undcrstand thc carly ycars and astonishing growth ol thc Tcmplars, thc
rolc ol 8crnard ol Clairvaux must bc takcn into account.
J Villiam ol St. Ticrry, Vita Prima Bernardi, 8ooks !\\!!!.
2 Robcrt Fossicr, La Fondation dc Clairvaux ct la Famillc dc Saint 8crnard, in Mlanges Saint
Bernard (ijon, .) pp. .a,.
3 8rian Patrick McGuirc, Te Di cult Saint.
4 Villiam ol St. Ticrry, 8ook \, Sancti Bernardi Abbatis Clarae-Vallensis, Opera Omnia \ol. !
(Paris: Mabillion, .). Guy could not bccomc a monk without his wilcs pcrmission. Tc
convcnt ol Jully was loundcd lor othcr lcmalc lamily mcmbcrs and wivcs ol mcn wishing to
bccomc Cistcrcians.
5 Ticrry LcRoy, Hugues de Payns (Troycs: Maison du 8oulangcr, .) p. ,..
6 8crnard ol Clairvaux, pistola XXX!, Sancti Bernardi Abbatis Clarae-Vallensis, Opera Omnia
\ol. ! (Paris: Mabillion, .) p. .,.
7 Marquis dAlbon, Cartularie Gnral du l Ordre du Temple 1119?1150 (Paris, ..) p. ..
8 8crnard ol Clairvaux, xhortatio ad Militcs Tcmpli, ibid. Caput !!! , cols. .a6,. Quando
quidcm mors pro Christo vcl lcrcnda, vcl inlcrcnda, ct nihil habcat criminis, ct pluimum
gloriac mcrcatur.
9 !bid. Sanc cum occidit malclactorum, non homicida scd, ut ita dixcrum, malicida.
J0 !bid., Caput ! ., col. .a. Nam si bcati qui in ominc moriuntur, num multo magis qui pro
omino moriuntur:
JJ !bid., Caput \ .c, col. .a6a.
J2 !bid., Caput !! , col. .a,. Non quidcm vcl Pagani nccandi cssct, si quo modo alitcr posscnt a
nimia inlcstionc scu opprcssionc dclium cohibcri. Nunc autcm mclius cst ut occidantur, quam
cartc rcliquatur viga cxtcndant justi ad iniquitatcm maunus suas. Minc is a loosc translation,
but thats thc gist ol it.
J3 Tc work is not datcd and could havc bccn writtcn anytimc bctwccn about ..a and ..c.
J4 phraim ol 8onn, Sefer Zekira, tr. Scholmo idclman in Te Jews and the Crusaders (Univcrsity
ol Visconsin Prcss, .,,) p. .aa.
J5 Valtcr Map, De Nugis Curialium tr. Frcdcrick Tuppcr and Marbury 8ladcn glc (London:
Chatto & Vindus, .a) p. .
CH A P T I R S I X
Hugh de Payns Takes
the Templars on the Road
B
y ..a,, thc Knights ol thc Tcmplc wcrc cstablishcd in thc Holy
Land. vcn in thcir carly statc, thcy had so imprcsscd Fulk of
Anjou that, in ..a, hc had givcn thcm thirty thousand livrcs lrom thc
rcnts ol his lands. thcr lords had also donatcd propcrty, cspccially in
Hugh dc Payns homc county ol Champagnc.
8ut thc numbcr ol mcn who had dccidcd to dcvotc thcir livcs to
thc ordcr was still lar too lcw. So it was dccidcd that Hugh, along with
lcllow knights Godlrcy ol St. mcr, Payns ol Montdidicr, and Robcrt
ol Craon, would undcrtakc a journcy ol rccruitmcnt. !t is intcrcsting
that thc mcn choscn wcrc lrom various parts ol Francc. Godlrcy was
lrom Picardy in thc north and Robcrt was a 8urgundian.
Tc group probably madc a stop at Romc, although thcrc is no
rccord ol it or ol a mccting with thc popc, Honorius !!. Tcy thcn
wcnt on to Troycs, thc scat ol thc counts ol Champagnc. Although
Hugh of Champagne was still alivc, hc did not accompany thc party.
His ncphcw, Tibaud, was now count. Tibaud wclcomcd thc knights
and hcrc Hugh may havc sccn his lamily lor thc rst timc in ovcr tcn
ycars and madc lurthcr arrangcmcnts lor thc disposal his own land.
Ncxt, in carly ..a, thc mcn wcnt to Anjou, whcrc thcir old lricnd
Fulk rcncwcd his donation to thc ordcr. Hc also madc a ncw donation
that was split among thc Tcmplars, thc bishop ol Chartrcs, thc abbcy
ol thc Trinity at \cndomc, and thc abbcy ol Fontcvrault. At this
point, Fulk probably rcccivcd thc ocr lrom King 8aldwin to marry
his cldcst daughtcr, Melisande. n Asccnsion ay (May a) ol ..a
Fulk dccidcd to takc thc cross (and thc kingdom). Hugh was prcscnt
lor this ccrcmony, as was Gauticr dc 8urc, thc constablc ol Jcrusalcm,
who had bccn scnt cxprcssly to bring thc marriagc proposal.
Tc party wcnt on to thc county ol Poitou, northwcst ol Anjou,
whcrc various lords gavc gcncrously to thc ncw ordcr. !t would bc nicc
to think that at this timc Hugh may havc sccn thc young lcanor ol
Aquitainc, who would onc day makc thc pilgrimagc to thc Holy
Land, on thc Second Crusade, as thc wilc ol Louis \!! ol Francc.
8ut thcrc is no cvidcncc that shc or hcr lathcr, thc count ol Poitou,
mct with thc Tcmplars.
Hugh thcn visitcd King Hcnry ! ol ngland at his court in Nor
mandy, bclorc going on to ngland and Scotland. Hcnry apparcntly
gavc thc Tcmplars gold and silvcr and annually addcd many subsi
dics in arms and othcr cquipmcnt.
Tc chroniclcs ol Vavcrlcy Abbcy in ngland tcll ol Hughs trip
with two knights ol thc Tcmplc and two clcrics. Tc knights wcnt
all ovcr ngland and as lar north as Scotland, and many took thc
cross that ycar and thosc lollowing and took thc routc lor thc Holy
placcs.
At thc ncxt stop, Hugh lclt condcnt ol a good rcccption. Ticrry,
count ol Flandcrs, was wcll disposcd to thc Tcmplars. Hc also cncour
agcd his barons to bc gcncrous. n Scptcmbcr ., ..a, Ticrry hcld a
solcmn asscmbly bclorc thc bishop ol Trouannc at which hc con
rmcd thc donations madc to thc Tcmplars by his prc dcccs sor, Vil
liam Clito. Prcscnt to witncss it wcrc Hugh, Godlrcy ol St. mcr,
Payns ol Montdidicr, and many othcr brothcrs. !ts ncvcr madc
clcar, but ! bclicvc that thcsc othcr brothcrs wcrc somc ol thc ncw
rccruits that thc Tcmplars so dcspcratcly nccdcd. A public gathcring
such as this would bc a pcrlcct placc lor a rousing spccch. A young
man carricd away by thc momcnt would nd it hard to rcnouncc a vow
takcn bclorc so many pcoplc.
37 Hugh de Payns Takes the Templars on the Road
Finally thc party rcturncd to Troycs somctimc around January
..a. Tcrc thcy rcccivcd a housc, a grangc, land and clds ncar thc
suburb ol Prcizc lrom a Raoul Crassus (thc lat) and his wilc, Hlnc.
Tis donation almost ccrtainly bccamc thc commandcry ol Troycs.
Vitncssing it wcrc Hugh, Godlrcy, and Payns along with Tcmplars
namcd Ralph and John. !t sccms that thc trip had bccn worth it.
nly onc thing morc was nccdcd to makc surc thc rdcr ol thc
Knights ol thc Tcmplc ol Solomon was sccurcly cstablishcd. And
Hugh was about to gct it.
J rdcric \italis, Te Eccesiastical History of Oderic Vitalis vol. \!, cd. and tr. Margcry Chibnall
(xlord: xlord Univcrsity Prcss, .,) pp. .c...
2 Ticrry LcRoy, Hugues de Payns. (Troycs: Maison du 8oulangcr, .) pp. ,a,6.
3 !bid., p. ..
4 !bid., p. ,6.
5 Robcrt ol Torigni, Gesta Normannorum Ducam \ol. !!, 8ook \!!, pp. a, cd. and tr. lisa
bcth M. C. \an Houts (xlord: xlord Mcdicval Tcxts, .) p. a,. ! say apparcntly bccausc
thcrc isnt any rccord ol Hcnrys gcncrosity, cxccpt Robcrts account.
6 Quotcd in LcRoy, p. ,6.
7 Marquis dAlbon, Chartcr no. .6.
8 !bid., Chartcr no. aa.
CH A P T I R S I V I N
Te Council of Troyes
A
t thc cnd ol ..a, Hugh de Payns madc his way back lrom thc
tour ol northcrn Francc, ngland, and Flandcrs to his birth
placc in Champagnc. Hcrc hc would at last rcccivc o cial rccognition
ol thc Tcmplars as a monastic ordcr.
A church council convcncd at thc town ol Troycs on January .,
..a. Tc popc, Honorius !!, did not attcnd. !nstcad hc scnt his lcgatc,
Matthcw, cardinalbishop ol Albano, who had bccn a pricst in Paris.
Tcrc wcrc two archbishops, Rcnaud ol Rcims and Hcnry ol Scns. Tcrc
wcrc also a numbcr ol abbots, lour lrom thc Cistcrcian ordcr, among
thcm Bernard of Clairvaux. Tcrc wcrc also tcn bishops and two
mastcrs, that is, scholars, Albcric ol Rcims and Fulgcr.
Abbot 8crnard supportcd thc Tcmplars but hc docsnt sccm to
havc bccn cagcr to attcnd thc council. Hc askcd to bc cxcuscd on thc
grounds ol ill hcalth. 8ut thcrc was no way hc could gct out ol it. vcn
in ..a, 8crnard had a rcputation lor wisdom and picty. His support
was all important. And altcr thc council, that support would coutinuc.
Tc council hcard Hugh tcll thc story ol how hc bcgan thc ordcr
and its mission. Hc askcd thc clcrics lor an ocial habit to mark thc
Tcmplars as knightmonks and also a Rulc to livc by likc that ol othcr
monks. Tc clcrics dclibcratcd and gavc thc Tcmplars pcrmission to
wcar a whitc habit, as thc Cistcrcians did. Tcy also providcd a mo
nastic Rulc in Latin, bascd on that ol othcr monastic ordcrs.
39 The Council of Troyes
Howcvcr, thc clcrics wcrc not rcally prcparcd to makc a monastic
Rulc lor mcn whosc main lunction was not to pray but to ght. Viscly,
thcy askcd thc advicc ol mcn who undcrstood thc activc lilc. Along with
thc clcrics, Tibaud, count ol Champagnc and ncphcw and hcir ol
Hugh of Champagne, and Villiam, count ol Ncvcrs, wcrc prcscnt. Tc
sccrctary ol thc council, Matthcw, cxplains thc prcscncc ol thcsc illit
cratcs by saying that thcy wcrc lovcrs ol thc Truth who carclully wcnt
ovcr thc Tcmplar Rulc and thrcw out anything that didnt sccm rcason
ablc. !t was lor this that thcy wcrc at thc council.
Tc Latin Rulc madc provisions lor thc nccds ol thc knights. Un
likc othcr monks, who atc sh and cggs, Tcmplars wcrc allowcd rcd
mcat thrcc timcs a wcck. !l thcy wcrc too tircd, thcy nccdnt gct up in
thc middlc ol thc night lor praycrs. Tc Rulc also allowcd thc knights
to havc horscs and scrvants to maintain thcm.
Tc clcrics did takc thc opportunity to comc out strongly against
currcnt lashion. Tcy lorbadc thc knights to wcar immodcratcly long
hair and bcards, shocs with long curling points, lacy lrills, or cxccs
sivcly long tunics. bviously thc avcragc knight on thc road was a bit
ol a dandy.
Tc noblc pursuits ol hunting and hawking wcrc also lorbiddcn,
with thc cxccption ol lion hunting, bccausc hc |thc lion| is always
scarching lor somconc to dcvour and his strcngth is against all so all
strcngth is against him. Tis shows that not all thc dangcr in a pil
grimagc was lrom human attackcrs. Howcvcr, thc council may havc
bccn thinking ol a biblical analogy hcrc, ol thc lion lalling upon thc
ock ol laithlul pilgrims.
thcr scctions ol thc Rulc conccrn bchavior at mcals, caring lor
brothcrs who bccomc ill, and othcr common customs ol monastic lilc, lor
instancc, all propcrty was kcpt in common and praycrs wcrc said scvcn
timcs a day. Sincc thc knights wcrc not cxpcctcd to undcrstand Latin,
thcy wcrc told to simply rcpcat thc Lords Praycr at thc corrcct timcs.
nc subjcct that thc council was cxtrcmcly rm about conccrncd
association with womcn. Knowing thc rcputation ol knights lor scxual
conqucsts, two scctions ol thc Rulc makc it clcar that thcy wcrc not
cvcn to kiss thcir own mothcrs or sistcrs. Vc bclicvc it dangcrous lor
any man ol rcligion to pay too much attcntion to thc laccs ol womcn,
thcrclorc no brothcr may takc thc libcrty ol kissing a widow, nor a vir
gin nor his mothcr, nor his sistcr, nor his lricnd, nor any othcr woman.
Tis was takcn lor grantcd in most monastic houscs, whcrc thc monks
spcnt most ol thcir timc wcll out ol sight ol any lcmalc tcmptation. 8ut
its clcar that thc council worricd that altcr a hard day ol ghting Sara
cens, it might bc dicult lor a Knight ol thc Tcmplc to rcmcmbcr that,
whilc hc could still pillagc, rapc was no longcr an option.
Vhilc thc Latin Rulc soon provcd to nccd a lot ol cditing and addi
tions, lor thc prcscnt Hugh dc Payns was satiscd with thc rcsults ol thc
council. Hc rcturncd to Jcrusalcm by ..., with lrcsh rccruits, donations,
and a lormal Rulc lor thc Knights Tcmplar to livc by. Tcy wcrc now an
acccptcd part ol thc rcligious lilc in thc Vcst as wcll as thc ast.
J ldcr accounts givc this datc as ..a but this was causcd by conlusion surrounding thc lact that
many pcoplc in thc twcllth ccntury startcd thc Ncw Ycar in spring, not thc middlc ol wintcr.
2 CharlcsJoscph Hclclc and om H. Lcclcrcq, Histoire de Conciles daprs les Documents
Originaux \ol. \ (Paris: Lctouzcy ct An, ..a) p. 6,c.
3 Laurcnt aillicz, Rgle et Status de l Ordre du Temple, and cd (Paris: ditions crvy, .,a). Rc
print ol thc Latin Rulc lrom .,a., pp. aa6. Tc bishops wcrc lrom Chartrcs, Soissons, Paris,
Troycs, rlcans, Chalons, Laon, and 8cauvais, all roughly lrom thc north and cast ol Francc.
Villiam ol Ncvcrss son, Raynald, dicd a prisoncr ol thc Turks during thc Sccond Crusadc.
Villiam cndcd his days as a Carthusian monk.
4 8crnard ol Clairvaux, Opera Omnia \ol. . (Paris, .) lcttcr a., col. .66. Savicntis siquidcm
acutac lcbris cxusta ardoribus, ct cxhausta sudoribus. Tat is, hc had a lcvcr that worc him
out.
5 aillicz, pp. a,.
6 !bid., p. a6.
7 !bid., p. a, capitula .c.
8 !bid., pp. 6, capitula ..
9 !bid., p. c, capitula a. c rostris & laqucis manilcstum cst & Gcntilcs: & cum abomina
bilc, hoc omnibus agnoscatur, prohibimus . . . capillorum supcritatcn & vcstium immodcr
atan longitudincm barbcrc non pcrmittimus.
J0 !bid., p. . Quia ipsc circuit, quacrcns qucm dcvorct, & manus cjus contra omncs, omni
umquc manus contra cum.
JJ !bid., p. , capitula ,a. Pcriculosum cssc crcdimus omni Rcligioni vultum mulicrum nimis
attcndcrc, & idco ncc vicuam, ncc virgincm, ncc matrcm, ncc sororum, ncc amitam, ncc ullam
aliam locminam aliquis Fratcr osculi pracsumct.
CH A P T I R I I GHT
Go Forth and Multiply
O
nc can tracc thc rccruiting journcy ol Hugh and his compan
ions by rcc ords ol thc gilts donatcd to thcm. 8oth grcat lords
and minor oncs lincd up to makc donations to thc Tcmplars. Tis was
not only bccausc thcy bclicvcd in thc causc but, as is still truc, thc sup
port ol important pcoplc brought in gilts lrom thc rank and lc, who
wishcd to associatc thcmsclvcs in charity with thcir local rulcrs.
Altcr thc Council of Troyes, Hugh dc Payns rcturncd to Jcrusa
lcm, but othcr Tcmplars continucd to crisscross uropc sccking sup
port lor thc ncw ordcr.
!n thc south, Hugh Rigaud, anothcr Tcmplar, was busy canvass
ing lor thc ordcr. As carly as ..a, hc was in Toulousc, whcrc Pctcr
8crnard and his wilc, 8orclla, gavc thcmsclvcs and cvcrything thcy
owncd to thc Tcmplars, with thc provision that, il thcy had childrcn
who wantcd to join thc ordcr, thcy would bc allowcd to. Rigaud spcnt
thc ncxt scvcral ycars gctting donations lor thc Tcmplc, ranging lrom
lands, tithcs, and vincyards to a shirt and pants lrom a townswoman
and, altcr hcr dcath, hcr bcst cloak. Hugh Rigaud can bc lound ac
ccpting donation chartcrs in southcrn Francc and northcrn Spain
through thc ..cs.
Howcvcr, unlikc othcr monastic groups, thc Tcmplars had no sys
tcm in placc lor rccciving and maintaining thc donations. Rcmcmbcr,
thcsc mostly didnt comc in thc lorm ol moncy, but goods. !ts all vcry
wcll to rcccivc grants ol clds, houscs, vincs, horscs, old clothcs, and
cvcn scrls, but thcsc wcrcnt things that could bc put in an onlinc auc
tion lor quick cash. Many ol thc gilts couldnt bc uscd until thc donor
had dicd. thcrs consistcd ol a ccrtain part ol a harvcst cach ycar or so
many chccscs.
Tc naturc ol thc gilts to thc ordcr mcant that thc Tcmplars nccdcd
to cstablish way stations ol somc sort to rcccivc goods and translcr thcm
lrom uropc to thc Crusadcr Statcs. Grcat monastic houscs likc Cluny
and Citcaux would cstablish priorics, which wcrc dcpcndcnt houscs,
stacd with only a lcw monks. 8ut thc Tcmplars wcrc dcspcratc lor
morc mcn ol ghting agc to join in thc battlc, so ncw rccruits wcrc cn
couragcd to lcavc lor Jcrusalcm as soon as possiblc. Tat didnt lcavc
anyonc to dircct thc collcction and pro ccssing ol supplics.
Tc lact that thc carlicst Tcmplars wcrcnt all that wcll orga nizcd
is cvidcnt by thc various titlcs that Hugh Rigaud is givcn in thc char
tcrs. Somctimcs hc is a brothcr ol thc socicty, somctimcs hc is mcn
tioncd only by namc, and somctimcs by thc titlc procurator, which
sccms a good dcscription ol his work, although its not listcd in thc
Rulc as an administrativc position.
Tc Tcmplars may havc cvcntually cstablishcd houscs on thc
modcl ol thosc alrcady run by thc Hospitallers, who had bccn rccciv
ing gilts in thc Vcst sincc just altcr thc First Crusadc (around ..cc),
particularly in Spain and thc south ol Francc as wcll as !taly.
vcntually, thc ordcr orga nizcd itscll in tcrritorics that wcrc
groupcd according to thc languagcs ol thc brothcrs. Tcsc wcrc mostly
Frcnch, Spanish, and nglish, with somc !talians and Gcrmans. Tc
Tcmplars ncvcr cstablishcd thcmsclvcs in Scandinavia but thcrc wcrc
somc commandcrics in Hungary and Croatia.
Occitania
For thc purposc ol this book, !m dcning ccitania as thc southcrn
part ol Francc lrom thc Atlantic ccan on thc wcst, along thc Pyrc
nccs Mountains in thc south, roughly to Marscillc in thc cast. !m not
43 Go Forth and Multiply
intcrcstcd in prccision, thc pcoplc who livcd thcrc in thc twcllth and
thirtccnth ccntury wcrc uscd to owing bordcrs. Tc rcgion was di
vidcd among various countics and lordships in thc wcst and a loosc at
tachmcnt to thc Holy Roman mpirc in thc cast. Tc languagc, callcd
ccitan or Provcnal, was closcr to that ol northcrn Spain than to
Francc.
Tc carlicst rccordcd gilt to thc Tcmplars is lrom Marscillc. Tcrc
is no indication ol how thc donor, Villiam ol Marscillc, cvcn kncw
about thc ordcr, but hc gavc thcm a church on thc Ctc dAzur in thc
carly ..acs. !t shows how strongly thc Tcmplars bclicvcd in not living
thc solt lilc on thc bcach that thcy gavc it back in ..a. Actually, its
likcly that thc gilt was morc cxpcnsivc to maintain than it was worth.
!t wasnt until altcr Hugh de Payns had sccurcd papal approval
lor thc ordcr that thc donations in ccitania startcd rolling in. Tis
was duc in largc part to thc promotional activity ol Tcmplar brothcrs
Hugh Rigaud and Raymond 8crnard. Altcr thc Council of Troyes
thcy spcnt scvcral ycars travcling through thc rcgion drumming up
support. Vhilc Hugh workcd north ol thc Pyrcnccs, Raymond con
ccntratcd on Spain and Portugal.
8ctwccn about ..c and ..6 Hugh Rigaud sccmcd to bc cvcry
whcrc in thc south. ithcr on his own or with othcr brothcrs ol thc
Tcmplc, hc rcccivcd donations, bought land, and cstablishcd com
mandcrics. Tc amount ol orga nization this implics makcs mc think
that Hugh must havc bccn a court ocial in his prcvious lilc.
Hugh Rigaud was prcscnt in ..a whcn onc ol thc most powcrlul
lamilics in thc rcgion, thc Trcncavcls, gavc thc Tcmplars thc scrviccs ol
a pcrson, Pons thc Gascon, along with his lamily. Pons had a housc
and othcr propcrty ncar thc town ol Carcassonnc, which thc Trcncav
cls promiscd ncvcr to harass.
Mcmbcrs ol this lamily wcrc strong supportcrs ol thc Tcmplars in
thosc carly ycars and thcir prcstigc in thc arca mcant that othcrs wcrc
cncouragcd to donatc, as wcll. !n .., thc lamilics ol 8crnard dc
Canct and Aymcric ol 8arbaira gavc thc Tcmplars thc castlc ol
ouzcns, which was to bccomc a major commandcry in ccitania.
Morc importantly, Aymcric and his brothcr Villiam Xabcrt gavc
thcmsclvcs to thc Tcmplars. Tcy did not agrcc to scrvc right away but
at somc luturc datc, and il thcy wcrcnt ablc to, thc Tcmplars would
gct onc hundrcd sous.
Tcsc lamilics continucd to givc land to thc Tcmplars lor at lcast
twcnty ycars and pcrhaps longcr.
Hugh dc Rigaud vanishcs lrom thc rcc ords in ..6, prcsumably
bccausc hc dicd. His succcssor was Arnold ol 8cdocio. Arnold camc
lrom Catalonia and so thcrc was no problcm with languagc whcn hc
camc to ccitania. Arnold livcd at thc commandcry at ouzcns but
continucd thc work ol acquiring morc propcrty in thc arca. Hc rc
ccivcd thc donation ol Hugh dc 8ourbouton that would bccomc thc
othcr grcat commandcry in ccitania, Richcrcndcs.
As in othcr rcgions, most ol thc Tcmplars living at thc command
crics camc lrom thc rcgion. Young mcn wcrc scnt cast as soon as thcy
could bc rcady and oldcr or inrm rccruits staycd bchind to providc
thc ghting mcn with provisions.
Croatia and Hungary
Tcmplar commandcrics rst bcgan appcaring in Croatia a lcw ycars
altcr thc Second Crusade (....c). At thc samc timc, thc rst Hos
pitallcrs wcrc also cstablishcd thcrc. !ts not at all clcar what promptcd
this, although its possiblc that thc mastcr ol thc Tcmplars in Francc,
vcrard dc 8arrcs, who accompanicd thc army ol Louis \!!, saw thc
nccd to protcct pilgrims taking thc routc through Croatia on thcir way
to thc Holy Land and thc lords thcrc agrccd.
8y ..6, thc popc had givcn thc Tcmplars thc old 8cncdictinc
monastcry ol \rana. Tc only catch to this gilt was that thc Tcmplars
had to housc any papal lcgatcs who happcncd to bc passing through
along with thcir somctimcs largc cntouragcs. Tc bishop ol Zagrcb,
Prodanus, also gavc thc Tcmplars propcrty in and around Zagrcb which
had no strings attachcd sincc thc bishop alrcady had a placc to slccp
thcrc.
!n ..,, 8cla !!! bccamc king ol Hungary and Croatia. !nstcad ol
allying himscll totally with thc 8yzantinc mpirc, as carlicr kings had
donc, 8cla lookcd to thc Vcst. Hc was a strong supportcr ol thc Tird
Crusadc (....a) and took an oath to go on crusadc himscll, al
though hc ncvcr did. !n .., 8cla scnt ambassadors to Philip !!, thc
king ol Francc, asking lor thc hand ol thc kings sistcr, Margarct. 8cla
had bccn lurcd by thc honor ol an alliancc with thc ancicnt housc ol
thc kings ol Francc and by thc good rcputation lor rcligion and wis
dom ol this princcss. Margarct was thc widow ol Hcnry Planta
gcnct, thc Young King whosc dcath had madc Richard the
Lionheart hcir to thc thronc ol ngland. Shc and Philip agrccd to
thc marriagc and shc rcturncd with thc ambassadors to Hungary.
8cla !!! dicd in ..a and was succccdcd by mcric, his son lrom a
prcvious marriagc. Margarct, widowcd again, with no childrcn ol
hcr own, sold hcr dowcr. Tcn shc took thc cross and, bringing a nc
company ol knights, camc with thc Gcrmans to Syria and arrivcd at
Tyrc. Shc dicd shortly altcr, prcsumably not in battlc. Tc chroni
clcr docsnt mcntion any Tcmplars in hcr company but it would havc
bccn strangc il thcrc hadnt bccn any.
Tc highcst rcsponsibility cvcr accordcd to a Tcmplar was in Cro
atia whcn, in .a.,, King Andrcw !! wcnt on crusadc and, instcad ol
taking thc Tcmplars with him, lclt thcm in chargc ol thc kingdom.
Pontius dc Crucc, Grand Mastcr ol Hungary and Croatia, govcrncd
thc countrics lrom thc commandcry in \rana.
!t is intriguing that, whilc thcrc must havc bccn nativc Tcmplars
and Hospitallcrs, most ol thc commandcrs in Croatia wcrc Frcnch or
!talian. Croatian Tcmplars also scrvcd in othcr countrics, bringing
to mind thc lincs lrom thc ccrcmony ol rcccption into thc ordcr warn
ing that Tcmplars wcnt whcrc thcy wcrc postcd.
The British Isles
Vhilc King Hcnry ! is rcportcd to havc givcn gilts to thc Tcmplars, it
was his succcssor, Stcphcn, who donatcd thc rst land in ngland.
Stcphcn was Hcnrys ncphcw and thc son ol StcphcnHcnry, thc
count ol Champagnc who had dicd whilc on his sccond crusadc.
Stcphcns wilc, Matilda, was thc niccc ol thc hcrocs ol thc First Cru
sadc, Godlrcy ol 8ouillon and 8aldwin !. Tc king and quccn wcrc
alrcady prcdisposcd to givc what thcy could to aid in thc dclcnsc ol
thc Holy Land. Matilda gavc thc rst donation in .., in honor ol hcr
lathcr, ustacc, count ol 8oulognc, who had almost bccomc king ol
Jcrusalcm whcn his brothcr 8aldwin had dicd. Stcphcn conrmcd
thc donations ol his vassals and thcn gavc propcrty himscll.
Although thc Tcmplars wcrc in cxistcncc in ngland lrom at lcast
.. and ccrtainly bclorc, thc rst mastcr ol thc Tcmplars in ngland
wc know ol is Hugh ol Argcntcn in ..c.
!n .., thc Tcmplars took a ccnsus ol thcir propcrtics in ngland.
Tis documcnt has survivcd and shows that thc Tcmplars propcrty
was much likc that ol othcr rcligious houscs. Tcy had clds and
ocks ol shccp, tithcs lrom churchcs and rcnts lrom land and houscs.
Tcy wcrc as much a part ol thc community as thc monks and nuns ol
traditional monastic ordcrs. !n thc town ol 8ristol, thc wcavcrs guild
cvcn had thcir chapcl in thc Tcmplar church.
!n !rcland thc Tcmplars hcld most ol thcir propcrty in thc cast
altcr thc land was conqucrcd by King Hcnry !! ol ngland. Hcnry
gavc thc rst gilt ol land in ... Tc AngloNorman scttlcrs in !rc
land lollowcd his lcad and by .c thc !rish lands wcrc thc third most
valuablc ol all thc Tcmplar holdings and worth ovcr Lcc a ycar.
Tc mastcr ol thc Tcmplars in !rcland was onc ol thc nancial
ovcrsccrs ol thc !rish cxchcqucr. Although thc nativc !rish probably
saw thc Tcmplars as part ol thc nglish invasion, thc mastcr sccms to
havc actcd as a mcdiator bctwccn thc !rish and thc nglish lrom timc
to timc.
Apart lrom collccting thc usual tithcs and rcnts in !rcland, thc
Tcmplars also uscd thcir land to brccd and raisc horscs lor thc
knights.
At thc timc ol thc rst Tcmplar loundations, Scotland was an in
dcpcndcnt nation, although thc royal lamily was ticd to that ol n
gland through intcrmarriagc. King avid ! (..a..) gavc thc Tcmplc
thc tithcs ol thc church in Rcnlrcwshirc. Hc must havc givcn thcm
othcr propcrty but most ol thc chartcrs havc bccn lost. Tcrc docsnt
sccm to havc bccn a mastcr lor Scotland at thc bcginning, all admin
istration coming lrom ngland.
Tc most important commandcry in Scotland was 8alantrodoch,
just south ol dinburgh. !t was not a wcalthy community, most ol thc
incomc was lrom shccp and a watcr mill thc Tcmplars opcratcd. !n thc
partial list ol prcccptors ol thc commandcry, all thc namcs arc Nor
man.
vclyn Lord commcnts that Vc know lcss about thc Tcmplars in
Scotland than clscwhcrc in thc 8ritish !slcs. . . . Pcrhaps bccausc ol
this a panoply ol myth has dcvclopcd around thcm that has obscurcd
rcality and cloakcd thcm in mystcry.
Vc shall look at thc myths and mystcrics latcr in this book.
Spain and Portugal
Many ol thc carlicst and largcst donations to thc Tcmplars camc lrom
thc !bcrian Pcninsula. Tis is not surprising. Tc rulcrs ol Aragon,
Navarrc, Castilc, and what would soon bc Portugal had bccn slowly
rctaking tcrritory lrom thc Moslcms lor ovcr lour hundrcd ycars. Tc
crusading lcrvor locuscd on Jcrusalcm had incrcascd intcrcst in thc
strugglc ncarcr to homc. nc ol thc carlicst !bcrian gilts to thc Tcm
plars is lrom Quccn Tcrcsa ol Portugal, daughtcr ol Allonso ol Cas
tilc. Shc gavc thcm thc castlc ol Saur with all thc surrounding lands.
Prcsumably, shc intcndcd thcm to maintain it pcrsonally and supply
warriors in hcr battlcs against thc Moors.
!n ..aa, whcn lcw, il any, had hcard ol thc rdcr ol thc Tcmplc,
Allonso !, king ol Aragon, had loundcd a military conlratcrnity at
8clchitc. !t wasnt as structurcd as thc Tcmplars and othcr military
ordcrs would bc and it was undcr thc control ol thc king, not a bishop.
Mcmbcrs could join lor a limitcd timc and could participatc in thc
spiritual bcncts without ghting.
Tc cofrada ol 8clchitc is clcarly a military rcligious institution,
composcd ol brothcrs who dclcndcd Christcndom against its Muslim
cncmics. Anyonc rcndcring this mcritorious scrvicc or any othcr as
sistancc in thc lorm ol pilgrimagcs, donations ol alms, bcqucsts ol
horscs and wcapons, and bcqucsts to houscs ol captivcs, rcccivcd in
dulgcnccs. !n addition, thc mcmbcrs ol thc conlratcrnity could rctain
any lands thcy had capturcd lrom thc Muslims.
!ts unlikcly that Allonso had hcard about thc Tcmplars whcn hc
loundcd thc ordcr. Tis is an indication that thc crusading idcal ol
ghting lor God was lcading to thc lormation ol military ordcrs not
just in Jcrusalcm. Tc Tcmplars might havc bccomc so pop ular and so
widcly imitatcd bccausc thcy llcd a long lclt nccd.
Unlikc thc gilts lrom othcr parts ol uropc, which wcrc intcndcd
to producc lunds and supplics lor thc support ol thc Tcmplars in thc
Latin kingdoms, thc donations in Spain and Portugal wcrc oltcn lor
ticd castlcs. ltcn thcsc wcrc cithcr on thc bordcrs ol Moslcm Moor
ish tcrritory or cvcn insidc it. Tc !bcrian rulcrs cxpcctcd thc Tcmplars
to ght thc Saraccns on thcir own doorstcp, not on thc othcr sidc ol
thc sca.
!n ..c, thc count ol 8arcclona gavc thc Tcmplars thc castlc ol
Grancna. Tis was in my lronticr oppositc thc Saraccns. !ts clcar
that thc count cxpcctcd thc Tcmplars to dclcnd thc castlc and par
ticipatc in thc rcconqucst ol Spain. Tis was many ycars bclorc thc
Tcmplars wcrc assigncd thc dclcnsc ol bordcr castlcs in thc Latin
kingdoms.
Tc Tcmplars dont sccm to havc bccn cagcr to takc on a war on
two lronts. Tcy wcrc pullcd into thc dclcnsc ol Spain cvcntually,
partly through thc will ol King Allonso ol Aragon, who lclt his cntirc
kingdom to thc Hospitallcrs, thc Church ol thc Holy Scpulchcr, and
thc Tcmplars, to sharc. All thrcc ol thc hcirs cvcntually scttlcd lor
largc donations rathcr than control ol Aragon.
Tc Tcmplars wcrc thc last to do so. As part ol thc scttlcmcnt
with thc ncw rulcr, Raymond 8crcngar, count ol 8arcclona and lord
ol Aragon, thcy acquircd scvcral castlcs in Spain, a tcnth ol all thc
royal incomc lrom taxcs and judicial lccs, and a thousand solidos a ycar.
Count Raymond also promiscd thcm onclth ol all land conqucrcd
lrom thc Moors, il thcy took part in thc cxpcditions. Raymond 8crcn
gar cncouragcd thc Tcmplars to build ncw castlcs and promiscd not to
makc a trcaty with thc Moors without thcir approval.
Tc rdcr ol thc Tcmplc was now rmly committcd to thc Span
ish causc.
J Tc bcst study ol this is Stcphcn . Vhitc, Custom, Kinship and Gifts to Saints (Univcrsity ol
North Carolina Prcss, .). For a morc spccic study, 8arbara H. Roscnwcin, To Be the Neigh
bor of St. Peter: Te Social Meaning of Clunys Property, 9091049 (Corncll Univcrsity Prcss,
.).
2 Marquis dAlbon, Cartulaire Gnral de l Ordre du Temple 1119?1150 (Paris, ..) p. .a, no. ..
3 !bid., p. ., camisiam ct bracas ct, ad obitum suum mcliorcm mantcllum.
4 ! am gratclul to Prolcssor Malcolm 8arbcr lor pointing this out to mc. Privatc corrcspondcncc,
July ., acc6.
5 Fratris socictatis Tcmpli Salomonis, Albon, p. a, no. .
6 !bid., p. , no. 6a. Procurator is actually a cross bctwccn a lawycr and a busincss managcr.
7 Hclcn Nicholson, Te Knights Hospitaller (Voodbridgc, ng.: 8oydcll and 8rcwcr, acc.) p. .
8 Albon, pp. .a, chartcr ..
9 !bid., pp. ,, chartcrs .c and ... Scc bclow, Spain and Portugal.
J0 Cartulaires des Templiers de Douzens cd. Picrrc Grard ct lisabcth Magnou (Paris, .6) char
tcrs A ., a., 6, , c, .., .,., ., .6, C ., , , 6, ,, , , .c, ...
JJ ouzcns, chartcr A .,., p. ..
J2 ! think thcrc is morc to this story, but thc chartcr is all wc havc.
J3 ouzcns, chartcr A ., p.
J4 !bid., chartcr A ., p. .
J5 !m not surc il thc Villiam Sigari dc Canct, who witncsscd a chartcr in ..,c, is a rclativc or just
lrom thc samc placc. ouzcns, 8 ,., p. a6.
J6 ominic Scllwood, Knights of the Cloister: Templars and Hospitallers in Central-Southern Occita
nia c. 11001300 (Voodbridgc, ng.: 8oydcll and 8rcwcr, .) p. 6,.
J7 Lcija obronic, Tc Military rdcrs in Croatia, in \ladimir P. Goss, cd., Te Meeting of Two
Worlds: Cultural Exchange between East and West during the Period of the Crusades (Kalamazoo,
M!: Mcdicval !nstitutc, .6) p. a.
J8 For vcrard dc 8arrcs, plcasc scc chaptcr ., Grand Masters 11361191.
J9 obronic, p. . (Tc bishop may havc droppcd by lor dinncr now and thcn, though.)
20 !bid., p. a.
2J udcs Rigord, Vie de Philippe Auguste cd. and tr. M. Guizot (Paris, .a).
22 Somc sourccs say his brothcr.
23 Tc Continuator ol Villiam ol Tyrc, in Te Conquest of Jerusalem and the Tird Crusade tr. Pctcr
V. dbury (Ashgatc, Aldcrshot .) p. ..
24 Tomas ol Spalato, ExTomae Historia Ponticum Salonitanorum et Spalatinorum, Monumenta
Germania Historia Scriptores, cd. G. H. Pcrtz, \ol. a, p. ,. Scd acccrsito quodam Pocio, cui
crat magistcr milicic domus Tcmpli pcr rcgnum Hungaric, comsisit ad manus cius custodiam
ct tutclam ispius castri.
25 obronic, p. . ! lound no morc inlormation on this but would likc to know il anyonc has
donc morc rcscarch.
26 !bid., p. ,.
27 Scc chaptcr , Hugh, Count of Champagne.
28 Albon, p. 6, chartcr no. .a.
29 vclyn Lord, Te Knights Templar in Britain (London: Longman, acca) p. .6.
30 Lord, p. ...
3J !bid., p. ..
32 !bid., p. .c.
33 !bid., p....
34 Te Charters of David I, cd. G. V. S. 8arrow (Voodbridgc, ng.: 8oydcll Prcss, .) p. .6.
35 Lord, p. ..
36 !bid., p. ..
37 !bid., p. ,, no. .c.
38 Alan Forcy, Te Templars in the Corona of Aragon (London, .,) p. ..
39 Tcrcsa M. \ann, A Ncw Look at thc Foundation ol thc rdcr ol Calatrava, in Crusaders,
Condottieri, and Cannon: Medieval Warfare in Societies around the Mediterranean, cd. onald J.
Kagay and L. J. Andrcw \illalon (Lcidcn, Ncthcrlands: 8rill, acc) p. ..c.
40 Marquis dAlbon, p. a, chartcr no. , in mca marchia contra Sarraccnos.
4J Forcy, p. .6.
42 Albon, pp. ac, documcnt ., Novcmbcr a,, ...
CH A P T I R NI NI
Te Life of a Templar,
According to the Rule
I
n thc rst days ol thc ordcr, whilc thcir numbcrs wcrc still lcw, thc
Tcmplars sccm to havc livcd by thc samc Rulc as thc canons at thc
Church ol thc Holy Scpulchcr, whcrc thcy rst lound shcltcr. 8ut at
thc Council of Troyes, along with rccognition as a quasimonastic
ordcr, thc Tcmplars also rcccivcd a list ol scvcntyninc rulcs dctailing
how thcy should conduct thcir livcs. Tc collcction ol thcsc rulcs is
known as thc Rulc.
Tis rst Rulc was writtcn in Latin, but most ol thc monks
couldnt rcad Latin. Actually, only a lcw ol thcm could rcad at all. So,
shortly altcr thc council, thc Rulc was translatcd into Frcnch. \cry
soon altcr thc rst translation, ncw problcms arosc that wcrcnt cov
crcd in thc original list and thc Rulc was cxpandcd until, by thc mid
dlc ol thc thirtccnth ccntury, thc Tcmplars had almost scvcn hundrcd
scparatc dircctivcs covcring cvcry aspcct ol thcir livcs!
No onc could kccp track ol all ol thcsc and thc knights wcrcnt
cxpcctcd to. Tc commandcrs ol cach gcographi cal rcgion had a copy
ol thc list. Most ol thc knights, scrgcants, and scrvants only kncw as
much as thcy nccdcd to in ordcr to do thcir work and lollow thc rcgu
lations lor daily living.
Many parts ol thc Tcmplar Rulc wcrc thc samc as thosc lor all
monks. Tcy wcrc to attcnd thc rcciting ol thc monastic hoursmat
ins, primc, tcrcc, noncs, vcspcrs, and complincalthough it was un
dcrstood that thcy nccdnt lcarn thc Latin, instcad thcy wcrc to rccitc
a numbcr ol ur Fathcrs. Tcy atc togcthcr in silcncc, listcning to a
dcvotional rcading. Tcy mct oncc a wcck in Chaptcr, whcrc assign
mcnts wcrc givcn out and disciplinc administcrcd. Monks wcrc cn
couragcd to conlcss thcir lapscs, bcg lorgivcncss, and takc thcir
punishmcnt. !l a monk was accuscd by othcrs ol inlractions ol thc
Rulc and dcnicd his guilt, thcn a mini trial would takc placc. Tc laults
could rangc lrom tcaring oncs habit on purposc or hitting anothcr
Tcmplar to patronizing a brothcl or convcrting to !slam. Tc pcnaltics
rangcd lrom cxtra lasts to having to cat on thc oor in thc inrmary to
outright cxpulsion lrom thc ordcr.
Tcmplars wcrc not allowcd to own anything individually and to
carry moncy only lor immcdiatc nccds whilc travcling or doing busi
ncss lor thc ordcr. !l a Tcmplar dicd and was lound to havc a hiddcn
cachc ol gold or silvcr, hc will not bc placcd in thc ccmctcry, but thrown
out lor thc dogs. !l his hoarding was discovcrcd whilc hc was alivc,
hc was immcdiatcly thrown out ol thc ordcr.
vcry articlc ol clothing and cquipmcnt lor thc monks was spcci
cd, including thc matcrial. nly thc truc knights, thosc who wcrc
ol noblc birth and also had signcd on lor lilc, wcrc allowcd to wcar thc
whitc cloak. Scrgcants, scrvants, and mcn who only signcd up lor a
ccrtain pcriod worc cithcr black or brown cloaks. 8ccausc ol thc hcat
in thc castcrn Mcditcrrancan lands, Tcmplars wcrc pcrmittcd to wcar
lincn shirts lrom astcr to All Saints ay (Novcmbcr .). Unlikc othcr
monks, thcy wcrc pcrmittcd mcat thrcc timcs a wcck but not on Fri
day, whcn thcy atc Lcntcn mcatthat is, sh or cggs.
Partic u lar attcntion was paid to thc military cquipmcnt ol thc
Tcmplars. ach knight was to havc thrcc horscs and onc squirc to takc
carc ol thcm. And il thc squirc was scrving without pay lor thc sakc ol
charity, thc knight could not bcat him, no mattcr what hc did wrong.
Tc knights wcrc cxpcctcd to ovcrscc thc carc ol thcir horscs and
cquipmcnt, chccking on thcm at lcast twicc a day.
l coursc, all ol this happcncd whcn thc knights wcrc rcsidcnts in
53 The Life of a Templar, According to the Rule
Two Templars on one horse with the Beausant, the Templar standard.
(Mathew Paris Te British Library)
thc Tcmplc housc, thc commandcry or prcccptory. 8ut it was undcr
stood that thcy would spcnd much ol thcir timc in thc cld. Among
thc crimcs that would mcrit immcdiatc cxpulsion lrom thc ordcr wcrc
running away lrom thc battlc or lctting thc standard lall. Hcrc thc
rulcs wcrc dicrcnt lor thc scrgcants and thc knights. !l a scrgcant or
scrvant lost his wcapons, hc was allowcd to rctrcat without dishonor.
A knight, howcvcr, whcthcr hc is armcd or not, must not lct thc stan
dard lall, but stay by it no mattcr what, cvcn il hc is woundcd, unlcss
givcn lcavc.
Tc Tcmplars livcd up to this. Tcy wcrc thc rst into battlc and
thc last to rctrcat. l all thc ncgativc things said about thcm ovcr thc
ycars, no onc cvcr qucstioncd thcir bravcry. Tc numbcr ol Tcmplar
knights killcd in battlc was cnormous.
Tis was probably thc rcason lor two changcs in thc Rulc. Tc Latin
lorm ol thc Rulc lorbid mcn who had bccn cxcommunicatcd by thc
Church to bccomc Tcmplars. ltcn thc rcasons lor cxcommunication
wcrc thosc that Bernard of Clairvaux had givcn in his cxhortation to
thc Tcmplars: murdcr, rapc, and thclt. Tis was modicd in thc Frcnch
to statc that il thc crimc had bccn minor so that thc man had only bccn
lorbiddcn to hcar Mass, onc might makc an cxccption, il thc commandcr
ol thc housc allowcd it.
l coursc, bccoming a Tcmplar might wcll bc part ol oncs pcn
ancc lor murdcr. !t was rathcr likc a mcdicval Forcign Lcgion in that
rcspcct.
Anothcr way in which thc Tcmplars dicrcd lrom most monastic
houscs was that thcy had a vcry short probationary pcriod lor ncw rc
cruits. Tc timc bctwccn applying to bccomc a Tcmplar and ac ccp
tancc into thc ordcr was originally lclt to thc discrction ol thc
commandcr or thc Mastcr and thc othcr brothcrs. 8ut at somc point
any trial pcriod sccms to havc vanishcd. Tis may bc duc to thc dcs
pcratc nccd lor morc ghting mcn in thc ast. Tcrc wasnt timc to
tcst thc mcn cithcr lor undcrstanding or lor ability to copc with thc
lilcstylc.
Tis mcant that, lor many ol thc Tcmplars, thc only instruction
thcy rcccivcd was a list ol rulcs rccitcd to thcm on thc day ol thcir
admission. Tis was madc much ol at thc various trials of the Tem
plars in thc carly lourtccnth ccntury, whcrc it was shown that cach man
sccmcd to havc had a slightly dicrcnt introduction to thc Tcmplc.
Howcvcr, all ncw rccruits sccm to havc undcrstood that thcrc was a
Rulc and, in many commandcrics, it was onc ol thc books rcad aloud
during mcals, so thcy cvcntually lcarncd what was cxpcctcd ol thcm.
vcn il individual Tcmplars or cvcn rcmotc Tcmplar houscs didnt
lollow or cvcn know all ol thc rulcs, thcy cxistcd, and in many copics.
Tcy wcrcnt sccrct. 8rothcrs who could rcad wcrc givcn copics to
study. So il thcy wcrc askcd by onc ol thc commandcrs to do somc
thing contrary to rcligion or dcccncy, thcy would havc known it wasnt
ocial. Two ol thc laults that would carn a Tcmplar immcdiatc cxpul
sion lrom thc ordcr wcrc hcrcsy and sodomy, and yct thcsc wcrc thc
most scrious ol thc chargcs madc against thcm in .c,.
Tis will bc discusscd morc clscwhcrc in this book, but its impor
tant to know that thcsc wcrc ocnscs lorbiddcn by thc Rulc, along
55 The Life of a Templar, According to the Rule
with killing a horsc or lctting thc standard lall. !s it likcly that thc
cntirc ordcr brokc thosc lundamcntal rulcs: !s it possiblc that such a
thing could havc bccn going on lor ycars, with Tcmplars travcling all
ovcr uropc, with no onc nding out that thcy wcrc sccrct hcrctics:
Tc activitics ol thc knights wcrc known to thc scrgcants and thc scr
vants, many ol whom wcrc not mcmbcrs ol thc ordcr but hircd hclp.
Tcsc pcoplc livcd in a socicty whcrc onc had to go into thc dcscrt
and bccomc a hcrmit to gct a littlc privacy (and cvcn that didnt always
work). !l thc Rulc ol thc Tcmplars was bcing so agrantly brokcn,
somconc would havc lound out and sprcad thc word around long bc
lorc Philip the Fair dccidcd to accusc thcm.
J Tcrc arc a numbcr ol cditions ol thc Rulc ol thc Tcmplars. Tc carlicst ! know ol is Maillard
dc Chamburc, Rgle et status secrets des Templiers (8urgundy, .c), thcn Hcnri dc Curzon (scc
notc a bclow). Laurcnt aillicz did an cdition in both ld and Modcrn Frcnch (Paris: dition
crvy, .,a). A Modcrn Frcnch translation along with an introduction giving thc social back
ground ol thc Crusadcs is Alain cgris, Organisation & Vie des Templiers: Sociologie Fodale
dOrient & dOccident (Paris: Guy Trdanicl, .6). Tcrc is also an nglish translation, J. M.
UptonVard Rule of the Templars: Te French Text of the Rule of the Order of Knights Templar
(Voodbridgc, ng.: 8oydcll and 8rcwcr, .a).
2 Hcnri dc Curzon, La Rgle du Temple (Paris: Librairic Rcnouard, .6) p. xxvii.
3 Rcglc no. aa, !l nc scroit mic mis cn simittirc, mais scroit jctcs hors a chicns.
4 Rcglc no. , t a trcstoz lcs lrcrcs chcvalicrs cn yvcr ct cn cstc sc cstcr puct, avoir blans man
tiaus, ct a nul ncst otric davoir blanc mantcl.
5 Rcglc no. , t si cclui cscuicr scrt dc son bon gr a la charit, lc lrcrc nc lc doit batrc por nulc
colpc quc il lacc.
6 Rcglc no. ., Mais ! lrcrc chcvalucrs nc lc porroit pas lairc cn tcl anicrc, ou lust arm dc lcr
ou non: quar cil dc doit laissicr lc gonlanon pour nulc chosc sons congi, ni par blcccurc n p or
autrc chosc.
7 Rcglc no. ,, t dc ci cn navant soit mis cn csprovc scloc la provoiancc du mcstrc ct dcs lrcrcs.
8 A. J. Forcy, Novitiatc in thc Military rdcrs, Speculum \ol. 6., No. ., Jan. .6, p. .
9 !bid., pp..c.,.
J0 Forcy, p. ..
CH A P T I R T I N
Melisande,
Queen of Jerusalem
T
hc sccond king ol Jcrusalcm, Baldwin II, had thc wisdom to
marry not a bridc importcd lrom uropc, but an Armcnian prin
ccss, Mora, whom hc mct whilc hc was rulcr ol thc Armcnian city ol
dcssa. Tc marriagc sccms to havc bccn succcsslul in all rcspccts but
onc. 8aldwin and Mora had only daughtcrslour ol thcm. As a
mattcr ol lact, many ol thc crusadcr statcs wcrc inhcritcd by womcn.
Fortunatcly, thcy all sccm to havc bccn smart and strong. And thc
mcn around thcm, lor thc most part, wcrc smart cnough to lct thcm
rulc.
8aldwins cldcst, Mclisandc, was thc rst ol thc ncw gcncration ol
rulcrs who had bccn born in thc Latin kingdoms. Jcrusalcm was thc
only homc shc cvcr kncw. n hcr mothcrs sidc, shc had a rich hcri
tagc ol an astcrn Christian culturc. From hcr lathcr shc inhcritcd a
lamily nctwork that covcrcd thc Crusadcr kingdoms and rcachcd back
to thc royal lamilics ol uropc.
!n a world whcrc lamily loyalty was only cxcccdcd by lamily bc
trayals, its a plcasurc to rcport that Mclisandc and hcr thrcc sistcrs
sccm to havc bccn dcvotcd to cach othcr. !t was good that thcy had
cach othcr, lor all lour ol thcm lcd tumultuous livcs.
Tc sccond daughtcr, Alicc (or Alix), marricd 8ohcmond !!, thc
57 Melisande, Queen of Jerusalem
son ol 8ohcmond, princc ol Antioch, and Constancc, sistcr ol Louis
\! ol Francc. 8ohcmond was about cightccn at thc timc ol thc mar
riagc, tall, blond, and good looking. Alicc sccmcd dcstincd lor a hap
pily cvcr altcr, whcn 8ohcmond was killcd in battlc, lcaving Alicc
with a young daughtcr, namcd Constancc lor hcr grandmothcr. Vhilc
it isnt part ol thc story ol thc Tcmplars, it should bc notcd that Alicc
had no intcntion ol lctting anyonc rulc lor hcr child. vcr thc ycars
shc tricd scvcral timcs to rcgain control ol Antioch, cvcn altcr young
Constancc was marricd to Raymond ol Poiticrs.
Tc third sistcr, Hodicrna, marricd Raymond, count ol Tripoli, in
about ... Shc had a daughtcr, Mclisandc, and a son, Raymond. Tc
marriagc wcnt wcll lor a timc but thc count apparcntly was cxtrcmcly
jcalous and drovc Hodicrna crazy with his suspicions. !n ..a,
Mclisandc wcnt to Tripoli to hclp hcr sistcr work out a rcconciliation
with hcr husband and thcn bring hcr back to Jcrusalcm lor a visit.
Shortly altcr, Raymond ol Tripoli bccamc thc rst known Christian
victim ol an Assassin. Hodicrna bccamc rcgcnt lor hcr son, who was
twclvc at thc timc. Shc govcrncd Tripoli on hcr own lor many ycars.
Yvcta, thc youngcst, had thc most traumatic childhood. At thc
agc ol vc shc was scnt to bc a hostagc in cxchangc lor hcr lathcr, who
had bccn capturcd by thc rtoqid Turk 8alak. Shc was kcpt by thc
Turks until 8aldwin could raisc thc ransom moncy. !t may havc bccn
that cxpcricncc, or thc knowlcdgc ol hcr sistcrs chaotic marriagcs and
lamily cntanglcmcnts, that madc Yvcta opt lor thc monastic lilc. Tat
didnt mcan shc rctircd complctcly lrom thc world. Hcr big sistcr
Mclisandc built thc convcnt ol 8cthany lor hcr, at thc supposcd sitc
whcrc Jcsus raiscd Lazarus lrom thc dcad. Abbcss Yvcta bccamc pow
crlul in thc church and also at thc court ol Jcrusalcm.
8aldwin was contcnt to havc his youngcr daughtcrs marry locally
to incrcasc thc tics bctwccn thc Crusadcr statcs, but his cldcst,
You may rcmcmbcr Constancc. Shc dumpcd hcr rst husband, Hugh of Champagne,
whilc hc was on pilgrimagc. Hc bccamc a Tcmplar in ..a. So thcy both wound up in
thc Holy Land.
Mclisandc, was hcircss to his kingdom, Jcrusalcm, and lor hcr hc nccdcd
somconc who was not only a provcn battlc lcadcr, but also outsidc thc
constant lamily squabblcs among thosc samc statcs. Hc scttlcd on Fulk
of Anjou.
8aldwin had mct Fulk whcn thc count madc a pilgrimagc to Jcru
salcm in ..ac and had bccn imprcsscd with him. 8y ..a,, whcn
Mclisandc was old cnough to marry, Fulk was a widowcr with chil
drcn ol hcr agc. 8aldwin scnt his constablc, Gauticr dc 8urcs, to An
jou with an ocr ol marriagc and a kingdom. Tis was thc samc party
that includcd Hugh de Payns on his journcy to rccruit morc mcn
lor thc Tcmplars.
Fulk likcd thc idca and rcturncd with Gauticr, to thc grcat joy ol
thc populacc. At thc timc, Fulk was still on thc sunny sidc ol lorty,
Mclisandc about cightccn. Hc was stocky and rcdhcadcd, not cxactly
a princcsss drcam man. !t sccms that Mclisandc wasnt thrillcd with
thc match, cspccially altcr sccing thc young, goodlooking husband
hcr sistcr Alicc had snaggcd. Howcvcr, shc madc thc bcst ol it.
King 8aldwin dicd two ycars latcr, on August a., .... Vhcn hc
kncw hc was dying, hc had himscll takcn to thc homc ol thc patriarch
at thc church ol thc Holy Scpulchcr, so that hc could dic as ncar as
possiblc to thc placc whcrc Christ was buricd. At that timc hc lor
mally callcd Mclisandc and Fulk with thcir ycarold son and cntrustcd
thc kingdom to thcm.
Unlikc ngland a lcw ycars latcr, thcrc was no protcst against
Mclisandcs right to rulc. Tis is amazing bccausc shc was both a
woman and quitc young. Also, thc crown ol Jcrusalcm had up until
thcn bccn dccidcd by an clcction among thc barons and thc bishops.
Tc choicc had always bccn a rclativc ol thc conqucror ol thc city,
Godlrcy ol 8ouillon, but not thc closcst onc. 8aldwin !! had bccn
choscn ovcr Godlrcys last surviving brothcr, ustacc ol 8oulognc.
So thc lact that Mclisandc was acccptcd so casily was likcly duc to
Fulks military ability.
Tat docsnt mcan that Mclisandc cvcr lct hcr husband takc ovcr
thc kingdom. Vhilc hc ccrtainly took carc ol thc dclcnsc ol thc rcalm,
Mclisandc hcld court, in thc original scnsc ol hcaring disputcs and
dispcnsing justicc. Shc would havc hcard argumcnts ovcr land rights
among thc nobility and thc church and also cascs ol rapc, murdcr, and
trcason.
Mclisandc and Fulk wcrc crowncd on Scptcmbcr ., .... Shortly
altcrward, thc ncwly widowcd Alicc dccidcd that hcr brothcrinlaw
might rulc Jcrusalcm, but hc had no say in thc rcgcncy ol hcr daughtcr,
Constancc. Shc rcvoltcd against Fulk, putting Mclisandc in thc posi
tion ol having to lavor hcr sistcr or hcr husband. Shc sccms to havc put
thc stability ol thc kingdom ovcr sistcrly lovc. Alicc was dclcatcd and
rctircd to thc town ol Latakiya, although shc would bc hcard lrom
again.
Howcvcr, Mclisandc didnt lct Fulk havc his way in cvcrything.
Villiam ol Tyrc rclatcs with grcat rclish a story ol how thc quccn was
having an aair with hcr cousin, Hugh ol Lc Puisct. Tc talc says
that, onc day at dinncr, onc ol Hughs stcpsons accuscd him ol bcing
Mclisandcs lovcr and plotting to kill thc king. Tc young man chal
lcngcd Hugh to provc his innoccncc in combat. Vhcn thc day camc,
Hugh was nowhcrc to bc lound. Hc was judgcd guilty and his lands
lorlcit.
Now, Villiam ol Tyrc was thrcc ycars old whcn all this took placc
so its likcly hc lcarncd all ol this through local gossip long altcr cvcry
onc conccrncd was salcly dcad. !t is ccrtain that Hugh lost his lands and
wound up in Sicily. Vhat is intriguing is Mclisandcs rolc in all this.
!l thc story ol thc accusation is truc thcn Mclisandc sccms to havc
survivcd without any stain on hcr charactcr. Shc cithcr convinccd cv
cryonc that poor Cousin Hugh was imagining thc rclationship or clsc
Fulk and thc rcst ol thc court suddcnly rcmcmbcrcd that it was
Mclisandc who was thc lcgitimatc hcir and so it didnt rcally mattcr
who lathcrcd hcr childrcn.
Vithout morc cvidcncc, wcll ncvcr know. !t is ccrtain that altcr
thc incidcnt, Fulk dclcrrcd to his wilc a grcat dcal morc. Mclisandc
and hcr lricnds may havc takcn this opportunity to lct him know that
thcy wcrc in chargc.
Fulk dicd in a hunting accidcnt in .., lcaving two sons, 8aldwin
!!!, agc thirtccn, and Almaric, agc ninc.
!nstcad ol rcmarrying, Mclisandc rctaincd control ol thc govcrn
mcnt. Shc madc it clcar that shc wasnt a rcgcnt but quccn in hcr own
right, ruling alongsidc hcr son. Villiam ol Tyrc, who was gcncrally
nasty about womcn who cxcrciscd powcr, was vcry positivc toward hcr
ability as quccn. Hc said that shc maintaincd thc govcrnmcnt and
rulcd compctcntly, by right ol law.
Mclisandc rulcd lor hcrscll and hcr son with no complaints until
8aldwin was in his carly twcntics. Hc was tircd ol bcing a king in
namc only and mountcd a rcbcllion against his mothcr. Tcy agrccd to
dividc thc Kingdom ol Jcrusalcm in hall but altcr a lcw wccks 8ald
win dccidcd to takc it all. Hc bcsicgcd his mothcr in Jcrusalcm until
shc gavc in and rctircd to hcr propcrty in thc rcgion ol Nablus.
Shc was soon back, but morc subducd. Mothcr and son cvcntually
rcconcilcd and shc rcgaincd somc powcr, issuing chartcrs ol donations
to various rcligious institutions.
Mclisandc also intcrvcncd to rcturn land that thc Frankish invad
crs had takcn lrom nativc Christian owncrs. Hcr Armcnian hcritagc
madc hcr sympathctic to thc rights ol thc Monophysitc Christians,
whosc anccstors had ncvcr lclt thc Holy Land. Shc madc donations
to thc Grcck/Syrian hospicc ol St. Sabas in Jcrusalcm.
!n ..6. Mclisandc sucrcd what sccms to havc bccn a strokc,
which lclt hcr unablc to participatc in govcrnmcnt. Shc lingcrcd lor
scvcral months, dying on Scptcmbcr ... Hcr sistcrs Hodicrna and
Yvcta carcd lor hcr in hcr last days.
So, what docs Quccn Mclisandc havc to do with thc Tcmplars:
Vhcn most pcoplc think ol thc Tcmplars and thc Crusadcr Statcs,
a vcry masculinc socicty comcs to mind. !ts truc that thc Latin king
doms wcrc constantly cithcr at war or anticipating onc. 8ut it was not
a world ol mcn. For somc rcason, morc lcmalc than malc babics sur
vivcd in that placc and timc. And, ol coursc, thc numbcr ol young
mcn killcd in battlc was much highcr than thc avcragc lor wcstcrn
uropc. So, by dclault, lor much ol thc two ccnturics ol thc king
doms, womcn wcrc thc inhcritors.
Most ol thcsc womcn marricd mcn who could wicld a sword and
lcad an army. 8ut thcy wcrc oltcn widowcd young with undcragc chil
drcn. ncc thcy lclt thc battlccld, thc Tcmplars lound thcmsclvcs in
a world run by womcn. !n ordcr to undcrstand thc ordcr, its ncccssary
to know morc than just thc highlights ol thcir military cxploits but
also thc socicty that thcy wcrc a part ol.
A spccic cxamplc ol this is Philip, lord ol Nablus. Philip was thc
son ol Guy ol Milly and, likc Mclisandc, had bccn born in thc ast.
Hc rst appcars in thc documcnts in ... For most ol his lilc hc was a
soldicr and an important part ol thc dclcnsc ol thc country. Hc was
also onc ol thc lcw pcoplc who stood by Mclisandc throughout hcr
strugglc with hcr son. Hc marricd and had thrcc childrcn. Tcn, in
..66, hc dccidcd to join thc Tcmplars. Hc gavc thcm a largc part ol his
land, which was now ncar thc gyptian bordcr. !n August ..6, hc
bccamc Grand Mastcr.
8ut cvcn as Grand Mastcr ol thc Tcmplars, Philip ol Nablus was
clcarly morc dcvotcd to thc land ol his birth than to an intcrnational
ordcr. !n ..,., hc rcsigncd as mastcr so that hc could go to Constanti
noplc on a mission lor King Almaric. Hc dicd thcrc on April , ..,..
Vhcn thc Tcmplars arc studicd as an indcpcndcnt group with
only military or nancial tics to thc countrics thcy livcd in, it rcsults in
an incomplctc picturc. Philip ol Nablus livcd a lull lilc as a military
lcadcr and royal adviscr bclorc hc joincd thc ordcr. Hc was vcry much
a part ol thc political lilc ol thc Kingdom ol Jcrusalcm. His story
shows that bccoming a Tcmplar was a natural progrcssion lor a man in
latcr ycars, pcrhaps growing lcarlul lor thc statc ol his soul but unwill
ing to turn his back on a socicty in which hc was still nccdcd.
Vithout knowing what that socicty was, wc cant undcrstand thc
Tcmplars.
xv ol thc rarc trcasurcs lclt lrom Mclisandcs rcign is hcr psaltcr, or
praycr book. !t was crcatcd by thc monks ol thc Church ol thc Holy
Scpulchcr, probably around ..c. !t is bcautilully illustratcd and it
not only givcs imagcs lrom Jcrusalcm at thc timc, but also a portrait ol
Te Harrowing of Hell, the Melisande Psalter. Fulk and Melisande are on the right.
(Te British Library)
Mclisandc and Fulk, clcarly showing thc dicrcncc in thcir agcs. !t is
intcrcsting to notc that thc king and quccn arc drcsscd in thc 8yzan
tinc stylc, rathcr than that ol uro pc an royalty.
J Rcginc Pcrnoud, Les femmes au temps des Croisades (Paris: Stock/Laurcncc Pcnoud, .c)
p. ,6.
2 Villiam ol Tyrc, Chronique, cd. R. 8. C. Huygcns, a vols. Corpus Christianorum Continuatio
Mcdiavalcs 6 (Turnholt, .6) pp. 6aa (., a,). Villiam calls Alix an insanc woman. For
thc lilc ol Alix scc Tomas Asbridgc, Alicc ol Antioch: A casc study ol lcmalc powcr in thc
twcllth ccntury, in Pctcr dbury and Jonathan Phillips, cds., Te Experience of Crusading,
Volume Two: Dening the Crusader Kingdom (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, acc) pp. a,.
3 !bid., vol. 6A, pp. ,6, (.,, .).
4 Pcrnoud, pp. ,.
5 Villiam ol Tyrc, p. (., a).
6 !bid., vol. 6A, p. 6a (., a).
7 Joshua Prawcr, Te Crusaders Kingdom: European Colonialism in the Middle Ages (London: Phoc
nix Prcss, .,a) p. 6.
8 !bid., p. .ac.
9 Villiam ol Tyrc, pp. 6 (., a).
J0 !bid., pp. 6.
JJ !bid., p. ,.. (.a,).
J2 !bid., rcscditquc rcngi potcstas pcncs dominam Milisscndcm dco amibilcm rcginam, cui iurc
hcrcditario compctcbat.
J3 !bid., pp. ,,,. (.,, ..).
J4 Prawcr, p. aaa.
J5 !bid., p. aa.
J6 8crnard Hamilton, Quccns ol Jcrusalcm, in crck 8akcr, cd., Medieval Women (London:
8lackwcll, .,) p. .6. My sistcrs might takc notc ol this cxamplc ol lamily dcvotion, just in
casc.
J7 Malcolm 8arbcr, Tc carccr ol Philip ol Nablus in thc kingdom ol Jcrusalcm, in Pctcr d
bury and Jonathan Phillips, cds., Te Experience of Crusading, Volume Two: Dening the Crusader
Kingdom (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, acc) pp. 6c,, lor thc lull story ol Philips lilc. 8arbcr
suggcsts that Philip was clcctcd altcr thc king, Almaric (Mclisandcs youngcr son) put prcssurc
on thc Tcmplars. !l so, it would indicatc that thc Tcmplars wcrc not as autonomous as thcy havc
bccn sccn.
J8 Hamilton, op. cit.
CH A P T I R I I I V I N
Fulk of Anjou,
the Queens Husband
F
ulk, count ol Anjou, camc lrom a lamily that was both militant
and ccccntric. His lathcr, Fulk Rcchin, was count ol Anjou and
Tourainc. Fulks mothcr, 8crtrada, was thc scandal ol Christcndom.
Vhcn hcr childrcn wcrc still quitc young, shc ran o with Philip !,
king ol Francc, who dumpcd his rst wilc lor hcr. No amount ol
thrcats, not cvcn cxcommunication, could scparatc thc couplc. Tcy
had thrcc childrcn togcthcr, including a daughtcr, Cccilia, who mar
ricd Tancrcd, count ol Tripoli, and would havc many cncountcrs with
hcr hall brothcr whcn hc bccamc king ol Jcrusalcm.
Unlikc his parcnts, Fulk had a lairly quict and apparcntly happy
rst marriagc to rcmbcrga, thc hcircss to thc county ol Mainc. Tcy
had lour childrcn: Gcorcy, Hlic, Sybilla, and Matilda. 8clorc Fulk
lclt lor Jcrusalcm, hc saw to it that Gcorcy marricd thc daughtcr ol
Hcnry ! ol ngland. Sybilla had alrcady marricd Ticrry, count ol
Flandcrs. Matilda, who had bricy bccn marricd to Hcnry, crown
princc ol ngland, was widowcd whcn hc drowncd in thc disastcr ol
thc Vhitc Ship. Shc cntcrcd thc convcnt ol Fontcvraud. Hlic sccms
to havc dicd young. Tcsc lamily conncctions wcrc to bc important to
thc Latin kingdoms lor thc ncxt thrcc gcncrations.
!n his mid thirtics, altcr thc dcath ol his wilc, Fulk wcnt on a
65 Fulk of Anjou, the Queens Husband
pilgrimagc to Jcrusalcm, whcrc hc rst cncountcrcd thc Tcmplars. Hc
was vcry imprcsscd with thcm.
Fulk, count ol Anjou . . . bccamc vcry anxious to scck rcconcilia
tion with God and procurc his salvation. Hc dcvotcd himscll to
pcnancc lor thc crimcs hc had committcd and . . . , hc sct out lor
Jcrusalcm, whcrc hc rcmaincd lor somc timc, attachcd to thc
Knights ol thc Tcmplc. Vhcn hc rcturncd homc, with thcir con
scnt, hc voluntarily bccamc thcir tributary, and paid out to thcm
thirty livrcs a ycar in thc moncy ol Anjou. So by divinc inspiration
thc noblc lord providcd an annual rcvcnuc lor thc admirablc
knights who dcvotc thcir livcs to thc bodily and spiritual scrviccs
ol God, and rcjccting all thc things ol this world, lacc martyrdom
daily.
Fulk was in his latc thirtics whcn thc cmbassy camc lrom Bald
win II asking him to lcavc his homc and childrcn lor thc crown ol
Jcrusalcm and thc hand ol its cightccnycarold hcircss.
!t is not rccordcd how long it took Fulk to dccidc.
Hc lclt thc county in thc hands ol his son, Gcorcy, a ycar
youngcr than his ncw ancc. Gcorcys wilc, Matilda, was cight
ycars oldcr than hcr ncw husband and had alrcady bccn an cmprcss.
Tc young count may havc bccn cnvious ol his lathcrs luck.
nc ol thc mcn who brought thc invitation to thc count was
Hugh de Payns, whom Fulk must havc known wcll lrom his stay with
thc Tcmplars in Jcrusalcm. Hugh was at thc bcginning ol his tour ol
ngland, Flandcrs, and Francc in a scarch lor support lor thc ncw
ordcr. Tc knowlcdgc that thc soontobc king ol Jcrusalcm was al
rcady in lavor ol thc Tcmplars could only havc cncouragcd Hugh.
Fulk conrmcd his donation to thc ordcr bclorc hc wcnt to Jcru
salcm to marry Melisande.
Mclisandc was probably awarc ol who Fulk was, cvcn though shc
had bccn about tcn whcn hc had livcd in Jcrusalcm. Vhatcvcr hcr
privatc lcclings wcrc, shc sccms not to havc protcstcd thc match.
Villiam ol Tyrc writcs, Fulk was a rcdhcad . . . laithlul, gcntlc, and
unlikc most ol that coloring, aablc, kind and mcrcilul. Pcrhaps kind
ncss won out ovcr looks. Tc two wcrc marricd as soon as Fulk arrivcd.
As a wcdding prcscnt, 8aldwin gavc thcm thc towns ol Tyrc and Acrc.
Tcy rcpaid him by producing a son almost immcdiatcly.
Fulk was apparcntly contcnt to hold thc titlc ol count until thc
dcath ol 8aldwin on August a., .... Trcc wccks latcr hc and
Mclisandc wcrc crowncd king and quccn ol Jcrusalcm in thc Church
ol thc Holy Scpulchcr.
nc ol thc rst tasks bclorc Fulk was to dcal with his sistcrin
law Alicc, who was dctcrmincd to rulc Antioch lor hcr young daugh
tcr. nc ol hcr supportcrs was thc count ol Tripoli, Pons, who just
happcncd to bc marricd to Cccilia, Fulks hall sistcr by his mothcr and
King Philip ol Francc. So his rst battlc was not lought against Sara
ccns but lamily.
Fulk won thc battlc and also managcd to patch up a pcacc with
thc count and scttlc aairs in Antioch undcr a constablc, although
Alicc was not a woman to stay down lor long.
!n .., Fulk hcard that thc Turks had invadcd lrom Pcrsia and
wcrc attacking Antioch. Hc was on his way to hclp thcm whcn hc was
mct by Cccilia. Shc had comc to bcg him to comc to thc aid ol hcr
husband, who was bcing bcsicgcd in his castlc ol Montlcrrand by
Zcngi, thc atabcg ol Alcppo. Fulk apparcntly had no grudgc against
his sistcr lor thc attack two ycars bclorc and dctourcd to hclp Pons.
Now, Villiam ol Tyrc says that Zcngi lcarncd that Fulk and his army
wcrc approaching and abandoncd thc sicgc. Howcvcr, !bn alQalanisi
rcports that Zcngi marchcd out to mcct Fulks army and ncarly bcat
thcm, but thcy rctrcatcd. At any ratc, Pons and his mcn wcrc rcs
cucd. Tc Tcmplars arc said to havc bccn in thc army at that timc al
though thcy arc not singlcd out lor any important rolcs.
Fulk spcnt a lot ol his timc ovcr thc ncxt ycar or so lcnding o
attacks on thc city ol Antioch. His wilc sccmcd to bc kccping things
running wcll cnough in Jcrusalcm, but thc noblcs ol Antioch rcally
wantcd thcir own rulcr. Tc rightlul hcir, Constancc, was still only
ninc ycars old, but dcspcratc timcs call lor dcspcratc mcasurcs.
Altcr many sccrct mcctings bctwccn thc king and thc noblcs, as
wcll as thc patriarch ol Antioch, it was dccidcd to scnd lor Raymond,
thc brothcr ol Villiam, dukc ol Aquitainc. Raymond was about
twcnty and not yct attachcd. So a Hospitallcr namcd Jcbcrrus was scnt
with lcttcrs asking Raymond how hc lclt about marrying a littlc girl
and bccoming lord ol Antioch.
Raymond thought it would bc nc. According to law, thc mar
riagc couldnt bc consummatcd bclorc Constancc was twclvc but hc
must havc thought thc titlc was worth thc inconvc nicncc. Just to bc
surc that Constanccs mothcr, Alicc, didnt nd out about thcsc plans,
thc patriarch apparcntly convinccd hcr that Raymond was coming to
marry her. You can imaginc hcr lcclings whcn Raymond arrivcd and
was vcry hastily marricd to littlc Constancc.
Fulk, howcvcr, was plcascd to turn thc military protcction ol An
tioch ovcr to somconc clsc. Hc was lcarning that thc politics ol thc
Holy Land wcrc not vcry dicrcnt lrom thosc ol uropc. Hc was also
lcarning that thc Moslcm statcs wcrc not alikc, nor wcrc thcy unicd.
!n ..a, hc was ablc to acquirc thc town ol 8anyas lrom thc Assassins.
Tcy prclcrrcd paying tributc to thc Franks to bcing at thc mcrcy ol
Zcngi. Hc also cstablishcd a trcaty with amascus to ght o thc
samc Zcngi who had comc lrom Mosul to rulc Alcppo and was rap
idly carving out tcrritory lor himscll lrom both thc lands ol thc Franks
and thosc ol sccts ol !slam that did not agrcc with his.
Fulk spcnt most ol his timc as king in warlarc ol onc kind or an
othcr, against Moslcms, Grccks, and rclativcs. Hc ccrtainly must havc
uscd thc Tcmplars to hclp him, but thcrc is almost no mcntion ol
thcm in surviving rccords. Vc arc not cvcn surc how Hugh dc Payns
dicd, although wc know that it was in May .. or ..6.
Hughs succcssor, Robcrt ol Craon, had bccn a mcmbcr ol Fulks
cntouragc in Anjou. Hc witncsscd a chartcr ol Fulks in ..a,, in thc
Tourainc, but hc sccms to havc bccn onc ol thosc who staycd in u
ropc to hclp with thc cstablishmcnt ol local commandcrics, lor hc was
in Francc in .., whcrc hc is listcd as scncschal ol thc ordcr. Hc
must havc bccn in Francc whcn hc was clcctcd Grand Mastcr, lor hc
was still acccpting donations thcrc in ..6. Hc was in thc ast by
... Hc was also at thc council ol war hcld ncar Acrc in .., long
altcr Fulks dcath.
!t may bc that in thc ..cs thc numbcr ol Tcmplars still wasnt
vcry grcat. vcn though mcmbcrship had grown considcrably sincc
thc Council of Troyes thcrc still wcrcnt cnough mcn willing to bc
comc ghting monks. 8ut its morc likcly that thcrc oncc was morc
inlormation on thc Tcmplars during Fulks rcign that might havc told
us about thc activitics ol thc Tcmplars. Timc and war havc dcstroycd
many ol thc documcnts that thc Tcmplars in thc Latin kingdoms un
doubtcdly prcscrvcd, as wcll as thc royal rcc ords.
nc indication that thc Tcmplars wcrc carning rcspcct in thcir
choscn prolcssion comcs lrom an account ol a sicgc in ... Robcrt,
mastcr ol thc Tcmplc, lought undcr 8crnard \achcr, onc ol thc kings
knights. Tcy wcrc chasing somc Turks who had attackcd a villagc.
Tinking thcy had thc cncmy on thc run, thc soldicrs wandcrcd o in
all dircctions, shamclcssly hunting out spoils ol war instcad ol pursu
ing thc cncmy.
Tc Turks took advantagc ol this and rcturncd to thc attack.
Somc ol thc knights hastily tricd to orga nizc a dclcnsc but thc lincs
brokc. Tc Christians wcrc chascd through rocky and harsh tcrrain
outsidc ol Hcbron. Among thc dcad was thc most cxccllcnt man, a
brothcr ol thc knights ol thc Tcmplc, do ol Montlaucon. His dcath
brought tcars and sorrow to all.
Vhilc this dclcat docsnt spcak wcll lor thc crusadcrs, it is clcar
that thc Tcmplars wcrc not in chargc ol thc knights and thcy arc not
mcntioncd as bcing among thosc out looking lor booty. Tc lact that
do was considcrcd an cxamplc ol a bravc and worthy knight is a sign
that thc Tcmplars wcrc bccoming known.
So wc can only assumc that King Fulk trustcd his lormcr lol
lowcr, Robcrt, as Grand Mastcr ol thc Tcmplc. Hc nccdcd all thc hclp
hc could gct to maintain a scmblancc ol ordcr in his chaotic rcalm.
Fulk did not dic in battlc, as might havc bccn cxpcctcd. Hc was
out riding with Mclisandc ncar Acrc onc nc autumn day whcn somc
onc spottcd a rabbit running across thc clds. !n a spurt ol boyish
zcal, thc king joincd in thc chasc. His horsc thrcw him and hc was
thcn hit in thc hcad by thc saddlc. Hc lay in a coma lor lour days bc
lorc dying.
Fulks lcgacy to Jcrusalcm was a sound dclcnsc, supportcd by thc
Tcmplars. Hc also lclt two childrcn who would carry on his linc and
add to thc incrcdibly complcx wcb ol lamily tics that causcd conicts
cvcn thc Tcmplars could not avoid.
J Les Crandes Chroniques de France \ol.\, cd. Julcs \iard (Paris, .a) pp. a.
2 Allrcd Richard, Histoire des Comptes de Poitou t. !\ .c6.., (Pau: Princi Ncguc, acc) p. .6.
3 rdcric \italis, Te Ecclesiastical History of Orderic Vitalis \ol. \!, cd. and tr. Marjoric Chibnall
(xlord: Mcdicval Tcxts, xlord Univcrsity Prcss, .,) 8ook X!! a (pp. c..). Fulco
Andcgavorun comcs postquam paccm cum Rcgis Anglorum pcpigit, . . . dcsalutc sollicius co
nichilominus rcconciliari pcroptauit. Scclrum crgo lcccrat pcnitcntiam agcrcstuduit, . . .
Jcrusalcm pcrrcxit, ibiquc militibus Tcmpli associatcs aliquandiu pcrmansit. !ndc cum liccncia
corum rcgrcssus trributarius illis ultro lactus cst. Sic vcncrandis militibus quorum vita corporc
ct mcntc co militat, ct comtcmptis omnibus mundanis scsc martirio cotidic prcparat, nobilis
hcros annum vcctigal divino instinctu arogavit.
4 Marquis dAlbon, Cartulaire Gnral de l Ordre du Temple 1119?1150 (Paris, ..) pp. 6, no. ,.
5 Villiam ol Tyrc, Chronique, cd. R. 8. C. Huygcns (Turnholt, .6) CCCM LX!!!A 8ook .,
., p. 6.. rat autcm Fulco vir rulus . . . dclis, mansuctus ct contra lcgcs illius coloris aabilis,
bcnignus ct miscricors.
6 Tc marriagc was in ..a. 8aldwin !!! was born in carly ..c.
7 Villiam ol Tyrc, p. 6.
8 !bid., pp. 6,.
9 !bid., p. 6.
J0 !bn AlQalanisi, Te Damascus Chronicle of the Crusades, tr. H. A. R. Gibb (London, .a)
p. aaa.
JJ Villiam ol Tyrc, pp. 6c..
J2 !bid., p. 6.. Sincc Alicc was still in hcr carly twcntics, this wasnt that unlikcly. 8ut shc wasnt
thc hcircss.
J3 Plcasc scc chaptcr ac, Te Assassins.
J4 Rcn Groussct, Histoire des Croisades et du Royaume Franc de Jrsualem \ol. !! (Paris, .) pp.
a.aa, !bn alQalanisi, pp. a6c.
J5 Malcolm 8arbcr, Te New Knighthood (Cambridgc, .) p. .
J6 Marquis dAlbon, Cartulaire Gnral de l Ordre du Temple 1119?1150 (Paris, ..) p. , chartcr
no. 6..
J7 Richard, p. .6.
J8 8arbcr, p. .
J9 Villiam ol Tyrc, p. 6, scd ad divcrsa incautc nimis tcndcntcs, lugicntium spoils magis quam
stragi hosium insistcbant imprudcntcr.
20 !bid., vir cximus, lratcr militia Tcmpli do dc Montc Falconis, omcs mortc sua mcrorc ct
gcmitu concicns.
2J Villiam ol Tyrc, pp. ,.c...
CH A P T I R T WI IV I
Te Temple in Jerusalem
W
hcn thc rst crusadcrs conqucrcd Jcrusalcm, thcy wcrc cagcr
to nd and rcstorc all thc sitcs lrom thc lilc ol Jcsus as wcll
as placcs important in thc ld Tcstamcnt. Tc problcm was, thcy
wcrcnt surc whcrc thc placcs had bccn. 8y a pro ccss that was part
tradition and part gucsswork, thcy dccidcd that thc omc ol thc Rock
was thc Holy Scpulchcr or Tcmplc ol thc Lord and thc ncarby mosquc
ol alAqsa stood on thc ruins ol thc Tcmplc ol Solomon, although it
might havc bccn Solomons palacc. Somcthing Solomon was closc
cnough. !n thc thirtccnth ccntury, Jacqucs dc \itry gucsscd that it had
bccn namcd thc Tcmplc ol Solomon simply to distinguish it lrom thc
othcr building.
King 8aldwin ! ol Jcrusalcm was thc rst ol thc Latin kings to
livc in thc mosquc. Hc sccms to havc bccn a tcrriblc tcnant. Tc
chroniclcr ol thc First Crusadc, Fulchcr ol Chartrcs, was cmbarrasscd
by thc ncglcct. !t is now a mattcr ol scrious rcgrct that thc labric ol
thc rool nccds rcpairing, cvcr sincc it passcd into thc hands ol King
8aldwin and our pcoplc. 8y ..., whcn King 8aldwin !! invitcd thc
Tcmplars to sharc thc spacc, it was lalling down and bits ol thc build
ing had bccn uscd lor othcr projccts, likc thc rcbuilding ol thc Church
ol thc Holy Scpulchcr.
Tc ncw rulcrs ol Jcrusalcm wcrc building cvcrywhcrc. Tc canons
71 The Temple in Jerusalem
Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Te gold dome at the rear is the Dome of the
Rock, and the smaller one against the wall in the front is the al-Aqsa
mosque, the site of the Templar headquarters. To the lef is the space
where the stables would have been. (Albatross)
ol thc Holy Scpulchcr built thc Church ol thc Asccnsion on thc
Mount ol livcs. Likc many churchcs, both in thc Holy Land and in
thc Vcst, it was octagonal in imitation ol thc omc ol thc Rock.
Tc Tcmplars startcd rclurbishing thcir mosquc as soon as thcy
could aord to hirc thc workcrs and matcrials. Tcy built a ncw clois
tcr, a ncw church, and thc buildings ncccssary lor group living, such as
storagc shcds, granarics, and a bathhousc.
Tcy didnt nccd to dig down to crcatc thc stablcs, though. Tat
had bccn donc during thc Fatimid rulc ol Jcrusalcm. At lcast thc Fati
mids had clcarcd out thc vaults ol thc ancicnt palacc. Vhcthcr thc
vaults had bccn built by Solomon or King Hcrod or somconc clsc,
thcy wcrc idcal lor thc numbcr ol warhorscs, packhorscs, and camcls
that thc Tcmplars nccdcd. !n around ..,c Jcwish pilgrim, 8cnjamin ol
Tudcla, notcd that thrcc hundrcd knights livcd in thc Tcmplc ol Solo
mon. Hc also mcntioncd thc stablcs, which hc also thought wcrc lrom
thc timc ol Solomon.
vcr thc ycars thc Tcmplars wcrc continually making rcpairs on
thc buildings. Ncarby, thcy startcd building a ncw church. Tcy also
did work on thc cxtcrior walls ol thc Tcmplc Mount and thc Singlc
Gatc, lcading to thc stablcs, as wcll as thc Hulda Gatc, through which
onc could go into thc undcrground rooms ol thc mosquc.
A thirtccnthccntury pilgrim dcscribcd thc Tcmplc Mount: n thc
right, as you camc through thc gatcs, was thc Tcmplc ol Solomon,
whcrc thc brothcrs ol thc Tcmplc livcd. ircctly bctwccn thc Prccious
Gatcs and thc Goldcn Gatcs was thc church ol thc Tcmplc omini.
Tis was high up, abovc stccp stcps. Going up thcm, you camc to an
othcr Pavcmcnt, . . . pavcd ovcr its wholc cxtcnt with marblc and cn
tircly surrounding thc Tcmplc church. Tc church was complctcly
circular.
!l thc Tcmplars spcnt timc in digging down to what thcy thought
would bc thc sccrct inncr chambcrs ol Solomons Tcmplc as somc
pcoplc havc suggcstcd, thcy dont appcar to havc lclt any cvidcncc ol
it. !l Solomon had lclt a trcasurc, thc Fatimids would havc lound it
during thcir cxcavations. !n thcir rst ycars in alAqsa mosquc, thc
Tcmplars probably had all thcy could do just to kccp thc placc lrom
lalling down on thcir hcads.
Vhilc many ol thc surviving Tcmplar and Hospitallcr churchcs in
thc Vcst arc round or octagonal, both military ordcrs also constructcd
morc traditional churchcs. Tc Tcmplar castlcs at Tortosa and Chastcl
8lanc wcrc rcctangular, as wcrc many in ngland and Francc.
Vhcn Saladin conqucrcd Jcrusalcm in ..,, onc ol thc rst things
hc did was to cradicatc any tracc ol thc Tcmplars. Tis mcant tcaring
down thc church thcy had just nishcd building and clcaring out thc
spacc around and within thc alAqsa mosquc so that it could bc uscd
again. ast ol thc qibla thcy had built a big housc and anothcr church.
Saladin had thc two structurcs rcmovcd and unvcilcd thc bridal lacc
ol thc mihrab. Tcn hc had thc wall in lront ol it takcn down and thc
courtyards around it clcarcd so that thc pcoplc coming in on Friday
should havc plcnty ol room.
73 The Temple in Jerusalem
! wondcr il thc pcoplc who think that thc Tcmplars lound arti
lacts in Jcrusalcm havc bccn conlusing it with thc building donc at
Chatcau Pclcrin (Athlit). Vhcn thcy wcrc digging thc loundations lor
thc church thcrc, thcy uncovcrcd a numbcr ol Phocnician coins. Tc
chroniclcr at thc timc was intrigucd by thcsc picccs ol moncy with
unknown markings on thcm. Tc chapcl thcrc was twclvcsidcd.
Tc Knights ol thc Tcmplc ol Solomon only had thc Tcmplc lor
sixtycight ycars. Altcr thc loss ol Jcrusalcm, thcy movcd thcir hcad
quartcrs to Acrc.
J Jacqucs dc \itry, Histoire Orientale, tr. Maric Gcnvivc Grosscl (Paris, acc) p. .,.
2 Quotcd in Adrian J. 8oas, Jerusalem in the Time of the Crusades: Society, Landscape and Art in the
Holy City under Frankish Rule (London: Routlcdgc, acc.) p. ,.
3 !bid.
4 cnys Pringlc, Architccturc in thc Latin ast, .c.cc, in Te Oxford Illustrated History
of the Crusades, cd. Jonathan RilcySmith (xlord: xlord Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. .6,.
5 8oas, p. ..
6 !bid., p. .
7 8cnjamin ol Tudcla, in Travels in the Middle Ages: Te Itinerary of Benjamin of Tudela, tr. A. Ashcr
(Malibu: Panglos Prcss, .,) rcprint ol .c cdition, p. .
8 8oas, p. .
9 Crusader Syria in the Tirteenth Century: Te Rothelin Continuation of the History of William of
Tyre with part of the Eracles or Acre Text, tr. Janct Shirlcy (Ashgatc, Aldcrshot, .) p. .,.
J0 Pringlc, p. .6.
JJ !bn alAthir, in Arab Historians of the Crusades, cd. and tr. Franccsco Gabriclli (orsct, .6) p.
.6.
J2 livcr ol Padcrborn, Te Capture of Damietta, tr. John J. Gavigan (Univcrsity ol Pcnnsylvania
Prcss, .) chaptcr , p. ..
J3 Pringlc, p. .6. Tcrc could bc all sorts ol mystical rcasons lor this or it could havc somcthing to
do with thc land thc castlc was built on, a promontory sticking into thc sca.
CH A P T I R T HI R T I I N
Te Popes Get Involved
(You Knew Tey Would)
O
nc ol thc modcrn complaints about thc Tcmplars, and thc basis
lor many ol thc conspiracy thcorics about thcm, is that thcy
wcrc solcly undcr thc dircction ol thc popc, owing allcgiancc to no lo
cal bishop or lord. Tcyvc bccn madc out to bc a sort ol papal maa,
lrcc to carry out sccrct missions to lurthcr somc dark \atican agcnda.
!t is truc that thc Tcmplars wcrc lrcc ol control by thc local bish
ops. Howcvcr, this is also truc ol thc Hospitallers. Also, many ol thc
grcat monastic ordcrs, such as thc Cistcrcians, thc Franciscans, and
thc Cluniacs, wcrc undcr thc solc authority ol thc popc. All ol thcsc
ordcrs had houscs in many tcrritorics and this libcration lrom local
bishops was an attcmpt to kccp thc monks lrom bccoming involvcd in
local politics. !t didnt always work but that was thc plan.
Lcts look at thc privilcgcs that various popcs gavc to thc Tcm
plars and othcr ordcrs.
Tc rst papal bull, or conrmation ol privilcgcs, lor thc Tcm
plars was issucd by Popc !nnoccnt !! on March a, .., tcn ycars altcr
thc Council of Troyes approvcd thc Tcmplar Rulc. Tc dclay in doing
this was cntircly duc to lack ol intcrcst. !nnoccnt had spcnt most ol his
papacy wandcring through Francc bccausc thc Romans had clcctcd
anothcr man, Anaclctus !!, as popc and thcy rcluscd to lct !nnoccnt
75 The Popes Get Involved (You Knew They Would)
into Romc. Hc didnt gct back thcrc until Anaclctus dicd. Tc Tcm
plars wcrcnt all that high on his agcnda.
8y tradition, papal bulls arc known by thc rst lcw words in thcm.
Tc bull ol .. was titlcd Omne Datum Optimum or cvcry good gilt.
Tc gilt in qucstion is thc Tcmplars thcmsclvcs, whom God had turncd
lrom livcs ol sccular violcncc to thc protcction ol Christianity.
Normally such pronounccmcnts lrom popcs lor monastic ordcrs
covcrcd topics such as lrccdom lrom paying tithcs to local bishops, thc
right ol thc monks to clcct thcir own abbots, and othcr mattcrs that
lrccd thc monastic ordcrs lrom local domination. Tis libcrty was cx
trcmcly important as many monastcrics and convcnts had bccomc lit
tlc morc than outposts lor thc noblc lamilics ol thc rcgion and thcir
propcrty was all too oltcn uscd lor thc good ol thc clan, not thc
Church.
Omne Datum Optimum had somcwhat dicrcnt wording lrom thc
usual monastic grant. Most monks wcrc not told, You labor without
lcar in ghting thc cncmics ol Christ. . . . Tosc things that you takc
lrom thcir spoils you may in all condcncc convcrt lor your own uscs,
and wc lorbid that you should bc lorccd to givc a part ol thcm to any
onc against your will. 8asically, this mcant that thc Tcmplars could
kccp whatcvcr thcy could grab lrom thc Saracens. Tc avcragc uro
pc an monastcry rarcly, il cvcr, raiscd an army or plundcrcd towns.
8ooty was ccrtainly a grcat motivator lor soldicrs and a handy way
ol gctting opcrating lunds, but this was to causc rcscntmcnt latcr. Tc
Tcmplars wcrc somctimcs accuscd ol lctting thcir dcsirc lor plundcr
ovcrcomc common scnsc. A classic cxamplc is whcn Villiam ol Tyrc
accuscd Grand Mastcr 8crnard ol Trcmclay ol charging into thc city
ol Ascalon rst and not lctting anyonc but Tcmplars lollow him bc
causc hc didnt want to sharc. Vc dont know 8crnards sidc ol this
bccausc hc and all his mcn wcrc killcd in thc chargc.
thcr privilcgcs wcrc morc convcntional. Tc Tcmplars wcrc put
undcr thc protcction ol thc Holy Scc. Any crimcs thcy might bc ac
cuscd ol wcrc to bc judgcd by thc popc alonc. Tc mcn wcrc to livc a
monastic lilc, in chastity, without pcrsonal goods, and obcdicnt to thc
mastcr ol thc ordcr. nly thc mastcr had thc right to changc anything
in thc Rulc. No brothcr was to bc allowcd to lcavc thc Tcmplars lor
anothcr rcligious ordcr. Tcsc privilcgcs wcrc sharcd by othcr monastic
ordcrs.
!nnoccnt addcd his pcrsonal support lor thc ordcr by donating an
annual gilt ol onc mark ol gold.
nc thing that thc Tcmplars wcrc not allowcd to do was prcach.
Tis must havc bccn comlorting to thc local pricsts and bishops.
Tcmplars could havc thcir own chapcls but thc implication is that
Mass would bc said by a local pricst. Howcvcr, an cxccption was
whcn thcy wcnt on thcir rccruiting tours. At lcast thcrc arc many
rcc ords indicating that thcy did prcach in thcir corts to gain ncw
mcmbcrs.
Tc Hospitallcrs alrcady had a similar chartcr, minus thc booty, as
carly as .... !n it thcy wcrc givcn papal protcction, lrccdom lrom local
tithcs, and thc right to clcct thcir own mastcr.
Tc right to choosc thc mastcrs ol thc commandcrics was an im
portant onc. Tc popcs and thc lay rulcrs ol uropc had bccn ghting
ovcr this lor many ycars. Princcs wishcd to nominatc thcir own candi
datcs as abbots or bishops. ltcn thcsc wcrc rclativcs or mcn to whom
thcy owcd lavors. Tc popcs and many ol thc local churchmcn wcrc
opposcd to this lor many rcasons, thc lcast ol which was that thc char
actcr and intclligcncc ol thc uppcr clcrgy wcnt down whcn kings
chosc thcm. 8ishops wcrc supposcd to bc clcctcd by thc pcoplc and
clcrgy ol thcir communitics, as was thc popc. !n practicc, this was
rarcly thc casc and thc popcs wcrc ncvcr ablc to complctcly lrcc thc
clcction ol bishops lrom thc control ol thc lay rulcrs. 8ut with multi
national monastic ordcrs, such as thc Cistcrcians, Franciscans, Hospi
tallcrs, and Tcmplars, thcy had much morc succcss.
All ol thcsc ordcrs wcrc rcscntcd at onc timc or anothcr bccausc ol
thcsc privilcgcs. 8ut in .. thc Tcmplars rcccivcd onc morc that rc
ally had local bishops and pricsts sccing rcd.
Tis bull is known as Milites Templi (Knights ol thc Tcmplc). !t
acknowlcdgcs that kccping a monk in horscs and armor costs a lot morc
than robcs and sandals. Tcrclorc thc popc, Cclcstinc !!, cncouragcd
all thc laithlul to donatc as much as thcy could. vcn morc, to thosc
who wcrc willing to donatc an annual amount, thc popc would allow
thcm to rcducc by onc scvcnth thc amount ol any pcnancc imposcd on
thcm.
Tis part was acccptablc to thc bishops and pricsts, who could al
ways just up thc pcnancc by a scvcnth il thcy lclt likc it. Tc scrious
problcm camc ncxt:
Vhcn thc brothcrs ol that Tcmplc who havc bccn scnt to rcccivc
thc contributions cntcr a city, castlc or villagc, il any placc should
bc undcr an intcrdict, churchcs should bc opcncd oncc a ycar to
grcct thcm in a lricndly manncr in honour ol thc Tcmplc and in
rcspcct lor thcsc knights, and divinc occs should bc cclcbratcd
without thc prcscncc ol cxcommunicants.
Popcs and bishops had two wcapons to convincc Christians to
obcy Church law. Tc rst was cxcommunication. Tat mcant that thc
individual ocndcr could not cntcr a church or rcccivc thc sacramcnts.
!t also mcant that no othcr Christians could associatc with him. !t was
hopcd that thc social problcms this would causc would bring thc pcr
son around.
Tc sccond was intcrdict. Tis was particularly usclul against kings
and othcr important pcoplc who lound cxcommunication no morc
than an annoyancc. Tc idca was to punish thc pcoplc ol thc land lor
thc sins ol thc rulcr. So in a country undcr intcrdict, no masscs could bc
said and no onc marricd. Pcoplc could not go to conlcssion or rcccivc
communion. All that was pcrmittcd was baptism and, lor thosc not
pcrsonally cxcommunicatcd, last ritcs.
Vhat Popc Cclcstinc was allowing mcant that thc pcoplc in a
town undcr intcrdict could rush in oncc a ycar and takc carc ol thcir
sacramcntal nccds. !t also mcant that thc Tcmplars rcccivcd thc littlc
thankyou donations lor this that would normally havc gonc to thc lo
cal pricsts and which thcy hadnt bccn ablc to collcct with thc churchcs
all closcd.
nc can scc how this might causc bad lccling bctwccn thc Tcm
plars and thc local clcrgy. Tis only incrcascd whcn thc Tcmplars
acquircd churchcs ol thcir own, in dircct compctition with thc na
tivc pricsts.
Tc right to build thcir own churchcs camc thc ncxt ycar with
thc ncxt popc, ugcnius !!!. !n .., hc issucd thc bull Militia Dei
(Knighthood ol God). ugcnius kncw that this wouldnt go ovcr
wcll with thc rcgular clcrgy, so hc tricd to sugarcoat thc mcssagc to
thcm:
Vc bclicvc that it docs not cscapc thc noticc ol your lratcrnity
how usclul to thc castcrn church, . . . how plcasing to God is thc
knighthood ol God, which is callcd ol thc Tcmplc. . . . And sincc
thcy livc in a rcligious manncr and strivc lovingly to attcnd divinc
scrviccs, wc conccdc to thcm thc right to rccruit anywhcrc pricsts
suitablc lor thcir scrvicc who arc propcrly ordaincd and who havc
bccn grantcd pcrmission by thcir bishop. To thcsc brothcrs wish
ing to providc lor this morc lully and not in any way wishing to di
minish your parochial rights or remove tithes or oerings of burials wc
grant thcm pcrmission to build oratorics in placc adjaccnt to it
|thc Tcmplc|, whcrc thc houschold livcs, in which to hcar thc di
vinc scrviccs and indccd it is almost latal to thc souls ol rcligious
brothcrs to minglc with crowds ol mcn and to mcct womcn on thc
occasion ol going to church. (italics minc)
Tcsc thrcc bulls arc thc main grants givcn to thc Tcmplars by thc
popcs. For thc most part, thcy contain nothing that othcr ordcrs
hadnt rcccivcd. spccially in thc twcllth ccntury, thc main locus ol
thc popcs in rcgard to thc Latin kingdoms was to gct mcn and moncy
cnough to kccp thc lands won by thc rst crusadcrs. Tc popcs clcarly
statc that thc work ol thc Tcmplars is lor thc prcscrvation ol thc
Christian statcs in thc Holy Land.
Howcvcr, it sccms that both thc Tcmplars and thc Hospitallcrs
took advantagc ol thcir privilcgcs. At thc Tird Latcran Council in
..,, at which Popc Alcxandcr !!! prcsidcd, thc complaints ol thc
clcrgy wcrc addrcsscd. 8oth military ordcrs wcrc accuscd ol acccpting
churchcs lrom laymcn and ol allowing pcoplc who had bccn cxcom
municatcd to rcccivc thc sacramcnts in thcir churchcs and to bc buricd
in thcir ccmctcrics. 8oth ordcrs had also hircd and rcd pricsts with
out thc conscnt ol thc local bishop. !n short thcy wcrc sapping thc
authority ol thc rcgular clcrgy.
Tc council dccrccd that thc Tcmplars and Hospitallcrs wcrc to stop
this at oncc or thcy would nd thcmsclvcs undcr intcrdict.
Tis was not thc last timc that thc military ordcrs would bc
criticizcd lor taking advantagc ol papal cxcmptions. Tc complaints
in .., wcrc against both thc Hospitallcrs and thc Tcmplars but in
.ac,, Popc !nnoccnt !!! lclt thc nccd to writc to thc Tcmplars, spc
cically that thcy arc so unbridlcd in thcir pridc that thcy do not
hcsitatc to disgurc thcir mothcr, thc church ol Romc, which by its
lavours has not ccascd to chcrish thc brcthrcn ol thc knighthood ol
thc Tcmplc.
nc ol thc statcmcnts madc about thc Tcmplars in somc ction and
cvcn in supposcd nonction and documcntarics, is that thcy had somc
sort ol hold ovcr thc papacy that allowcd thcm to gct away with a grcat
dcal. Tcrc is nothing in thc rcc ords that indicatcs this at all. Tc Tcm
plars wcrc only onc ol scvcral monastic ordcrs that answcrcd dircctly to
thc popc. And, as thc council dccrccs and thc lcttcr lrom Popc !nnoccnt
show, il thcy abuscd thcir privilcgcs, thcy would bc slappcd down.
!ts quitc possiblc that somc, cvcn many, ol thc Tcmplars wcrc ar
rogant and took advantagc ol thc grant ol opcning thcir churchcs to
thosc undcr intcrdict. Tcy ccrtainly did all thcy could to gct lunds.
Pridc and grccd wcrc thc two sins most oltcn attributcd to both thc
Tcmplars and thc Hospitallcrs. Tis problcm grcw dircctly lrom thc gilts
that thc popcs had bcstowcd on thcm in ordcr to cnsurc thc salcty ol
pilgrims to Jcrusalcm.
8ut as to somc dark and sccrct alliancc bctwccn thc papacy and
thc Tcmplars, that is ncvcr cvcn hintcd at, not during thcir two hun
drcd ycars ol cxistcncc, not at thcir trial, not cvcn altcr thc trial.
ncc again, twcnticthccntury writcrs sccm to bc thc sourcc ol
this myth.
J Tis happcncd all thc timc. For a history ol thc mcdicval papacy scc !. S. Robinson, Te Papacy
10731198, Continuity and Innovation (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .c), and Valtcr Ullmann,
A Short History of the Papacy in the Middle Ages (Routlcdgc, acc). Anaclctus camc lrom a Jcwish
lamily but that wasnt thc rcason hc wasnt acccptcd by northcrn uropc. !t was politics.
2 Omne Datum Optimum in Te Templars, tr. and annotatcd Malcolm 8arbcr and Kcith 8atc
(Manchcstcr Univcrsity Prcss, acca) pp. 6. A vcry handy book lor thc most important
Tcmplar documcnts in translation.
3 !bid., p. 6c.
4 Villiam ol Tyrc, .,, a,, pp. ,,.
5 Tis was a largc bonc ol contcntion whcn Philip the Fair ordcrcd thc arrest and trial of the
Templars without thc pcrmission ol Popc Clcmcnt \.
6 8arbcr and 8atc, p. 6.. Tis last was not lollowcd whcn Mastcr vcrard dc 8arrcs lclt thc Tcm
plars to join thc Cistcrcians in ...
7 CharlcsJoscph Hclclc and om H. Lcclcrcq, Histoire de Conciles \ol. \ (Paris, ..a) p. ,..
8 8arbcr and 8atc, p. 6.
9 Cartulaire General de lOrdre des Hospitaliers de S. Jean de Jerusalem 11001310, \ol ., cd. J. clavillc
Lc Roulx (Paris, .).
J0 Although scvcral ol thc Grand Mastcrs ol thc Tcmplc sccm to havc bccn clcctcd bccausc ol
thcir conncctions to rulcrs. Scc thc two chaptcrs on thc Grand Mastcrs.
JJ ! supposc this was rathcr likc gctting a tax brcak lor charitablc donations today.
J2 8arbcr and 8atc, p. 6.
J3 ! am gratclul to Prol. Jamcs 8rundagc lor clarilying intcrdict lor mc. His books Law, Sex and
Christian Society in Medieval Europe (Chicago: Univcrsity ol Chicago Prcss, .,) and Medieval
Canon Law and the Crusader (Univcrsity ol Visconsin, .6) arc both trcmcndously usclul and
intcrcsting.
J4 8arbcr and 8atc, p. 66.
J5 HclclcLcclcrcq, p. .c, robur cpiscopalis authoritatis cncrvant.
J6 !bid., Si vcro Tcmplarii sivc Hospitalarii as ccclcsiasticum intcrdictum vcncrint.
J7 Quotcd in Alan Forcy, Te Military Orders (London, .a) p. ac.
J8 Plcasc scc chaptcr a, Templars and Money, lor morc on this.
CH A P T I R I OU R T I I N
Te Second Crusade
F
or somc timc thc lcadcrs ol thc crusadcr statcs had bccn tclling
anyonc who would listcn that thcy nccdcd hclp, not just moncy,
but manpowcr. Tc rcsponsc was slow until thc lall ol thc city ol
dcssa to thc Scljuk atabcg Zcngi in ... dcssa was thc rst ol thc
crusadcr statcs to bc scttlcd. !t had always bccn a Christian town and
was still populatcd mostly by astcrn Christians. !t was also thc lar
thcst cast ol thc crusadcr lands, in an arca dicult to dclcnd and lar
lrom aid.
Tc shock ol losing dcssa sccmcd to comc at thc right timc to
push thc king ol Francc, Louis \!!, thcn in his mid twcntics, to dc
clarc that hc would takc thc cross. A couplc ol ycars bclorc, in an al
tcrcation with Tibaud, count ol Champagnc, Louis had bccn carricd
away with youthlul cncrgy and sct rc to a church in thc town ol
\itry. Tat was bad cnough, but thc church happcncd to bc lull ol thc
townspcoplc, who had gonc thcrc lor rclugc. About thirtccn hundrcd
pcoplc wcrc burncd alivc.
Louis was a scnsitivc pcrson and this wcighcd on his conscicncc.
Somc say that thc king, touchcd by pity and owing with tcars . . . soon
dccidcd on undcrtaking a pilgrimagc to Jcrusalcm.
l coursc, Louis didnt act on this at oncc. 8ut whcn dcssa was
takcn, and Popc ugcnius !!! issucd a bull calling lor thc Vcst to
comc to thc aid ol thc Latin kingdoms, Louis was thc rst onc to sign
up. At his Christmas court in 8ourgcs in .., hc told his lollowcrs
that hc was going to answcr thc call.
Tc rcsponsc was a big yawn and a rcturn to holiday lun.
Louis didnt havc thc charisma to convincc his lricnds to lcavc
thcir homcs lor an arduous journcy cast. Hc nccdcd somconc to rc up
thc troops.
Popc ugcnius wantcd to bc thc onc to do it. Hc hopcd to comc to
Francc and prcach thc crusadc as his prc dc ccs sor, Urban !!, had donc
in .c, but hc was having somc troublc with thc population ol Romc,
who had thrown him out and rccstablishcd thc Scnatc, so thc popc
turncd to his mcntor, Bernard of Clairvaux.
So, on astcr ol ..6, Louis and his court gathcrcd at thc Church
ol Mary Magdalcnc at \zclay, Francc, to hcar Abbot 8crnard prcach
thc crusadc. Popc ugcnius had gladly scnt along thc rcquisitc papal
lcttcrs promising thc rcmission ol sins lor any who wcnt with thc king
and also protcction lor thc lamilics who staycd bchind.
8crnards wcllknown gilt ol pcrsuasion workcd. Tc crowd was
so thick that thcy knockcd ovcr thc platlorm thc king and abbot wcrc
standing on but, miraculously, no onc was hurt. Tc cnthusiasm was
such that cvcn thc quccn, lcanor ol Aquitainc, took thc cross along
with thc wivcs ol many ol thc noblcs and at lcast onc ol Louis unmar
ricd lcmalc cousins.
As prcparations bcgan lor thc grcat cxpcdition, Abbot 8crnard
lcarncd that anothcr timchonorcd crusading custom was bcing ob
scrvcd: thc massacrc ol Jcws in thc Rhincland. Hc rushcd to Gcrmany
to put a stop to this. Vhilc hc was thcrc, hc managcd to convincc thc
Holy Roman mpcror Conrad !!! ol Gcrmany to mount his own cx
pcdition. !n his ltics, Conrad was originally not intcrcstcd in a trip
to Jcrusalcm, hcd alrcady bccn thcrc. Hc also had cnough problcms
in his own land. 8ut 8crnard was too publicly insistcnt.
Tcmplars wcrc most involvcd with thc Frcnch army. Tc mastcr
ol thc Temple in Paris, vcrard dc 8arrcs, was prcvailcd upon to hclp
with orga nizing thc cxpcdition. 8y April ..,, just bclorc thc king
and his army lclt, vcrard had gathcrcd togcthcr .c Knights ol thc
83 The Second Crusade
Tcmplc, wcaring thc whitc cloaks to accompany thc king and quccn.
Tat mcans thcrc wcrc at lcast thrcc timcs as many scrgcants and scr
vants ol thc Tcmplc in Paris at thc timc, as wcll. Tat may havc bccn
thc largcst numbcr ol knights in onc placc outsidc ol thc Latin king
doms and it must havc bccn an imprcssivc sight.
Tc Tcmplars rcccivcd donations grcat and small at this timc, but
not as many as onc might think. !n onc chartcr, 8crnard ol 8alliol gavc
thc ordcr land in ngland that hc had rcccivcd lrom Hcnry !. Tat was
a good haul. 8ut thc only othcr chartcrs lrom this timc rccordcd in
Paris arc lrom 8artholomcw, a dcan ol Notrc amc, who gavc thc
Tcmplars sixty sous, and lrom a woman namcd Gcnta, who gavc thcm
a mill, but only altcr shc was dcad. Shc lastcd a long timc.
cspitc thc lact that Rogcr ol Sicily had ocrcd ships to takc thc
Frcnch to thc Holy Land, Louis and his army dccidcd to takc thc land
routc, as thc First Crusadc had donc. Tcy lclt Paris on Junc .., ..,,
and arrivcd a lcw days latcr in Mctz, whcrc thc gcncral mustcr took
placc.
The Templars and the Army
of the French
Tc Gcrmans undcr Conrad had gonc on ahcad ol thc Frcnch crusad
crs and that crcatcd somc problcms lor Louis and company, as thc in
habitants ol thc lands thcy wcnt through wcrc running out ol supplics
and goodwill by thc timc thc Frcnch arrivcd. do ol cuil, a monk
lrom St. cnis who accompanicd Louis, complains that thc moncy
changcrs chcatcd thcm and that thc citizcns rcluscd to scll goods at a
lair pricc. Tcrclorc, thc pilgrims, unwilling to cndurc want in thc
midst ol plcnty, procurcd nccdcd supplics lor thcmsclvcs by plundcr
and pillagc.
Mastcr vcrard dc 8arrcs wasnt prcscnt whcn this happcncd. Hc
had bccn scnt ahcad to Constantinoplc, with othcr ambassadors, to
hclp smooth thc way lor thc dcmanding pilgrims.
!t was a dicult task. do blamcd thc Grccks lor bcing grccdy
and trcachcrous but ! imaginc that cvcn rcadcrs in his own timc might
havc wondcrcd what thcy would do il ovcrrun by armcd pilgrims
who wcrc lurious at not bcing lcd and shcltcrcd at what thcy consid
crcd a lair pricc.
vcrard won a grcat dcal ol praisc lor his calming ol thc situation
whcn thc Frcnch wcrc attackcd as thcy approachcd Constantinoplc.
Tc cmpcror, Manucl, was smart cnough not to lct thc crusadcrs in
sidc thc city but allowcd thcm to camp outsidc and sct up a markct lor
thcm. Hc did invitc Louis and lcanor and lcw noblcs in lor an audi
cncc but was clcarly rclicvcd whcn thc cxpcdition lclt.
Journey to Antioch
ncc thc Frcnch lclt Constantinoplc thc Tcmplars lormcd thc lront
and rcar guard lor thc army. vcrard must havc lclt that hc was hcrd
ing cats. !t wasnt just Quccn lcanor and hcr womcn, although a latcr
chroniclcr blamcd thcm lor coming along at all. Tc wivcs could not
managc without thcir maids, and thus in that Christian army, whcrc
chastity should havc prcvailcd, a hordc ol womcn was milling about.
Tcrc wcrc also hundrcds ol hangcrs on among thc soldicrs: pil
grims, craltsmcn, lamilics ol thc soldicrs, camp lollowcrs, and othcrs.
Tcsc pcoplc, including thc young and rowdy knights, had no disci
plinc and many wcrc wcakcncd by illncss and thc wcathcr, which was
turning cold and rainy as wintcr approachcd.
Tc worst ol thc carly sctbacks occurrcd in January .. at Cad
mus Mountain, in what is today wcstcrn Turkcy. !l anyonc still sup
poscd that a pilgrimagc was a good way to cvadc punishmcnt lor thcir
sins, this would havc convinccd thcm that purgatory could providc
nothing worsc. Tcy may havc thought it casicr to spcnd a lcw ccntu
rics thcrc than cndurc anothcr day on thc crusadc.
Tc army was alrcady wcakcncd by cold, lack ol lood, and discasc
whcn thcy camc to Cadmus. Tc vanguard ol thc army crosscd thc
mountain and bcgan to sct up camp on thc othcr sidc. Tc rcst lollowcd,
slowcd by pack animals and panicky noncombatants. Tcy climbcd a
narrow ridgc up thc sidc ol thc mountain with a stccp drop on onc
sidc. do ol cuil dcscribcs thc sccnc.
Hcrc thc throng bccamc congcstcd whilc asccnding, pushcd lor
ward, thcn crowdcd closc togcthcr, stoppcd, and, taking no
thought lor thc cavalry |equo, pcrhaps thc horscs| clung thcrc in
stcad ol going ahcad. Sumptcr horscs slippcd lrom thc stccp clis,
hurling thosc whom thcy struck into thc dcpths ol thc chasm. . . .
Morcovcr, thc Turks and Grccks, thcir arrows prcvcnting thc lallcn
lrom rising again, throngcd against thc othcr part ol our army and
rcjoiccd at this sight, . . . Tcy crosscd against us, sincc thcy no
longcr lcarcd thc vanguard |that was alrcady on thc othcr sidc ol
thc mountain| and did not yct scc thc rcar guard. Tcy thrust and
slashcd, and thc dclcnsclcss crowd lcll likc shccp.
nc can imaginc thc horror ol this, thc rain making thc path
slick, thc pcoplc pushing at cach othcr, scrcams ol horscs and humans
as thcy lcll into thc abyss. Addcd to this was thc tcrror ol thc arrows
ying toward thcm in thc dimming January light.
do was scnt back to nd King Louis and tcll him what was hap
pcning. Tc king and his mcn rushcd to hclp but had to pass through
thc cncmy in ordcr to do so. Louis lost his horsc and barcly cscapcd. !t
was not a good day lor thc Frcnch.
!t was gcncrally considcrcd that Gcorcy ol Rancon, who was
lcading thc vanguard, was rcsponsiblc lor thc disastcr. Hc had bccn
told not to cross thc mountain pass but to protcct thc body ol thc
army. Gcorcy was onc ol thc quccns mcn, so shc was also criticizcd
and somc said it was shc who told Gcorcy to go on so that shc and
hcr ladics could scttlc in lor thc night. Tis is somcthing that wcll
ncvcr know thc truth ol. ! imaginc that cvcryonc did what madc scnsc
to thcm at thc timc without rcalizing what might happcn.
Actually, thc only oncs who camc out ol thc cpisodc looking good
wcrc vcrard dc 8arrcs and thc Tcmplars. Tc Tcmplars and thc
Mastcr ol thc Tcmplc, Lord vcrard ol 8arrcs, who should bc rcvcrcd
lor his picty and who lurnishcd thc army an honorablc cxamplc . . .
protcctcd thc pcoplc as couragcously as possiblc. Actually, at thc
timc, vcrard was only mastcr ol thc Tcmplc in Paris. Robcrt ol Craon
was still mastcr in thc Holy Land. 8ut as lar as do was conccrncd,
vcrard was thc onc calling thc shots.
Tc ncxt day it was dccidcd that thc Tcmplars would lcad thc
army thc rcst ol thc way and that cvcryonc would obcy thcm, cvcn thc
king. Tis workcd wcll cnough that thc army madc it to Adalia on
January ac, ... To survivc, many ol thc horscs wcrc slaughtcrcd lor
stcw. nly thc Tcmplars rcluscd to kill thcir warhorscs, although thc
mcn wcrc starving. Tis also provcd important, as it mcant that thc
Tcmplars wcrc ablc to ght o anothcr Turkish attack and convincc
thc Turks that thc army was strongcr than was rcally thc casc.
Altcr this advcnturc, Louis was convinccd to nish thc journcy to
Antioch by boat.
Antioch Interlude
Louis and lcanors stay in Antioch docsnt immcdiatcly conccrn thc
Tcmplars, but it did acct thc coursc ol thc crusadc and, indircctly,
thc luturc ol Francc. Tcy wcrc wclcomcd to Antioch by Raymond,
lcanors unclc, who had bccn brought lrom Poiticrs tcn ycars carlicr
to marry Constancc, thc hcircss ol Antioch, who was thcn agcd about
ninc. Constancc, by thc way, was Louis sccond cousin, so it was a
big lamily rcunion.
do ol cuil lcts us down as to what happcncd ncxt, hc stoppcd
his chroniclc bclorc thc arrival at Antioch. John ol Salisbury was in
Romc at thc timc and rcportcd thc gossip. Tc king bccamc suspi
cious ol thc lamiliarity ol thc princc with thc quccn and his ncarly
constant convcrsation with hcr. Soon Louis dccidcd hc had staycd
long cnough at Raymonds court and prcparcd to hcad on lor Jcrusa
lcm, but lcanor had had cnough. Shc told hcr husband that shcd
wait lor him in Antioch. Louis, known lor having a short lusc, lorccd
hcr to comc with him.
Although thcrc is no cvidcncc that thc quccn committcd adul
tcry, this story has cntcrcd thc lcgcnd ol lcanor ol Aquitainc, a
pcrson who is thc ccntcr ol as many myths and lcgcnds as thc Tcm
plars. Pcrsonally, ! doubt it. lcanor may wcll havc irtcd with hcr
unclc but shc would havc lound it hard to do much morc. Shc was
surroundcd by scrvants and companions most ol thc timc. Also this
cpisodc was not mcntioncd thrcc ycars latcr whcn lcanor and Louis
nally divorccd. For Raymonds part, hc would havc rcmcmbcrcd
that hc only hcld Antioch through his wilc and not wantcd to risk
losing it. 8ut hormoncs havc oltcn ovcrwhclmcd common scnsc. An
aair is possiblc, but not provcn. Tat didnt stop thc rumors lrom
ying, ol coursc. As with thc Trials of the Templars, scx always
spiccs up a story.
Tinking that cvcrything was nc, vcrard dc 8arrcs lclt thc king
and his party and wcnt to Acrc to try to gct togcthcr moncy to lcnd to
Louis and Conrad entering Antioch. A late and fanciful depiction of the Second Crusade.
(Te British Library)
Louis. Tc king had not countcd on losing horscs, propcrty, or bat
tlcs and lound himscll a bit short on cash. Hc was lorccd to writc
homc to Sugcr, abbot ol St. cnis and rcgcnt whilc hc and thc quccn
wcrc gonc. Tc lcttcrs sound vcry much likc a collcgc studcnt who has
just discovcrcd thc pricc ol books and bccr. ! couldnt havc known
how much it would cost in so short a timc, hc writcs.
Louis wound up owing thc Tcmplars thirty thousand solidos, about
hall his ycarly incomc. And hc owcd othcrs bcsidc thc Tcmplars. A
spccial tax had bccn lcvicd to pay lor thc cxpcdition but, as lcadcrs
havc discovcrcd sincc, wars always run ovcr budgct, cspccially il you
losc. Tis sccms to havc bccn thc rst timc that a king ol Francc cn
tcrcd into an cconomic arrangcmcnt with thc Tcmplars. !t was thc
start ol a long and, ultimatcly, latal rclationship.
Disaster at Damascus
Vhilc Louis was lrctting at Antioch, Conrad ol Gcrmany was back
in Constantinoplc, rccovcring lrom illncss. Mcanwhilc Alphonsc Jor
dan, count ol Toulousc, who had bccn born in thc Holy Land, arrivcd
at Acrc by ship with his lorccs.
Altcr hc rccovcrcd, Conrad arrivcd in Jcrusalcm a littlc ahcad ol
thc othcrs. Hc staycd in thc palacc ol thc Tcmplars, whcrc oncc thc
royal housc, which is also thc Tcmplc ol Solomon, was built. Altcr
playing tourist lor a whilc, Conrad wcnt back to Acrc, whcrc hc tricd
to convincc his lcdup knights to stay long cnough to attack amas
cus. For hc had agrccd with thc king ol that Land |8aldwin !!!| and
thc patriarch and thc Knights ol thc Tcmplc to takc amascus.
Vc havc accounts as to what happcncd ncxt both lrom thc Chris
tian chroniclcrs and lrom !bn alQalanisi, who was in amascus at
thc timc. 8oth sidcs agrcc that thcrc was a trucc in ccct bctwccn Jc
rusalcm and amascus. Nur adin, Zcngis succcssor, who had cap
turcd dcssa, was Sunni and answcrcd to thc caliph ol 8aghdad,
whilc thc majority ol pcoplc in amascus wcrc Shiitc and supportcd
thc Fatimid caliphs ol gypt. Tc amaccncs lcarcd Nur adin as
much as thc crusadcrs did. So thcrc is somc conlusion about why
Louis and Conrad wcrc adviscd to invadc thc city.
!t was a warm day in latc May .. whcn thc army sct out. King
8aldwin !!! was in thc lcad, sincc hc kncw thc way, lollowcd by Louis,
with Conrad bringing up thc rcar. Tcy dccidcd to bcsicgc thc city
by going through thc orchard that strctchcd out lor milcs to thc wcst
and north and up to thc city walls. Villiam ol Tyrc, who was in school
in Francc at thc timc, says that thcy pickcd this routc so that thc army
would not lack lor thc convcnicncc ol lruit and watcr.
Tc army had no chancc to picnic, howcvcr, as it was attackcd
rst by thc pcasants tcnding thc orchards and thcn by cavalry lrom
thc city. Howcvcr, thc crusadcrs managcd to rcach thc rivcr and sct
up camp. Tc ncxt day thcrc was a crcc battlc. Tc cnd was undc
cidcd but thc citizcns ol amascus sccmcd to bc gctting thc uppcr
hand.
Now thc two chroniclcs disagrcc. !bn al Qalanisi says that thc
Christians hid out in thcir stockadcs lor a day or so bccausc thc dc
lcnsc was so strong that thcy couldnt go out without bcing bombardcd
by stoncs and arrows. Tcn, upon lcarning that Nur adin was on his
way to rclicvc thc city, thcy wcnt homc.
Villiam givcs a much morc complicatcd cxplanation. Hc says that
thc citizcns ol amascus bribcd ccrtain ol our noblcs to convincc
thc army to movc to thc othcr sidc ol thc city whcrc thcrc was no wa
tcr or lruit but a plain that was clcar ol trccs and whcrc thc walls ol thc
city wcrc not as strong. Tc kings and thc cmpcror wcrc convinccd.
8ut whcn thcy got to thc plain, thcy bcgan to run out ol lood and
whcn thcy tricd to rcturn to thc orchard, thcy lound that all thc paths
had bccn barricadcd. Cut o lrom supplics, thcy wcrc lorccd to rcturn
to Jcrusalcm.
Tc cnd was thc samc in both vcrsions. amascus was not takcn
by thc crusadcrs. Pcrsonally, ! think that !bn alQalanisi is probably
closcr to thc truth. 8aldwin, Louis, and Conrad lound thcmsclvcs
outnumbcrcd with rumors ol morc dclcndcrs arriving soon. Tc story
ol bribcry sounds too much likc an cxcusc. nc rcason ! think so is
that thcrc is no rccord ol thcsc noblcs who purposcly gavc bad advicc
cvcr bcing punishcd.
Villiam docsnt namc namcs, but somconc in thc disgruntlcd
army must havc dccidcd to blamc thc Tcmplars lor thc lailurc. John ol
Salisbury hcard ol it in Romc shortly altcr. Hc writcs, Somc say that
thc Tcmplars wcrc rcsponsiblc, othcrs that it was somc who wishcd to
rcturn homc, but thc king always took pains to cxoncratc thc brothcrs
ol thc Tcmplc.
!n ..,, thc ycar bclorc thc king ol Francc and thc cmpcror ol
Gcrmany wcrc bcatcn at amascus, nglish and Flcmish crusadcrs
had landcd in !bcria and takcn thc city ol Lisbon. Tc Tcmplars
lought with King Allonso and rcccivcd both honor and all thc church
propcrty in thc city ol Santarcm. Gcrman armics movcd castward
into pagan lands with thc cross and thc sword. 8oth thcsc aspccts ol
thc Sccond Crusadc wcrc succcsslul in tcrms ol cxpanding thc bordcrs
ol Christcndom. 8ut what pcoplc rcmcmbcrcd thcn, as most do now,
was that thc two grcatcst kings in uropc camc back without having
accomplishcd anything.
Tc crusadc was a dismal lailurc so somconc had to bc blamcd.
do ol cuil lclt that thc Grccks had sabotagcd thc kings. thcrs,
likc Villiam ol Ncwburgh, writing many ycars latcr, thought that thc
crusadcrs wcrc too wcighcd down by sin to dcscrvc to win. Hcnry ol
Huntington, who wasnt thcrc cithcr, agrccd. Hc thought that thcy
indulgcd in opcn lornications, and cvcn in adultcrics . . . and nally
in robbcry and all sorts ol cvils.
8ut it was morc satislying to makc somconc othcr than thc cru
sadcrs guilty ol thcir lailurc. Conrad was surc it was trcachcry. Hc
mcntioncd thc Tcmplars, but also 8aldwin !!! or thc princcs ol
Syria.
Pcoplc sccmcd to rcmcmbcr thc Tcmplars most. For all thcir hard
work, dcspitc thcir succcsscs in Spain, thcy wcrc still criticizcd. Vhy:
! suspcct that 8crnard ol Clairvaux and thc Tcmplars thcmsclvcs had
donc thcir propaganda too wcll. Tcy wcrc thc knights ol Christ, purc
and invinciblc. Tcy should havc bccn ablc to surmount any obstaclc,
cvcn a disorga nizcd and bickcring army coming lrom uropc and
lcuding lamilics in thc ast.
Tc troublc with bcing a hcro is that yourc not allowcd an o
day.
J Yvcs Sassicr, Louis VII (Paris: Fayard, ..) p. ...
2 Guillaumc dc Nangis, Chronique, cd. M. Guizot (Paris, .a) p. a.
3 do ol cuil, De perfectione ludovici VII in orientum, cd. and tr. \irginia Gincrick 8crry (Ncw
York: Norton, .) pp. .
4 !bid., p. ,6. Tc unnamcd cousin was savcd by hcr rclativcs lrom bcing givcn in marriagc to a
Grcck lord. Tis is onc ol thosc cpisodcs that ! rcally wish thcrc wcrc morc inlormation on.
5 Adriaan H. 8rcdcro, Bernard of Clairvaux: Between Cult and History (Grand Rapids, M!: crd
mans, .6) p. a.
6 Hans bcrhard Maycr, Te Crusades (xlord: xlord Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. .
7 Cartulaire Gnral de Paris, Tome Premier 5281180, cd. Robcrt dc Lastcyric (Paris, .,) chartcr
no. , p. c,, alba clamidc inductis.
8 Cartulaire Gnral, nos. a., p. a,, and a,c, p. a6.
9 Sassicr, pp. .6a6.
J0 do ol cuil, 8ook !!!, p. ., Pcrcgini crgo, in rcrum abnudatia pcnuriam non lcrcntcs, prac
dis ct rapinus sibi nccssaria conquircbant.
JJ !bid., 8ook !!, p. a.
J2 Malcolm 8arbcr, Te New Knighthood (Cambridgc, .6) p. 6,.
J3 Villiam ol Ncwburgh, Te History of English Aairs, Book I, cd. and tr. P. G. Valsh and M. J.
Kcnncdy (Varminstcr: Aris & Phillips, .) pp. .aa.
J4 do ol cuil, pp. ..6.,.
J5 !bid., pp. .aaa. Vcll, this is what do says.
J6 !bid., pp. .aa.
J7 !bid., pp. ..
J8 Plcasc scc chaptcr .c, Melisande, Queen of Jerusalem.
J9 John ol Salisbury, Historia Ponticalis, tr. and cd. Marjoric Chibnall (London: Tomas Nclson,
.6) p. a, lamiliaritas principis ad rcginam ct assidua lcrc sinc intcrmissionc colloquia rcgi
suspicioncm dcdcrunt.
20 !bid., p. .
2J Sugcrii Abbatis S. ionysii, pistola PL Lcttcr c, col. .,., ilcctioni vcstrac manda
mus quactcnus ca qua brardis magistcr Tcmpli vobis mandavcrit, ccrta habcatis. Nos siqui
dcm ab Antiocha admuto pccuniam nobis nccssariam scto !dus Maii Acaron misimus.
22 Sugcrii, Lcttcr , col. .,, Non cnim vidco ncc vidcrc possum quomodo ctiam pcr parvi
tcmporis spatium in partibus illis pcrmancrc vcl moran laccrc potuisscm, nisi corum praccc
dcntc auxilio ct sustcntations. Tcrcs morc but you gct thc gist.
23 Sugcrii, Lcttcr ,., col. .. For lraction ol incomc scc 8arbcr, p. 6,.
24 tto ol Frcising, Te Deeds of Frederick Barbarossa, tr. Charlcs Christophcr Microw (Ncw York:
Norton, .) p. .ca.
25 !bid. !ts intcrcsting that tto docsnt mcntion Mclisandc, who was still vcry much in chargc
in Jcrusalcm.
26 Villiam ol Tyrc, 8ook .,, , p. ,6. Primusitaquc cum suis !crosolimorum rcx, co maximc quod
locorum pcriciam . . . sccundum ct mcdium locum rcx Francorum . . . tcrcium . . . impcrator.
27 !bid., 8ook .,, , p. ,6, tum ut cxpcditionibus lructum ct aquc non dccssct commoditas.
28 !bn alQalanisi, Tc amascus Chroniclc ol thc Crusadcs, cd. and tr. H. A R. Gibb (ovcr,
acca, rcprint lrom .a) pp. a.
29 !bid., pp. a,.
30 Villiam ol Tyrc, 8ook .,, 6, pp. ,66,.
3J John ol Salisbury, p. ,, quod alii Tcmplariis diu imposucrunt, alii vcro his quos amor paric
rcvocabat, scd rcx lratrcs Tcmpli scmpcr studiut cxcusarc.
32 Quotcd in Gilcs Constablc, Tc Sccond Crusadc as Sccn by Contcmporarics, Tradition \ol.
!X (Ncw York: Fordham Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. a.
33 Maycr, pp. .cc.
34 do ol cuil, pp. .c. Actually, thc trcachcry ol thc Grccks is a thrcad running through
thc wholc ol dos chroniclc.
35 Constablc, p. a,.
36 !bid.
PART TWO
Te Glory Years
CH A P T I R I I I T I I N
Grand Masters
11361191
Robert the Burgundian (de Craon),
c. 11361149
Tc succcssor to Hugh dc Payns, Robcrt ol Craon is also known as thc
8urgundian, but hc sccms to havc roamcd about a bit. Hc was ccr
tainly living at thc court ol Fulk of Anjou in thc ..acs. Anjou has
ncvcr bccn part ol 8urgundy. Somc say that Robcrt was marricd but
hc lclt his wilc to join thc Tcmplars. Hc may havc staycd in 8urgundy
lor a whilc bclorc going ovcrscas or hc may havc rcturncd in ..,
whcn hc acccptcd thc gilt ol a villagc ncar thc commandcry ol 8urc
on bchall ol thc Tcmplars. At that timc, hc was listcd as scncschal ol
thc ordcr. Hc bccamc Grand Mastcr in ... Hc was still in Francc a
whilc latcr whcn hc acccptcd thc scrvicc ol scvcral mcn to bc sup
portcd by Lord 8crtrand dc 8alm.
As you can scc, thc lilc ol most Tcmplars bclorc thcy cntcrcd thc
ordcr was rarcly important cnough to bc notcd with any ccrtainty.
Most ol thc cvidcncc comcs lrom chartcrs that thcsc mcn witncsscd
lor othcrs.
Robcrt was mastcr during thc timc whcn many ol thc important
papal conccssions wcrc madc to thc Tcmplars, so his ycars in thc Vcst
may havc bccn usclul. !n .., Popc !nnoccnt !! in his bull Omne Da
tum Optimum inlormcd thc bishops that thc Tcmplars wcrc undcr his
protcction. Tat was also thc ycar in which Robcrt lcd a singularly
rash and disastrous raid in thc ncighbourhood ol Hcbronthc rst
cngagcmcnt wc know ol in which thc Tcmplars participatcd.
Robcrt also sccms to havc bccn thc mastcr who ncgotiatcd thc
agrccmcnt lor a nal scttlcmcnt ol thc will ol Allonso ! ol Aragon and
Navarrc, in which hc dividcd his kingdom among thc Tcmplars, thc
Hospitallers, and thc canons ol thc Holy Scpulchcr in Jcrusalcm.
Tc nal agrccmcnt is addrcsscd to him. All in all, hc sccms to havc
bccn thc administrator that thc ordcr nccdcd during thc rst ycars ol
its cxpansion, cvcn though his military ability lclt somcthing to bc
dcsircd.
Everard de Barres, 11491152
vcrard dc 8arrcs had thc mislortunc to bc thc mastcr ol thc Tcmplc
in Paris in ..,, whcn King Louis \!! dccidcd to sct o on thc Second
Crusade. Tc story ol his cxpcricnccs during that cxpcdition is told in
chaptcr ..
vcrard was clcctcd whilc scrving in thc Holy Land, pcrhaps bc
causc ol his cxcmplary bchavior in protccting thc pilgrims, including
King Louis and Quccn lcanor. !n warlarc, diplomacy, and picty hc
showcd himscll to bc a modcl Tcmplar.
Altcr his clcction, hc rcturncd with Louis to Francc. 8ut vcrard
dccidcd that hc was not suitcd to Tcmplar lilc. Pcrhaps hc lclt hcd
had cnough ol thc politics ol thc job. His motivations arc not rccordcd
but hc rctircd lrom thc ordcr soon altcr coming back to Paris, dcspitc
thc plcas ol his scncschal to rcturn to Jcrusalcm. !t has bccn said that
vcrard cvcntually joincd thc Cistcrcians but ! havc not bccn ablc to
nd prool ol this. ! shall continuc looking.
An odd sidc notc on vcrard is that hc shows up in an cpic writtcn
97 Grand Masters 11361191
thrcc hundrcd ycars altcr his dcath. !n thc pocm, Saladin, composcd
in thc middlc ol thc .ccs, vcrards son, Villiam dc 8arrcs, gocs to
Jcrusalcm with King Philip !! in ... and thcrc mccts his lathcr, thc
mastcr ol thc Tcmplc. Now, vcrard was long dcad by ... and thcrc
is no rccord ol his cvcr having a son namcd Villiam. 8ut it is intrigu
ing that this lairly obscurc Grand Mastcr should suddcnly surlacc in a
work ol ction.
Bernard of Tremelay, 1153
8crnard ol Trcmclay may havc comc lrom thc olc rcgion ol 8ur
gundy. Tats all wc know ol him. Hc was clcctcd Grand Mastcr altcr
vcrard dc 8arrcs dccidcd to lcavc thc Tcmplars. !ts not ccrtain at
what timc hc took ovcr thc position or cvcn il hc was in thc ast at thc
timc ol his clcction. Howcvcr, hc arrivcd in timc lor thc battlc ol As
calon, although hc must havc wishcd hc hadnt. n thc night ol
August ., .., thc king ol Jcrusalcm was lcading a lorcc in an attcmpt
to takc thc citylort ol Ascalon lrom thc gyptians. uring thc attack
a wall ol thc city was brcachcd. 8crnard rushcd to thc spot and lcd thc
Tcmplars through thc holc in thc wall and into thc city.
Villiam ol Tyrc says that thc Tcmplars rushcd in and rcluscd to
lct othcrs lollow sincc thcy wantcd thc booty lor thcmsclvcs. Tis gavc
thc Moslcms timc to rcblock thc wall. Tc Tcmplars wcrc trappcd in
sidc and all ol thcm killcd. Tc ncxt day thcir bodics wcrc hung lrom
thc towcrs ol Ascalon. Villiam was not thcrc at thc timc and !bn
alQalanisi, writing lrom thc point ol vicw ol thc citizcns ol Ascalon,
only mcntions that thc wall was brcachcd. At lcngth thc way was
opcncd to thcm to dclivcr an assault upon it at a ccrtain point in thc
city wall. Having battcrcd it down, thcy rushcd into thc town, and a
grcat host wcrc |sic| killcd on both sidcs. l coursc, al Qalanisi
wasnt thcrc, cithcr. So thc only thing wc can bc ccrtain ol is that 8cr
nard dicd in thc ghting. Tc Tcmplars wcrc again without a Grand
Mastcr.
Andrew of Montbard, 11541156
Tc lth grand mastcr ol thc Tcmplars is onc ol thc most illustrious,
not bccausc ol anything hc did but bccausc ol his conncction to onc ol
thc bcstknown mcn ol thc twcllth ccntury.
!ts not ccrtain whcn Andrcw ol Montbard was born, but hc was thc
sixth child ol 8crnard, lord ol Montbard, and his wilc, Humbcrgc. Two
ol his oldcr brothcrs, Milcs and Gaudry, joincd thc monastcry cstab
lishcd by thcir ncphcw Bernard of Clairvaux. !ts possiblc that An
drcw may cvcn havc bccn youngcr than his lamous ncphcw.
!ts amazing that Andrcw managcd to hold out so long against
thc lamily prcssurc to cntcr monastic lilc. 8crnard managcd to con
vincc all but onc ol his brothcrs and most ol his unclcs and cousins
to join him at his abbcy ol Clairvaux. vcntually Andrcw dccidcd that
hc should also cmbracc thc rcligious lilc. 8ut rathcr than bccoming
a cloistcrcd monk, spcnding his days in praycr, hc dccidcd to join thc
Tcmplars. Vhcthcr it was his own idca or hc was nudgcd by 8crnard,
! dont know. !ts known that thc two mcn wcrc closc and 8crnard
sccms to havc approvcd ol his unclcs choicc.
Tcrc is somc conlusion about whcn Andrcw wcnt to Jcrusalcm.
Somctimc bclorc ..a6, Baldwin II, king ol Jcrusalcm, scnt two mcs
scngcrs to 8crnard ol Clairvaux. Hc cxplaincd that thcy wcrc brothcrs
ol thc Tcmplc who wantcd to gct conrmation lrom thc popc lor thcir
ordcr and also a Rule to livc by. Tc king bcggcd 8crnard to usc his
inucncc with thc popc and thc princcs ol Christcndom to aid thcm.
Tc two mcn scnt by 8aldwin wcrc namcd Andrcw and Gundcmar.
Tis was bclorc thc trip madc by Hugh de Payns.
Somc authors havc assumcd that thc Andrcw mcntioncd was An
drcw ol Montbard. Howcvcr, this isnt likcly. 8crnards unclc wouldnt
havc nccdcd a lcttcr ol introduction to his own ncphcw. Also, thcrcs
no mcntion ol Andrcw ol Montbard in conncction with thc Tcmplars
bclorc thc ..cs. !n .. ndrcas dc Muntbar, scncschal ol thc Tcm
plars, witncsscd a gilt lrom 8arisan d!bclin to thc rdcr ol St. Laza
rus. Tats thc rst mcntion ol him that !vc lound.
!ts morc likcly that Andrcw joincd thc ordcr in thc rush to cnlist
altcr thc Council of Troyes and by thc ..cs had madc his way up thc
ranks to bccomc scncschal ol thc ordcr.
Andrcw apparcntly kcpt his ncphcw uptodatc with mattcrs in
Jcrusalcm, as two lcttcrs lrom 8crnard to Quccn Melisande provc. !n
thc rst, writtcn somctimc in thc ..cs, 8crnard tclls hcr, And il thc
praisc ol my dcarcst unclc Andrcw is truc, and ! bclicvc him implic
itly, you will rulc by thc mcrcy ol God both hcrc and in ctcrnity.
Tc sccond lcttcr voiccs 8crnards conccrn ovcr rcports hc has rc
ccivcd conccrning Mclisandcs bchavior, pcrhaps having to do with
hcr unwillingncss to givc up powcr oncc hcr son, 8aldwin !!!, had
comc ol agc. Howcvcr, Andrcw has writtcn to 8crnard to say that thc
gossip is lalsc. My unclc Andrcw has happily intcrvcncd, and ! can in
no way disbclicvc him. Hc writcs saying bcttcr things ol you, that you
havc bchavcd pcacclully and mildly. You rulc wiscly and with wisc
counscl, havc lovcd thc brothcrs ol thc Tcmplc and arc lricndly with
thcm.
At thc samc timc, 8crnard wrotc to Andrcw himscll, lamcnting
thc intcrnal problcms that wcrc aicting thc Kingdom ol Jcrusalcm.
Andrcw may havc bclicvcd that 8crnards inucncc and charisma
could bring thc squabbling crusadcr lamilics togcthcr, lor hc askcd his
ncphcw to comc to Jcrusalcm. 8crnard dithcrs on quitc a bit bclorc
dcciding that hc rcally cant makc a trip likc that, cvcn though hc
would dcarly lovc to scc Andrcw again.
Hc ncvcr did. Abbot 8crnard dicd at Clairvaux in .., a ycar bc
lorc Andrcw bccamc Grand Mastcr.
Andrcw may havc bccn thc scncschal ol thc Tcmplars whcn hc
wrotc thcsc lcttcrs or still only a knight brothcr. !t is clcar that hc was
in thc condcncc ol thc quccn and, likc Philip ol Nablus, who had not
yct joincd thc ordcr, was onc ol hcr supportcrs. 8oth Andrcw and
Philip appcar as witncsscs on Mclisandcs donations to St. Lazarus in
..c and ....
!n thc strugglc bctwccn Mclisandc and hcr son, Andrcw sccms to
havc supportcd thc quccn and hcr youngcr son, Almaric. Howcvcr, hc
was ablc to stay on thc good sidc ol 8aldwin !!!, as wcll. !n ..
Andrcw witncsscd onc ol 8aldwins chartcrs to thc abbcy ol Santa
Maria ol Josaphat and was a lrcqucnt witncss to othcr chartcrs ol thc
king.
Andrcw was ccrtainly a part ol thc Second Crusade lrom .. to
..c and scncschal ol thc ordcr by thc cnd ol it. !n about ..c, hc writcs
a plaintivc lcttcr to Everard de Barre, thc Grand Mastcr, who has
rcturncd with King Louis \!! to Francc. Tings arc not going wcll in
thc Holy Land. Andrcw tclls vcrard, wc arc constraincd on all sidcs
by lack ol knights and scrgcants and moncy, and wc implorc your pa
tcrnity to rcturn to us quickly.
vcrard did rcturn to Jcrusalcm, but not lor long. Command
didnt suit him and hc bccamc thc rst Grand Mastcr cvcr to rctirc.
Hc was rcplaccd by 8crnard ol Trcmclay whilc Andrcw ol Montbard
continucd as scncschal.
Andrcws opportunity camc in .., altcr thc gallant but pointlcss
dcath ol 8crnard ol Trcmclay at thc sicgc ol Ascalon.
Bertrand of Blancfort, 11571169
As with many ol thc Grand Mastcrs, nothing is known ol 8crtrands lilc
bclorc hc bccamc a Tcmplar. !t is possiblc that hc was ol thc samc lamily
who donatcd propcrty to thc Tcmplars ol ouzcns. Tc land thcy gavc
was in thc Audc \allcy, north ol Limoux in southcrn Francc, about
twcntyvc milcs north ol thc Pyrcnccs. Actually, thc donation was
madc by somconc who hcld thc land lor thcm. Tcy just agrccd to it.
8crtrand is not mcntioncd in any ol thc scvcn chartcrs ol thc
8lanclortor 8lanchclortlamily to thc Tcmplars. A misrcading
on thcsc chartcrs has lcd somc pcoplc, not historians, to attach 8cr
trand to this lamily. Tcy saw thc namc 8crnard dc 8lanchclort on
thc chartcrs ol ouzcns and, pcrhaps through wishlul thinking, dc
cidcd that it was just a misspclling ol 8crtrand. Howcvcr, thc two
namcs arc as dicrcnt and distinct as Kclly and Kylc and arc not
uscd intcrchangcably. 8crtrands origins arc not ccrtain.
8crtrand had only bccn Grand Mastcr lor about a ycar whcn,
along with do ol St. Amand, anothcr luturc Tcmplar and Grand
Mastcr, hc was capturcd by Nuradin at thc sicgc ol 8anyas in Junc
..,. Hc was rclcascd at thc cnd ol May ... So hc spcnt his rst two
ycars as lcadcr ol thc Tcmplars in captivity.
As Grand Mastcr, hc wrotc back to uropc, giving thc statc ol al
lairs and asking lor aid lor thc causc. A lcw ol thcsc lcttcrs survivc.
Tc most dramatic cvcnt ol 8crtrands tcnurc as Grand Mastcr was
in ..6, whcn thc Tcmplars rcluscd to hclp King Almaric on his cxpcdi
tion to gypt. Almaric had long bclicvcd that control ol gypt, partic
ularly thc port ol Alcxandria, was csscntial to thc salcty ol thc Kingdom
ol Jcrusalcm. Unlortunatcly, hc had a trcaty with Shawar, thc sultan ol
gypt. 8crtrand rcluscd to allow thc Tcmplars to brcak thc trcaty. Tc
campaign was a lailurc and lorccd Shawar to scck thc protcction ol his
advcrsary, Nuradin, proving 8crtrand corrcct. Rclations bctwccn
thc king and thc Tcmplars wcrc not cordial during this timc.
8crtrand ol 8lanclort dicd in ..6. His succcssor was much morc
inclincd to support thc king, mainly bccausc hc had startcd out as thc
kings man.
Philip of Nablus, 11691171
Philip ol Nablus was born in thc Holy Land. Hc was thc son ol Guy
ol Milly and his wilc, Stcphania thc Flcming. Tc lamily probably
camc lrom Normandy. Tcy scttlcd in thc town ol Nablus in thc
carly ..ccs and cstablishcd a lordship thcrc. Philip had two brothcrs,
Guy and Hcnry thc 8ualo.
As a young man, Philip was vcry much involvcd in thc activitics
ol thc court ol Melisande, quccn ol Jcrusalcm. Hc supportcd hcr dur
ing thc timc shc rcigncd lor and with hcr son, 8aldwin !!!. Vhcn
8aldwin dccidcd hc was old cnough to rulc on his own, Philip staycd
on thc sidc ol thc quccn. !t was to Philips town ol Nablus that
Mclisandc rctircd altcr 8aldwin had takcn Jcrusalcm.
Howcvcr, oncc 8aldwin and his mothcr had comc to an undcr
standing, Philip bcgan to appcar on thc kings chartcrs as a witncss,
mcaning that hc again had somc position at court. So hc must havc
bccn ablc to pacily 8aldwin to somc cxtcnt. !n .., whcn thc city ol
Ascalon was nally takcn lrom thc gyptians, Philip was among thc
noblcmcn who lought lor thc king. Hc must havc bccn thcrc lor thc
disastrous chargc that lcd to thc dcath ol Tcmplar Grand Mastcr 8cr
nard ol Trcmclcy (scc pagc ccc). 8ut this didnt sccm to dctcr him
lrom joining thc ordcr, himscll.
Somctimc bclorc .., Philip marricd a woman namcd !sabclla.
Tcy had thrcc childrcn, Rainicr, Hclcna, and Stcphania. Rainicr,
thc only son, didnt survivc his lathcr, although hc livcd at lcast until
..6, whcn hc witncsscd a chartcr at thc abbcy ol Notrcamc ol Jo
saphat. !n .., 8arisan ol !bclin conrmcd a donation madc by
Philips matcrnal grandlathcr, Rainicr ol Rama, to thc abbcy ol St.
Lazarus, just outsidc Jcrusalcm. Philip was not onc ol thc witncsscs.
Howcvcr, thc chartcr was signcd at thc chapcl ol thc Tcmplars with
scvcral ol thc brothcrs in attcndancc.
Philip, still a layman, did witncss a chartcr ol Mclisandcs to thc
lcpcrs ol St. Lazarus in ..c. 8ut, it isnt until .. that wc nd Philip
in conncction with thc Tcmplars. !n that ycar Princc Almaric con
rmcd a donation madc by Philip, his brothcrs, and his wilc and chil
drcn, again to St. Lazarus. Tis donation was madc in Jcrusalcm and
may havc bccn madc at thc Tcmplar chapcl, as thc onc ol .. was.
Hcrc Andrcw ol Montbard, now Grand Mastcr, and scvcral othcr
Tcmplars arc witncsscs.
Tis is not an indication that Philip was planning to join thc or
dcr, lor thc Tcmplc was uscd as a ccntral mccting point in Jcrusalcm
lor many busincss transactions. !t docs assumc that Philip was at lcast
on spcaking tcrms with thc Tcmplars.
Mclisandc dicd in ..6. and around that timc, 8aldwin !!! arrangcd
lor Philip to givc Nablus to thc Kingdom ol Jcrusalcm. !n cxchangc,
Philip bccamc lord ol thc Transjordan. !ts not clcar il this was a rcward
or a dcmotion. Tc Transjordan is thc arca to thc cast and south ol thc
cad Sca. Much ol it is in modcrn Jordan. Part ol Philips tcrritory
probably includcd what is now thc city ol Amman and strctchcd down
to thc Rcd Sca. !t was largcr than Nablus, but dcnitcly lronticr tcrri
tory, on thc caravan routc bctwccn Alcxandria and 8aghdad. King
8aldwin rcalizcd that thc tolls thc caravans and thc 8cdouins paid lor a
salc crossing wcrc too lucrativc to givc up to Philip, so hc kcpt thcm lor
himscll. Philip got cvcrything clsc, though, including thc rcsponsibility
ol dclcnding thc Syriac nativcs ol thc arca lrom attack.
Philips dccision to join thc Tcmplars is starting to makc morc scnsc.
Ncvcrthclcss, lor a timc at lcast, Philip ol Nablus bccamc Philip
ol Transjordan.
Two ycars latcr, 8aldwin !!! dicd. As hc had no childrcn, his brothcr,
Almaric, bccamc king ol Jcrusalcm. Almaric had bccn on Mclisandcs
sidc in thc battlc lor thc thronc and hc was lricndly toward thc man who
had not dcscrtcd hcr. Hc must havc bccn attachcd to thc wholc lamily,
lor Philips brothcr, Guy, was madc scncschal ol thc kingdom.
Philip joincd thc Tcmplars on January .,, ..66, probably on thc
dcath ol his wilc. Vhcn hc did so, hc gavc thc northcrn part ol thc
Transjordan to thc ordcr, including Amman and thc arca around it.
!t must havc bccn dicult lor him to stay bchind whcn thc Tcmplar
mastcr, 8crtrand ol 8lanclort, rcluscd to accompany King Almaric on
his ..6 cxpcdition to gypt, lor his lands bordcrcd on thosc that Al
maric wantcd to conqucr.
!t was also about thc timc that Philips daughtcr Hclcna dicd. !t
would bc natural that bcing in thc Tcmplars would bc important to a
man who had lost so many pcoplc hc lovcd. Hc could continuc to
scrvc his king but also his praycrs and sacricc could hclp thc souls ol
his wilc and daughtcr.
Philip did takc part in thc campaign in gypt against thc Kurd
Shirkuh and his ncphcw Saladin. Vhcn 8crtrand ol 8lanclort dicd,
its possiblc that King Almaric inucnccd thc clcction ol Philip as
Grand Mastcr. n thc othcr hand, thc brothcrs ol thc Tcmplc may
havc thought it would bc a good idca to havc a lcadcr who got along
with thc king. Tcrcs no way to tcll.
8ut Philip was Grand Mastcr lor only a short timc. His loyalty to
thc king was strongcr than his dcvotion to thc Tcmplars. Hc rcsigncd
in ..,. in ordcr to rcturn to thc scrvicc ol King Almaric, as an cnvoy to
Constantinoplc. Hc apparcntly dicd thcrc in April ol thc samc ycar.
Philips lamily continucd in thcir support ol St. Lazarus. !n ..,
Philips grandson Humphrcy ol Toron gavc thc lcpcrs twcnty bczants
a ycar lor thc soul ol Lord Philip. No Tcmplars wcrc witncsscs to this,
but a 8rothcr Guido Hospitaller was in attcndancc.
Philips carccr is not that unusual lor a Grand Mastcr, although
only vcrard dc 8arrcs also rcsigncd. 8ut hc is not thc only onc to
havc bccn clcctcd bccausc hc had a good working rclationship with
thc sccular rulcrs.
Odo of St. Amand, 11711179
do (or udcs) ol St. Amand startcd his carccr in thc court ol King
8aldwin !!!. n Junc ., ..,, hc was thc kings marshal. Along with
scvcral othcr important mcmbcrs ol thc court and somc Tcmplars, hc
was takcn prisoncr by Nuradin at thc sicgc ol 8anyas.
n April a, ..6, do ol St. Amand was not listcd as a Tcmplar
whcn hc witncsscd a chartcr ol Almaric, king ol Jcrusalcm, along with
Philip ol Nablus and othcrs. Soon altcr, as thc kings butlcr, hc was
scnt to Constantinoplc to cscort Almarics ancc, Princcss Maria,
thc grandniccc ol thc cmpcror, back to Jcrusalcm. So, in ..6, do was
clcarly onc ol Almarics trustcd o cials.
!ts not ccrtain whcn do joincd thc Tcmplars. !t had to havc
bccn altcr Almarics wcdding. ! wondcr il hc was choscn to bc Grand
Mastcr by thc king bclorc hc had cvcn bccomc a Tcmplar. !l so, likc
Hcnry !!s nomination ol Tomas 8cckct as archbishop ol Cantcrbury
at about thc samc timc, it turncd out badly.
For whatcvcr rcason, do ol St. Amand bccamc Grand Mastcr
on thc rctircmcnt ol Philip ol Nablus. dos rst challcngc camc lrom
a rcncgadc Tcmplar, a man namcd Malih, who was brothcr ol thc
king ol Cilician Armcnia. Malih had apparcntly convcrtcd lrom thc
astcrn to thc Vcstcrn Christian bclicls and joincd thc Tcmplars.
Tis is thc only mcntion ! know ol a nativc Christian bccoming a
Tcmplar. At any ratc, hc didnt stay onc lor long. Vhcn his brothcr thc
king dicd, Malih wcnt to Nur adin lor hclp. Vith thc mcn hc was
givcn, Malih took thc thronc ol Armcnia lrom his ncphcw and thrcw
thc Tcmplars out ol thc kingdom.
!t wasnt an auspicious bcginning lor do. Tings got worsc.
Somc timc latcr an cnvoy camc to Jcrusalcm lrom thc scct ol thc
Assassins. Hc told King Almaric that thc Assassins wcrc tircd ol pay
ing tributc to thc Tcmplars and Hospitallers. !nstcad, thcy would likc
to bccomc Christian. Villiam ol Tyrc says, Tc king grcctcd thc lcg
atcs with a glad hcart and grantcd thc rcqucst, likc thc intclligcnt man
hc was. ! rcscrvc judgmcnt on that, but, again according to Villiam
ol Tyrc, thc cnvoy was on his way back to Assassin tcrritory whcn hc
was attackcd and killcd by a group ol Tcmplars.
Upon lcarning that thc Tcmplars had ruincd his trcaty, King Al
maric was lurious. Hc wcnt to his old lricnd do ol St. Amand and
dcmandcd that thc mcn in qucstion bc turncd ovcr to his justicc.
do rcluscd, saying that Tcmplars could only bc judgcd by thc mas
tcr and thc popc. Hc scnt word to Almaric that hc had givcn thc lcadcr
ol thc murdcrcrs, Valtcr ol Mcsnil, a pcnancc and would scnd him to
thc popc lor scntcncing. Tis did not sit wcll with Almaric, who took a
lorcc to Sidon, whcrc Valtcr was bcing hcld. Hc had thc man draggcd
out, put in chains, and scnt to Tyrc. Prcsumably hc dicd thcrc.
Tc lricndship bctwccn do and King Almaric was at an cnd.
Tis story has oltcn bccn rcpcatcd but it sccms vcry strangc to mc.
Somc pcoplc say that it must, at lcast in part, bc truc bccausc Valtcr
Map wrotc thc samc story at about thc samc timc in ngland. Howcvcr,
in ..,, only two or thrcc ycars altcr this was supposcd to havc hap
pcncd, thcrc was a council in Romc. Two ol thc dclcgatcs wcrc Villiam
ol Tyrc and Valtcr Map. Now Valtcr didnt say in his account, ! got
this story ovcr lunch with Villiam. 8ut its just possiblc that Villiam
vcntcd his annoyancc about dos actions in this willing car.
do might havc bccn in a lot morc troublc ovcr this cpisodc but
Almaric dicd soon altcr this, lcaving his son, 8aldwin !\, a sick boy ol
thirtccn, to handlc thc problcm.
Sincc Villiam, archbishop ol Tyrc, wrotc almost thc only chroniclc
ol this timc, wc arc oltcn stuck with his prcjudiccs. Villiam was not a lan
ol dos. Hc thought thc Tcmplar mastcr arrogant and didnt attcmpt to
show him in a good light. Howcvcr, ! dont think hc would makc up all
ol thc storics about do. !m just not surc which parts arc truc.
!n .., in an cncountcr with Saladin, do lcd a chargc ol knights
that by its shccr lorcc so dividcd thc Christian ranks that thc battlc
was lost. Villiam ccrtainly blamcd him. Among thosc ol our mcn
capturcd hcrc was do ol St. Amand, thc Mastcr ol thc Knights ol
thc Tcmplc. Hc was a bad man, proud and arrogant, having thc spirit
ol lury in his nostrils. Hc ncithcr lcarcd God nor rcspcctcd mcn.
Villiam adds with rclish that do dicd in captivity in gypt a
ycar latcr.
!ts not good to makc an cncmy ol a man with a pcn.
Arnold of Torroja, 11811184
Arnold was an cxpcricnccd Tcmplar who had bccn mastcr ol Provcncc
and parts ol Spain sincc ..6,. Hc camc lrom Catalonia and may
havc cntcrcd thc ordcr thcrc but all inlormation on him comcs lrom
his ycars in Provcncc.
vcn bclorc hc joincd thc Tcmplars, Arnold gavc thc ordcr vinc
yards and othcr propcrty lrom his lamily cstatcs ncar Lcrida. His
brothcr, Raymond, was also a patron ol thc Tcmplars although hc did
not bccomc onc. Arnold was a Tcmplar by ..,, whcn hc was prcscnt
to rcccivc a donation lrom Pons ol Molics ol two scrls, part ol thc rcnt
ol a villa, and somc lorcstland. Arnold is listcd rst in thc chartcr, but
still as a knight ol thc Tcmplc not an ocial ol thc ordcr. 8y ..,,
hc is dcnitcly thc mastcr ol thc Knights ol thc Tcmplc in Provcncc
and parts ol Spain, according to a bull lrom Popc Alcxandcr !!! con
rming all thc propcrty ol thc Tcmplars in Provcncc and Spain.
Tc datc ol this conrmation is March ..,, which makcs mc
wondcr il Arnold was a Tcmplar rcprcscntativc to thc Tird Latcran
Council, taking placc that month. do ol St. Amand was busy ght
ing Saladin. Pcrhaps no onc clsc could bc sparcd lrom thc ast. As !
mcntioncd abovc, Villiam ol Tyrc was thcrc, along with thc bishops
ol 8cthlchcm and Cacsarca. nc ol thc laws dccidcd at this council
conccrncd thc complaints ol thc bishops about how thc Tcmplars,
Hospitallcrs, and othcr cxcmpt ordcrs wcrc abusing thc privilcgcs thc
popcs had givcn thcm. Vhat bcttcr timc lor Arnold to makc surc
that thc rights ol Tcmplars in Spain wcrc all spcllcd out:
And, whcn thc Tcmplars may havc bccn looking lor a Grand
Mastcr who hadnt bccn attachcd to thc court ol Jcrusalcm, Arnold
would havc bccn a good choicc. Hc was somconc who had donc wcll
in anothcr arca in which ghting was going on and hc kncw how to
dcal with thc authoritics.
Vhatcvcr thc thinking, Arnold was clcctcd.
nc ol his rst and morc unplcasant dutics was to bc part ol a
group that includcd thc mastcr ol thc Hospitallcrs, thc patriarch ol
Jcrusalcm, and various noblcs that wcnt to Antioch in about ... to
convincc thc princc ol thc city, 8ohcmond, to givc up thc mistrcss hc
had movcd in with and rcturn to his wilc. 8ohcmond promiscd to do
cvcrything thc committcc askcd, but as soon as thcy wcrc gonc, wcnt
homc to his mistrcss and thrcw thc noblcmcn out ol town instcad. Hc
was cxcommunicatcd and Antioch put undcr intcrdict but thc princc
was not dauntcd. So much lor thc lcar ol hcll.
Vhatcvcr thc Tcmplars wcrc cxpccting whcn thcy clcctcd Ar
nold, thcrc isnt much mcntion ol what hc did as Grand Mastcr. !n thc
thrcc ycars Arnold scrvcd, Saladin madc lurthcr inroads into thc
Latin kingdoms and poor 8aldwin !\ bccamc morc and morc dcbili
tatcd as his lcprosy progrcsscd. As things got worsc, Arnold, along
with Hcraclius, thc patriarch ol Jcrusalcm, and Rogcr dcs Moulins,
mastcr ol thc Hospitallcrs, wcnt on a tour ol !taly, Francc, and n
gland in an attcmpt to gct morc support lor thc ast.
Arnold ncvcr rcturncd to Jcrusalcm. Hc dicd in \crona in ..,
just bclorc thc storm brokc.
Gerard of Ridefort, 11851191
Altcr thc prolcssional compctcncc ol Arnold ol Torroja, thc Tcmplars
wcnt back to somconc with morc pcrsonality than scnsc (in my opinion).
Gcrard ol Ridclort was cithcr Flcmish or AngloNorman. Hc camc to
Jcrusalcm to scck his lortunc and by .., was marshall ol thc King
dom ol Jcrusalcm.
According to onc story Gcrard had rst scrvcd Count Raymond
ol Tripoli. As a rcward, hc cxpcctcd to bc givcn an hcircss in mar
riagc. Howcvcr, Raymond dccidcd to havc thc woman Gcrard had
sclcctcd marry a Pisan mcrchant instcad, possibly onc hc owcd moncy
to. Gcrard was undcrstandably piqucd, cspccially bccausc a Pisan mcr
chant didnt havc thc social status ol a landlcss knight. !t was a drcad
lul insult. Somctimc latcr, rathcr than try lor anothcr hcircss, Gcrard
joincd thc Tcmplars. Tis story may not bc truc, but Gcrard did havc
a dccp dislikc lor Raymond ol Tripoli.
Tc ncw Tcmplar immcdiatcly got involvcd in local politics. !t
happcncd that Raymond ol Tripoli had bccn dcclarcd guardian lor thc
child king 8aldwin \, succcssor to thc lcpcr 8aldwin !\. Littlc 8ald
win dicd bclorc hc turncd six. His mothcr, Sybilla, thc daughtcr ol
King Almaric, was considcrcd by many to bc thc hcir to thc thronc.
thcrs, including Raymond ol Tripoli, thought that hc could do a
bcttcr job. Gucss which onc Gcrard supportcd:
Along with thc patriarch ol Jcrusalcm, Gcrard saw to it that Syb
illa was crowncd rulcr along with hcr husband, Guy ol Lusignan. 8ut
thc Latin kingdoms wcrc now dividcd and Saladin, whosc powcr was
growing, would makc thc most ol this.
Tc rst sign ol thc rilt was whcn Gcrard cncouragcd King Guy
to takc an army up to Tripoli and makc Raymond obcy him. Viscr
hcads prcvailcd but Raymond had alrcady madc a trcaty with Saladin
in anticipation ol an invasion by Guy.
8y thc spring ol ..6, Guy and Sybilla wcrc willing to makc pcacc
with Raymond. Gcrard, Rogcr, thc Hospitallcr mastcr, along with
scvcral othcrs wcrc scnt to scc il Raymond would makc pcacc. At thc
samc timc, Saladins cldcst son, alAldal, took advantagc ol thc trucc
with Raymond to bring somc mcn into Tripoli. Tcrc arc various cx
planations lor this, dcpcnding on which sidc is tclling thc story. !n thc
cnd, Gcrard lcarncd about thc Moslcm incursion and wcnt to thc
ncarcst Tcmplar housc, whcrc hc gathcrcd up somc cighty knights,
along with tcn Hospitallcrs and lorty mcn lrom thc royal garrison.
According to thc chroniclcrs, both thc Hospitallcr mastcr and thc
marshal ol thc Tcmplc tricd to stop Gcrard lrom attacking. Hc ovcr
rulcd thcm.
!t was callcd thc 8attlc ol Crcsson Springs. Rogcr dcs Moulins,
mastcr ol thc Hospital, was killcd, as wcrc all thc royal soldicrs and
most ol thc Tcmplars.
Gcrard ol Ridclort survivcd.
Tc ncxt day a lcw mcn, including Gcrard and thc archbishop ol
Tyrc, wcnt to scc about burying thc bodics. Hallway thcrc, Gcrard
turncd back, so painlul and gricvous wcrc his wounds lrom thc day
bclorc. Count Raymond had to comc out to hclp with thc clcanup,
vcry sorrowlul and grcatly angcrcd at thc cvcnts ol thc day bclorc,
and all bccausc ol thc pridc ol thc mastcr ol thc Tcmplars.
Tc onc good thing that camc out ol this was that King Guy and
Count Raymond wcrc rcconcilcd. Gcrard docsnt sccm to havc had
any sort ol rcprimand lrom cithcr ol thcm.
Tc main sourcc lor this cvcnt is an unknown chroniclcr who
clcarly lavorcd Raymond. Pcrhaps Gcrard didnt always advisc unprc
parcd attacks. !t was his surviving thcm that madc him look bad.
Vhcn Saladin lcarncd that Count Raymond had madc pcacc with
thc king, hc attackcd thc counts main city ol Tibcrias whilc Raymond
was away. Raymonds wilc, schiva, scnt word to him that shc was
holding out in thc citadcl ol thc city but that things wcrc dcspcratc.
Rcading thc Moslcm and Christian accounts ol what happcncd
ncxt, ! am struck by thc similarity ol thc rcasons lor battlc, at lcast ac
cording to thc authors ol that timc. King Guy is adviscd to go and
chasc Saladin out ol thc kingdom at thc rst opportunity, |bccausc|
hc was in thc carly days ol his kingship and, il hc lct himscll appcar a
lool in thc cycs ol thc Saraccns, Saladin would takc advantagc ol
him. Saladins adviscrs told him to pillagc thc Frankish tcrritorics
and to givc battlc to any Frankish army that might appcar in thcir
path, 8ccausc in thc ast pcoplc arc cursing us, saying that wc no
longcr ght thc indcls but havc bcgun to ght Moslcms instcad. So
wc must do somcthing to justily oursclvcs and silcncc our critics.
Te Batle of Hatin and the loss of the True Cross. (Te British Library)
So, bcing mcn, thcy took thcir armics and rodc out to savc lacc.
Vhat bccamc known as thc 8attlc ol Hattin took placc on July
, ..,. Tc crusadcrs wcrc dclcatcd in thc spacc ol six hours. King
Guy, Gcrard ol Ridclort, and many othcrs wcrc capturcd. Tc Truc
Cross, which was always carricd into battlc, was cithcr lost or takcn by
Saladin.
All thc Tcmplars takcn at Hattin wcrc bchcadcdcxccpt Gcrard
ol Ridclort.
Tc Grand Mastcr was hcld captivc lor about a ycar, during which
timc Saladins armics rollcd ovcr thc country, taking Jcrusalcm and
many ol thc coastal citics. !t was said that Gcrard tradcd his lrccdom
lor thc Tcmplar lort at Gaza. !t surrcndcrcd at his ordcr.
ncc rclcascd, Gcrard joincd King Guy in thc attcmpt to rcgain
thc city ol Acrc. Tis timc hc did not survivc. Hc dicd in battlc in
ctobcr ....
Vcrc his rash acts and bad advicc rcsponsiblc lor many ol thc dc
cisions that lcd to thc lall ol Jcrusalcm: !ts hard to say. Tc anony
mous chroniclcr sccms to blamc him. 8ut il so, thcn why did thc king
kccp taking him back: Vhy did thc othcr Tcmplars still obcy him:
Maybc hc was slandcrcd. r maybc hc was such a vibrant and charis
matic pcrson that hc could gct away with a lot.
Now thc spotlight movcs lrom thc mastcr ol thc Tcmplc to thc two
mcn who still dcnc crusading in thc minds ol most pcoplc, Saladin
and Richard the Lionheart. 8ut rst wc nccd to sct thc stagc.
J Marquis dAlbon, Cartulaire Gnral de l Ordre du Temple 1119?1150 (Paris, ..) p. , chartcr
no. 6..
2 Allrcd Richard, Histoire des Comtes de Poitou t. !\ .c6.., (Pau: Princi Ncguc, acc) p. .6.
3 Albon, p. ,, chartcr no. .a.
4 Rudoll Hcistand, Papsturkunden fr Templaer und Johanniter (Gottingcn, .,a) pp. ac.c.
5 T. S. R. 8oasc, Kingdoms and Strongholds of the Crusaders (London: Tamcs and Hudson, .,.) p.
6.
6 Albon, no. ., p. .ca, no. ,a, p. , no. a, pp. ac. Also scc chaptcr a, Templars and
Money, and chaptcr , Go Forth and Multiply.
7 Malcolm 8arbcr, Te New Knighthood (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. ,c.
8 Suzannc uparcQuioc, Le Cycle de la Croisade (Paris, .) p. ac.
9 8arbcr, p. ,.
J0 Plcasc scc chaptcr .6, Between the Second and Tird Crusades (11501191).
JJ Villiam ol Tyrc, .,, a,, pp. ,,.
J2 !bn alQalanisi, Te Chronicles of Damascus cd. and tr. H. A. R. Gibb (London: ovcr, acca,
rcprint ol . cd.) p. .6.
J3 8arbcr, p. ,..
J4 Scc bclow lor 8crnards lcttcrs to and about Andrcw. !ts too bad that wc dont havc Andrcws
to him.
J5 Albon, Cartulaire Gnral de l Ordre du Temple 1119?1150 (Paris, ..) p. ..
J6 Fragmcnt dun Cartulairc dc lrdrc dc Saint Lazarc, cn TcrrcSaintc, Archives de l Orient
Latin Tome !! (Paris, .) p. .a6, chartcr \!.
J7 8crnard ol Clairvaux, pcra mnia \ol. . (Paris, .) col. , lcttcr CC\!, ct si vcrum cst
tcstimonium quod dc vobis pcrhibit charissimus aunclus mcus Andrcas, cum multum crcdi
mus, ct hic, ct in catcrum co miscrantc rcgnabatis.
J8 !bid., cols. ,,, lcttcr CCLXXX!X. Sanc intcrvcnit Andrcas charissimus avunculus mcus,
cui in nulo dccrcdcrc possimus, scripto suo nobis signicans mcliora, quod scilicct pascicc ct
mansuctc tc habcas, lratcrs dc Tcmplo dilcgas ct lamiliars habcas.
J9 !bid., cols. ,a,, lcttcr CCLXXX\!!!.
20 Fragmcnt dun Cartulairc, .a.c, chartcrs \!!! and X.
2J 8arbcr, p. ,c.
22 Chartes de Terre Sainte Provenant de LAbbaye de N.-D. de Josaphat, cd. HFranois clabordc
(Paris, .c) p. ,c.
23 Quotcd in 8arbcr, Knighthood, p. ,c.
24 !bid.
25 Villiam ol Tyrc.
26 Cartulaire des Templiers de Douzens, cd. Picrrc Gard and lisabcth Magnou (Paris, .6) char
tcr acc, pp. .,a,.
27 ouzcns chartcrs, A , ., acc, ac,, C , , 6, scc also chaptcr ., Te Cathars.
28 Michacl 8aigcnt, Richard Lcigh, and Hcnry Lincoln, Te Holy Blood and the Holy Grail (Ran
dom Housc, .a) p. ., notc .a.
29 Viliam ol Tyrc, book ., ., p. .. Also in alQalanisi, Te Damascus Chronicles of the Crusades,
cd. and tr. H. A. R. Gibb (ovcr, acca, rcprint ol .a cd.) pp. 666,.
30 Recueil des historiens des Gaule et de la France \ol. X\!, cd. 8ouquct, ct al. (Paris, .,), lcttcrs
.a, .a, ., ..
3J For morc on this, plcasc scc chaptcr .6, Between the Second and Tird Crusades (11501191).
32 Malcolm 8arbcr, Tc carccr ol Philip ol Nablus in thc kingdom ol Jcrusalcm, Te Experience of
Crusading, Vol. 2, Dening the Crusader Kingdom (Cambridgc Univcrstiy Prcss, acc) pp. 6a6.
33 ! havc no idca why hc was callcd that and would givc a grcat dcal to nd out.
34 Villiam ol Tyrc, Chronicon, \ol. !!, cd. R. 8. C. Huygcns (Turnholt, .6), book .,, a., p. ,c.
35 8arbcr, Philip ol Nablus, p. 6. Stcphanic had thc mislortunc to losc thrcc husbands, thc last
bcing thc Raynald dc Chatillon who was pcrsonally bchcadcd by Saladin.
36 H.Franois clabordc, cd., Chartes de Terre Sainte provenant de l Abbaye de N.-D. de Josaphat
(Paris, .c) p. , chartcr no. 6.
37 Fragmcnt dun Cartulairc, .a6a,. nc ol thc witncsscs was Andrcw ol Montbard, luturc
Grand Mastcr.
38 !bid., p. .a.
39 !bid., p. ..
40 8arbcr, Philip ol Nablus, p. 6.
4J !bid., p. 6.
42 !bid., p. ,.. No, ! dont know what happcncd to Hcnry thc 8ualo.
43 8arbcr, Knighthood, p. .c6.
44 Villiam ol Tyrc, p. ..6, dominus Arabic Sccundc, quc cst Pctraccnsi . . . ct Syric Sobal qui
locus hodic Montis Rcgalis . . . utquc trans Jordanum.
45 !bid., ., aa, p. .
46 !bid., ac, aa, p. a, Philippum Ncapolitatum, qui iam militia Tcmpli dcposucrit magistrum.
47 Fragmcnt, pp. .6,, chartcr no. a.
48 Viliam ol Tyrc, book ., ., p. .. Also in alQalanisi, Te Damascus Chronicles of the Crusades,
cd. and tr. H. A. R. Gibb (ovcr, acca, rcprint ol .a cd.) pp. 666,.
49 Fragmcnt, p. .c, chartcr no. aa.
50 Villiam ol Tyrc, p. ., book ac, ..
5J !bid., p. , book ac, a6.
52 !bid., p. , book ac, c. Rcx autcm lcgationcm corum lcto animo ct grantator suscipicns,
pctitionibus corum, sicut vir discrctissimus crat.
53 !bid., p. .
54 !bid.
55 Pctcr V. dbury and John Gordon Rowc, William of Tyre: Historian of the Latin East (Cam
bridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. a lor Valtcr Map, De Nugis Curialem.
56 John L. La Montc, Feudal Monarchy in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem (Cambridgc, MA: Mc
dicval Acadcmy ol Amcrica, .a) p. a., Villiam ol Tyrc XX!, xxix.
57 Villiam ol Tyrc, .cca, book a., a. Capti sunt dc nostris do dc Sancto Amando militia
Tcmpli magistcr, homo ncquam, supcrbus ct arrogans, spiritum luroris habcns in naribus, ncc
dcm timcns ncx ad homincm habcns rcvcrcntiam. ! dont know what thc part about lury in thc
nostrils mcans. do may havc just had allcrgics.
58 ominic Scllwood, Knights of the Cloister: Templars and Hospitallers in Central-Southern Occita
nia c. 1100c. 1300 (Voodbridgc: 8oydcll, .) p. ..
59 Alan Forcy, Te Templars in the Corona of Aragon (xlord Univcrsity Prcss, .,) pp. 6.
60 Cartulaire des Templiers de Douzens, cd. Picrrc Grard and lisabcth Magnou (Paris, .6) p. a6,
chartcr no. 8 ,.
6J Rudolph Hicstand, Papsturkunden fr Templer and Johnniter (Gottingcn, .,a) pp. ac.
62 CharlcsJoscph Hclclc and H. Lcclcrcq, Histoire de Conciles, Tomc \, Part a (Paris, ..) p. .c,.
63 !bid., pp. .c6.
64 Villiam ol Tyrc, pp. .c..,, book aa, ,.
65 8arbcr, Knighthood, p. .c.
66 Pctcr V. dbury, Te Conquest of Jerusalem and the Tird Crusade: Sources in Translation (Ash
gatc, Aldcrshot, .) p. .
67 !bid., p. .
68 Plcasc scc chaptcr ., Saladin, and chaptcr .6, Between the Second and Tird Crusades
(11501191), lor morc inlormation.
69 dbury, p. a.
70 !bn alAthir, in Arab Historians of the Crusades, tr. Franccsco Gabricli (orsct, .6) p. ..,.
7J dbury, p. .
72 !bid.
73 !bid., p. ,.
74 !bn alAthir, p. ...
75 Plcasc scc chaptcr .6 lor a morc complctc discussion ol thc battlc ol Hattin, although not too
complctc bccausc ! think it was stupid to bcgin with and nonc ol thcm sccmcd to givc a thought
to anything bcyond thcir honor.
76 8arbcr, Knighthood, p. ..,.
CH A P T I R S I X T I I N
Between the Second and
Tird Crusades (11501191)
I
n .., Louis \!! and his army rcturncd to Francc. Tcy had ac
complishcd nothing cxccpt to dcstroy thc trucc bctwccn Jcrusalcm
and amascus and cncouragc thc Moslcms, who now saw that thc
Vcstcrn warriors wcrc not all that lcarsomc.
Tings just got worsc. n Junc a, .., thc dashing Raymond ol
Antioch who had charmcd his niccc, lcanor ol Acqutainc, was killcd
in battlc. Nur adin had his hcad and right arm scnt to 8aghdad, thc
rcst ol his body was takcn back to Antioch lor burial. Hc lclt bchind
a wilc, Constancc, and lour young childrcn. Likc Melisande, Con
stancc was thc hcir ol Antioch so shc could rulc in hcr own right. 8ut
hcr cousin, 8aldwin !!!, still had to comc up and hclp with thc transi
tion. Tcn, in May ..c, Jocclyn, count ol dcssa in cxilc, was cap
turcd by Nur adin. Hc dicd in captivity ninc ycars latcr. His wilc,
8catricc, hcld out in thc lortrcss ol Tcl 8ashir lor somc timc, but was
nally convinccd to turn ovcr hcr lands to thc Grccks, who couldnt
hold thcm, cithcr. Villiam ol Tyrc wrotc, Tcrclorc, lor our sins,
both countics wcrc scarccly ablc to survivc, lacking good council, un
dcr thc rulc ol womcn.
Nur adin was thc rcal winncr ol thc Sccond Crusadc. 8ccausc
thc citizcns ol amascus had bccn so angcrcd by thc attack ol thc
Between the Second and Third Crusades (11501191) 115
crusadcrs, thcy had agrccd in .. to lct thc atabcg takc ovcr thc city.
Nur adin was thcn ablc to bring all ol Moslcm Syria undcr his
control.
Vith thc north solidly in control ol Nur adin, King 8aldwin
lookcd to thc south. Tc town ol Gaza had bccn abandoncd and a
lortrcss was built ncarby to block thc southcrn routc lor tradc to thc
coastal city ol Ascalon. Ascalon was rulcd by thc Fatimid caliphs and
was csscntial to tradc bctwccn gypt and thc Middlc ast. Vhcn thc
lortrcss was nishcd, it was turncd ovcr to thc Tcmplars to maintain.
Vhilc Villiam ol Tyrc is not always kind to thc Tcmplars hc statcs
that in this casc, Tcsc strong and intrcpid mcn havc hcld this trust
laithlully and wiscly until this vcry day. Now, vcrard dc 8arrcs was
Grand Mastcr ol thc Tcmplc at this timc, but probably back in Francc.
So its not clcar who was in chargc. Tc rccords arc prctty sparsc.
8y .., it was obvious that vcrard wasnt going to comc back. So
8crnard ol Trcmclay was clcctcd Grand Mastcr.
Nothing is known ol 8crnard and his timc as Grand Mastcr was
so short that thcrc arcnt any cxamplcs ol his administrativc ability.
His dcath, howcvcr, was an cxamplc ol both thc positivc and ncgativc
imagcs ol thc Tcmplars.
According to Villiam ol Tyrc, King 8aldwin hadnt planncd on
capturing Ascalon. !t was an cxtrcmcly solid lortrcss. Hc was just go
ing to annoy thc inhabitants by ravaging thcir orchards. 8ut things
wcnt so wcll that hc dccidcd to bcsicgc thc city.
Sincc this was morc than hc had intcndcd, 8aldwin callcd lor rc
inlorccmcnts. All thc princcs ol thc land, along with thc patriarch ol
Jcrusalcm, various bishops and archbishops, thc Tcmplars, and thc
Hospitallers, answcrcd thc call. Vith thcm thcy brought thc Truc
Cross. As thc most holy rclic in Christcndom, it was brought to all
thc major military cngagcmcnts. Tc Tcmplars wcrc always cntrustcd
with its carc and protcction.
Tc sicgc lastcd lor scvcral months. At onc point a group ol pil
grims arrivcd lrom uropc and wcrc prcsscd into scrvicc as mcrcc
narics. Finally onc ol thc walls ol thc city was brcachcd. 8crnard
ol Trcmclay and thc Tcmplars rushcd in rst. For somc rcason still
dcbatcd, no onc lollowcd thcm. Tc Tcmplars wcrc all trappcd insidc
and killcd. cspitc this sctback, thc sicgc continucd and in Junc
.., thc city lcll. Tc citizcns wcrc allowcd to lcavc unmolcstcd.
Tc capturc ol Ascalon achicvcd what thc Frcnch and Gcrman
crusadcrs had not bccn ablc to managc. Tc Latin kingdoms now con
trollcd thc cntirc Mcditcrrancan coast lrom gypt up to what is now
Turkcy. Finally, things sccmcd bc going wcll again.
Howcvcr, it wasnt to last long. !n carly ..,, a group ol Christians
attackcd a party ol nomadic Turkomcn ncar thc town ol 8anyas, dc
spitc a trucc in ccct. Nuradin immcdiatcly brought his army to
bcsicgc thc town. !n thc cnsuing battlc thc Frankish army was dc
lcatcd. King 8aldwin barcly cscapcd and scvcral ol thc lcadcrs wcrc
takcn hostagc, including thc kings marshal and luturc Tcmplar, do
ol St. Amand, and thc currcnt Grand Mastcr, 8crtrand ol 8lanclort.
8aldwin !!! spcnt thc ncxt lcw ycars shoring up dclcnscs around
his kingdom and making allianccs that would protcct thc tcrritory ol
Jcrusalcm lrom Nur adin. His work was cut short, howcvcr, by his
dcath in ..6. Villiam ol Tyrc swcars that thc king was poisoncd by
thc doctor who gavc him a tonic against thc approaching wintcr. 8ut
Villiam is suspicious ol thc custom in thc ast ol trusting Jcws, Sa
maritans, Syrians and Saraccns, whom hc lclt wcrc absolutcly igno
rant ol thc scicncc ol mcdicinc.
Sincc 8aldwin had no childrcn, his brothcr, Almaric (or Amaury),
bccamc king. Tcrc was a slight glitch about thc succcssion bccausc
Almaric had marricd his third cousin, Agncs. Tis was considcrcd
inccst, although il shc had bccn his lourth cousin, it would havc bccn
okay. Howcvcr, Almaric obligingly lct thc marriagc bc annullcd as
long as thcir two childrcn, Sybilla and 8aldwin, wcrc considcrcd lc
gitimatc.
ont lccl too sorry lor Agncs. Almost immcdiatcly shc marricd
hcr childhood swccthcart, Hugh ol !bclin.
Villiam ol Tyrc kncw King Almaric wcll and givcs a vcry intcr
csting portrait ol him. Likc most ol thc Frankish kings, hc was
blond. Hc was slightly abovc mcdium hcight, say about vc lcct and
six to cight inchcs. Hc had a bit ol a spccch impcdimcnt, which madc
him uncomlortablc spcaking in public. Although hc didnt ovcrcat
or drink, hc was much too lat so that hc had brcasts |that| wcrc likc
a womans, hanging down to his bclt. Almaric was only in his latc
twcntics! Villiam also thought Almaric was grccdy, not vcry congc
nial, and a scduccr ol marricd womcn. And this is somconc that Vil
liam workcd lor and supposcdly likcd!
Almaric was, howcvcr, a strong rulcr who insistcd on justicc
within thc kingdom. His most important accomplishmcnt was thc As
sise sur la liege. Tis pronounccmcnt madc all thc small landholdcrs
and minor lords subjcct ultimatcly to thc king. !n a disputc, thc nccds
ol thc king outwcighcd thosc ol thc licgc lord.
Vhat thc Tcmplars thought ol Almaric may havc bccn worsc
than Villiams opinion, although thcy didnt rccord it. Most ol Al
marics rcign was spcnt in trying to conqucr gypt and in kccping Nur
adins licutcnant, Shirkuh, lrom cncroaching on his kingdom. !n
..6, Shirkuh capturcd a castlc that was in thc guardianship ol thc
Tcmplars. Almaric bclicvcd that thcy had madc a dcal with thc Sara
ccns and had twclvc Tcmplars hangcd. Sincc thc disciplining ol
Tcmplar brothcrs was thc busincss ol thc Grand Mastcr and thc popc,
this did not go down wcll with thc currcnt Grand Mastcr, 8crtrand ol
8lanclort.
At this timc, thc Shiitc sultan ol gypt, Shawar, was also having
problcms with thc Sunni Shirkuh. So Almaric scnt an cnvoy to
Cairo to ncgotiatc a trcaty with Shawar against thc common cncmy. !t
was lcd by Hugh ol Cacsarca, who spokc Arabic, and thc Tcmplar
Gcorcy Fulchcr. Gcorcy ncvcr bccamc Grand Mastcr but was thc
procurator ol thc ordcr, somcthing likc an attorncy. Hc was also an
accomplishcd diplomat who was in contact with rulcrs in thc Vcst.
Tc mcn concludcd a trcaty and, lor a timc, Moslcm and Chris
tian joincd lorccs. Howcvcr, in ..6, Almaric dccidcd to invadc gypt
again. His cxcusc was that Shawar had switchcd his allcgiancc to Nur
adin, or at lcast that thcrc wcrc rumors to this ccct. As thc
lcadcr ol thc Tcmplars, 8crtrand ol 8lanclort rcluscd to allow his mcn
to join thc cxpcdition, cspccially to brcak a trcaty that a Tcmplar had
hclpcd brokcr. !t sccmcd wrong to thc Tcmplars to attack a lricndly
kingdom that rclicd on thcm. 8crtrand lclt it was against thc tcrms ol
thc trcaty and against thc laws ol rcligion.
Now, Villiam thought that thc rcal rcason 8crtrand rcluscd to go
was bccausc thc man who had suggcstcd thc invasion was thc com
mandcr ol thc Hospitallcrs, Gilbcrt dAssaily. ! couldnt say. 8ut thc
bad blood bctwccn thc Tcmplars and thc king was building.
Tc Tcmplars wcrc ghting thc Tird Crusadc long bclorc thc
ultimatc crusadcr king, Richard the Lionheart, dccidcd to comc to
thc Latin kingdoms and libcratc Jcrusalcm. Tc First Crusadc had
succccdcd in part bccausc thc uropc ans happcncd to arrivc whcn thc
various Moslcm statcs wcrc busy ghting cach othcr. Tcy wcrc ncvcr
to bc that lucky again.
8y this timc Shawar had bccn dclcatcd and amascus and gypt
had bccn unitcd undcr onc man, Salahcd din Yuscl ibn Ayub, or Sala
din. And thc crusadcr kingdoms wcrc in disarray. Tcy wcrc ghting
among thcmsclvcs worsc than usual and, instcad ol a strong warrior,
thcy had only a boy as king, 8aldwin !\. And 8aldwin was a lcpcr.
nc ol thc saddcst storics ol thc Kingdom ol Jcrusalcm is that ol
8aldwin !\, only son ol Mclisandcs son Almaric. Vhcn 8aldwin was
ninc ycars old his tutor, Villiam ol Tyrc, saw thc rst signs ol lcprosy
in thc child. Hc says that hc noticcd that whcn 8aldwin was playing
with othcr boys and thcy wcrc poking and pinching cach othcr, as
boys do, 8aldwin sccmcd to bc cxtrcmcly bravc about it. Tcn hc rcal
izcd it was bccausc thc boy couldnt lccl thc pain.
8aldwin !\ lcd his armics and govcrncd thc kingdom until his
illncss progrcsscd to thc point ol complctc disability. Vhcn thc Lcpcr
King dicd in .., thc thronc wcnt to thc son ol his sistcr, Sybilla.
King 8aldwin \ was about six ycars old and only rulcd lor a lcw
months altcr thc dcath ol his unclc. Tc child dicd in ..6.
Altcr 8aldwin \s dcath, his mothcr, Sybilla, was thc rightlul hcir
to thc thronc, but thcrc was anothcr group that bclicvcd Raymond ol
Tripoli should rulc. Sybilla was supportcd by thc currcnt Grand Mas
tcr ol thc Tcmplars, Gcrard ol Ridclort. Tc Tcmplars and thc Hospi
tallcrs, along with thc patriarch ol Jcrusalcm, wcrc cntrustcd with thc
William of Tyre examining the wounds of Baldwin IV. (Te British Library)
kcys to thc chcst in which thc royal crowns wcrc kcpt. Gcrard con
vinccd thc mastcr ol thc Hospitallers to hclp him opcn thc chcst so
that Sybilla could bc o cially crowncd.
nc objcction to Sybilla was hcr husband, Guy ol Lusignan. Guy
had madc cncmics. !n rcturn lor Raymonds support, Sybilla promiscd
to divorcc Guy, il shc could bc allowcd to choosc hcr sccond husband
hcrscll. Raymond and his supportcrs agrccd to this. Sybilla divorccd
Guy and was crowncd quccn. Tcn shc marricd Guy ol Lusignan.
So Guy was now king ol Jcrusalcm. Hc was to rulc ovcr thc disin
tcgration ol thc kingdom and thc loss ol thc city.
Tnvvv arc many chroniclcs ol thc Tird Crusadc, most writtcn within
lty ycars ol thc cvcnts. So wc havc thc bcnct ol many points ol vicw,
not only Christian but also Moslcm. Tc rolc that thc Tcmplars playcd
in thc cvcnts ol thc timc is thcrclorc givcn lrom scvcral pcrspcctivcs.
Tc trick is dcciding which onc, il any, is accuratc.
nc writcr sccms to bc imprcsscd by thc valor ol thc Tcmplars
during thc timc lcading up to thc crusadc. At thc battlc ol thc Springs
ol Crcsson, which took placc two months bclorc thc lall ol Jcrusalcm,
a ccrtain Tcmplar, . . . Jakclin dc Mailly by namc, brought all thc cn
cmy assault upon himscll through his outstanding couragc. Vhilc thc
rcst ol his lcllow knights . . . had cithcr bccn capturcd or killcd, hc borc
thc lorcc ol thc battlc alonc and shonc out as a glorious champion lor
thc law ol his God. Tc anonymous chroniclcr dcscribcs thc battlc as
onc in which thc mastcrs ol thc Tcmplc and Hospital with thcir lcw
mcn laccd an army ol thousands coming to ravagc thc land.
Howcvcr, anothcr chroniclcr has a dicrcnt takc on thc battlc.
According to him, Saladin had a trucc with Raymond, count ol Trip
oli. Tc Saraccns, undcr thc command ol Saladins son, camc into thc
county, harmcd no onc, and wcrc lcaving whcn thc mastcr ol thc
Tcmplc, Gcrard ol Ridclort, insistcd that thcy attack. Raymond had
lorbiddcn anyonc to brcak thc trucc. Tc mastcr ol thc Tcmplc was a
good knight and physically strong but hc trcatcd all othcr pcoplc
wrongly as hc was too prcsumptuous.
According to this chroniclcr, Gcrard convinccd thc othcrs to at
tack. Tc rcsult was disastcr. Tc mastcr ol thc Hospital, Rogcr dcs
Moulins, had his hcad cut o along with all thc knights ol thc Tcm
plc. nly thrcc cscapcd, onc bcing thc mastcr ol thc Tcmplc, Gcrard
dc Ridclort.
ddly, Gcrard was allowcd to continuc to givc advicc to King
Guy. His ncxt counscl lcd to thc disastcr known as thc Horns ol Hat
tin and thc capturc ol Jcrusalcm by Saladin.
J Villiam ol Tyrc, Chronichon, cd. R. 8. C. Huygcns (Turnholt, .6) book .,, .c, p. ,,a.
2 !bid. Constancc was thc cousin ol 8aldwin !!!, who had bccn marricd at thc agc ol ninc, much
to thc shock ol hcr mothcr, Alicc.
3 M. V. 8aldwin, cd., Te Crusades: Te First Hundred Years (Visconsin Univcrsity Prcss, .6)
pp. .
4 Villiam ol Tyrc, book .,, .., p. ,,. Sic igitur pcccatis nostris cxigcntibus utraquc rcgio, mc
lioribus dcstituta consiliis vix in sc subsistcns, lcminco rcgcbatur impcrio.
5 Jonathan RilcySmith, Te Crusades (Ncw Havcn: Yalc Univcrsity Prcss, acc) p. .c.
6 Villiam ol Tyrc, book .,, .a, p. ,,6.
7 !bid., book .,, a., p. ,. !snt it intcrcsting how oltcn thc nccd lor lrcsh lruit comcs into thcsc
campaigns:
8 !bid., book .,, a., lignum dominicc crucis vivicum ct vcncrabilc sccum habcntcs.
9 Laurcnt aillicz, Rgle et Status de l Ordre du Temple (Paris: crvy, .6) p. . , rulc no. .aa,
Quant lcn portc lc vcrais crois cn chcvauchc, lc Comandour dc Jcrusalcm ct lcs X chcvalicrs
la doivcnt gardcr nuit ct jour.
J0 Villiam ol Tyrc, book .,, a, p. ,.
JJ Plcasc scc chaptcr ., Grand Masters 11361189.
J2 Villiam ol Tyrc, book .,, c, p. c. Tis is conrmcd by thc Arab historian alQalanisi in Te
Damascus Chronicles of the Crusades, cd. and tr. H. A. R. Gibb (ovcr, acca, rcprint ol .a cd.)
pp. .6, and all ol thcm who could dcpart lclt thc city and procccdcd by land or sca to gypt
and clscwhcrc.
J3 !bid., book ., ., p. ..
J4 !bid., book ., , p. , phisicarum rationum prorsus ignaris.
J5 !bid., book ., , p. 6, ut morc lcmico mamillas habcrct cigulotcnus promincntcs.
J6 Hans bcrhard Maycr, Te Crusades (xlord Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. ..,.
J7 Hcllcn Nicholson, Te Knights Templar (London: Sutton, acc.) pp. 6a6.
J8 For morc on this situation, plcasc scc chaptcr ., Saladin.
J9 Villiam ol Tyrc, ., ., p. ,.
20 Malcom 8arbcr, Te New Knighthood (Cambridgc, .) p. 6.
2J Villiam ol Tyrc, ac, , p. .,.
22 !bid., ac, , p. .,. Tcy wcrc so navc!
23 !bid.
24 !bid.
25 John L. La Montc, Feudal Monarchy in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem 11001291 (Cambridgc,
MA: Mcdicval Acadcmy ol Amcrica, .a) p. .
26 !bid., p. .
27 Pctcr V. dbury, Te Conquest of Jerusalem and the Tird Crusade: Sources in Translation (Ash
gatc, Aldcrshot, .) pp. ..
28 Te Chronicle of the Tird Crusade, cd. and tr. Hclcn J. Nicholson (Ashgatc, Turnholt, .,)
p. a.
29 dbury, p. a.
30 !bid.
CH A P T I R S I V I NT I I N
Who Were the Saracens,
Anyway?
I
n thc rst paragraph ol thc Latin Rule ol thc Tcmplars, thc ordcrs
purposc was statcd thus: to dclcnd thc poor and thc churchcs ol
thc Holy Land. Tc Rulc ncvcr actually says against whom, but it was
undcrstood that thc grcatcst dangcr to thc poor and thc churchcs
camc lrom thc Saraccns.
8ut who wcrc thc Saraccns: !ts not ccrtain whcrc thc word camc
lrom but it was in usc by thc timc ol thc Romans to rclcr to thc pcoplc
ol thc Arab pcninsula and, by association, it camc to mcan Moslcms.
!t was a handy tcrm lor thc crusadcrs to usc sincc thcy wcrc lairly
vaguc on variations ol bclicl and cthnic origins in thc Ncar ast.
Tc pcoplc ol thc arca wcrc, and still arc, a mix ol cvcry migration
ol thc world. Tc Ncar ast is thc pathway connccting uropc, Al
rica, and Asia, and cvcn armics on thcir way to conqucr somcthing
clsc had to go through it to gct thcrc. Tc rst pcoplc to vcnturc out ol
Alrica wcnt through on thcir way to populating thc rcst ol thc carth.
Tc arca has bccn rulcd by Hittitcs, Phocnicians, Grccks, Pcrsians,
Jcws, Romans, and Arabs. So by thc cnd ol thc clcvcnth ccntury thc
strip ol land lrom Sucz to Constantinoplc containcd Armcnian Chris
tians, Jacobitc Christians, Grcck rthodox Christians, rthodox
Jcws, Karaitc Jcws, Samaritans, Arab Moslcms, Pcrsian Sunni Mos
123 Who Were the Saracens, Anyway?
lcms, ruzc, gyptian Shiitc Moslcms, and thc ncw guys, thc Turks,
who wcrc ultraorthodox Sunni. And thats just thc rcligions. Tc coming
ol thc Franks was no morc than a ncw ingrcdicnt to thc mix.
Howcvcr, onc problcm thc Vcstcrn invadcrs had was that thcy
wcrcnt up on all thcsc variations. Tcy didnt undcrstand that thc Ja
cobitc Christians wcrc lcss opprcsscd by thc Moslcms than by thc
8yzantincs, or that thc Shiitc city ol amascus prclcrrcd dcaling
with Christians than coming undcr thc dominancc ol thc Sunni ca
liphs ol 8aghdad.
!n somc ways, thc Tcmplars as a group lcarncd thc ropcs sooncr than
thc ncw princcs and counts ol thc crusadcr kingdoms. !n his autobiogra
phy, dc Usama ibn Munqidh, cmir ol Shaizar, rclatcs a talc about visiting
thc church that had bccn madc ncxt to thc Temple in Jerusalem (thc
Tcmplars hcadquartcrsbclorc and altcr thc crusadcs, thc mosquc ol
alAqsa). Vhcncvcr ! wcnt into thc mosquc, which was in thc hands ol
thc Tcmplars who wcrc lricnds ol minc, thcy would put thc littlc oratory
at my disposal, so that ! could say my praycrs thcrc. Usama was not
particularly lond ol thc Franks but hc saw and judgcd thcm as indi
viduals and did havc lricnds among thcm, including Tcmplars.
Tc Tcmplars and Hospitallcrs also had groups ol Moslcms who
paid tributc to thcm. For instancc thc Assassins paid two thousand bc
zants a ycar to cach ordcr. !n .ac, thc two military ordcrs joincd lorccs
to cxact rctribution lrom thc town ol Hamah, which rcluscd to pay.
Howcvcr, thc main contact that thc Tcmplars had with thc Sar
accns was in battlc. Among thc Turks, thcir rst opponcnts, thcy
camc up against thrcc vcry dicrcnt lcadcrs: Zcngi, Nur adin, and
Saladin.
Zengi (Imad al-Din Atabeg)
Tc rst ol thc grcat Turkish advcrsarics ol thc crusadcrs was known
to thc Franks as Zcngi (Zangi, Zanki), atabcg ol Mosul. For most ol
his carly carccr Zcngi, working lor thc Sunni caliphs ol 8aghdad,
conccntratcd on dclcating thc Shiitcs ol gypt and amascus. His
rst known contact with thc Tcmplars was in .., ncar Montlcrrand,
in Tripoli.
At that timc Zcngi had comc to thc dclcnsc ol thc Moslcm lor
trcss ol Homs, and dclcatcd Pons ol Tripoli, who dicd in thc battlc.
As a rcsult, King Fulk camc north with a lorcc that includcd scvcral
Tcmplars. Tc Norman historian rdcric \italis rclatcs thc story ol
thc battlc and its altcrmath:
Countlcss thousands ol thc Pagans lcll, but by thc will ol God,
whosc judgmcnts arc just and right, almost thc wholc Christian
lorcc crumblcd and all cxccpt thirty knights wcrc slain. nly thc
king himscll cscapcd, with tcn ol his houschold knights and cigh
tccn knights ol thc Tcmplc, and cd to a castlc . . . callcd Mont
lcrrand whcrc thcy stoutly rcsistcd, although bcsicgcd lor somc
timc. . . . Zcngi, although hc had lost thousands ol his mcn by thc
swords ol thc Christians, was ncvcrthclcss clatcd at winning thc
victory hc had hopcd lor.
At this point, Zcngi was morc conccrncd with conqucring Shiitc
towns than attacking thc Franks. 8ut, sincc hc was in thc ncighbor
hood, thc opportunity was too good to pass up. Hc hadnt had much
luck with thc Shiitc town ol Hims, and so thc dclcat ol Fulk and his
army was cspccially satislying. Hc thcn bcsicgcd thc rcmnant ol thc
army at Montlcrrand and had rcduccd thcm to cating thcir horscs and
dogs, whcn a rclicl lorcc appcarcd.
Tc Chroniclcs ol amascus rcports that Zcngi was still thc vic
tor, cvcn though hc had to lcavc thc cld:
!t bccamc ncccssary undcr thc circumstanccs to grant thc bcsicgcd
thcir libcrty, and hc madc an agrccmcnt with thcm, on thc grounds
that thcy acknowlcdgcd his suzcrainty, and stipulatcd lor a sum ol
lty thousand dinars, which thcy should pay him lorthwith.
rdcric docsnt mcntion a paymcnt or that King Fulk agrccd that
Zcngi should bc his lord. Hc statcs that thc two mcn agrccd to an
cxchangc ol prisoncrs and that Fulk, not knowing that rclicl was on
thc way, surrcndcrcd thc castlc in rcturn lor lrccdom.
!ts intcrcsting to mc that both thc Moslcm and Christian accounts
usc thc samc languagc and that both Zcngi and Fulk arc ghting by thc
samc convcntions. Foot soldicrs arc killcd, lcadcrs and noblcmcn hcld lor
ransom. Howcvcr lar apart thc worlds may sccm to bc, thcsc arc mcn ol
thc samc warrior culturc. Tc lact is that thcy arc part ol a long tradition
ol Romans, Grccks, and Pcrsians invading cach othcr ovcr many ccntu
rics. vcn though Fulk was ol Gcrman stock and Zcngi Turkish, thcy
had cach grown up in a socicty in which thc rulcs ol war wcrc idcntical.
Zcngi thcn turncd his attcntion back to his main objcctivc ol gain
ing control ol Shiitc towns. !n .. hc bcgan to prcparc lor thc sicgc ol
amascus. Altcr somc timc and scvcral bloody battlcs outsidc thc walls
ol thc city, thc lcadcrs ol amascus scnt to Fulk ol Jcrusalcm lor aid.
Fulk agrccd and madc a trcaty with thc city. n hcaring this, Zcngi
backcd o, contcnting himscll with raids on smallcr villagcs, both
Moslcm and Christian, lrom which hc lootcd an innumcrablc quantity
ol horscs at pasturc, shccp and goats, cattlc and lurnishings.
You scc what ! mcan about thc rulcs ol war. Tats cxactly what
thc Christian lorccs wcrc doing.
vcn though hc was morc conccrncd with uniting thc Moslcm
towns undcr Sunni govcrnmcnt, Zcngi still attackcd Christian out
posts. Tc Tcmplar castlc ncar thc Jordan Rivcr was built as a rcsult ol
Zcngis massacrc ol six monks who wcrc living in a church thcrc.
Vhilc hc ncvcr was ablc to takc amascus, Zcngis grcatcst tri
umph was thc conqucst ol thc city ol dcssa on Christmas vc ...
Tis was thc cvcnt that lcd to thc Second Crusade.
Nur ad- Din
Tc son ol Zcngi, Nur adin (Nur alin, Nurandin) was a t suc
ccssor to his lathcr and a daunting opponcnt to thc crusadcr statcs. !n
appcarancc hc was a tall, swarthy man with a bcard but no moustachc
and a plcasant appcarancc cnhanccd by bcautilul, mclting cycs.
Unlikc Zcngi, who was basically intcrcstcd in thc political con
qucst ol Shiitcs as wcll as Christians, Nur adin saw his mission as
thc climination ol thc Latin kingdoms and thc rcturn ol Jcrusalcm to
Moslcm control. Hc lclt a numbcr ol inscriptions on public buildings
that cmphasizc this. nc sign ol his dctcrmination to rcturn to a purc
lorm ol !slam is that thc languagc ol thcsc inscriptions is Arabic, not
Turkish or Pcrsian, likc thosc ol his lathcr. Hc has bccn crcditcd with
rcintroducing thc idca ol jihad, or rcligious war, into thc Moslcm
world.
His most rcmarkablc lcat was in .. whcn hc took ovcr thc gov
crnmcnt ol amascus through propaganda rathcr than lorcc. Tc
lcadcrs ol amascus lcarcd him cnough to makc an alliancc with thc
Franks but thc pcoplc ol thc town had bccn listcning to storics, songs,
and scrmons about how Nur adin was a truc mujahid and thc only
onc who could assurc a victory lor !slam. Tcy dccidcd to ovcrthrow
thcir lcadcrs and invitc Nur adin in.
Nur adin dicd in amascus on May ., ..,. cspitc thc ncarly
thirty ycars ol war bctwccn him and thc Latin statcs, Villiam ol Tyrc
still wrotc that hc was ol grcat rcnown, a just princc, pcrsccutor ol
thc Christian laith, cunning and prudcnt and rcligious according to
thc traditions ol his pcoplc.
Nur adin would bc succccdcd not by thc son hc lclt bchind, but
by thc lcadcr who, lor thc Vcst, is thc archctypal Saraccn, thc Kurd
Saladin.
J Paupcrs aut cclcsias dclcndcrc, in Laurcnt aillicz, Rgle et Status de l Ordre du Temple (Paris:
crvcy, .6) p. a.
2 xlord nglish ictionary (xlord Univcrsity Prcss, .,.) p. a6.
3 Usama, in Franccsco Gabricli, Arab Historians of the Crusades (Ncw York: orsct, .) tr.
lrom !talian by . J. Costcllo p. ,.
4 Ph. Gourdin and G. Martincz Gros (dirs) Pays dIslam et monde latin 9501250 (Tourai, acc.)
p. a6.
5 Abua l Hamzah ibn Asad !bn alQalanisi, Te Damascus Chronicles of the Crusades, tr. H. A. R.
Gibb (Ncw York: ovcr, acca). p. aa,.
6 rdcric \italis, Te Ecclesiastical History of Orderic Vitalis cd. and tr. Marjoric Chibnall (xlord
Univcrsity Prcss, .,) \ol. \!, book X!!!, v. , pp. 6,.
7 !bid.
8 !bn AlQalanisi p. a.
9 rdcric \italis, op. cit., pp. ccc.
J0 !bn AlQalanisi, pp. a6c.
JJ !bid., p. a6a.
J2 Malcom 8arbcr, Te New Knighthood (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .6) p. .
J3 !bn AlAthir, in Gabricli p. 6. !bn AlAthir (/..6c6c/.a) wrotc a history ol thc Mos
lcm world. Hc was lourtccn whcn Nur adin dicd.
J4 Yasscr Tabbaa, Monumcnts with a Mcssagc: Propagation ol Jihad undcr Nur Alin, in
\ladimir P. Gross, cd., Te Meeting of Two Worlds (Kalamazoo, M!: Mcdicval !nstitutc, .6)
p. aa.
J5 !bid., pp. aa,.
J6 Gourdin and Gros, p. ..
J7 Villiam ol Tyrc, Chronicon, cd. R. 8. C. Huygcns (Turnholt, .6) ac, ., p. 6. Noradinus,
maximus nominis ct dci christianc prcscquutor, princcs tamcn justus, valcr ct providus ct sc
cundum gcntis suc traditioncs rcligiosus.
CH A P T I R I I GHT I I N
Saladin
I
n mcdicval and modcrn lcgcnd, hc was thc most chivalrous ol all
thosc involvcd with thc crusadcs. Hc was mighty and mcrcilul,
wisc and bravc. Hc was also thc man who dcstroycd thc drcam ol a
Christian Jcrusalcm and startcd thc slow rctrcat ol thc Latin king
doms.
!n thc wcst hc is known as Saladin.
Salahcd din Yuscl ibn Ayub was born in thc ycar ... His lam
ily was ol thc Rawadiya clan ol Kurds who had migratcd to 8aghdad
and cntcrcd thc scrvicc ol thc caliphs. Tcy wcrc dcvout Sunni Mos
lcms and Yuscl, that is, Saladin, was a shining cxamplc ol thc idcal
warrior lor orthodox !slam.
Saladins lathcr, Ayub, was govcrnor ol thc town ol 8aalbck in
Syria. Saladin was born in Tikrit, north ol 8aghdad, and spcnt his
childhood in Mosul. !n ..a, at thc agc ol lourtccn, hc cntcrcd thc scr
vicc ol Nur adin, thc son ol Zcngi, who had capturcd dcssa, prc
cipitating thc Second Crusade.
Shiitc amascus was oltcn a rcluctant ally ol thc kings ol Jcrusa
lcm against thc incursions ol thc ncwly convcrtcd Sunni Turks. Vhcn,
in .., Nur adin took amascus thc only major Shiitc stronghold
lclt was gypt. Tc country had bccn wcakcncd by intcrnal battlcs lor
powcr. Tc Shiitc Fatimid dynasty was lailing. Around ..6a, thc vizicr
to thc Fatimid caliphs, Shawar, was unscatcd in a palacc coup. Shawar
Saladin 129
cd to Syria and convinccd Nur adin to support him in an attcmpt
to rcgain powcr. Nur adin scnt his licutcnant Asad alin Shirkuh
to lcad thc army. Vith him Shirkuh took his ncphcw Saladin.
Shawar was rcstorcd to his position in ..6 and Shirkuh and Sala
din rcturncd to Syria. Howcvcr, Shawar was obscsscd by thc lcar ol
a Turkish invasion. Not trusting his TurkishSunni allics, hc con
tactcd thc Frankish king, Almaric, who had alrcady bccn in ncgotia
tions with thc gyptians and askcd thc king to protcct him lrom
Shirkuh il ncccssary. Tc kings rcprcscntativcs to thc vizicr wcrc
Hugh, lord ol Cacsarca, and Gcorcy Fulchcr, a Tcmplar.
Almaric agrccd to join lorccs with Shawar. Tc combincd armics
wcrc ablc to roust Shirkuh lrom thc town ol 8albis, which hc had rc
ccntly takcn. 8ut, whilc Almaric and his mcn wcrc in gypt, Nur
adin took advantagc ol thc situation and attackcd thc Latin city ol
8anyas. Tis was typical ol thc problcms ol thc Latin kingdoms.
Tcrc wcrc too many lronts to dclcnd.
!n ..6,, King Almaric and \izicr Shawar again mct Shirkuh in
battlc. !n this battlc Saladin distinguishcd himscll, capturing thc cn
voy, Hugh ol Cacsarca, and many othcrs. Howcvcr, altcr dclcnding
thc city ol Alcxandria during a long sicgc, Saladin and his unclc wcrc
lorccd to rctrcat oncc again.
Finally in ..6, Almaric was told that Shawar was scnding mcs
sagcs to Nur adin, asking lor his hclp to maintain powcr in gypt.
!t is not at all ccrtain that this was truc. According to Villiam ol
Tyrc, thc Tcmplars rcluscd to takc part in this cxpcdition bccausc thcy
didnt bclicvc Shawar had brokcn thc trcaty. Hc also suggcsts that thc
Tcmplars wcrc annoycd bccausc thc invasion was thc idca ol Gilbcrt
dAssaily, thc mastcr ol thc Hospital. Villiam always had mixcd lccl
ings about thc Tcmplars.
Vhatcvcr thc rcason, Shawar was scriously wcakcncd by thc Chris
tian attack. Altcr hc had madc anothcr trucc with Almaric, thc king
rctrcatcd back to Jcrusalcm, lcaving thc way opcn lor Shirkuh and
Saladin.
Shawar grcctcd thc Turks as rcscucrs but Shirkuh was highly
suspicious ol a man who madc trcatics with idolatcrs against othcr
Moslcms. Hc lclt that this was bccausc thc caliphs ol gypt wcrc, in
his mind, Shiitc hcrctics. Tcrclorc, hc dccidcd to oust thc vizicr.
Saladin was dispatchcd to arrcst Shawar. Tc vizicr was bchcadcd
and his hcad scnt to Cairo. Shirkuh was madc vizicr in his placc. Tc
Fatimid caliphs wcrc kcpt as puppct kings lor thc timc bcing.
Saladins biographcr statcs that Shirkuh was a grcat catcr, cxccs
sivcly givcn to partaking ol rich mcats. Hc sucrcd many bouts ol in
digcstion. n March aa, ..6, Saladins unclc dicd, pcrhaps altcr a
particularly rich mcal, and Saladin bccamc vizicr ol gypt. Hc ncvcr
lookcd back. !n ..,c hc capturcd Gaza, a lronticr town long hcld by
thc Tcmplars.
Likc Nur adin, Saladin was dcvoutly orthodox and bclicvcd it
was his duty to rid thc Holy Land ol indcls. Likc thc Christians, hc
also bclicvcd it ncccssary to cithcr convcrt or silcncc hcrctics within
his own laith, likc thc Shiitcs. nc ol his rst tasks in gypt was
strcngthcning thc Sunni causc and planting in thc local population
pious lcarning, law, Su practicc and |truc| rcligion. Tis includcd
thc crucixion ol thc Su hcrctic al Suhrawadi in ..c bccausc it was
said that hc rcjcctcd thc Holy Law and dcclarcd it invalid.
Vhcn thc last Fatimid caliph dicd in ..,., Saladin rcplaccd him.
His dynasty would bc known as thc Ayyubids, altcr Saladins lathcr,
Ayub.
ncc cstablishcd in gypt, Saladin put his cncrgy into driving
out thc Franks and in cstablishing his indcpcndcncc lrom Nur adin
without causing an outright rupturc in thcir rclations. Hc was aidcd in
both thcsc things by thc dcaths in .., ol both Nur adin, on May .,
and King Almaric, on July ... Nur adins hcir was a young boy.
Almarics was thc thirtccnycarold 8aldwin !\, who had sucrcd
lrom lcprosy sincc thc agc ol ninc. Ncithcr was ablc to providc thc
lcadcrship nccdcd, although poor 8aldwin tricd.
Saladin sccms to havc lclt that hc was thc spiritual hcir ol Nur ad
in. Hc took ovcr thc city ol amascus and marricd Nur adins
widow. Now hc controllcd both gypt and amascus. Hc was ablc to
attack thc Latin kingdoms lrom both thc cast and thc wcst. Jcrusa
lcm braccd lor thc blow. !nstcad, to thc grcat rclicl ol thc Christians,
Saladin. (Art Resource, NY)
Saladin turncd cast to nish taking ovcr thc lands that Nur adin
had lclt to his young son, including thc citics ol Mosul and Alcppo.
!n ..c, Saladin madc an alliancc with thc Scljuk sultan ol Anato
lia, Kilij Arslan !!, in ordcr to ght against thc town ol Mosul. Hc
marricd onc ol his daughtcrs to Kilijs son, who slowly pushcd his la
thcr out ol occ and provcd a strong supportcr ol his lathcrinlaw.
Vhilc still working to capturc Mosul, Saladin was ablc to takc
Alcppo, which hc gavc to his brothcr, alAdil, to govcrn.
Mosul still hcld out, so, in .., Saladin madc a lourycar trucc
with young 8aldwin, dcspitc his carlicr rcscrvations about thosc who
makc trcatics with indcls in ordcr to ght othcr Moslcms.
Vhat happcncd ncxt dcpcnds on oncs point ol vicw. 8ut, in onc
ol thc unprcdictablc quirks ol history, thc latc ol Jcrusalcm may havc
bccn dccidcd by thc actions ol onc hothcadcd man.
ncc upon a timc thcrc was a knight namcd Rcynald dc Chatil
lon. Hc was good looking and advcnturous, but poor. So, pcrhaps sc
duccd by romancc talcs pop ular in Francc, hc camc to Antioch in thc
..cs to scck his lortunc. Amazingly, hc lound it in thc pcrson ol Con
stancc, princcss ol Antioch. Shc had bccn thc littlc girl marricd at thc
agc ol ninc to Raymond ol Poiticrs. Raymond was dcad and Con
stancc was not inclincd to marry again lor thc good ol thc rcalm. !n
stcad, shc chosc Rcynald.
Hc wasnt popu lar with his inlaws. Vhcn Rcynald was capturcd
by Nur adin in ..6c, no onc bothcrcd to ransom him. 8y thc timc
hc was lrccd in ..,6, his wilc had dicd. Sincc shc was thc hcircss ol
Antioch, Rcynald had no claim on hcr propcrty. Tc soldicr ol lortunc
was oncc again without lunds.
Captivity sccms to havc donc nothing to diminish his charm. Tc
ncxt ycar Rcynald marricd Stcphanic ol Milly, thc daughtcr and hcir
css ol Tcmplar Philip ol Nablus. Trough hcr, Rcynald gaincd control
ol thc provincc ol utrcjordan.
According to most ol thc chroniclcs, Rcynald lclt that thc trucc
with Saladin didnt apply to him. Hc bchavcd much likc thc Moslcm
raidcrs had in thc rst part ol thc ccntury. Hc attackcd pilgrims on
thcir way to Mccca, burncd towns, and, as thc last straw, in .., hc
Saladin 133
pillagcd a Moslcm caravan going lrom Cairo to 8aghdad. Hc scizcd
it trcachcrously, maltrcatcd and torturcd its mcmbcrs. . . . Tcy rc
mindcd him ol thc trucc, but hc rcplicd, Tcll your Mohammad to
rclcasc you.
Rcynald was handsomc, charming, advcnturous, and stupid.
Tis cithcr gavc Saladin thc cxcusc hcd bccn looking lor or tricd
his paticncc lor thc last timc. !t was probably a littlc ol both.
8y .., 8aldwin !\ had dicd. His rcplaccmcnt was his sistcr, Syb
illa, and hcr husband, Guy ol Lusignan. Guy was anothcr advcnturcr
and not univcrsally pop u lar. Hc and his supportcr, Tcmplar Grand
Mastcr Gcrard ol Ridclort, had problcms with Count Raymond ol
Tripoli that wcrc scrious cnough lor Raymond to makc his own trucc
with Saladin. 8ut, whcn Rcynald absolutcly rcluscd to rcturn thc
booty hc had takcn lrom thc caravan, cvcn though King Guy insistcd,
cvcryonc kncw that Saladin had thc pcrlcct rcason to attack.
Tc rcsult was thc disastrous battlc ol thc Horns ol Hattin on July
, ..,.
Among thc mcn capturcd at Hattin wcrc King Guy, Mastcr Gc
rard ol Ridclort, a largc numbcr ol Tcmplars and Hospitallcrs, and
Rcynald dc Chatillon. Tc worst loss to thc Christians, though, was
thc Truc Cross, carricd into battlc in a gold rcliquary.
Saladin had thc important prisoncrs brought to his tcnt. Hc ol
lcrcd King Guy a cup ol watcr. Vhcn thc king had nishcd drinking,
hc handcd thc cup to Rcynald. Saladin was lurious. Tis godlcss man
did not havc my pcrmission to drink! hc roarcd. And ! will not savc
his lilc in that way. Vith that hc took his sword and bchcadcd Rcy
nald ol Chatillon himscll.
!t must havc bccn vcry satislying, il damaging to thc carpcts.
King Guy and Gcrard ol Ridclort wcrc ransomcd but thc rcst ol
thc Tcmplars and Hospitallcrs wcrc also bchcadcd. Hc had thcsc par
tic u lar mcn killcd bccausc thcy wcrc thc crccst ol all thc Frankish
warriors, and in this way hc rid thc Muslim pcoplc ol thcm.
Altcr this, Saladin was ablc to roll across thc country practically
unhindcrcd. Hc took Acrc on July .c, Ascalon on Scptcmbcr . Al
though Quccn Sybilla dclcndcd thc city ol Jcrusalcm as bcst shc
could, thcrc wcrc no morc ghting mcn lclt. Saladin capturcd it on
ctobcr a, ..,. Hc allowcd thc pcoplc ol thc town to pay thcir own
ransoms. Tc patriarch ol Jcrusalcm askcd thc Hospitallcrs lor thirty
thousand bczants to covcr thc ransoms ol scvcn thousand poor pcoplc.
Tat was dclivcrcd, but somc pcoplc wcrc still unrcdccmcd. Tc Tcm
plars, Hospitallcrs, and thc burgcsscs ol Jcrusalcm wcrc askcd to do
natc morc and thcy did, but thcy didnt givc as much as thcy should
havc.
vcn thc Christian chroniclcrs rcmarkcd on thc gcncrosity ol Sal
adin and that ol his lamily in thcir trcatmcnt ol thc pcoplc ol Jcrusalcm.
Sail alin, Saladins brothcr, askcd lor thc lrccdom ol onc thousand
morc pcoplc and, on his own, Saladin lrccd thousands morc. How
cvcr thcrc wcrc many who could not pay and thcy wcrc sold as slavcs.
nc Moslcm chroniclcr rclatcs thc latc ol thc womcn ol thc city with
dclight. How many wcllguardcd womcn wcrc prolancd, . . . and mi
scrly womcn lorccd to yicld thcmsclvcs, and womcn who had bccn
kcpt hiddcn strippcd ol thcir modcsty, and scrious womcn madc
ridiculous, . . . and virgins dishonourcd and proud womcn dcow
crcd . . . and untamcd oncs tamcd and happy oncs madc to wccp!
n all sidcs, it sccms chivalry only gocs so lar.
Tcn Saladin sct out to purily thc city. Tc Tcmplars had built
thcir living quartcrs against alAqsa, with storcrooms and latrincs and
othcr ncccssary o ccs, taking up thc arca ol alAqsa. Tis was all rc
storcd to its lormcr statc.
Vhcn uropc lcarncd ol thc lall ol Jcrusalcm thc popc, Urban !\,
is said to havc dicd lrom thc shock. Hcnry !! ol ngland and Philip !!
ol Francc wcrc convinccd to call a trucc in thcir constant battlcs and
cstablish a tax, known as thc Saladin tithc, to nancc armics to rctakc
thc city.
vcntually Frcdcrick 8arbarossa, thc Holy Roman mpcror,
Philip Augustus, king ol Francc, and Richard the Lionheart, king ol
ngland, camc to rctakc thc Holy Land. !n thc chroniclcs ol thc uro
pc ans, Saladin is a dangcrous but magnanimous rulcr. !n thc chroni
clcs ol thc Moslcms, Richard is a dangcrous but cultivatcd rulcr.
Pcrhaps both sidcs lclt that thcir rcspcctivc hcrocs dcscrvcd a worthy
Saladin 135
opponcnt. ach sccms to havc bccn morc rcspcctcd by thcir cncmics
than thcir own sidc.
! havc oltcn hcard and rcad that, whcn Richard was ill, Saladin
was so gracious as to scnd his own doctor to thc king. Howcvcr, in go
ing through thc rsthand accounts lrom both sidcs, ! havcnt lound
any rclcrcncc to it. Vhat ! did nd was a commcnt lrom 8aha alin
that Richard askcd Saladin lor lruit and icc, as hc cravcd thcm. Tc
sultan was supplying him with |thcsc,| whilc intcnding to gain intcl
ligcncc by thc toandlroing ol thc mcsscngcrs.
Saladin was in his carly ltics at thc timc ol thc crusadc and his
bcard had turncd whitc. Richard was in his carly thirtics and Philip
somc tcn ycars youngcr. Tc sultan must havc lclt that hc was going to
war against schoolboys. Richard sccms to havc surpriscd him with his
military and diplomatic skill. Rcading through thc chroniclcs, cspc
cially thc intcrminablc ncgotiating through cnvoys, intcrspcrscd with
skirmishcs, ! gct thc imprcssion that this was a contcst bctwccn cquals.
8oth mcn lought in thc namc ol a rcligion that cach bclicvcd in. Tcy
had thc samc rulcs and much thc samc battlc tactics.
Vhcthcr thcy wcrc gcntlcmcn or barbarians is cntircly a mattcr ol
opinion.
vcntually Saladin acccptcd a division ol thc country and allowcd
Christian pilgrims to comc again to Jcrusalcm. Hc rcturncd to a
mascus to rcsumc thc govcrning ol his larung tcrritory. !n latc Fcb
ruary .., hc lcll ill and, dcspitc all thc corts ol his doctors, dicd on
March , at thc agc ol ltyvc. Hc lclt many childrcn and grand
childrcn, but his dynasty would only last thrcc gcncrations. Vithout
his guiding inucncc, brothcrs and cousins would ght cach othcr
until thcy wcrc ovcrcomc by thc Mamluks, thc cquivalcnt ol thc pal
acc guard ol gypt.
Saladin was such a grand gurc that hc was rcspcctcd as wcll as
lcarcd in thc Vcst. Unlikc thc Tcmplars, hc was thc subjcct ol ro
mancc litcraturc. 8y thc ltccnth ccntury, thcrc wcrc scvcral storics
about him, including how hc had madc a journcy to Francc as a young
man and had an aair with thc quccn ol Francc.
!t sccmcd impossiblc to somc that such a magniccnt man could
bc totally lrom anothcr culturc. Tc author ol thc thirtccnthccntury
romancc Tc aughtcr ol thc Count ol Ponticu dccidcd that hc
must havc had somc uro pc an anccstry. !n thc story, thc hcroinc is
kidnappcd by a Saraccn king who trcats hcr wcll and by whom shc has
childrcn. Howcvcr, shc longs to rcturn to Christian lands and nally
cscapcs. nc ol thc childrcn shc lcavcs bchind bccomcs thc grand
mothcr ol thc chivalrous Saladin. l coursc thcrc is no truth to thc
story. 8ut it docs show how thc lcgcnd ol thc chivalrous Saladin
pcnctratcd cvcn in thc lands ol his cncmics.
Tc lcgcnd survivcs to this day.
J Stanlcy LancPoolc, Saladin and the Fall of the Kingdom of Jerusalem (Ncw York: G. P. Putnams
Sons, .) p. 6.
2 8aha alin !bn Shaddad, Te Rare and Excellent History of Saladin, tr. . S. Richards (Ash
gatc, Aldcrshot, acca) p. .,.
3 Hans bcrhard Maycr, Te Crusades (xlord Univcrsity Prcss, ., and cd.) p. .a..
4 8aha alin, p. .,.
5 !bid., p. ..
6 Malcolm 8arbcr, Te New Knighthood (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. 6.
7 Villiam ol Tyrc, Chronicon, cd. R. 8. C. Huygcns (Turnholt, .6)., .., pp. ,a,. 8anyas
had bccn an Assassin town but thcy had turncd it ovcr to thc Franks rathcr than lct thc Sunni
havc it.
8 Villiam ol Tyrc, ., a, p. .
9 !bid., ac, , p. ..
J0 8aha alin, p. .
JJ !bid. Tcy wcrc always scnding hcads to 8aghdad or Cairo. ont you wondcr what thcy did
with thcm all:
J2 !bid., p. .
J3 !bid.
J4 !bid., p. ac.
J5 Villiam ol Tyrc, ac, ., pp. 6,.
J6 Maycr, p. .a.
J7 !bid., p. .a.
J8 8aha alin, p. 6.
J9 Tis story is in most historics ol thc crusadcs, as wcll as Villiam ol Tyrc. nc ol thc bcst sum
marics ol his lilc is in Rcn Groussct, Histoire des Croisades et du Royaume Franc de Jrusalem
(Paris, .) p. 6. For morc on Constancc, scc chaptcr .c, Melisande, Queen of Jerusa
lem.
20 Maycr, p. ...
2J 8aha alin, p. ,.
22 8arbcr, p. ...
23 Plcasc scc thc rclcrcncc to thc Tird Crusadc clscwhcrc in this book.
24 !mad ad in, in Arab Historians of the Crusades, tr. Franccsco Gabricli (orsct, .6) p. .a.
Saladin 137
25 !bid. 8aha alin, p. ,, says that Saladin only cut o his arm and othcrs nishcd him o. !t
turncd out thc samc lor Rcynald.
26 !bid., p. .a. thcr chroniclcrs agrcc that thc mcmbcrs ol thc military ordcrs wcrc killcd, but
only this onc givcs a rcason.
27 Chronique d Ernoul et de Bernard le Trsorier, cd. m. L. c Mas Latric (Paris, .,.) p. aa6, ct li
Tcmplcs ct lc Hospitaus i donna, mais ni donncrcnt mic tant comc il dcusscnt.
28 rnoul, p. aa. Tis was writtcn long altcr thc cvcnt. !t may or may not bc truc, but it docs show
that thc Vcst saw Saladin as a chivalrous man.
29 !bn alAthir in Gabricli, p. .6.
30 !bid.
3J !bid., p. ..
32 Maycr, pp. .c.
33 8aha alin, p. aa.
34 !bid., p. a.
35 Suzannc uparcQuioc, Le Cycle de La Croisade (Paris, .) pp. .,cac.
36 La Fille du Comte de Pontieu (Paris: Socit dcs Ancicns Tcxtcs Franais, .a) p. c, cnsi com
vcrits tcsmoingnc, dc cclc lu ncc lc mcrc au courtois Salchadin.
CH A P T I R NI NI T I I N
Richard the Lionheart
Hc was lolty ol staturc, ol shapcly build, his hair hallway bctwccn
rcd and ycllow, his limbs straight and supplc. His arms wcrc
somcwhat long and, thcrclorc, bcttcr ttcd than thosc ol most
mcn to draw or wicld a sword. Hc also had long lcgs in kccping
with thc charactcr ol his wholc lramc. . . . Hc lar surpasscd othcr
mcn in courtcsy and thc grcatncss ol his strcngth.
R
ichard !, count ol Poitou and king ol ngland, bcttcr known as
thc Lionhcart, is anothcr gurc whosc lcgcnd has obscurcd his
rcal history. Likc thc Tcmplars, Richards lcgcnd bcgan in his own
lilctimc and continucd to grow long altcr his dcath.
Richard was born at xlord on Scptcmbcr , ..,. His mothcr,
lcanor, was countcss ol Poitou and duchcss ol Aquitainc in hcr own
right as wcll as having bccn quccn ol Francc bclorc shc bccamc quccn
ol ngland. His lathcr, Hcnry Plantagcnct, was dcsccndcd through
his mothcr, Matilda, lrom Villiam thc Conqucror and through his
lathcr, Gcorcy ol Anjou, lrom thc dcvil.
Tc story is that a distant anccstrcss ol Richard was Mclusinc, a
dcmon in disguisc who marricd a count ol Anjou. Shc sccmcd pcrlcctly
normal cxccpt lor a habit ol lcaving church hallway through thc Mass.
nc day, suspicious vassals lorccd hcr to stay in thc church lor thc con
sccration ol thc Host, at which point, shc shrickcd and vanishcd lor
139 Richard the Lionheart
cvcr, lcaving a startlcd husband and childrcn bchind. Tc Plantagcncts
always sccmcd vcry proud ol hcr. Howcvcr, this samc story was told
about a numbcr ol mcdicval lamilics as wcll as bcing a pop ular thcmc
in ction so thcy wcrc not uniquc in thcir lascinating anccstry.
Ncvcrthclcss, according to a contcmporary, Richard was known
to havc said, !ts not strangc that, with such a lamily history, thc chil
drcn arc always attacking thcir parcnts and cach othcr lor thcy all
camc lrom thc dcvil and to thc dcvil thcy will rcturn.
8ut Richard also had strong tics to thc carly crusadcrs and to thc
Latin kingdoms. His grcatgrandlathcr Fulk of Anjou had startcd a
sccond lilc as king ol Jcrusalcm whcn hc marricd Melisande, thc
hcircss to thc kingdom. And his mothcrs unclc, Raymond ol Poiticrs,
had donc thc samc thing whcn hc marricd thc hcircss ol Antioch.
And, ol coursc, his mothcr lcanor had scandalizcd hall thc con
tincnt with hcr advcnturcs with hcr rst husband, Louis \!! ol Francc,
on thc Second Crusade.
Richard was thc third son ol Hcnry and lcanor. Tc rst, Vil
liam, had dicd as a baby. Tc sccond, Hcnry, was bcing groomcd to bc
thc ncxt king ol ngland. Richard was to inhcrit his mothcrs lands.
Tcrclorc, hc spcnt much ol his timc in Poitou and Aquitainc. Tis
tcrritory was not only largcr than ngland, but much morc prospcrous
and produccd much bcttcr winc. ! dont blamc Richard lor bcing at
tachcd to it.
nc oltcn rcpcatcd story is that Richard passcd lcss than a ycar ol
his lilc in ngland. Tats not cxactly truc. Hc spcnt lcss than a ycar in
ngland as king. !n his carly ycars hc wcnt back and lorth across thc
channcl scvcral timcs. His parcnts probably lclt him with his nanny,
Hodicrna, much ol thc timc. Shc may havc comc lrom thc xlord
arca. Hc was ccrtainly lond ol hcr, and whcn hc bccamc king hc gavc
hcr a largc pcnsion that allowcd hcr to rctirc to Viltshirc in stylc.
Likc most ol thc AngloNorman nobility, Richard ncvcr lcarncd
to spcak nglish. Hc did, howcvcr, lcarn to rcad and writc Frcnch and
Provcnal and was su cicntly wcllcducatcd in Latin to bc ablc to
crack a Latin jokc at thc cxpcnsc ol a lcss lcarncd Archbishop ol Can
turbury.
Hc bccamc king in July .. at thc agc ol thirtytwo. His cldcr
brothcr Hcnry had dicd. At thc timc Richard was at war with his lathcr
and not on grcat tcrms with his youngcr brothcrs, Gcorcy and John.
His mothcr had bccn imprisoncd by his lathcr lor scvcral ycars as a rc
sult ol hcr plots against him. Maybc thcrc is somcthing to thc dcmon
story.
Tc ycar bclorc hc assumcd thc thronc, Richard had bccn onc ol
thc rst to answcr thc summons ol Popc Grcgory \!! lor thc Tird
Crusadc. As king, hc not only still had to lulll this vow but also to
honor that ol his lathcr, Hcnry !!, who had also promiscd to go.
8ut bclorc that hc wcnt to Vcstminstcr lor his o cial anointing
and coronation. n Scptcmbcr ., .., hc bccamc Richard ! ol n
gland. Hc thcn immcdiatcly sct about collccting as much moncy as hc
could to nancc his cxpcdition to thc Holy Land. Hc put up lor salc
cvcrything hc hadoccs, lordships, carldoms, shcrridoms, castlcs
towns, lands, thc lot. Hc was also ablc to collcct thc tax that Hcnry
!! had startcd, known as thc Saladin tithc, which shows that thc
pcoplc ol uropc kncw who had takcn Jcrusalcm lrom thcm. Tis was
not always paid chccrlully, cspccially by thc clcrgy, but Richard kncw
how to convincc thcm. 8oth hc and his lathcr madc thc Tcmplars his
tithc collcctors. Tis didnt cndcar pcoplc to thcm.
Tc intcnsc dcmand lor moncy lrom thc pcoplc ol ngland, along
with thc usual crusading lcrvor, may havc bccn rcsponsiblc lor an out
brcak ol violcncc against thc Jcws in ngland. !t sccms to havc startcd
whcn somc Jcws arrivcd at Richards coronation with gilts and wcrc
told thcy couldnt comc in. Vomcn and Jcws had not bccn invitcd.
Tc crowd outsidc, who apparcntly also hadnt bccn invitcd in, at
tackcd thc Jcws, killing somc ol thcm. Tis lcd to a gcncral riot in
London. Jcwish homcs wcrc ransackcd and burncd and many pcoplc
murdcrcd.
Richard was not particularly proJcwish, but all thc Jcws ol n
gland wcrc undcr thc kings spccial protcction and had bccn sincc thcy
rst camc to ngland in thc timc ol Villiam thc Conqucror. Tcy
wcrc also a grcat sourcc ol rcvcnuc. Hc was lurious about thc attacks
and tricd to stop thc dcstruction but, ovcr thc ncxt lcw months, thc
violcncc sprcad to othcr towns ol ngland.
Tis culminatcd in a horrilying massacrc on Friday, March .6,
..c, Shabbat ha- Gadol, during which .c pcoplc wcrc killcd in thc city
ol York whcn thcy took rclugc in a towcr thcrc. Tc chroniclcr Vil
liam ol Ncwburgh livcd ncarby and rcports, And thcrc wcrc not lack
ing among thc mob many clcrgymcn, among whom a ccrtain hcrmit
sccmcd morc vchcmcnt than thc rcst . . . lrcqucntly rcpcating with a
loud voicc that Christs cncmics ought to bc crushcd. Tc instiga
tors sccm to havc bccn lricnds ol thc bishop ol urham, Richard
Malcbyssc and Villiam Pcrcy. Richard saw that thc mcn wcrc ncd
and had thcir lands takcn away. No onc sccms to havc ocrcd to hclp
thc Jcws rcbuild.
8y thc timc this happcncd, Richard had alrcady lclt ngland.
n thc way to thc castcrn Mcditcrrancan as part ol thc Tird Cru
sadc, Richard dccidcd to lorgc an alliancc with Sancho \!, king ol
Navarrc, and bccamc cngagcd to his daughtcr, 8crcngaria. Tis im
mcdiatcly provcd a problcm with Philip !!, king ol Francc and Rich
ards stcpbrothcr. Richard had bccn cngagcd to Philips sistcr, Alix, lor
most ol his lilc and Alix had bccn raiscd at thc nglish court, ccc
tivcly kccping hcr lrom mccting anyonc ncw.
Tc two kings mct on Sicily and Philip was bought o. Quccn
lcanor, who was in hcr latc sixtics at thc timc, brought 8crcngaria to
Richard and thcy wcrc marricd in Cyprus May .a, .... Richard sccms
to havc spcnt most ol thc timc bclorc thc wcdding conqucring thc is
land. !t latcr provcd to bc too much troublc to maintain so hc sold it to
thc Tcmplars. Tc Tcmplars also lound Cyprus di cult to hold and
so it was passcd on to Guy ol Lusignan, thc widowcd husband ol Syb
illa, quccn ol Jcrusalcm.
King Philip and Richard nally arrivcd at thc city ol Acrc, which
had bccn takcn by Saladin lour ycars bclorc. Tcy joincd thc bcsicgcrs
and, altcr a long and horriblc wintcr, thc city nally lcll.
Hcrc two things happcncd that would comc back to haunt Rich
ard. Tc rst was somcthing that sccmcd minor at thc timc. Lcopold,
Richard the Lionheart takes Acre, from Les Grandes Chroniques de
France. Note that the other lords are not shown. (Te British Library)
dukc ol Austria, had bccn ghting at Acrc longcr than thc two kings.
Vhcn thc city lcll, hc had his standards raiscd along with thosc ol
Richard and Philip. Richard, bclicving that Lcopold intcndcd to takc
a third ol thc booty, had thcm torn down. Hc and Philip had alrcady
dccidcd on a ltylty split. Lcopold was naturally ocndcd by this
and dccidcd to takc his soldicrs and go homc. Vith him, hc took a
grudgc against Richard.
Tc sccond thing was much morc immcdiatcly damaging to Rich
ards rcputation. Hc had capturcd ncarly thrcc thousand Moslcm citi
zcns ol Acrc who wcrc bcing hcld lor a ransom ol onc hundrcd
thousand bczants. At somc point hc dccidcd that Saladin wasnt go
ing to pay. Richard wantcd to lcavc Acrc but couldnt until thc cap
tivcs wcrc got rid ol. So onc morning hc took thcm outsidc thc city
and slaughtcrcd thcm all. 8oth thc Arab and Christian chroniclcrs
agrcc that this happcncd. Tc Arab chroniclcr statcs:
Many rcasons wcrc givcn lor this slaughtcr. nc was that thcy had
killcd thcm as a rcprisal lor thcir own prisoncrs killcd bclorc thcm
by thc Muslims. Anothcr was that thc King ol ngland had dc
cidcd to march on Ascalon and takc it, and hc did not want to lcavc
bchind him in thc city a largc numbcr |ol cncmy soldicrs|. God
knows bcst.
Vhatcvcr his rcasons, this act did not rccct wcll on Richard,
among his own pcoplc or thc Moslcms. vcn thc kings chroniclcr, thc
poct Ambroisc, who thought Richard was practically pcrlcct, sccms to
stuttcr ovcr this cvcnt. And Richard, thc king ol ngland, who had
on carth killcd so many Turks, did not wish to bc bothcrcd any longcr,
and so to lcsson thc pridc ol thc Turks and to dishcartcn thcir bclicls
and to avcngc Christianity . . . hc had thcm killcd.
!t must havc soundcd prctty thin cvcn to him.
Richard soon rcalizcd that, cvcn il hc took Jcrusalcm, hc couldnt
hold it. !n ..., hc madc a thrccycar trucc with Saladin and sct out lor
homc. Vhilc hc had somc succcss in sccuring thc coastal citics, thc
Holy City, thc goal ol thc crusadc, rcmaincd in Moslcm control.
n thc way back hc was lorccd by shipwrcck to travcl through thc
lands ol Lcopold ol Austria. Hc and his companions wcnt in disguisc,
as simplc pilgrims rcturning lrom thc Holy Land. Howcvcr, thcy wcrcnt
vcry good at disguisc. Tc mcn wcrc lar richcr than thc usual pilgrims
and always wantcd to gct thc bcst accommodations. Richard was rccog
nizcd and capturcd by Lcopolds mcn. Hc spcnt thc ncxt ycar and a hall
in thc custody ol thc Gcrmans, rst Lcopold and thcn thc Holy Roman
mpcror, Hcnry \!. Tc popc immcdiatcly cxcommunicatcd Lcopold
but this docsnt sccm to havc madc much dicrcncc to anyonc.
Richards bchavior during this timc amazcd both lricnd and loc.
Hc passcd his days writing poctry, playing jokcs on his guards, and
charming onc and all.
Hcnry \! put Richard up lor ransom. Tis was onc ol thc things
that was Not onc among Christian rulcrs, but il thc popc couldnt
stop Hcnry, no onc clsc could, cithcr.
Richards youngcst brothcr, John, had no intcrcst in sccing him
comc homc so it lcll to lcanor to raisc thc moncy, onc hundrcd thou
sand pounds. Tis was morc than thc annual incomc ol thc king and
had to bc lound in a country that had just collcctcd a hugc amount to
nancc thc crusadc.
No onc should undcrcstimatc thc powcr ol a mothcr whosc lavor
itc son is bcing hcld captivc. lcanor torc o lcttcrs to Popc Clcmcnt
!!!, rcminding him that thc king ol ngland was also thc soldicr ol
Christ, thc anointcd ol thc Lord, thc pilgrim ol thc cross. Shc took
chargc ol raising thc cash. Taxcs wcrc asscsscd at a pcrccnt on all
movcablc goods. Churchcs wcrc told to surrcndcr all thcir gold and
silvcr. Tc Cistcrcian and Gilbcrtinc ordcrs may havc thought thcy
would bc sparcd lor thcy didnt bclicvc in such cxtravagancc, using
plain ornamcnts in thcir churchcs. lcanor told thcm thcy could hand
ovcr that ycars wool crop instcad.
Shc thcn took thc trcasurc and thc hostagcs that Hcnry \! had
also dcmandcd and sct out lor Gcrmany, arriving at Richards prison
in Spcycr on January .,, ... Shc was scvcntyonc ycars old. Rich
ard was rclcascd a month latcr. Shc thcn rcturncd to ngland with
him, whcrc hc had a ccrcmonial wcaring ol thc crown, just to rcmind
cvcryonc that hc was back and in chargc. ddly, his wilc, 8crcn
garia (rcmcmbcr hcr:) was not with him. Shc had staycd on thc conti
ncnt. lcanor was at his sidc lor Richards triumphant rcturn.
Tc rcst ol Richards rcign was spcnt in mopping up thc mcss
causcd by his baby brothcr, John, and Philip ol Francc. Tcy had donc
thcir bcst to carvc out as much as thcy could lrom Richards propcrty
whilc hc was away. John had cvcn insistcd at onc point that Richard
was dcad and that hc, John, should bc king. lcanor had put hcr loot
down on that onc but, cvcn so, thcrc wcrc rcbcllions in Richards
southcrn tcrritorics and hc soon lclt ngland, ncvcr to rcturn.
Tc story ol Richards dcath is also thc stu ol lcgcnd. Tc bald
lacts arc that hc was shot in thc shouldcr whilc bcsicging thc castlc ol
Chalus Chabrol in thc Limousin arca ol southcrn Francc. Twclvc
days latcr hc dicd ol complications lrom thc wound. !t was April 6,
... Hc was lortyonc ycars old.
Almost bclorc hc was buricd (at thc convcnt ol Fontcvraud, whcrc
his mothcr, lcanor, was spcnding hcr last ycars) thc rumors wcrc y
ing. !t was said that Richard had bccn bcsicging thc castlc bccausc hc
had hcard thcrc was a trcasurc thcrc and wantcd it lor himscll. Tis
was madc morc rcprchcnsiblc bccausc it was Lcnt and thc church had
lorbiddcn war during thc astcr scason.
Tc trcasurc might havc bccn a group ol goldcn statucs lclt by thc
Romans or a hoard ol coins or just a lot ol gold and silvcr. No onc
could agrcc. Tc intcrcsting thing is that nonc ol thc storics mcntion
what happcncd to thc trcasurc altcr Richard dicd trying to gct it.
Vhilc Richard did indccd dic whilc ghting during Lcnt and it
may havc bccn divinc judgmcnt, thc trcasurc story sccms to havc comc
lrom thc samc sort ol wishlul thinking that lcd to thc talcs ol a Tcm
plar trcasurc. Richard was putting down a rcbcllion ol thc viscount ol
Limogcs and Chalus Chabrol was onc ol scvcral castlcs that Richard
was bcsicging. Tcrc wasnt anything spccial about it. Likc many
kings who lcd thcir own armics, Richard dicd in battlc.
Hc is rcmcmbcrcd as a hcro, a barbarian, a protcctor ol thc poor, a
grccdy and abscnt king, and a valiant knight. Likc many pcoplc, my
rst introduction to Richard was at thc cnd ol Robin Hood whcn Good
King Richard comcs homc to savc his country lrom 8ad Princc John.
!ts hard to shakc a glorious imagc likc that.
8ut it is just an imagc. Robin Hood is a lcgcnd and thc Richard ol
thc story is lcgcnd, too. cspitc not bcing ablc to rctakc Jcrusalcm, thc
crusadc was Richards ncst hour. Hc must havc bccn to somc cxtcnt
a charismatic pcrson. Hc ccrtainly inspircd dcvotion and rcspcct lrom
his lollowcrs and cvcn lrom somc ol his cncmics.
Tc burning qucstion sccms to bc whcthcr hc was a homoscxual. !
dont think thcrcs cnough cvidcncc to dccidc and actually, ! dont
think its important. Hc apparcntly did havc a bastard son in Aquita
inc, namcd Philip. His namc wasnt linkcd to any man in partic u lar,
as was thc casc with dward !!. Hc and 8crcngaria spcnt vcry littlc
timc togcthcr and, although thcy wcrc marricd cight ycars, thcy had
no childrcn. 8ut thcrc might havc bccn othcr rcasons lor this than his
distastc lor womcn. Shc might havc bccn unablc to havc childrcn.
Richard may havc lound hcr unattractivc. Tc lact that hc didnt lcavc
an hcir was a scrious problcm lor thc stability ol his kingdom. 8ut
cvcn homoscxual kings (and quccns, ! imaginc) havc donc thcir duty
and produccd childrcn.
ocs it rcally havc anything to do with what Richard accom
plishcd or lailcd to accomplish:
Tc only pcrson it might havc mattcrcd to was 8crcngaria. Shc is
onc ol thc lost childrcn ol history. Altcr Richards dcath, shc rctircd to
Lc Mans in Normandy, whcrc shc loundcd an abbcy. Shc dicd thcrc in
about .ac.
Richards wilc had as littlc part in his lilc as shc docs in his lcg
cnd. Richard was dcnitcly a mans man, a strong warrior, a brilliant
stratcgist, not alraid to gct his hands dirty and yct still cultivatcd, a
lovcr ol music and poctry. His cxploits on thc Tird Crusadc, his no
bility whilc in captivity, and thc dramatic tragcdy ol his dcath arc all
thc stu ol high advcnturc.
As with thc Tcmplars, its hard not to prclcr thc lantasy ol Rich
ards lilc to thc rcality.
J Richard ol Aldgatc, Itninerarium Peregrinorum et Gestis Regis Recardi, tr. A. F. Scott, in Te
Plantagenet Age (Ncw York: Crowcll, .,6) p. .
2 John Gillingham, Richard the Lionheart (Ncw York: Timcs 8ooks, .,) p. a.
3 Tcrc arc numcrous biographics ol lcanor ol Aquitainc. Many ol thcm arc cntcrtaining but !
havc lound nonc that arc historically satislying.
4 Gabricllc M Spicgal, Matcrnity and Monstrosity: Rcproductivc 8iology in thc Roman de M
lusine. !n onald Maddox and Sara SturmMaddox, Melusine of Lusignan: Founding Fiction in
Late Medieval France (Gcorgia Univcrsity Prcss, .6) p. .c..
5 Giraud dc 8arri, De Principi Instructione, !!! a,, p. c., quotcd in Laurcncc HarlLanccr, Les
Fes au Moyen Age: Morgane et Mlusine, La naissance des fes (Paris, .) p. , non cssc miran
dum, si dc gcncrc tali ct lii parcntis ct scsc ad inviccm lratrcs inlcstarc non ccsscnt: dc diabolo
namquc cos omncs vcnissc ct cd diobolum . . . ituros cssc. l coursc thc samc thing was sup
poscd to havc bccn said about thcm by Saint 8crnard, in thc lorm ol a cursc. Tc history ol this
lcgcnd docsnt bclong hcrc but its lots ol lun. 8y thc cnd ol thc thirtccnth ccntury, lcanor has
bccn dcmonizcd as thc Fairy Quccn.
6 For thc problcms this causcd, plcasc scc chaptcr .c, Melisande, Queen of Jerusalem, and chap
tcr ., Te Second Crusade.
7 Gillingham, p. a.
8 !bid., p. .
9 Jonathan RilcySmith, Te Crusades (Ncw Havcn: Yalc Univcrsity Prcss, acc) p. ...
J0 Gillingham, pp. .a.
JJ Rogcr ol Howdcn.
J2 Malcolm 8arbcr, Te New Knighthood (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. a,.
J3 Gillingham, p. .c.
J4 Villiam ol Ncwburgh, Te History of English Aairs.
J5 A. L. Poolc, From Domesday Book to Magna Carta 10871216 (xlord, ., and cd.) p. .
J6 Gillingham, p. .. !ts not clcar il Richard saw hcr bclorc thc marriagc or il hc lct his mothcr
pick hcr out.
J7 8arbcr, pp. ..aac.
J8 Plcasc scc thc rclcrcncc to thc Tird Crusadcs clscwhcrc in this book.
J9 Gillingham, p. .,6.
20 Ambroisc, Estoire de la Guerre Sainte, cd. Mariannc Ailcs and Malcolm 8arbcr (Voodbridgc,
UK: 8oydcll Prcss, acc) p. , ll. c6.
2J 8aha alin, in Franccsco Gabricli, Arab Historians of the Crusades, tr. lrom !talian by . J.
Costcllo (orsct, .) p. aa. ! know this is a translation ol a translation and am not happy
about it, but wc takc what wc can gct.
22 Ambroisc, ll. ac. Richardz li rcis dc nglctcrrc, Qui tanz Turs ocist cn la tcrrc, Nc volt
plus sa tcstc dcbatrc, Mais por lorgoil dcs Turs abatrc, t por lor lci dcsangicr, t por cris
tcnt vcngicr.
23 Hans bcrhard Maycr, Te Crusades (xlord Univcrsity Prcss, ., and cd.) p. ..
24 Gillingham, pp. aaa.
25 !bid., pp. a.,c.
26 Quotcd in Ralph \. Turncr, lcanor ol Aquitainc in thc Govcrnmcnts ol Hcr Sons Richard
and John, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Lord and Lady, cd. 8onnic Vhcclcr and John Carmi Parsons
(Palgravc NYC, acc) p. .
27 !bid.
28 Gillingham, p. aa.
29 Turncr, p. 6.
30 Gillingham, p ... Tis was smart ol thc church sincc it was traditional lor thc nobility to gct out
ol its wintcr stupor by riding out to ght somconc, and this dclaycd thcm at lcast until altcr
astcr.
3J According to udcs Rigord, Guillaumc lc 8rcton, and Rogcr ol Howdcn, rcspcctivcly, in Gill
ingham, pp. ....
32 Gillingham, pp. a. Tis is an cxccllcnt cxamplc ol how historians study thc sourccs in ordcr
to comc up with thc most probablc lacts.
33 Gillingham, p. .6a. Tc child must havc bccn born bclorc Richard and Philip !! brokc up.
34 Annc chols and Marty Villiams, Te Annotated Index of Medieval Women (Ncw York: Markus
Vicncr, .a) p. ,.
CH A P T I R T WI NT Y
Te Assassins
T
hc word assassin is, unlortunatcly, so common now, that wc
rarcly wondcr whcrc it comcs lrom, why, and whcn. Vhilc thc
act ol hircd murdcr is as old as history and myth, thc rst pcoplc to bc
callcd assassins livcd in thc latc clcvcnth ccntury in what is now !ran.
Tcy did not call thcmsclvcs Assassins. Tat namc was only givcn
to thcm by thc Syrians whcn somc ol thcm scttlcd in thc mountains ol
Syria in thc clcvcnth ccntury.
Tc Assassins wcrc loundcd by Hasani Sabbah, a Shiitc Moslcm
born around .c6c in thc Pcrsian city ol Qumm who movcd as a child
to thc city ol Rayy, prcscnt day Tchran. Hasans lamily wcrc Twclvcr
Shiitcs, not mcmbcrs ol thc dominant group but wcll intcgratcd into
thc socicty thcrc. !n his autobiography, Hasan rclatcs how hc camc to
lollow a morc radical path:
From thc days ol my boyhood, lrom thc agc ol scvcn, ! lclt a lovc
lor thc various branchcs ol lcarning, and wishcd to bccomc a rcligious
scholar, until thc agc ol scvcntccn ! was a scckcr and scarchcr lor
knowlcdgc, but kcpt to thc Twclvcr laith ol my lathcrs.
Tis cndcd whcn Hasan mct a man who taught him ol thc !smaili
hcrcsy, a lorm ol Shiitc !slam that lollowcd thc dcsccndants ol !smail,
thc son ol thc cighth ccntury imam Jalar alSadiq. vcr thc ccnturics
thc !smailis had dcvclopcd a vcry dicrcnt philosophy and worldvicw
lrom thc mainstrcam ol !slam.
149 The Assassins
Altcr much study and soul scarching, Hasan was convcrtcd at last
during a scrious illncss. ! thought: surcly this is thc truc laith, and
bccausc ol my grcat lcar ! did not acknowlcdgc it. Now my appointcd
timc has comc, and ! shall dic without having attaincd thc truth.
Now, in ordcr to undcrstand thc placc ol thc Assassins in thc !s
lamic world, both thcn and now, it hclps to know thc background ol
thc divisions within thc laith.
Tc two main branchcs ol !slam arc thc Sunni and thc Shiitcs.
Tis split occurrcd almost immcdiatcly altcr thc dcath ol thc prophct
Mohammcd. Tc rst dcbatc was ovcr who should succccd him. Tosc
who wantcd to lollow his unclc, Abu 8akr, bccamc thc Sunni. Tc
Shiitcs lollowcd Mohammcds cousin and soninlaw, Ali, marricd to
his daughtcr, Fatima. Vithin a lairly short timc, a lundamcntal dicr
cncc dcvclopcd. !t was not so much about bclicl as practicc. Tc Shiitcs
lclt that it was ncccssary lor individual Moslcms to havc a tcachcr
(imam) rathcr than try to intcrprct thc Koran lor thcmsclvcs. Tc
Sunni bclicvcd that thc hcad ol thc community could bc choscn by thc
community and, as long as thc main tcachings ol thc Koran wcrc
obcycd, thcrc was room lor a ccrtain amount ol varicty in bchavior.
Tc Shiitcs thcn dividcd among thcmsclvcs on who was thc most
worthy imam. At rst thcy wcrc choscn lrom thc dcsccndants ol Ali
and Fatima. Tis group thcn split ovcr thc lcadcrship ol thc grandsons
ol thc Prophct, Hasan and Husain. Tosc who bclicvcd that Husain
was thc gcnuinc imam lookcd to his dcsccndants lor lcadcrship until
thc middlc ol thc cighth ccntury.
Tc troublc startcd whcn thc imam at that timc, Jalar, disinhcr
itcd his cldcr son, !smail, pcrhaps bccausc hc was too lond ol winc.
Tc youngcr son, Musa, was acccptcd by most ol thc community, but
a lcw lclt that !smail should havc bccn choscn.
!smail dicd bclorc his lathcr and that should havc cndcd thc
mattcr. Howcvcr, thc !smaili rcluscd to rcjoin thosc who lollowcd
Musa. !nstcad, thcy taught that, cvcn though thc visiblc imams no
longcr cxistcd, thcrc was a linc ol hiddcn imams who scnt out agcnts
to continuc tcaching thc laithlul. Vhcn thc timc was right, thc hid
dcn imam would appcar to lcad a world ol justicc.
!n thc mcantimc, thc lollowcrs ol Musa and his dcsccndants
adaptcd to lilc undcr Sunni rulc. Vhcn thc twcllth ol thcir imams,
Muhammad alMahdi, vanishcd around ,, his lollowcrs dccidcd
that hc would rcturn in thc cnd timcs and thcy nccdcd no onc clsc. Tcy
scttlcd in to wait lor him and took littlc intcrcst in carthly politics.
Tcy bccamc thc Twclvcrs and thcy considcrcd thc !smaili to bc thc
darkcst hcrctics, hardly Moslcm at all.
So it was a big lcap lor thc Twclvcr Hasani Sabbah to dccidc to
join thc !smaili. Hc lclt his homc and spcnt scvcral ycars travcling,
lcarning and cvcntually prcaching thc !smaili laith.
At this timc thc Scljuk Turks had takcn ovcr a grcat portion ol thc
!slamic world. Tcy wcrc crccly orthodox Sunni who did not havc thc
traditional Moslcm tolcrancc lor Christians and Jcws. Tcy wcrc also
dctcrmincd to lorcc all thc Shiitcs to rcturn to thc Sunni path. Not
surprisingly, thcrc was a grcat dcal ol rcscntmcnt toward thcm among
thc Shiitc communitics.
Hasans !smaili scct branchcd o again to bccomc thc Nizari,
namcd altcr anothcr man whom thcy lclt should havc bccn thc truc
imam. !n most ol thc Moslcm documcnts, thc Assassins arc known as
thc Nizari. Tcy cvcntually madc thcir hcadquartcrs in Alamut, in
northcrn !ran, in about .cc. !t was at this timc that thc lcgcnds ol
thc scct bcgan.
At rst thc Nizari wcrc conccrncd with dcstroying thc powcr ol
thc Scljuk invadcrs. Tcy did this by inltrating thc courts ol thc
Scljuk sultans until thcy could gct closc cnough to thcm to kill thcm.
!t was a point ol honor that thcy lacc thcir victims, who wcrc usually
wcll guardcd. For this rcason, thc assassinations wcrc considcrcd sui
cidc missions.
Tc sccrccy and suddcnncss ol thc attacks madc thc Nizari lcarcd
and hatcd throughout thc Scljuk and Sunni pcoplc. To kill thcm is
morc lawlul than rainwatcr, said onc. To shcd thc blood ol a hcrctic
is morc mcritorious than to kill scvcnty Grcck indcls. ltcn thc
murdcr ol an important dignitary would rcsult in thc massacrc ol local
!smaili although thcy wcrc not Nizari. Tc divisions among Sunni,
Twclvcr Shiitcs, and !smaili grcw widcr.
151 The Assassins
The Nizari Become Assassins
It wasnt until thc latc twcllth ccntury that thc crusadcrs took much
noticc ol thc Nizari. At that point thcy wcrc known by thcir Syrian
namc ol Hashishiyya, or Assassins. Villiam ol Tyrc writcs ol thcm in
thc ..cs, in thc provincc ol Tyrc . . . is a ccrtain pcoplc who havc tcn
castlcs and surrounding lands and wc havc oltcn hcard that thcrc arc
sixty thousand ol thcm or morc. . . . 8oth wc and thc Saraccns call
thcm Assassins, but ! dont know whcrc thc namc comcs lrom.
!t wasnt until thc carly ninctccnth ccntury that a Frcnch historian
namcd Sylvcstcr dc Sacy dctcrmincd that thc word assassin camc
lrom thc word hashish. Tis lcd to a numbcr ol lancilul storics. nc
cxplaincd that young Nizari mcn wcrc druggcd in ordcr to bclicvc
that thcy had bccn to hcavcn and could only rcturn thcrc altcr achicv
ing martyrdom. Anothcr, rcpcatcd cvcn by modcrn historians, is that
thcy wcrc givcn hashish to givc thcm thc couragc to go out and kill.
! rst hcard this cxplanation in my collcgc days and cvcn thcn it
sccmcd odd to mc. For onc thing, hashish docsnt normally incrcasc
aggrcssivcncss, quitc thc oppositc. ! kcpt having an imagc ol giggling
mcn in dark cloaks gliding through palaccs, stopping to admirc thc
colors ol thc gardcns and lountains as thcy huntcd down thcir targct.
Howcvcr, most historians today think that thc namc was givcn thc Niz
ari as a tcrm ol contcmpt, implying that thcy wcrc as worthlcss as
thosc who succumbcd to drugs.
!t is intcrcsting that, as with thc storics ol thc Tcmplars, thc lcg
cnds ol thc Assassins arc bcttcr known than thcir actual history.
The Assassins and the Templars
Villiam ol Tyrc wasnt particularly conccrncd with thc Assassins, as
thcy rarcly attackcd Christians. As a mattcr ol lact, thc Syrian Assas
sins somctimcs allicd thcmsclvcs with crusadcr lords to ght thcir
mutual cncmics. !n ..a thc Assassins living in thc town ol 8anyas
wcrc thrcatcncd by thc city ol amascus. Tcir lcadcr and a lcw oth
crs wcrc crucicd on thc battlcmcnts ol thc wall ol amascus, in or
dcr that it might bc sccn how God had dcalt with thc opprcssors and
brought signal chastiscmcnt upon thc indcls. Rathcr than lct thc
town ol 8anyas lall to thc amasccncs, thc Assassins turncd thc town
ovcr to Baldwin II, king ol Jcrusalcm.
From about ..a, thc Assassins in Syria paid tributc to thc Tcm
plars ol two thousand bczants a ycar. Tis may havc bccn brought
about in rctribution lor thc assassination ol Count Raymond ol Tripoli
in that ycar, but thc lacts arcnt ccrtain. Soon altcr, thc Hospitallers,
now in posscssion ol thc lortrcss ol Krak dcs Chcvalicrs, on thc bordcr
ol Assassin tcrritory, also dcmandcd two thousand bczants a ycar.
Tis lcads to anothcr story lrom Villiam ol Tyrc, onc ol thc most
puzzling conccrning thc carly days ol thc Tcmplars.
According to Villiam, thc lcadcr ol thc Assassins, whom hc callcd
thc old man ol thc mountain, wishcd to makc an alliancc with thc
crusadcrs. Hc scnt a rcprcscntativc namcd 8oabdcllc to Almaric,
king ol Jcrusalcm, asking lor instruction in Christianity. Tc catch
was that convcrsion hingcd on thc rcmission ol thc two thousand bc
zants that thc Assassins paid thc Tcmplars cach ycar. Almaric was opcn
to thc idca, but thc Tcmplars wcrc against it. Tcy waylaid thc cmis
sary on his way back to Syria and murdcrcd him.
Villiam continucs to dcscribc thc angcr ol thc king. Almaric
tricd to put thc lcadcr ol thc attackcrs, Villiam ol Mcsnil, in prison.
Tc Tcmplars would havc nonc ol this and appcalcd thc mattcr to thc
popc. Vhcrc it would havc gonc lrom thcrc is hard to say, lor Almaric
dicd. nc ol thc rcgcnts lor his son, 8aldwin !\, was Raymond, son
ol thc murdcrcd count ol Tripoli. Hc was not intcrcstcd in punishing
thosc who killcd Assassins. So thc Assassins rcmaincd Moslcm and
thc tributc continucd to bc paid.
Historians havc puzzlcd ovcr this lor many ycars. Somc think
Villiam madc thc wholc story up. !ts not lound in any othcr rcc ords
lrom thc timc. !t sccms strangc that thc Assassins would suddcnly
wish to convcrt just to savc moncy. !t sccms cqually strangc that thc
Tcmplars, knights ol God, would want to losc thc chancc to bring so
153 The Assassins
many souls to baptism. Villiam bclicvcd that thcir grccd ovcrcamc
thcir picty and uscd this cpisodc as prool ol how lar thc ordcr had
lallcn sincc its humblc bcginnings.
Unlcss ncw documcnts turn up, thc truth will ncvcr bc known.
Villiams story was bclicvcd in his own timc and it rcccts thc mixcd
lcclings pcoplc had bcgun to havc about thc Tcmplars.
Tc Assassins wcrc still paying tributc in thc middlc ol thc thir
tccnth ccntury whcn thcy again tricd to havc it cndcd by scnding an
cnvoy to King Louis !X ol Francc, who was thcn in Acrc on his cru
sadc.
nc thcory as to why thcy lclt compcllcd to pay this tributc in
stcad ol ghting was that thcir normal mcthod ol climinating troublc
somc lcadcrs wouldnt work with thc military ordcrs. Tc biographcr
ol Louis, Jcan dc Joinvillc, cxplains, lor ncithcr thc Tcmplars nor thc
Hospitallcrs had any lcar ol thc Assassins, sincc thcir lord kncw wcll
that il hc had cithcr thc Mastcr ol thc Tcmplc or ol thc Hospital
killcd, anothcr, cqually good, would bc put in his placc, thcrclorc hc
had nothing to gain by thcir dcath. Conscqucntly, hc had no wish to
sacricc his Assassins on a projcct that would bring him no advan
tagc.
King Louis rcluscd to climinatc thc tributc and thc mastcrs ol thc
Tcmplc and thc Hospital thrcatcncd thc cnvoy. Hc soon rcturncd with
gilts lor thc king in an cort at conciliation. Louis scnt gilts in rc
turn along with a Syriacspcaking pricst, Yvcs lc 8rcton, who lailcd to
convincc thc Assassins to convcrt.
ighty ycars altcr Villiam ol Tyrc, Joinvillc saw thc Tcmplars as
hcrocs and dclcndcrs ol thc laith in thcir rclations with thc Assassins.
Vhilc thc Christians do not sccm to havc undcrstood thc dicr
cnccs among thc sccts ol !slam, thcy did havc thc idca that thc Assas
sins wcrc not Moslcm. Joinvillc says that thcy did not lollow Mohammcd
but his unclc, Ali. 8cnjamin ol Tudcla, a Spanish Jcw, also assumcd
that thc Assassins wcrc a group apart. !n his talc ol his travcls through
thc Middlc ast in ..6, 8cnjamin statcs, it is lour days to thc land ol
Mulahid. Hcrc livcs a pcoplc who do not prolcss thc Mohammcdan
rcligion, but livc on high mountains, and worship thc ld Man ol thc
land ol thc Hashishim. And among thcm thcrc arc lour communitics
ol !sracl who go lorth with thcm in wartimc. Tcy arc not undcr thc
rulc ol thc king ol Pcrsia, but rcsidc in thc high mountains, and dc
sccnd lrom thcsc mountains to pillagc and to capturc booty, and thcn
rcturn to thc mountains, and nonc can ovcrcomc thcm.
Mulahid is a word that Christian commcntators also uscd lor
thc land ol thc Assassins. Tcy lcarncd it lrom thc Moslcms. !t mcans
hcrctic.
Tc bclicl that thc Assassins could strikc cvcrywhcrc and any
whcrc sprcad throughout thc Christian and Moslcm world. Tc Frcnch
chroniclcr Guillaumc dc Nangis tclls ol how thc ld Man ol thc
Mountain scnt an assassin to Francc to kill King Louis !X (Saint
Louis). 8ut, in thc coursc ol thcir journcy, God changcd his hcart,
inspiring him to think ol pcacc instcad ol murdcr.
Tc Assassins stoppcd paying tributc only altcr thc lall ol thc
Hospitallcr lortrcss ol Krak dcs Chcvalicrs in .a,..
cspitc thc Vcstcrn lascination with thc scct, thc Assassins wcrc
much morc conccrncd with thc cstablishmcnt ol thcir thcology among
othcr Moslcms than thcy wcrc with thc Christians. vcntually, thc
Assassin strongholds wcrc conqucrcd and thc pcoplc dispcrscd during
thc Mongol invasions ol thc lourtccnth ccntury.
!n thcir timc, thc Assassins managcd to sprcad tcrror throughout
thc !slamic world. No onc kncw whcn or whcrc thcy would strikc.
Storics wcrc told ol thc lanati cism ol thc Assassins and ol thc immoral
livcs thcy lcd. nc lrcqucntly rcpcatcd talc is ol thc mothcr who hcard
that hcr sons party had succccdcd in assassinating a sultan. Shc rc
joiccd that hc was now a martyr. Vhcn shc discovcrcd that hc had
survivcd, shc put on mourning.
All through history thcrc havc bccn cadrcs ol pcoplc who try to
changc thc world through judicious rcmoval ol kcy lcadcrs. Tc killing
ol Archdukc Fcrdinand and his wilc is a good cxamplc. !t rcsultcd in
thc First Vorld Var. l coursc, its not clcar il that was what thc as
sassins intcndcd.
!t might bc notcd that Assassins, whilc prcparcd to dic in thc
155 The Assassins
cxccution ol thcir duty, did not practicc random killing but pridcd
thcmsclvcs on only climinating thcir main targct. Tcir history is a
complcx onc composcd ol laith, altruism, lanaticism, mysticism, and
pragmatism.
!n many ways, thcy wcrc not that dicrcnt lrom thc Tcmplars.
J 8crnard Lcwis, Te Assassins: A Radical Sect in Islam (London: Vcidcncld and Nicolson, acc.)
p. .
2 Quotcd in Lcwis, op. cit.
3 Lcwis, pp. a6a,.
4 Quotcd in Lcwis, p. .
5 Tis is a vcry quick outlinc. For morc complctc inlormation plcasc consult your local librarian.
6 J. J. Saundcrs, A History of Medieval Islam (London: Routlcdgc and Kcgan Paul .6) p. .a,. Tc
idca that a sccrct savior is waiting in thc wings is a vcry old onc.
7 Lcwis, p. , Saundcrs, p. .a,.
8 Marshall G. S. Hogan, Te Secret Order of Assassins: Te Struggle of the Early Nizari Isma ilis
Against the Islamic World (Univcrsity ol Pcnnsylvania Prcss, acc, rcprint ol . cd.) p. ,,.
9 !bid., pp. ..c., Lcwis, pp. ,.
J0 Quotcd in Lcwis, p. .
JJ Villiam ol Tyrc, ac, a. !n provincial Tyrcnsi . . . cst quondam populus, castclla dcccm habcns
cum surburanis suis, cstquc numcrus corum, ut scpius audivimus, quasi as scxaginta milia vcl
amplior. . . . Hos tam nostril quam Sarraccni, ncscimus undc nomincc dcducto, Assissinos vo
cant.
J2 Hogan, pp. .,, Lcwis, pp. .... 8oth authors point out thc aws in this thcory.
J3 !bn alQalanisi, Te Damascus Chronicles of the Crusades, tr. H. A. R. Gibb (London, .a)
p. .. Hcrc thc Assassins arc callcd 8atani.
J4 !bid., p. ..
J5 Malcolm 8arbcr, Te New Knighthood (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. .c.
J6 Villiam ol Tyrc, ac, a and ac, c, pp. .
J7 Joinvillc, Life of St. Louis, tr. Margarct R. 8. Shaw (Pcnguin, .6) p. a,,.
J8 Rcginald ol \ichicrs was probably thc Tcmplar mastcr at this timc. Villiam dc Chatcauncul
was mastcr ol thc Hospitallcrs.
J9 Joinvillc, p. a,.
20 !bid. Sincc thc Assassins wcrc an oshoot ol thc Shiitc and it was thc Sunni who lollowcd thc
rulc ol Ali, Joinvillc had it backward, as wcll as not undcrstanding that all thc Moslcms lol
lowcd thc tcachings ol Mohammcd.
2J 8cnjamin ol Tudcla, Travels in the Middle Ages, tr. A. Ashcr (Malibu: Pangloss Prcss, ., rc
print ol .c cd.) p. ..c. ! havc rcad nowhcrc clsc ol Jcwish lorccs ghting with thc Assassins.
!l anyonc nds a rclcrcncc, plcasc lct mc know.
22 Guillaumc dc Nangis, Chroniques captiennes Tomes 1. 11131270, tr. Franois Guizot (Palco,
acca) p. .6.
23 Alain cmurgcr, Jacques De Molay: Le crepuscule des templiers (Paris: 8iographic Payot, acca)
p. ,.
CH A P T I R T WI NT Y ONI
Te Hospitallers
A
s thcir namc implics, thc rdcr ol thc Knights ol St. John, or
Hospitallcrs, bcgan as a charitablc group, intcndcd to assist
pilgrims to Jcrusalcm who wcrc in nccd ol carc and shcltcr. Tcy sccm
to havc bccn startcd somctimc in thc latc clcvcnth ccntury by somc
mcrchants lrom thc !talian town ol Amal. ! say, sccm to bccausc
thcrc arc no rcc ords ol thc loundation and bccausc, likc thc Tcmplars,
thc Hospitallcrs invcntcd a mythology ol thcir own in which, in somc
vcrsions, thc ordcr was loundcd bclorc thc timc ol Christ and thc par
cnts ol John thc 8aptist had oncc bccn associatcd with it.
!n thc .c,cs, thc most likcly timc ol cstablishmcnt, Jcrusalcm was
undcr thc control ol thc Fatimid caliph ol gypt. Hc allowcd pilgrims
lrom thc Vcst to comc to thc city to visit thc sitcs ol Jcsus lilc. Tc
canons ol thc Holy Scpulchcr wcrc Syrian rthodox Christians, un
dcr thc control ol thc rthodox patriarch ol Jcrusalcm. Pilgrims lrom
!taly lclt thc nccd ol a placc lor pilgrims to rcst and bc carcd lor whcrc
thcrc would bc pcoplc who spokc thcir languagc and practiccd thcir
rcligious ritcs.
Tc military sidc ol thc hospitallcrs may havc startcd as an addi
tional scrvicc lor thc pilgrims, cspccially thosc going to thc Jordan
Rivcr to wadc in thc watcr whcrc Jcsus had bccn baptizcd. Tc Hospi
tallcrs sct up a hostcl known as thc Rcd Cistcrn whcrc pilgrims could
gct watcr and stay thc night in salcty on thcir way to thc rivcr. Natu
157 The Hospitallers
rally, thc cistcrn nccdcd to bc protcctcd lrom raidcrs and onc thing lcd
to anothcr until thc Hospitallcrs had a contingcnt ol knights. How
cvcr, thcy ncvcr gavc up thc tradition ol hospitality and oltcn strcsscd
that this was thcir main lunction.
8y thc latc twcllth ccntury thc Tcmplars and thc Hospitallcrs
wcrc oltcn spokcn ol in pairs, as il thcy wcrc intcrchangcablc. Rulcrs
would scnd onc mcmbcr lrom cach ordcr on diplomatic missions. 8ut
thcrc wcrc scvcral dicrcnccs bctwccn thc ordcrs. From thc carly days
ol both, thc Tcmplars wcrc largcly drawn lrom Frcnchspcaking arcas
and thcirs was solcly a military ordcr, whcrcas thc Hospitallcrs wcrc
mostly Spanish and !talianspcaking and locuscd on thc carc ol
thc sick and thc protcction ol pilgrims. As thc Hospitallcrs grcw, thc
ordcr attractcd morc Frcnch spcakcrs until it was largcly Frcnch
spcaking.
!ts clcar that thc military sidc ol thc ordcr bcgan carly. !n ..,
Raymond, count ol Tripoli, gavc thc Hospitallcrs thc lortrcss known
as thc Krak dcs Chcvalicrs. vcntually thc Hospitallcrs acquircd morc
propcrty in thc crusadcr kingdoms than thc Tcmplars.
Tc Tcmplars and Hospitallcrs arc oltcn sccn as rivals, cvcn cnc
mics. ! think ol thcm morc as brothcrs. Somctimcs thcy got along
nc, supporting cach othcr against thc rcst ol thc world. Somctimcs
thcy wcrc on oppositc sidcs ol a qucstion and lought cach othcr bit
tcrly. !n thc cnd, thc gallant dcath ol thc Tcmplar mastcr Villiam ol
8caujcu at thc sicgc ol Acrc is mourncd by thc Hospitallcr Grand
Mastcr, n that day thc Mastcr ol thc Tcmplc also dicd ol a mortal
wound lrom a javclin. God havc mcrcy on his soul!
Many donation chartcrs gavc propcrty cqually to thc Tcmplars
and Hospitallcrs. Tc most astonishing ol thcsc is that ol Allonso !,
king ol Aragon and Navarrc, madc in ... in which hc lclt his cntirc
kingdom to thc Tcmplars, Hospitallcrs, and thc Church ol thc Holy
Scpulchcr. Tcy wcrcnt allowcd to kccp thc kingdom, thc hcirs that
Allonso had ignorcd protcstcd and a scttlcmcnt was arrangcd. 8ut it
shows dramatically how cvcn at that carly datc, thc two ordcrs wcrc
unitcd in popu lar thinking and conncctcd with thc Church ol thc
Holy Scpulchcr. !t didnt hclp in tclling thcm apart that both thc
Tcmplars and thc Hospitallcrs oltcn built thcir churchcs with a round
navc, in imitation ol thc Church ol thc Holy Scpulchcr.
Tc Hospitallcrs cvcn loancd moncy, just as thc Tcmplars did. n
thc Second Crusade, Louis \!! ol Francc borrowcd lrom thc Frcnch
Tcmplar mastcr, vcrard dc 8arrcs, and also thc Hospitallcr mastcr,
Raymond du Puy.
Tc Hospitallcrs also camc in lor thcir sharc ol criticism, cspc
cially lrom that latctwcllthccntury dclcndcr ol thc sccular clcrgy,
Valtcr Map. Hc was lurious at thc privilcgcs grantcd to both thc
Tcmplars and thc Hospitallcrs at thc Tird Latcran Council. Val
tcr saw both ordcrs as cqually wickcd. 8y many tricks thcy sup
plant us and kccp us lrom thc churchcs. Hc lclt that thcy lurcd
impovcrishcd knights into joining thc ordcrs by rclusing to givc
thcm moncy unlcss thcy signcd up. !n that way thcy kcpt donations
lrom coming to local parishcs. Tcrc is no cvidcncc that this chargc
was truc.
vcn popcs would occasionally chidc thc Hospitallcrs. !n .ac,
!nnoccnt !!! scoldcd thcm lor kccping concubincs and shamclully
involving thcmsclvcs in sccular aairs as il thcy wcrc laymcn.
Tcrc is a gcncral bclicl that thc Tcmplars and Hospitallcrs wcrc
constantly in compctition and rarcly on good tcrms. Vhilc thcy did
havc thcir dicrcnccs, particularly ovcr land, on thc wholc thcy sccm
to havc workcd togcthcr quitc wcll. uring thc crusadc ol Richard the
Lionheart thc Tcmplars and Hospitallcrs switchcd cach day lrom thc
rcar guard to thc vanguard ol thc army. Also thc Rule ol thc Tcmplc
makcs it clcar that, in a pinch, thc Tcmplar knight should makc lor
thc ncarcst unit ol Hospitallcrs:
Rulc .6,. And il it happcns that any brothcr cannot go towards
his banncr bccausc hc has gonc too lar ahcad lor lcar ol Saraccns
who arc bctwccn him and thc banncr, or hc docs not know what
bccamc ol it, hc should go to thc rst Christian banncr that hc
nds. And il hc nds that ol thc Hospital, hc should stay by it and
should inlorm thc lcadcr ol thc squadron.
Tc main issucs that dividcd thc two ordcrs wcrc political. Al
though in thcory thcy wcrc supposcd to bc outsidc ol local squabblcs,
in rcality it was impossiblc not to gct pullcd into thcm. nc ol thc
nasticst was whcn thc ordcrs bccamc involvcd in thc constant rivalry
bctwccn thc !talian citystatcs ol Gcnoa and \cnicc. Tc city ol Acrc
was largcly dividcd among thc military ordcrs and thc !talians, with a
small arca lor othcr rcligious groups and thc nglish. !n a strugglc
that wcnt on bctwccn .a6 and .a, ovcr somc propcrty that was
owncd by thc monastcry ol St. Sabas, thc Hospitallcrs supportcd thc
Gcnocsc and thc Tcmplars thc \cnctians. Tis morc than oncc lcd
to blows bctwccn thc knights.
Tc most dramatic divisions had to do with thc scvcral conicts ovcr
who was to inhcrit thc crown ol Jcrusalcm. nc ol thcsc took placc latcr
in thc history ol thc Latin kingdoms, long altcr Jcrusalcm had bccn lost.
!n .a,,, thc claimants wcrc Hugh !!!, king ol Cyprus, dcsccndcd lrom
Sybilla, thc sistcr ol 8aldwin !\, and Charlcs ol Anjou, thc brothcr ol
thc king ol Francc, who had bought rights to thc thronc lrom Maria ol
Antioch, Hughs cousin. Tc Hospitallcrs supportcd Hugh, thc
Tcmplars supportcd Charlcs. nc rcason thc Tcmplars did this is that
thc Grand Mastcr, Villiam ol 8caujcu, was rclatcd to Charlcs.
Tc Hospitallcrs had onc cdgc ovcr thc Tcmplars: whcn thc criticism
got too hot, thcy could rctrcat into thcir hospiccs. Tcy sccm to havc
donc this altcr thc dcbaclc ol thc Second Crusade, although thcy dont
sccm to havc playcd a largc military rolc in thc cxpcdition in any casc.
Tc idca that thc Tcmplars and thc Hospitallcrs wcrc much thc
samc was cmphasizcd in thc way thcy wcrc vicwcd by chroniclcrs. So
thc Hospitallcrs and thc Knights Tcmplar armcd thcmsclvcs taking
with thcm a grcat many vcry strong Turcopolcs. King Richard or
dcrs thc Tcmplars and thc Hospitallcrs to comc to him. Count
Raymond ol Tripoli wantcd thc lortrcsscs and castlcs to bc in thc
kccping ol thc Tcmplc and thc Hospital. Tc Tcmplars and Hospi
tallcrs arc givcn joint custody ol thc town ol Mcssina, until it can bc
dccidcd who should havc it.
Tis is rccctcd in thc numbcr ol timcs that an cnvoy includcd a
Tcmplar and a Hospitallcr apparcntly as witncsscs or pcrhaps cvcn
bodyguards. Tcy arc rarcly namcd, thcy arc simply sccn as rcprcscn
tativcs ol thcir ordcrs. Tc popcs, including Clement V, customarily
had onc Tcmplar and onc Hospitallcr as chambcrlains. Tc papacy
uscd thc brothcrs indiscriminatcly as mcsscngcrs and rclicd on loans
lrom both ordcrs to shorc up papal nanccs.
vcn ncgativc rcmarks wcrc aimcd at thc military ordcrs as il thcy
wcrc all thc samc. Picrrc ubois, onc ol Philip the Fairs cmployccs,
wrotc that thc Tcmplars and thc Hospitallcrs should bc ablc to livc o
thcir lands in thc Holy Land and Cyprus and donatc thc moncy thcy
gaincd in thc Vcst to start schools lor missionarics and pay lor mcrcc
narics to ght.
!ts possiblc that in .c, King Philip thc Fair was intcrcstcd in
condcmning thc Hospitallcrs as wcll as thc Tcmplars, or it may bc that
thc Tcmplars wcrc just morc acccssiblc. Vhcn Jacques de Molay was
summoncd to mcct with Popc Clcmcnt \ and thc king, thc mastcr ol
thc Hospitallcrs, Fulk dc \illcrct, was supposcd to bc thcrc as wcll.
8ut hc was stoppcd in his way at Rhodcs by thc Saraccns . . . and
could not comc on thc datc sct and was givcn a lcgitimatc cxcusc by
thc mcsscngcrs. Vhcw!
So Fulk cscapcd thc latc ol Jacqucs dc Molay and thc Hospitallcrs
actually gaincd somcthing by thc dissolution ol thc Tcmplars at thc
Council of Vienne, sincc most ol thc Tcmplc propcrty cvcntually rc
vcrtcd to thcm, although thcy had to makc dcals with thc various
kings in ordcr to gct it.
At thc samc timc that thc Tcmplar trials wcrc going on, thc Hos
pitallcrs wcrc busy orga nizing thc conqucst ol thc island ol Rhodcs.
n August .., .c, Popc Clcmcnt proclaimcd a spccial crusadc to bc
undcrtakcn by thc Hospitallcrs lor thc dclcnsc ol Cyprus and Armc
nia. Hc ocrcd indulgcnccs to thosc who gavc to thc causc and had
boxcs put in thc churchcs particularly markcd lor thc Hospital. Fulk
dc \illcrct thought Rhodcs was a bcttcr goal and so took that island.
Hc was right in that it was casicr to hold on to. Tc Hospitallcrs would
bc bascd at Rhodcs until .aa.
Now that thcy wcrc hcadquartcrcd on an island, thc Hospitallcrs
conccntratcd on sca powcr. Tcy hircd a cct ol piratc corsairs that
wcrc liccnscd to harry Moslcm trading ships and thosc ol thc !talians
who did busincss with Moslcms. Tc booty madc a wclcomc addition
to thcir incomc.
!n thc ltccnth ccntury thc arrival ol thc ttoman Turks in thc
cast put thc Hospitallcrs on thc lront lincs again. Tcy had comc to
tcrms with thc lamiliar cncmics, likc thc Mamluks. Now thcy wcrc
laccd with anothcr batch ol ncwly convcrtcd conqucrors. Undcr thc
sultan, Sclim, thc ttoman armics cxpandcd into castcrn uropc and
attackcd Rhodcs. Tc last Hospitallcr Grand Mastcr on Rhodcs was
lorccd to surrcndcr thc island to Sclim on January ., .a.
Tc rcmnants ol thc Hospital had no basc lor scvcn ycars. !n .c,
thc Spanish Holy Roman mpcror gavc thc ordcr thc islands ol Ga
zon, Camino, and Malta. From thcrc, thc Christians still had drcams
ol rcconqucring thc Holy Land.
Tc Hospitallcrs bccamc known as thc Knights ol Malta, thc
namc thcy bcar to this day. Tc ncxt timc thcy wcrc conqucrcd, it
would not bc by thc Moslcms but by thc natural lorcc known as Na
polcon 8onapartc.
For thc ncxt two hundrcd ycars and morc altcr arriving in Malta,
thc Hospitallcrs continucd thcir rcarguard crusadc through piracy.
Tcn thc Frcnch ircctoratc, still nding its lcct altcr thc Rcvolution,
lcarncd that Malta might bc takcn ovcr by its cncmics, thc Austrians
and thc Russians.
Tcy scnt Napolcon to takc carc ol mattcrs. Hc took Malta with
out a ght. Tc mastcr and thc brothcrs lclt on Junc .,, .,, taking
somc ol thcir rclics with thcm. Many othcr rclics and all thc rcc ords
thc Hospitallcrs had inhcritcd lrom thc Tcmplars wcrc among thc loot
takcn by thc Frcnch soldicrs. Much ol thc loot was put aboard Napo
lcons ship lOrient.
Napolcon sct o to takc his army lor a lun summcr in gypt. n
thc cvcning ol . August thc 8ritish cct undcr Nclson caught up with
thc Frcnch cct in Aboukir 8ay o thc north gyptian coast and dc
lcatcd it in thc battlc ol thc Nilc. LOrient was blown up and sunk,
with thc rdcrs rclics on board.
Just think how many qucstions could bc scttlcd il that ship could
bc lound.
Tc ncxt ycars ol thc lormcr Hospitallcrs wcrc cxcccdingly strangc
and includcd having Paul !, thc Russian tsar and son ol Cathcrinc thc
Grcat, as Grand Mastcr. Tat cxpcrimcnt didnt last long.
!n . Popc Grcgory X\! gavc thc Knights ol Malta a hospital,
whcrc thcy rcturncd to thcir original duty ol taking carc ol poor and
sick pilgrims. !n this lorm thc ordcr has sprcad ovcr thc world, and
cvcn has Protcstant a liatcs.
Vhy did thc Hospitallcrs survivc whcn thc Tcmplars didnt: !
bclicvc that it was bccausc ol thc things that madc thcm dicrcnt.
Tcy always said that thc carc ol thc poor and sick was thcir rst rc
sponsibility. Vhcn timcs got tough, thcy had that to lall back on.
Vhilc, likc thc Tcmplars, thcy wcrc involvcd in banking, thcy did not
havc such highprolc dcpositors. So thc avcragc pcrson did not as
sociatc thc Hospitallcrs with untold wcalth.
Pcrhaps thc Tcmplars might havc bccn savcd il thcyd simply
loundcd a lcw hospitals. . . . Pcrhaps not.
J Hclcn Nicholson, Te Knights Hospitaller (Voodbridgc, UK: 8oydcll and 8rcwcr, acc.) p. .
2 Villiam ol Tyrc, Chronicon, cd. R. 8. C. Huygcns (Turnholt, .6) book ., , pp. ..,.
3 Malcolm 8arbcr, Tc Charitablc and Mcdical Activitics ol thc Hospitallcrs and Tcmplars,
lcvcnth to Filtccnth Ccnturics. Tc Vhichard Lccturc, March a, accc, p. 6. Tcxt at: http://
www.ccu.cdu/history/whichard/M8arbcrCharitablc.htm
4 Joshua Prawcr, Te Crusaders Kingdom: European Colonialism in the Middle Ages (London:
Phocnix Prcss, .,a) p. a6c.
5 Quotcd in Nicholson, p. , (Cartulairc , no. .,) tr. dwin Jamcs King, Te Knights Hospi
taller in the Holy Land (London, ..) p. c..
6 Tc tcxt ol this chartcr is translatcd in Malcolm 8arbcr and Kcith 8atc, Te Templars: Selected
Sources translated and annotated (Manchcstcr Univcrsity Prcss, acca) pp. .6.6a. Scc also chap
tcr , Go Forth and Multiply.
7 Nicholson, p. 6.
8 Sugcr, abbot ol St. cnis. Omnitt Opera, p. a,.
9 Valtcr Map, De Nugis Curialium tr. Frcdcrick Tuppcr and Marbury glc (London: Chatto and
Vindus, .a) book xxiii, p. .
J0 Alan Forcy, Te Military Orders (London: McMillon, .a) p. ..
JJ Hclcn Nicholson tr., Te Chronicle of the Tird Crusade (Ashgatc, Aldcrshot, .,) pp. ac6a.
J2 J. M. UptonVard tr., Te Rule of the Templars (Voodbridgc: 8oydcll, .a) p. 6c.
J3 Malcolm 8arbcr, Te New Knighthood (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. ..
J4 Nicholson, p. ,. For morc on Charlcs ol Anjou plcasc scc Te Templars and the Saint.
J5 !bid., p. ac.
J6 Hclcn Nicholson tr., Te Chronicle of the Tird Crusade (Ashgatc, Aldcrshot, .,) p. a.
J7 !bid., p. ,c.
J8 Pctcr V. dbury tr., Te Conquest of Jerusalem and the Tird Crusade (Ashgatc, Aldcrshot, .)
p. ..
J9 John Gillingham, Richard the Lionheart (Ncw York: Timcs 8ooks, .,) p. ..
20 !. S. Robsindo, Te Papacy 10371198 (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss .c) p. a.
2J Forcy, p. a..
22 Guillaumc dc Nangis, Chroniques captiennes Tome II 12701328, tr. Franois Guizot (Paris:
Palco, acca).
23 Sylvia Mcnachc, Clement V (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. .c.
24 !bid., p. .c.
25 Nicholson, p. ,.
26 !bid., p. 6,.
27 !bid.
28 !bid., p. .. Tc Austrians wcrc cspccially angry bccausc thc Frcnch had dccapitatcd Maric
Antoincttc, who had bccn born an Austrian princcss.
29 !bid., p. .6.
30 !bid.
3J !bid., p. ..
CH A P T I R T WI NT Y T WO
Grand Masters 11911292/93
Robert of Sabl, 11911193/94
Robcrt ol Sabl camc lrom Anjou, thc corc ol thc lands that Richard
the Lionheart controllcd bclorc hc bccamc king ol ngland. Robcrt
was a lollowcr ol thc Lionhcart who supportcd thc rcvolt ol Richard
and his cldcr brothcr Hcnry, thc Young King, against thcir lathcr,
Hcnry !!. Hc was in Richards cntouragc whcn thc ncw king wcnt on
crusadc and scrvcd both as trcasur cr ol thc king and as a mcsscngcr
during thc crusadc.
Hc must havc bccn a vcry rcccnt mcmbcr ol thc Tcmplars whcn hc
was clcctcd to succccd Gcrard ol Ridclort, who was killcd at thc ...
sicgc ol Acrc. Tc Eracles chroniclcr statcs, Altcrwards, thc Tcmplars
clcctcd a man ol high birth who was in thcir housc, namcd 8rothcr
Robcrt ol Sabl as thcir mastcr. Tc way thcy cxprcss it, hc may just
havc bccn visiting at thc timc.
n thc way to thc Holy Land, Richard had takcn a lcw days o to
conqucr thc island ol Cyprus. Hc rcally didnt nccd anothcr island and
so hc ocrcd to scll it to his lricnd Robcrt and his Tcmplars. Hc askcd
only onc hundrcd thousand bczants lor thc wholc thing, a rcal bar
gain. Tc Tcmplars didnt havc that much moncy so thcy gavc thc
king a down paymcnt ol lorty thousand bczants worth ol propcrty
165 Grand Masters 11911292/93
and scnt somc mcn to Cyprus to tcll thc nativcs about thc dcal and
collcct thc taxcs.
Tis turncd out to bc a big mistakc.
|T|hcy thought thcy could govcrn thc pcoplc ol thc island in thc
samc way thcy trcatcd thc rural population in thc land ol Jcrusa
lcm. Tcy thought thcy could illtrcat, bcat and misusc thcm and
imagincd thcy could control thc island ol Cyprus with a lorcc ol ac
brothcrs. Tc Grccks hatcd thcir rulc and wcrc opprcsscd by
it. . . . Tcy rosc in rcbcllion and camc to bcsicgc thcm in thc castlc
ol Nicosia. Vhcn thc Tcmplars saw such a multitudc ol pcoplc
coming to bcsicgc thcm, thcy wcrc grcatly takcn aback. Tcy told
thcm that thcy wcrc Christians, just as thcy wcrc, that thcy had not
comc thcrc by thcir own strcngth, and that, il thcy would lct thcm
quit thc island ol Cyprus, thcy would go willingly.
Tc Cypriots, still smarting lrom thc injurics inictcd by Rich
ards army, prclcrrcd to takc rcvcngc on thc Tcmplars. Howcvcr, thc
twcnty brothcrs managcd to dclcat thc mob and gct back to Acrc,
whcrc it was dccidcd that Cyprus wasnt worth thc manpowcr nccdcd
to tamc it.
Robcrt ol Sabl wcnt to Richard and askcd him to rcturn thc dc
posit and takc his island back. Richard said hcd bc happy to takc back
Cyprus but hc had dccidcd that thc propcrty thc Tcmplars had givcn
him in paymcnt wasnt worth what thcy had said and so hc wasnt go
ing to givc it back. !n thosc days thcrc was no gracc pcriod to rcthink
a purchasc so thc Tcmplars just had to grin and bcar it.
Richard thcn sold thc island to Guy ol Lusignan. Guy had bccn
king ol Jcrusalcm through his wilc, Sybilla. Sybilla and thcir two
daughtcrs had dicd around ..c, prcsumably in an cpidcmic. Tc
crown, such as it was, sincc Jcrusalcm had lallcn to Saladin in ..,,
passcd to Sybillas sistcr, !sabcllc. Guy had ncvcr bccn all that pop ular
with anyonc but Sybilla. Hc wcnt to Richard and ocrcd to buy thc
island on thc samc tcrms as thosc givcn to thc Tcmplars. Guy thcn
borrowcd moncy lrom somc mcrchants in Tripoli and paid Richard,
who had now managcd to scll thc island twicc.
Guy rcmarricd and his dcsccndants rulcd Cyprus lor thc ncxt
thrcc hundrcd ycars.
! dont know il thc rclationship bctwccn Richard and Robcrt ol
Sabl coolcd altcr this. Kings can gct away with a lot. !n ..a, whcn
Richard dccidcd to rcturn to ngland, hc askcd Robcrt lor tcn knights
and lour scrgcants to guard him on thc trip. Forccd to travcl through
thc land ol his cncmy, Lcopold ol Austria, Richard was takcn captivc
and hcld two ycars bclorc his ransom could bc paid.
Robcrt did not ncglcct thc administrativc sidc ol his job. !n ... hc
madc surc that thc ncw popc, Cclcstinc !!!, conrmcd all thc rights
that prcvious popcs had grantcd thc Tcmplars. thcr than that, his
timc as Grand Mastcr was onc ol thc morc tranquil oncs.
Robcrt dc Sabl dicd on Scptcmbcr a, in cithcr .. or ...
Gilbert Erail, 11941200
Gilbcrt was anothcr carccr Tcmplar. Hc had scrvcd in Jcrusalcm,
whcrc hc was grand commandcr ol thc city in ... Hc thcn wcnt to
Spain, whcrc hc was living whcn hc lcarncd ol his clcction as Grand
Mastcr.
nc ol thc rst things Gilbcrt did in .. was to gct a papal con
rmation ol thc privilcgcs ol thc ordcr. Tis was somcthing that no
Tcmplar mastcr cvcr took lor grantcd. Tosc privilcgcs wcrc thc basc
ol thc Tcmplar cconomy.
Hc was in Acrc by March , .., pcrhaps bclorc. uring his
tcnurc thc Tcmplars bccamc involvcd in propcrty disputcs with thc
Hospitallcrs ovcr rights in thc town ol \ilania. Tis bccamc so intcnsc
that thc mattcr had to bc scttlcd by thc popc, !nnoccnt !!!.
Vhcn Gilbcrt was cxcommunicatcd by thc bishop ol Sidon, !n
noccnt stcppcd in again, saying that only hc could cxcommunicatc
Tcmplars. ! havcnt bccn ablc to nd out what Gilbcrt had donc to
ocnd thc bishop but !m surc hc was glad that hc had bccn to rcncw
thc rcgulation that only thc popc could cxcommunicatc a Tcmplar.
Gilbcrt dicd on cccmbcr a., .acc. His timc as Grand Mastcr
sccms to havc bccn onc ol consolidation altcr thc loss ol so much land
to Saladin. Tc ccting mcntions ol his argumcnts with othcrs in
Acrc arc tantalizing but thcy dont sccm to havc bccn intcrcsting
cnough lor chroniclcrs to makc much ol thcm.
Philip of Plessis, 12011209
Philip was anothcr Angcvin who camc to thc Holy Land with Rich
ard !. Hc was a youngcr son who had alrcady marricd and had sons ol
his own whcn hc lclt on crusadc. Hc cncouragcd ghting rathcr than
making truccs with thc Moslcms. Vhilc !nnoccnt !!! supportcd
him, thc popc also wrotc that hc had succumbcd to thc sin ol pridc
and abusc ol his privilcgcs. Philip dicd Novcmbcr .a, .ac.
William of Chartres, 12101219
Villiam ol Chartrcs is also known as Villiam ol Puisct. Hc was lrom
a lamily that had a tradition ol supporting thc crusading movcmcnt.
8clorc bccoming Grand Mastcr hc was woundcd in an ambush by thc
Armcnians undcr Lco, Roupcnid princc ol Cilicia. !n .a. Villiam
was onc ol thc signcrs ol an agrccmcnt conccrning propcrty rights
among thc Tcmplars, Hospitallcrs, and thc rdcr ol Santiago, bro
kcrcd by Popc Alcxandcr !!!. Hc was also thc Grand Mastcr during
thc rst part ol thc Filth Crusadc in which thc Christian armics
undcr Andrcw ol Hungary and thc cxcommunicatcd Frcdcrick !!
attcmptcd to dclcat gypt. Villiams lathcr, Count Milo ol 8arsur
Scinc, and his brothcr, Valtcr, both lought and dicd on that samc
crusadc. Villiam bccamc ill whilc with thc crusadcrs in amictta
and dicd August a6, .a..
Peter of Montaigu, 12191231
Pctcr ol Montaigu was probably clcctcd in an cmcrgcncy mccting ol
thc ordcr at amictta, lollowing thc dcath ol Villiam ol Chartrcs.
Likc Villiam, Pctcrs lamily was vcry much involvcd in thc rcligious
lilc ol thc ast. Pctcrs brothcr, Gurin, was Grand Mastcr ol thc
Hospital, giving a wholc ncw mcaning to thc lratcrnal rivalry bctwccn
thc two ordcrs. nc ol his unclcs was ustorgc, archbishop ol Nico
sia. Anothcr unclc, 8crnard, was bishop ol Puy, in thc Frcnch Alps.
Pctcr also had a cousin who didnt cntcr thc rcligious lilc but marricd
on Cyprus and dicd thcrc, ghting impcrial troops.
Although his lamily was lrom thc Auvcrgnc rcgion ol Francc,
Pctcr spcnt his carly carccr in Spain and Provcncc, bccoming mastcr
ol thc Tcmplars ol thc rcgion in .ac6. Hc distinguishcd himscll in
battlc in Spain, cspccially at thc battlc ol alAqsa, whcrc hc and his
Tcmplars arrivcd in timc to savc thc day.
Tc Filth Crusadc was anothcr rcsounding dclcat and Pctcr was
onc ol thosc who had to mop up. Hc wrotc a lcttcr ol lrustration to
thc prcccptor in ngland, Alan Martcl. !n it hc dcscribcs thc miscry
ol thc army whcn thc gyptians opcncd thc sluicc gatcs in thc Nilc
clta, cutting o thc supply routcs. cstitutc ol provisions, thc army
ol Christ could ncithcr procccd lurthcr nor rctrcat nor cc anywhcrc, . . .
!t was trappcd likc a sh in a nct.
Tc lcttcr cnds likc most lrom thc crusadcs, with a plca lor morc
lunds.
Pctcr was also caught up in thc strugglc bctwccn thc Holy Ro
man mpcror, Frcdcrick !!, and thc popcs. Tis was thc old battlc
bctwccn thc tcmporal and spiritual powcrs. !taly was part ol Frcdcr
icks inhcritancc, which brought him into conict with thc Papal
Statcs. Tcn hc marricd !sabcllc, thc hcircss to thc thronc ol Jcrusa
lcm, which gavc him somc intcrcst in rctaking thc city. Frcdcrick
managcd to bc cxcommunicatcd by a numbcr ol popcs, dying unrc
pcntant in .ac.
Vhcn Frcdcrick arrivcd in Acrc, altcr thc dclcat ol thc army at
amictta, thc Tcmplars and thc Hospitallcrs rcluscd to lollow him,
sincc hc was shunncd by thc Church. Tis cvcntually lcd to a nasty
sccnc in which, according to somc, Frcdcrick accuscd thc Tcmplars ol
trying to murdcr him. Tcy accuscd him ol trcachcry.
Although Frcdcrick soon lclt Acrc, hc got his rcvcngc on thc
Tcmplars and thc Hospitallcrs by conscating all thcir propcrty in !t
aly and imprisoning many ol thc brothcrs thcrc. Tc propcrty still
hadnt bccn rcturncd whcn Pctcr dicd in .a.. Tc trcaty ol rcconcilia
tion bctwccn Frcdcrick and thc popc wasnt madc until .a, whcn
Armand ol Prigord was Grand Mastcr. As wc shall scc, this may not
havc bccn accidcntal.
Armand of Prigord, c. 12311244
Armand ol Prigord probably camc lrom Guicnnc, in thc south ol
Francc. Hc had bccn Tcmplar prcccptor in Sicily and Calabria bc
lorc bccoming Grand Mastcr and it was widcly bclicvcd that his
clcction was inucnccd by thc Holy Roman mpcror, Frcdcrick !!,
who controllcd Sicily at that timc. Howcvcr, thcrc sccms to bc no
prool ol that.
Most ol Armands carccr as Grand Mastcr was spcnt in skir
mishcs with both Moslcm and impcrial lorccs. Frcdcrick had arrangcd
through ncgotiations lor thc Christians to havc most ol Jcrusalcm
back, as wcll as signing an cightycar trucc with thc sultan ol Cairo.
Armand did nothing to uphold thc trucc. Tc most notablc ol his
actions rcsultcd in anothcr Tcmplar slaughtcr. !n .a,, against thc ad
vicc ol Valtcr, count ol Jaa, hc lcd a band ol knights against Moslcm
troops who wcrc loraging in thc rcgion bctwccn Atlit and Acrc. Tc
Tcmplars wcrc badly dclcatcd. nly thc Grand Mastcr and ninc ol his
mcn cscapcd.
Armand slowly lcarncd thc rcality ol lilc in thc Latin kingdoms,
what was lclt ol thcm. Hc bcgan to undcrstand thc complcxity ol thc
rclations among thc dcsccndants ol Saladin. Tcy wcrc arguing ovcr
who had thc bcst claim to thc Ayyubid kingdoms, choosing up sidcs,
and ghting cach othcr, just as thc Christian lords did. And thcrc
wcrc somc who wcrc willing to ally thcmsclvcs with thc Christians in
ordcr to dclcat thcir brothcrs and cousins. !n .a,, Armand bclicvcd it
would bc possiblc to dividc and conqucr thc Ayyubids.
!n Novcmbcr .a anothcr lorcc ol lrcsh blood arrivcd lrom thc
Vcst, this timc undcr thc command ol Tibaud, count ol Cham
pagnc. Tc knights hc brought with him wcrc cagcr lor battlc and
plundcr and annoycd by thc hardlcarncd caution that thc mastcrs ol
thc Tcmplc and Hospital showcd. Hcnry, count ol 8ar, announccd
that hc hadnt comc all this way to sit around and that hc and his mcn
wcrc riding out thc ncxt day to loragc.
Tcy |thc Mastcrs| kncw vcry wcll that ncithcr thcir intcntions
nor thcir motivcs wcrc good, that thcy wcrc inspircd by cnvy, mal
icc, pridc and grccd. . . . Tcy told thcm |thc knights| clcarly that
il thcy rodc to war as thcy intcndcd, thcy would wcll bc . . . killcd
or takcn prisoncr, to thc grcat shamc and harm ol Christcndom.
Tc loragcrs rcplicd lorcclully that thcy would do nothing ol thc
kind, thcy had comc thcrc to ght unbclicvcrs and did not mcan
to kccp putting o any cncountcr.
Hcnry and his mcn sallicd lorth to thc plain ncar Gaza whcrc
thcy had hcard that thc local pcoplc had scnt many ol thcir animals
lor salckccping. Tcy dccidcd to camp awhilc, havc dinncr, slccp, and
thcn sncak out in thc morning and capturc thc horscs. Such was thcir
pridc and thcir arrogancc that thcy lclt littlc or no conccrn about thcir
cncmics, into whosc land thcy had thrust so lar lorward and who wcrc
vcry ncar thcm. Tcn thcy lcarncd indccd that ur Lord will not bc
scrvcd in that way.
Tc sultan AlAdil Abu 8akr !! happcncd to bc in Gaza and
lcarncd ol thc slowly approaching raiding party. Hc summoncd all
ghting mcn lrom thc rcgion and thcy wcnt to mcct thc invadcrs. 8y
morning, somc ol thc crusadcrs wcrc gctting ncrvous and dccidcd to
turn back. 8ut Hcnry ol 8ar and many othcrs dccidcd to ght.
Tcy wcrc surroundcd and annihilatcd. Any survivors wcrc takcn
to Cairo and sold into slavcry.
Although thc Rothclin chroniclcr, living in Acrc, lclt that thc
mcn got what thcy dcscrvcd, somc in uropc saw it dicrcntly. 8oth
thc Tcmplars and thc Hospitallcrs wcrc criticizcd lor lailing to sup
port Hcnry ol 8ar. Tcrc was cvcn a pocm, supposcdly writtcn by
thc cnslavcd count ol Monlort and smugglcd to thc Vcst.
If the Hospitallers
Templars and brother knights
Had shown our men the way,
Had ridden as they should,
Ten all our chivalry
Would not in prison lie.
Pcrhaps it was to qucll thcsc ncgativc vicws ol thc ordcr that a
ycar latcr Armand, on bchall ol thc Tcmplc, gavc thc mastcr and thc
brothcrs ol St. Lazarus thc rcnts lrom propcrty thcy owncd in thc n
glish quartcr ol Acrc.
Tc scttlcrs lrom thc Vcst had lcarncd a lot about Ncar astcrn
politics in thc vc gcncrations thcy had bccn thcrc. !n thc .acs thcy
wcrc kccnly awarc ol thc strugglc that was going on among thc hcirs
ol Saladin in gypt and amascus. Tc Tcmplars supportcd amas
cus, thc Hospitallcrs, gypt. !n .a, thc Tcmplars, undcr Armand ol
Prigord, apparcntly convinccd thc Christian lorccs to support a
mascus with military aid. Tc combincd armics marchcd into Gaza
and, on ctobcr ., wcrc soundly dclcatcd at thc battlc ol La Forbic
(Harbiya).
Among thc dcad wcrc Pctcr, thc archbishop ol Tyrc, and thc
bishop ol St. Gcorgc ol Ramla. Valtcr ol Chtcauncul, mastcr ol
thc Hospitallcrs, was capturcd. Hc didnt rcgain his lrccdom until
.ac.
Armand ol Prigord was also capturcd at La Forbic. Hc dicd in
prison, no onc knows whcn.
William of Sonnac, 12471250
Villiam ol Sonnac was thc prcccptor ol Aquitainc whcn hc was cho
scn as thc ncw Grand Mastcr. 8clorc that hc had bccn thc commandcr
ol thc Tcmplar housc at Auzon. Sincc no onc was ccrtain il Grand
Mastcr Armand was dcad, Villiam may havc lclt that hc was always
just an acting Grand Mastcr. !l so, it was onc hard act.
Villiam accompanicd King Louis IX on his cxpcdition to gypt,
whcrc thc Grand Mastcr was lorccd into a battlc in thc town ol Man
sourah, in which Robcrt, thc brothcr ol thc king, was killcd. vcryonc
agrccd that thc attack was a mistakc, with most ol thc blamc going to
Robcrt. Jcan dc Joinvillc, scncschal ol Champagnc, says, Tc Tcm
plars, as thcir Grand Mastcr told mc latcr, lost on this occasion somc
two hundrcd and cighty mcnatarms, and all mountcd. Tcrc
sccms such a wcight ol dcspair in that simplc statcmcnt. !n all thc
ycars ol thc Tcmplars, thc total numbcr ol knights in thc ast ncvcr
avcragcd morc than thrcc hundrcd. vcn assuming that many ol thc
dcad wcrc scrgcants, thc Tcmplars had still lost morc than a quartcr ol
thcir ghting mcn.
Villiam, who had alrcady lost thc usc ol onc cyc in an carlicr cn
countcr, was blindcd and killcd in battlc in gypt on Fcbruary .., .ac.
Renaud of Vichiers, 12501256
Vhcn Villiam ol Sonnac was killcd, Rcnaud ol \ichicrs was marshal
ol thc ordcr. Not only was thcrc no timc lor a propcr clcction, thcrc
also wcrcnt cnough Tcmplars lclt alivc to hold onc. Rcnaud took ovcr
until thcir rcturn lrom gypt to Acrc whcrc cnough mcn could bc
collcctcd.
Vhcn King Louis ol Francc and many ol his noblcmcn wcrc hcld
lor ransom, Rcnaud took it upon himscll to allow Jcan dc Joinvillc to
takc moncy lrom thc chcsts that thc Tcmplars wcrc holding lor vari
ous dcpositors, in ordcr to lrcc thc king.
Vhcn thc king and thc rcmnants ol thc army rcturncd to Acrc,
thc king, on account ol thc considcration thc Tcmplc had shown him,
hclpcd makc him Mastcr ol thc Tcmplc. Tcrc may not havc bccn
much protcst lrom thc rcmaining Tcmplars. Rcnaud had donc wcll
undcr tcrriblc circumstanccs.
Louis sccmcd to think that madc thc scorc cvcn bctwccn thcm.
Hc ccrtainly showcd Rcnaud no lurthcr lavors. !n .a. Rcnaud scnt
his marshal, Hughcs dc Jouy, to ncgotiatc an agrccmcnt with thc sul
tan ol amascus to sharc a rich larming rcgion bctwccn thc two
lands. Vhcn Hughcs camc back to Acrc to havc King Louis !X ratily
thc trcaty, Louis was lurious that it had bccn donc without his author
ity. Hc had thc Tcmplars paradc barcloot through thc camp to his
tcnt. Rcnaud was lorccd to hand thc trcaty back to thc sultans rcprc
scntativc and say loudly that hc rcgrcttcd acting without thc kings
pcrmission. Hughcs was banishcd lrom thc kingdom ol Jcrusalcm.
Rcnaud dicd January ac, .a6. Louis lastcd long cnough to lcad
anothcr ruinous crusadc. Rcnaud is mostly lorgottcn. Louis was madc
a saint. ! think thcrc should bc a rccount.
Thomas Brard, 12561273
Vhcn Tomas 8rard bccamc Grand Mastcr, hc was laccd with a tcr
rilying ncw thrcat to all thc pcoplcs ol thc Ncar ast and also thc
lcsscr but morc immcdiatc troublcs ol thc inccssant squabbling among
thc inhabitants ol thc various scctions ol Acrc.
Most ol thc quarrcling was among thc mcrchants ol thc !talian
citystatcs Gcnoa, Pisa, and \cnicc. Tcy all had nancial stakcs in
Acrc and wcrc crcc compctitors lor tradc throughout thc castcrn
Mcditcrrancan.
!n .a, during thc civil disturbancc known as thc Var ol St.
Sabas, thc mastcr ol thc tcmplc, Tomas 8rard, took rclugc in thc
towcr ol St. Lazarus whcn his own stronghold was subjcctcd to cross
rc bctwccn thc Pisans, Gcnocsc and \cnctians.
Tis sccms to havc bccn a normal day at thc o cc lor Tomas.
8ut hc also had to continuc thc cort to rcgain land lost ovcr thc
past cighty ycars. !n .a6c, thc Tcmplars and thc !bclin lords attackcd
a largc cncampmcnt ol Turks ncar Tibcrias. Tcy wcrc routcd and
many Tcmplars wcrc killcd or capturcd. Among thc prisoncrs wcrc
luturc Grand Mastcrs Villiam ol 8caujcu and Tibaud Gaudin. Tc
marshal ol thc Tcmplars, Stcphcn ol Saissy, survivcd and, pcrhaps
bccausc ol this, 8rard bclicvcd that hc had showcd cithcr cowardicc
or trcachcry. Hc strippcd Stcphcn ol his habit and scnt him back
homc. Considcring thc shortagc ol manpowcr, Stcphcn must havc
bccn a prctty poor cxamplc ol a Tcmplar.
8ut thcsc wcrc all small mattcrs comparcd to thc longdrcadcd
arrival ol thc Mongols in thc Ncar ast. Undcr Gcnghis Khan, thcy
had alrcady conqucrcd much ol China and wcrc now moving into thc
ancicnt Pcrsian mpirc. Talcs ol thcir cruclty cw likc crows through
thc towns in thcir path. Howcvcr, sincc thcy wcrc considcrcd pagans
thcrc was hopc among thc lcadcrs ol thc Church that thcy could bc
brought into thc Christian community and would join lorccs to libcr
atc Jcrusalcm again. Franciscan missionarics wcrc scnt cast as thc
Mongols drcw ncar.
From his vantagc point Tomas saw that this was a lorlorn hopc.
Hc wrotc many timcs to thc Vcst, trying to makc thcm scc thc scri
ousncss ol thc situation. nc lcttcr, scnt in .a6. to thc Tcmplar trca
sur cr in London, has survivcd:
Although in our usual way wc havc prcviously inlormcd you on
many occasions ol thc tcrriblc and awcsomc arrival ol thc Tartars
|Mongols| . . . thcy arc now hcrc in lront ol our walls, knocking at
our gatcs and now is not thc timc to hidc thcir skirmishcs undcr a
bushcl bur rathcr opcnly to rcvcal thcir stupcndous and amazing
cxploits that havc shakcn Christcndom cxtcrnally with thc wcap
ons ol grcat pain and lcar.
Tc lcttcr continucs with a rccitation ol all thc lands thc Mongols
had takcn, how thc pcoplc ol Antioch bcggcd to bc allowcd to pay
tributc rathcr than bc dcstroycd, how thc city ol Alcppo was attcncd.
Tcn Tomas comcs to thc csscntial rcason lor his lcttcr:
8ccausc ol thc povcrty and wcakncss ol thc Christians wc do not
scc thc possibility ol holding on to thc othcr lands and placcs un
lcss thc Lord show his mcrcy. . . . May you bc in no doubt that
unlcss hclp comcs quickly to us lrom your countrics, whatcvcr our
ability to rcsist thc attack and onslaught ol such a grcat hordc,
thcrc is no doubt that thc wholc ol Christcndom this sidc ol thc
sca will bc subjcct to Tartar rulc. Addcd to this, you should know
that bccausc ol thc important and countlcss cxpcnscs incurrcd in
lortilying our said castlcs and thc city ol Acrc to improvc mattcrs,
our housc is sucring and has sucrcd such hugc runs on our
moncy that it is rccognizcd that wc arc in a dangcrous nancial
situation.
Tomas was scrious about thc dirc nancial situation. Hc would
havc bccn willing to takc out loans lrom thc !talians but thcy had all
lclt thc city. Hc was rcady to pawn thc crosscs and inccnsc burncrs
and anything clsc in thc housc.
Vhilc waiting lor hclp, Tomas did cvcrything hc could to nd
cash. !n .a6. hc ncgotiatcd with thc archbishop ol Nicosia lor thc pay
mcnt to tithcs owcd to thc ordcr lrom land in Cyprus.
Hc sold Tcmplar land in Lucca to thc Franciscans. Vhcn thc
hcirs ol Saint Francis havc morc moncy than thc Tcmplars, you know
thc world is upsidc down.
Tomas 8rard dicd on March a, .a,. Altcr him thc sky lcll in
on thc last ol thc crusadcr statcs.
William of Beaujeu, 12731291
Tc clcction ol Villiam ol 8caujcu |or Clcrmont| as Grand Mastcr
was announccd by Hugh Rcvcl, thc Grand Mastcr ol thc Hospitallcrs,
in a lcttcr to thc count ol Flandcrs. Tc good mcn ol thc Tcmplc havc
choscn, as mastcr and govcrnor ol thc Tcmplc, 8rothcr Guillaumc dc
8caujcu. . . . Tc mcsscngcrs ol thc Tcmplc havc lclt lor Francc, tak
ing thc pursc |cmpty, no doubt| and thc ncws. Mastcr Hugh con
tinucs to say that things arc bad in thc Holy Land and thc lunds that
thc lord king ol Francc rcqucstcd ol thc lord popc lor thc sustcnancc
ol thc land arc now as lost.
!t was not an auspicious bcginning.
Villiam was born, probably in Francc, about .ac. Hc was con
ncctcd to thc lamily ol 8caujcuForcz, which was distantly rclatcd to
thc royal lamily ol Francc. Villiam joincd thc Tcmplars as a young
man and was in thc ast by thc timc hc was thirty whcn hc was cap
turcd by thc Turks at a battlc ncar thc town ol Tibcrius. vcn bc
lorc that, in .a, hc may havc bccn prcccptor ol a commandcry in
Lombardy. !n .a,a, hc is listcd as thc mastcr ol thc Knights Tcmplar
in Sicily. Hc was thcrc whcn hc was clcctcd.
Knowing how bad thc situation was in Acrc, Villiam spcnt two
ycars visiting all thc houscs ol thc Tcmplc in thc kingdoms ol Francc
and ngland and Spain rathcr than going to thc city at oncc. His
sccrctary rcports proudly that hc amasscd a grcat trcasurc and thcn
camc to Acrc.
8ut would it bc cnough:
As with many ol thc othcr Grand Mastcrs, Villiam camc lrom a
lamily with strong crusading traditions. A rclativc, Humbcrt ol 8cau
jcu, had dicd with Saint Louis at amictta in gypt. Vhilc Vil
liam was trying to prcscrvc thc last ol thc Latin citics in thc ast, his
brothcr Louis, constablc ol Francc, dicd on crusadc in Spain with
King Philip !!!.
cspitc thc outsidc thrcats, thc Tcmplars still lound thcmsclvcs
gctting caught up in local politics. 8ccausc thc lord ol Jubail had bccomc
a lay brothcr ol thc Tcmplc, Villiam took his sidc in a lcud with thc
bishop and princc ol Tortosa. Villiam scnt thirty Tcmplars to hclp thc
lord ol Jubail. As a conscqucncc, thc princc had thc housc ol thc Tcm
plc in Tripoli knockcd down, and cut down thc Tcmplars woods.
Altcr all thc lcar ol a Mongol invasion, thc cnd ol thc Latin king
doms camc lrom gypt, just as many ol thc latcr kings and crusadcrs
had lcarcd.
Villiam ol 8caujcu dicd at thc sicgc ol Acrc in .a., run through
with a spcar as hc rodc into battlc.
Thibaud Gaudin, 12911292/93
Tc ncxttolast Grand Mastcr ol thc Tcmplc had spcnt many ycars in
thc ast. Hc had bccn capturcd by thc Turks and, altcr his rclcasc,
was commandcr ol thc cvcrdiminishing land ol Jcrusalcm. uring
thc sicgc ol Acrc, Tibaud and a lcw ol thc Tcmplars cscapcd lrom thc
city in ships and wcnt to thc Tcmplar castlc ol Sidon larthcr up thc
coast. Tc sultan scnt onc ol his cmirs, Sanjar al Shujai, who bcsicgcd
thc castlc on thc sca with sicgc cngincs. Tibaud saw his position
assaultcd and thought hc ought not to bcgin his tcrm ol o cc by
abandoning thc castlc.
8ut gucss what: Hc took counscl with thc brcthrcn and with
thcir conscnt hc wcnt o to Cyprus, promising thcm that hc should
scnd thcm rclicl. ! suspcct that thc anonymous Tcmplar ol Tyrc
wcnt with him or wc wouldnt know anything ol this. Vhcn Tibaud
got to Cyprus, hc didnt sccm all that cncrgctic about gctting hclp lor
thc mcn lclt bchind. Finally, othcr Tcmplars who had madc it to thc
island scnt word back to Sidon that no hclp was coming.
Tc castlc ol Sidon was abandoncd to thc Mamluk sultan, who
had it razcd.
Tibaud Gaudin rcmaincd in Cyprus and scnt back to uropc lor
morc mcn to rcplacc thosc who had lallcn at Acrc. Amazingly, thcy
camc.
!ts hard to say il, having abandoncd two Tcmplar bascs, Tibaud
could havc inspircd his mcn with ghting lcrvor. 8ut wc arc not to
know, lor hc dicd April .6, probably in .aa.
Now thc wholc mcss was in thc hands ol Jacques de Molay, thc
last Grand Mastcr. His latc dcscrvcs a chaptcr ol its own, but rst wc
must rcturn to othcr vicws ol thc thirtccnthccntury crusadcs.
J Malcolm 8arbcr, Te New Knighthood (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. ...
2 Hclcn Nicholson tr., Te Chronicle of the Tird Crusade (Ashgatc, Aldcrshot, .,) p. .6.
3 Pctcr V. dbury tr., Te Conquest of Jerusalem and the Tird Crusade [Eracles] (Ashgatc, Aldcr
shot, .) p. .
4 !bid., p. ..a.
5 !bid.
6 !bid.
7 Hans Maycr, Te Crusades, tr. John Gillingham (xlord Univcrsity Prcss, .,a) p. .6.
8 dbury, p. ...
9 !bid., pp. .a.aa.
J0 Rudoll Hcistand cd., Papsturkunden fr Templer und Johanniter (Gottingcn, .,a) p. ca.
JJ 8arbcr, p. .aa.
J2 Hcistand, p. c,. (From Cclcstinc !!!, who had alrcady givcn a conrmation to Robcrt, but it
ncvcr hurts to bc surc.)
J3 8arbcr, .aaa.
J4 !bid., p..a.
J5 !bid.
J6 !bid., p. .a.
J7 !bid., p. .a6
J8 !bid., pp. .a.aa.
J9 Hcistand, p. a,.
20 For morc on Villiam, plcasc scc chaptcr a, Te Crusades of Louis IX.
2J livcr ol Padcrborn, Te Conquest of Damietta, tr. John J. Gavigan (Univcrsity ol Pcnnsylvania
Prcss, .) p. c, notc .6.
22 !bid., p. 6.
23 Histoirc dcs Archcvcqucs Latin dc l!lc dc Chyprc, in Archives de l Orient Latin Tome II
(Paris, .) p. a..
24 8arbcr, p. .a.
25 Jamcs M. Powcll, Anatomy of a Crusade 12131221 (Univcrsity ol Pcnnsylvania Prcss, .6) p. .a6.
26 Quotcd in 8arbcr, p. .c.
27 Lioncl Allshorn, Stupor Mundi: Te Life and Times of Frederick II, Emperor of the Romans, King
of Sicily and Jerusalem, 11941250 (Martin Scckcr, ..a) p. .
28 8arbcr, p. ..
29 !bid., p. .6.
30 !bid., pp. .,.
3J !bid.
32 Te Rothelin Continuation of the History of William of Tyre, in Crusader Syria in the Tirteenth
Century, tr. Janct Shirlcy (Ashgatc, Aldcrshot, .) p. 6.
33 !bid., p. .
34 !bid., p. c.
35 8arbcr, p. ..
36 Rothclin, p. .
37 Fragmcnt dun Cartulairc dc lrdrc dc Saint Lazarc, cn TcrrcSaintc, Archives de l Orient
Latin Tome II (Paris, .) pp. .6,, chartcr no. .
38 John Francc, Western Warfare in the Age of the Crusades 10001300 (Corncll Univcrsity Prcss,
.) p. a.,.
39 Alain Jacquct, Templiers et Hospitaliers en Touraine: sur les traces des monines chevaliers (Sutton
SaintCyrsurLoirc, Francc acca) p. ..
40 Joinvillc, \ic dc St. Louis, in Chronicles of the Crusades tr. Margarct R. 8. Shaw (Pcnguin,
UK .6) p. a..
4J !bid., p. a.
42 !bid., p. a6,.
43 !bid., p. a.
44 Alain cmurgcr, Jacques De Molay: Le crepuscule des templiers (Paris: 8iographic Payot, acca)
p. 6..
45 avid Marcombc, Leper Knights (8oydcll, UK acc) p. ...
46 Te Templar of Tyre cd and tr. Paul Crawlord (Ashgatc, Aldcrshot, UK acc) pp. 6,.
47 Tomas 8rard in Te Templars: Selected Sources Translated and Annotated, Malcolm 8arbcr and
Kcith 8atc (Manchcstcr Univcrsity Prcss, acca) p. .c..
48 8arbcr and 8atc, p. .c.
49 Histoirc dcs Archcvcqucs Latin dc l!lc dc Chyprc, p. a,.
50 Fulvio 8ramato, Storia dell Ordine Dei Templari in Italia Vol. II Le Inquisizioni, Le Fonti (Romc:
Atan, .) p. ...
5J tudcs sur lcs crnicrs Tcmps dc Royaumc dc Jrusalcm, in Archives de l Orient Latin Tome
II (Paris, .) p. .
52 Six lcttrcs rclativcs aux croisadcs, in Archives de l Orient Latin Tome I (Paris, .) p. c.
53 !bid., p. ..
54 8arbcr, p. .,.
55 Te Templar of Tyre, p. ,.
56 8ramato, p. .a,.
57 !bid., p. .6.
58 Te Templar of Tyre, p. 6.
59 !bid.
60 cmurgcr, pp. 666. Scc chaptcr a, Te Templars and the Saint.
6J Te Templar of Tyre, p. .
62 !bid., p. ,a.
63 For a morc complctc tclling ol this plcasc scc, Te Last Stands.
64 Te Templar of Tyre, p. ,.
65 !bid, p. ...
66 !bid.
67 !bid.
68 !bid.
69 8arbcr, p. a..
70 !bid., p. a.
CH A P T I R T WI NT Y T HR I I
Te Templars and the Saint,
Louis IX of France
L
ouis !X, King ol Francc, whom wc now know as Saint Louis,
was born in .a., thc sccond son ol Louis \!!! and his wilc,
8lanchc ol Castilc. !n .aa6, Louis \!!!, only twcntycight, dicd ol
dyscntcry on his way back lrom ghting hcrctics in thc south ol
Francc, lcaving Louis !X, a boy ol ninc, as hcir to thc kingdom.
Luckily, thc rcgcncy was hcld by thc dowagcr quccn, 8lanchc. At
twcntyscvcn ycars old, shc had bccn marricd morc than hall hcr lilc
and had bornc twclvc childrcn, ol whom scvcn survivcd. And, likc hcr
rcdoubtablc grandmothcr, lcanor ol Aquitainc, 8lanchc was good at
ruling. Not only that, but unlikc Queen Melisande ol Jcrusalcm, all
hcr childrcn wcrc apparcntly dcvotcd to hcr. Shc kcpt thc country in
hand until Louis camc ol agc and thcn, carclully, lct him takc thc
rcins ol govcrnmcnt.
Tc cntirc lamily was pious, Louis cspccially so. Hc arrangcd lor
rclics ol thc Passion ol Christ to bc brought lrom Constantinoplc to
Paris: thc crown ol thorns, a piccc ol thc Truc Cross, and thc spongc
soakcd in vincgar that thc Roman soldicrs hcld to Jcsus lips at thc
crucixion. Hc thcn built a spccial church to hold thcm. Tc cxquisitc
Saintc Chapcllc still stands on thc !lc dc la Cit in Paris.
Tcn, in .a, Louis was struck down with an illncss that no
181 The Templars and the Saint, Louis ix of France
mcdicinc was ablc to curc. Surc that hc was going to dic, Louis put
his aairs in ordcr, and carncstly bcggcd his brothcrs to takc carc ol
his wilc and childrcn, who wcrc vcry young and hclplcss.
At onc point, thosc caring lor him thought hc had dicd, but hc ral
licd. According to thc chroniclcrs, Louis rst words wcrc to thc bishop
ol Paris, Villiam ol Auvcrgnc. ! want to takc thc cross! hc croakcd.
Vhcn Louis had complctcly rccovcrcd, both his mothcr, 8lanchc,
and thc bishop tricd to talk him out ol going, Vhcn you took thc
cross . . . you wcrc ill. . . . 8lood had rushcd to your brain so that you
wcrc not ol sound mind, thcy insistcd.
8ut Louis would not bc dissuadcd. Vord had comc ol thc con
qucst ol Jcrusalcm in July .a, by thc Khorczmian Turks, who wcrc
bcing pushcd wcst by thc advancing Mongols, and thc dclcat ol thc
Christian lorccs at Gaza. !t sccmcd to Louis that hc had bccn callcd
to savc thc Holy Land.
Hc also convinccd his thrcc youngcr brothcrs, Robcrt, Alphonsc,
and Charlcs, to comc with him along with many ol thc grcat lords ol
thc kingdom. Tc only holdout was Tibaud, count ol Champagnc
and king ol Navarrc, who had just rcturncd lrom his own totally di
sastrous crusadc and lclt that hcd had cnough ol lorcign travcl.
Louis also took his wilc, Margucritc ol Provcncc. For thc good ol
thc succcssion, thcy lclt bchind thcir two young sons, Louis and
Philip, in thc carc ol thcir grandmothcr.
Tc rcst ol thc lamily sct sail lrom Francc in August .a, cxccpt
lor Alphonsc, who staycd bchind to watch out lor thc kingdom and to
takc carc ol Robcrts wilc, who was too prcgnant lor a sca voyagc.
8oth ol thcm lollowcd latcr.
Tc lamily was smart cnough not to havc all thrcc brothcrs takc
thc samc ship, but cach onc arrivcd salcly. Louis and his party wcnt
rst to Cyprus, landing thcrc on Scptcmbcr .,. Tcy wcrc grcctcd by
Villiam ol Sonnac, thc Grand Mastcr ol thc Tcmplars, who had
comc lrom Acrc to accompany thc king on his crusadc.
!t was dccidcd to spcnd thc wintcr in Cyprus. Vhilc planning
lor thc campaign in thc spring, Louis took timc to scttlc a disputc
bctwccn thc Hospitallcrs and thc Tcmplars.
Villiam accompanicd Louis and thc army whcn thcy shippcd out
thc ncxt summcr. !t had bccn dccidcd that gypt hcld thc kcys to Jc
rusalcm and so Louis planncd to attack thc town ol amictta in
gypt rst, thcrcby cutting o thc supply routcs north.
Tc landing was a littlc tricky. Tc Frcnch army was rcd upon as
thcy camc ashorc in small boats. !t was a sight to cnchant thc cycs,
thc chroniclcr, Jcan dc Joinvillc, rcmcmbcrcd. For thc sultans arms
wcrc all ol gold and whcrc thc sun caught thcm thcy shonc rcsplcn
dcnt. Joinvillc, who sccms to havc bccn cousin to almost cvcryonc,
including King Louis, was in his carly twcntics at thc timc and thc
crusadc was thc big advcnturc ol what was to bc a vcry long lilc.
As thcy approachcd amictta, thc Frcnch discovcrcd that thc gatcs
wcrc widc opcn and thc town dcscrtcd. Tc pcoplc ol thc town had rc
mcmbcrcd thc last timc amictta was bcsicgcd by thc Franks and thcy
dccidcd thcy would rathcr abandon it than go through that again. vcn
thc garrison, undcr Fakr adin, chosc to cc. Vhcn thc Sultan, on his
dcathbcd, hcard ol this, hc ordcrcd thc soldicrs hangcd.
Louis was dclightcd. Hc scttlcd in to thc town with his army and
his wilc. amictta was a good placc to wait out thc annual ooding ol
thc Nilc and a good basc lor raids into gypt.
As wintcr ncarcd, thc army bcgan to movc through thc Nilc clta
toward thc town ol Mansourah. n cccmbcr , thcy wcrc attackcd
by thc gyptian Turks. 8ut thc Tcmplars and thc othcrs ol ours in
thc vanguard wcrc not in thc lcast startlcd or dismaycd, Joinvillc as
surcs his rcadcrs.
l thc many things said about thc Tcmplars, no onc who saw
thcm in battlc cvcr said thcy wcrc cowards.
8ut all too soon camc thc rst disastcr lor thc Frcnch and thc
pricc thc Tcmplars paid lor it was high.
n Fcbruary , thc kings brothcr Robcrt, count ol Artois, was
in thc vanguard ol thc army along with thc Tcmplars. Tcy had
crosscd a rivcr and Louis had told thcm to wait lor thc rcst ol thc
lorcc bclorc moving on. !nstcad, Robcrt and his mcn raccd ahcad
and bcgan attacking thc Saraccn camp. Tcy slaughtcrcd cvcryonc
thcy lound thcrc, rcgardlcss ol agc or scx.
Villiam ol Sonnac, thc Grand Mastcr ol thc Tcmplc, a good
knight, valiant, hardy, wisc in war and clcarsightcd in such mattcrs,
adviscd thc Count ol Artois to wait and rally his mcn. Robcrt ap
parcntly snccrcd at him and sct out. Tc Tcmplars couldnt lct him go
o and bc killcd on his own so thcy rodc with him, pcrhaps still hop
ing to convincc him to turn back.
Count Robcrt and thc vanguard cntcrcd thc town ol Mansourah
and wcrc soon caught in thc twisting strccts whcrc thcy bccamc casy
targcts lor thc dclcndcrs. At thc momcnt ol suprcmc dangcr, thc
Turkish battalion ol thc Mamluks . . . lions in war and mighty in
battlc . . . drovc thcm back. Tc Franks wcrc massacrcd onc and
all.
!t was said that thc Tcmplars lost ac mcn at Mansourah.
Louis hopcd lor a lcw days that his brothcr had only bccn cap
turcd and was bcing hcld lor ransom, but at last hc was told that Rob
crt had dicd. May God bc worshipcd lor all hc has givcn mc, rcplicd
thc king and thcn big tcars bcgan to lall lrom his cycs.
Tc lcw Tcmplars that wcrc lclt continucd to ght lor Louis. Al
though hc had lost thc usc ol onc cyc prcviously, Villiam ol Sonnac
was still at thc lront ol cvcry ght. n Fcbruary .. hc was at a barri
cadc that hc had madc out ol parts ol capturcd sicgc machincs. Tc
Turks thrcw Grcck rc at thc tindcrdry barricadc and it caught at
oncc. Tc Turks . . . did not wait lor thc rc to burn itscll out, but
rushcd in and attackcd thc Tcmplars amidst thc amcs.
!n thc coursc ol thc battlc, Villiams othcr cyc was put out. Hc
soon dicd lrom his wounds.
Until a ncw Grand Mastcr could bc choscn, thc marshal ol thc
ordcr, Rcnaud ol \ichicrs, took chargc.
8ut thcrc wcrc to bc no morc glorious battlcs in gypt. Louis
army was trappcd in thc dclta, surroundcd by cncmy soldicrs and at
tackcd daily by ics, cas, and discasc. Supply ships scnt lrom ami
ctta wcrc takcn and plundcrcd bclorc thcy could rcach thc Frcnch.
Scurvy brokc out among thc mcn. vcn thc kings dict wasnt cnough
to protcct against it. Louis tricd to arrangc a trucc but it was clcar that
thcy wcrc dclcatcd.
Louis sick in captivity (Te British Library)
Tc Turks attackcd on April ,. 8y this point Louis not only had
scurvy but also dyscntcry so constant that thcy had to cut away thc
lowcr part ol his undcrwcar. !l thc king was this bad o, you can
imaginc thc statc ol thc rcst ol thc army. Tcy wcrc routcd.
Louis and his two rcmaining brothcrs wcrc among thosc takcn
prisoncr.
Quccn Margucritc was at that timc in amictta and closc to thc
cnd ol a prcgnancy. !t was shc who had to dccidc what to do. Hcr
main goal was thc rclcasc ol thc prisoncrs.
Altcr somc haggling, thc sultan agrccd that thc ransom lor Louis
and his mcn was thc surrcndcr ol amictta and thc paymcnt ol vc
hundrcd thousand livrcs, or onc million gold bczants. !t was latcr rc
duccd to lour hundrcd thousand livrcs, which was still morc than
Louis madc in a ycar.
Unlortunatcly, thc ncxt day, thc sultan was killcd by his body
guard. Tis was a sctback lor thc ncgotiations and thc Frcnch thought
thcy might bc killcd, but thc ncw govcrnmcnt was willing to acccpt
thc tcrms ol thc ransom.
An intcrcsting notc in Joinvillcs mcmoir is that, according to him,
Louis was askcd to swcar an oath that hc would dclivcr thc ransom.
Part ol thc oath was, il thc king did not kccp laith with thc cmirs hc
should bc dishonorcd as a Christian who dcnics God and his law and
in contcmpt ol Him, spits on a cross and tramplcs it undcrloot.
Now, thcsc wcrc two ol thc main chargcs against thc Tcmplars at
thcir arrest and trials. Tc qucstion is, was this somcthing that rcally
happcncd and pcrhaps was spokcn ol by Louis lamily: Hc rcluscd to
takc that oath and might havc told this to his childrcn proudly. Tcn
Philip !\, Louis grandson, might havc alrcady known about it and
thought it a good thing to chargc thosc indclloving Tcmplars
with.
n thc othcr hand, Joinvillc livcd until ..,, tcn ycars altcr thc
arrcst ol thc Tcmplars. Hc bcgan writing his mcmoir in .c, or pcr
haps carlicr, but it wasnt nishcd until just bclorc his dcath at thc agc
ol ninctyonc. Could hc havc conluscd thc oath Louis rcluscd to takc
with what hc had hcard about thc Tcmplars:
Tc Tcmplars had anothcr rolc to play in thc nding ol Louis ran
som. Vhcn all thc moncy in amictta was countcd up, thcy wcrc still
thirty thousand livrcs short. Tc rst thought at thc court was to gct a
shorttcrm loan lrom thc Tcmplars. Tc mastcr having dicd, Jcan dc
Joinvillc, thc scncschal ol Champagnc, wcnt to thc Tcmplar com
mandcr, ticnnc drricourt. Hc rcluscd to givc thc loan, saying, You
know that all thc moncy placcd in our chargc is lclt with us on condi
tion ol our swcaring ncvcr to hand it ovcr cxccpt to thosc who cntrustcd
it to us. Tc Tcmplars did not havc moncy ol thcir own with thcm at
amictta.
Joinvillc was not going to stand lor that and thc two mcn wcrc
arguing loudly whcn thc marshal ol thc tcmplc and acting Grand
Mastcr, Rcnaud ol \ichicrs, camc by and suggcstcd that, whilc thc
Tcmplars couldnt makc a loan ol thc moncy, il it wcrc stolcn lrom
thcm thcrc wasnt much thcy could do about it. Hc did point out that
Louis could rcpay thcm lrom his account in Acrc.
And so, thanks to thc crcativc thinking ol Rcnaud ol \ichicrs, thc
ransom was paid. Louis handcd ovcr amictta and took his wilc and
ncwborn son to Acrc. Most ol thc lords, including Louis two rc
maining brothcrs, wcnt homc.
Louis staycd in thc ast until .a. His crusadc had cost a
kings ransom and thousands ol livcs. Tc most that hc accomplishcd
was thc rcbuilding and lortilying ol somc towns in thc Kingdom ol
Jcrusalcm.
Hc sccms to havc lclt that this wasnt cnough, lor tcn ycars latcr
hc bcgan to plan anothcr crusadc. Tis was in rcsponsc to thc arrival
ol a Tcmplar mcsscngcr lrom Acrc, tclling ol thc ongoing conqucsts ol
thc Mongols.
Again Louis two brothcrs wcnt with him, as wcll as his sons,
Philip, who had misscd thc last crusadc, along with Jcan Tristan and
Pctcr, who had both bccn born whilc on it. Hc also took his daughtcr,
!sobcl, and hcr husband, anothcr Tibaud ol Champagnc. Tis timc,
Margucritc dccidcd to stay homc. Princc dward ol ngland also
agrccd to go, but hc arrivcd too latc and cvcntually wcnt to Acrc to
lulll his crusading vow.
For Louis did not go to Acrc again, nor to gypt, but to Tunis.
Hc apparcntly didnt tcll anyonc about this until his ships had put to
sca. Tc logic bchind this is still bcing dcbatcd. Somc say that Louis
bclicvcd that thc cmir thcrc was willing to convcrt to Christianity but
nccdcd military backing. At onc timc it was thought that thc kings
brothcr, Charlcs ol Anjou, who had sincc bccomc king ol Sicily, sug
gcstcd thc invasion as a mcans ol gctting a loothold in Alrica. How
cvcr, it has sincc bccn provcn that Charlcs wasnt awarc that Louis was
planning on going to Tunis and had to changc his own plans to ac
commodatc him.
For whatcvcr rcason, thc crusadc was again a dismal lailurc. Tc
army wasnt dclcatcd by thc Moslcms, but by thc summcr hcat. Tcy
landcd in August in North Alrica. Tcrc was littlc watcr and no shcltcr
lrom thc sun. Sickncss llcd thc camp. Tc rst ol Louis lamily to dic
was his son Jcan Tristan. Tcn Philip, thc cldcst son, bccamc sick.
Louis, who had ncvcr rcally rccovcrcd lrom his sucring in gypt,
bccamc ill ncxt. Soon hc rcalizcd that hc was dying and so hc had him
scll laid out on a bcd ol ashcs, arms outstrctchcd in thc lorm ol a cross.
Hc dicd August a, .a,c.
Charlcs ol Anjou arrivcd shortly altcrward. Hc arrangcd lor his
brothcrs body to bc rcndcrcd and his boncs takcn homc lor burial.
Charlcs conductcd thc busincss sidc ol thc crusadc and arrangcd a
trcaty with thc cmir that was vcry lavorablc to Sicily.
Tat was thc last major crusadc cvcr launchcd by a uro pc an
king.
Louis son Philip !!! survivcd, but Philips wilc, Jcannc, dicd lrom
a lall lrom a horsc lollowcd by a stillbirth. nc wondcrs il thcir son,
Philip thc Fair, would havc bccn a warmcr pcrson il his mothcr had
livcd. As a rcsult ol thc crusadc, Louis brothcr Pctcr and his wilc also
dicd, as did Louis daughtcr and soninlaw.
Almost immcdiatcly miraclcs wcrc rcportcd at Louis gravc. His
rcmaining brothcr, Charlcs, built a shrinc to him in his palacc.
!t may bc said that thc only thing thc Tcmplars had to do with
Louis last journcy is that thcy translcrrcd thc lunds lor it.
8y all accounts, Louis was almost always on good tcrms with thc
Tcmplc. Hundrcds ol Tcmplars wcrc killcd or cnslavcd in thc gyp
tian campaign. Tcir couragc and military wisdom wcrc praiscd. So
that docsnt sccm a likcly rcason why Louis grandson, Philip thc Fair,
would want to condcmn thcm.
Howcvcr, thc popu lar lccling that thc Tcmplars and thc Hospi
tallcrs should havc lought hardcr to protcct thc Holy Land was only
incrcascd by thc dcbaclcs ol Saint Louis.
J Margarct Vadc Labargc, Saint Louis: Louis IX Most Christian King of France (8oston: Littlc,
8rown, .6) p. a.
2 Te Rothelin Continuation of the History of William of Tyre, in Crusader Syria in the Tirteenth
Century, tr. Janct Shirlcy (Ashgatc, Aldcrshot, .) p. 66.
3 Jcan dc Joinvillc, Lilc ol St. Louis, in Chronicles of the Crusades tr. M. R. 8. Shaw (Pcnguin,
.6) p. .., Matthcw Paris, Chronica tr. Richard \aughn ( Ncw York, .) p. .., Rothelin,
p. 66.
4 Matthcw Paris, p. ... Matthcw wasnt thcrc but Joinvillc also says that Quccn 8lanchc and
8ishop Villiam wcrc upsct so this may bc thc gist ol thcir argumcnt.
5 Rothelin, p. 6,. For thc dctails ol that crusadc scc thc scction on Armand ol Prigord in chaptcr
aa.
6 Philip was born on May ., .a, and so was only thrcc ycars old whcn his parcnts sct o on
crusadc.
7 Guillaumc dc Nangis, Chronique tr. M Guizot (Paris, .a) p. .6.
8 Paris, p....
9 Joinvillc, p. ac..
J0 Jamal adin !bn Vasil, Mufarrij al-Kurub akhbar Bani Ayyub in Arab Historians of the Cru
sades tr. Franccsco Gabricli (orsct, .a) p. a6.
JJ Rothclin, p. ..
J2 !bid., p. .
J3 !bid.
J4 !bn Vasil, p. ac.
J5 Joinvillc, p. a..
J6 !bid., p. aa6.
J7 !bid., p. aa.
J8 !bid., p. ac.
J9 !bn Vasil, p. a.
20 Joinvillc, p. a.
2J !bid., p. a.
22 !bid., p. a.
23 Margucritc gavc birth thrcc days altcr shc lcarncd ol Louis capturc. Shc namcd thc boy Jcan
Tristan, tristc mcaning sadncss. 8y thc timc shc rcturncd to Francc, shc had had anothcr
child and was prcgnant again. ! think hcr story is lascinating but, sincc no Tcmplars wcrc in
volvcd, it will havc to wait lor anothcr timc.
24 Jonathan RilcySmith, Te Crusades (Ncw Havcn: Yalc Univcrsity Prcss, .,) p. ac.
25 Labargc, pp. aa,.
26 RilcySmith, p. a.c.
27 Labargc, pp. ac.
28 Hans Maycr, Te Crusades tr. John Gillingham (xlord Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. aa.
29 Labargc, p. a.
30 !bid.
3J Nangis, p. .,.
32 !bid.
CH A P T I R T WI NT Y I OU R
Templars and Money
T
hc wholc country ol thc ast would havc bccn conqucrcd long
ago had it not bccn lor thc Tcmplars and thc Hospitallcrs and
othcrs who call thcmsclvcs rcligious. . . . 8ut thc Tcmplars and thc
Hospitallcrs and thcir associatcs, who arc lattcncd by amplc rcvcnucs,
arc alraid that il thc country |gypt| is subjcctcd to Christian laws,
thcir suprcmacy will comc to an cnd.
Tcsc words wcrc put in thc mouth ol Robcrt ol Artois, brothcr ol
Louis !X, by thc nglish chroniclcr Matthcw Paris. Matthcw was writ
ing shortly altcr thc cnd ol Louis usclcss and vcry cxpcnsivc crusadc in
.ac. Robcrt is supposcd to havc said this in rcsponsc to thc advicc ol thc
mastcr ol thc Tcmplars, Villiam ol Sonnac, that thcy should put o at
tacking thc Saraccns at thc town ol Mansourah in gypt.
!ts highly unlikcly that Robcrt actually said thcsc words. Jcan dc
Joinvillc, who was thcrc, docsnt mcntion anything ol thc kind. 8ut
Matthcw may havc bccn rcccting popu lar homc lront opinions on thc
wcalth ol both thc Tcmplars and thc Hospitallcrs. Matthcw was a monk
at thc nglish abbcy ol St. Albans and his only contact with Tcmplars
would havc bccn in thcir rolc as compctitors lor lay donations and tithcs.
vcrybody knows that thc Tcmplars wcrc rich. Tcy had pilcs
ol trcasurc hiddcn cvcrywhcrc. Vhcn thc ordcr was dissolvcd, no trca
surc was lound. Tcrclorc, its still hiddcn.
Tcrc arc a lot ol assumptions in thc abovc statcmcnts. Tc Tcmplars
did havc a rcputation lor bcing both grccdy and miscrly, but was it
truc: Vcrc thcy rich: Vhat lorm did thcir wcalth takc: Vhat was
thcir nancial situation whcn thc ordcr was dissolvcd in ..a: Vhats
thc rcal story ol thc Tcmplars and moncy:
Lcts start at thc cnd. n ctobcr ., .c,, thc Tcmplars ol 8augy,
in Calvados, Normandy, wcrc arrcstcd along with thc rcst ol thc Tcm
plars in Francc. Tat samc day an invcntory was madc ol thcir goods.
!t was donc in thc prcscncc ol thc thrcc Tcmplars assigncd to 8augy
and vc occrs ol thc king.
Tc commandcry owncd lourtccn milk cows, vc hcilcrs, onc ox,
scvcn calvcs morc than a ycar old, two bulls, onc call still nursing, onc
hundrcd shccp, ninctyninc pigs, and cight piglcts. Tcrc was a good
horsc lor thc commandcr and lour nags to pull carts. Tcrc was also a
good supply ol grain, thc harvcst just having bccn nishcd and tithcs
paid two wccks bclorc, hall a tun ol winc, and a supply ol bccr lor thc
boys and thc workcrs.
Tc chapcl had thc barc minimum ol cquipmcnt lor scrviccs: vcst
mcnts, onc chalicc, books, and altar lincn. Tc chambcr ol thc com
mandcr had somc plain silvcr cups and somc woodcn oncs. Hc had
bcd lincn and clothcs, including a rain cloak. Hc also had a bluc ovcr
drcss bclonging to thc wilc ol M. Rogcr dc Plancs, which was bcing
hcld lor a dcbt, so said thc commandcr and 8crtin du Goiscl. Tc
kings mcn sccmcd to think that womcns clothing in thc commandcrs
chambcr was suspicious, but thcrc was othcr clothing bclonging to
mcn ol thc ncighborhood so thcy dccidcd to bclicvc thc Tcmplars.
Vhilc thc Tcmplars in Paris and London may havc madc major
loans to kings, thc Tcmplars in thc provinccs sccmcd to havc lunc
tioncd as local pawnbrokcrs.
Tcrc was nothing clsc at thc commandcry that wouldnt havc
bccn lound on any wcllrun larm in Normandy. Tc thrcc Tcmplars
wcrc thc only mcmbcrs ol thc ordcr living thcrc. Tcrc wcrc twcnty
six scrvants, including a chaplain, Guillaumc urcndcnt, who docsnt
sccm to havc bccn a Tcmplar pricst sincc hc and thc othcr scrvants
rcmindcd thc ocials that thcy still cxpcctcd to bc paid.
All thc othcr invcntorics ol Tcmplar propcrty gavc thc samc rcsults.
191 Templars and Money
Tc prcstigious Temple in London had littlc morc than thc provincial
commandcry had. Tc ccllar containcd somc maplc cups, twcntytwo
silvcr spoons, somc canvas cloths, and lour tankards. Tcrc wcrc scvcn
horscs in thc stablc, thrcc lor larm work. Tc mastcr had somc clothcs
and bcd lincn, onc gold bucklc, and a crossbow without bolts.
Tc Tcmplars sccm to havc livcd simply. Tcy had plcnty to cat and
drink but most ol thcir cash wcnt to pay bills or to thc hcadquartcrs ol
thc ordcr in Cyprus. vcn in Paris thcrc wcrc no grcat cachcs ol jcwcls
or coins. Most ol thc valuablc propcrty was cithcr hcld as sccurity lor
loans thc Tcmplars had madc or was on dcposit as in modcrn banks.
!l thc Tcmplars rcally wcrc tcrribly rich, thcn whcrc was all thc
moncy:
8clorc spcculating on missing pots ol gold and midnight runs
through thc strccts, it would bc a good idca to try to nd out just how
much thc Tcmplars had.
Where Did the Templars Money Come From?
Tc rst gilt to thc Tcmplars, according to tradition, was thc Tcmplc
ol Solomon itscll. As thcy had ncithcr a church nor a rcgular placc to
livc, thc king allowcd thcm to livc tcmporarily in a part ol his palacc,
which was on thc south sidc ol thc Tcmplc ol thc Lord. Tc canons ol
thc Tcmplc ol thc Lord gavc thcm thc courtyard that thcy had that
was ncar thc palacc, undcr ccrtain conditions, lor thc saying ol thc
cc.
Tc king was Baldwin II. Hc was living at thc timc (around ..ac)
in thc alAqsa mosquc and may havc planncd to havc thc Tcmplars
stay only until thcy could aord a placc ol thcir own. !t turncd out
that thc king movcd rst and lct thc knights havc thc wholc build
ing. l coursc, thc building was lalling down and nccdcd thc rool
rcpaircd among othcr things, so it wasnt quitc such a gcncrous dona
tion as it might havc sccmcd at rst.
Tc king and thc patriarch ol Jcrusalcm also gavc thc Tcmplars
lunds to support thcmsclvcs, in rcturn lor thc knights promisc to protcct
pilgrims on thc road against thicvcs and highwaymcn. Vc dont
know what thcsc lunds consistcd ol sincc thc rcc ords havc bccn lost
but thc most likcly gilts would havc bccn somcthing that rcncwcd it
scll, likc rcnts or tithcs.
Tc rst donation rccordcd in uropc is lrom a ccrtain Villiam ol
Marscillc. Tis was madc bclorc ..a, whcn thc Grand Mastcr, Hugh
de Payns, arrivcd lrom Jcrusalcm to drum up support lor thc ordcr.
Villiam dividcd thc gilt ol a church in Marscillc and all its propcrty
bctwccn thc Knights ol thc Tcmplc ol Solomon, thc Church ol St.
Maric, and thc monks ol St. \ictor.
A third ol a church isnt a bad start. Howcvcr, thc Tcmplars soon
sold thcir sharc to thc bishop ol Frjus in rcturn lor cight sestiers ol
whcat, to bc paid annually. Tat is about as much as a donkcy could
comlortably carry. !t wouldnt havc bccn cnough to makc brcad lor a
man to last a wcck.
!t wasnt until ..a,, whcn Hugh dc Payns and his comradcs camc
back to uropc, that thc ordcr bcgan to gct somc scrious support.
Hugh wcnt rst to Fulk, count of Anjou, who had livcd with thc
Tcmplars lor a timc whcn hc was on a pilgrimagc to Jcrusalcm and
gavc thcm thirty livrcs a ycar. !t is said that King Hcnry ! ol n
gland mct with Hugh and his comradcs in Normandy and gavc thcm
gold and silvcr and scnt thcm on with lcttcrs ol introduction. Tcrc
arc no rcc ords ol Hcnrys cxact donations, but it is ccrtain that his suc
ccssor, Stcphcn, or to bc morc accuratc, Stcphcns wilc, Matilda ol
8oulognc, madc onc ol thc rst donations ol land in ngland. Shc
gavc thc Tcmplars a manor and church in thc town ol Crcssyng with
all that pcrtaincd to it, including woods and clds, ponds and rivcrs,
as wcll as thc toll lrom mills and also local taxcs.
Lords in Flandcrs, Champagnc, Poitou, and Aragon gavc similar
donations.
Altcr Hugh dc Payns wcnt back to Jcrusalcm, scvcral Tcmplars,
pcrhaps ncwly rccruitcd, staycd on to sprcad thc word. 8y ..c, thc
ordcr had lands in Francc, Aragon, Castillc, Flandcrs, ngland, Por
tugal, thc various countics ol Provcncc, and Gcrmany.
An cxamplc ol typical propcrty is thc Tcmplar housc in thc Roucrguc,
a lairly rcmotc arca ncar thc Pyrcnccs, which was cstablishcd in ..c.
Howcvcr thc Cistcrcians and thc Hospitallcrs had arrivcd thcrc rst.
Tough thc Tcmplars cstablishcd a nctwork ol houscs, clcarcd land, and
rcccivcd many gilts, thc othcr ordcrs still had a largcr sharc in most
placcs and thcrc wasnt always cnough to go around. Tc Cistcrcians ol
Sylvanc and thc Tcmplars and Hospitallcrs lought ovcr thc rights to
tithcs lrom local churchcs lor ovcr a hundrcd ycars. !t camc to thc point
that Tcmplars bcgan to bc askcd to witncss donations madc to thc monks
ol Sylvanc in thc hopc that thc monks wouldnt latcr contcst thc gilts.
Pcrhaps this tcndcncy to disputc thc rights ol othcrs to rcccivc donations
was anothcr casc that gavc thc ordcr a rcputation lor grccd.
Southcrn Francc was onc ol thc arcas in which thc Tcmplars bc
camc wcll cstablishcd. Tc land had scnt many ol its noblcmcn on thc
First Crusadc and thc counts ol Toulousc and St. Gillcs had rclativcs
among thc counts ol Tripoli. Actually, most ol thc important ccntcrs
ol Tcmplar commandcricsFlandcrs, Francc, Champagnc, Aquita
inc, and Provcnccwcrc thc samc arcas that produccd many ol thc
scttlcrs in thc Latin kingdoms.
!n most ol wcstcrn uropc, thc land thc Tcmplars owncd was
uscd lor larming and livcstock. Tc Tcmplar lay brothcrs, mcn who
donatcd thcir scrviccs without bccoming monks, did much ol thc
larm work. Tcrc wcrc also paid scrvants and, in Spain, cvcn Moslcm
slavcs to do thc work. A lcw ol thc Tcmplar knights livcd at thc
commandcrics, which wcrc usually buildings that had bccn donatcd,
but many ol thc houscs wcrc run by scrgcants. Mcn ol ghting agc
and ability wcrc immcdiatcly scnt ovcrscas.
!n thc 8ritish !slcs thc Tcmplars had larms that produccd whcat,
oats, ryc, and barlcy. Somc ol this was lor thcir own usc, but somc was
sold. Tcy also raiscd shccp and cxportcd wool. Tcy had an cdgc ovcr
lay wool scllcrs in that thcy wcrc cxcuscd lrom having to pay customs
duty. l coursc, thc Cistcrcians had thc samc cxccptions and much
largcr holdings so thc Tcmplars could only capturc a small sharc ol thc
markct.
Tcy did makc somc moncy by rcnting out thc land thcy wcrc givcn
to small larmcrs. !n somc cascs this was in rcturn lor a portion ol thc
harvcst, but thc Tcmplars prclcrrcd cash and, cspccially in good ycars, it
was to thc advantagc ol thc larmcr to pay a sct amount annually.
Vc havc a window into thc Tcmplc lands in ngland lrom a sur
vcy ol thcir propcrty madc in ... !t shows that thc Tcmplars owncd
and rcntcd out many small plots ol land. Tc rcntcrs paid in shillings
and also in kind. xamplcs ol this arc not only alc and a capons at
Christmas or . cggs at astcr, but also promiscs to scrvc on a local
jury, rcap hall an acrc ol Tcmplar clds, shoc six Tcmplar horscs, or
plow cithcr in spring or autumn.
Somc ol thc commandcrics must havc raiscd horscs lor thc knights
ovcrscas. Jcan dc Joinvillc commcnts on thc horscs loadcd in thc hold
ol thc ship at Marscillc lor Louis !Xs rst crusadc. Tcrc arc othcr
accounts ol ships bringing horscs lor thc usc ol thc Tcmplars. Tc
warhorscs uscd by uro pc an knights wcrc spccially brcd to handlc thc
wcight ol mcn and armor. Howcvcr, sincc most ol thc horscs would
havc bccn uscd by thc Tcmplars thcmsclvcs, brccding thcm probably
didnt producc much incomc.
Tc bcst incomcproduccrs ol thc timc wcrc mills and ovcns.
Many pcoplc gavc Tcmplars thc rights to watcr mills, and onc ol thc
worst battlcs bctwccn thc Hospitallcrs and Tcmplars in thc Latin
kingdoms was ovcr watcr and mill rights.
Anothcr sourcc ol incomc was thc right to hold lairs. Tcsc wcrc
markcts at which cvcrything lrom local producc to importcd luxury
goods wcrc sold. Mcrchants coming to thc lairs had to pay lor a spot
to sct up shop as wcll as a tax on thc goods thcy brought to scll. Tc
Tcmplars could collcct thcsc lccs as wcll as sclling thcir own goods at
thc lairs without having to pay thc samc lccs.
Again, thcrc wcrc complaints that thc Tcmplars wcrc abusing this
privilcgc. !n around .a6c, in thc town ol Provins, in Champagnc, thc
local tradcsmcn complaincd to thc count that thc Tcmplars wcrc
charging lccs to mcrchants bringing wool into town lor thc lairs. Tc
mcrchants rcmindcd thc count that lor a pcnny a wcck, thcy had al
ways bccn cxcuscd lrom paying what was basically salcs tax. As a rc
sult ol thc lccs imposcd by thc Tcmplars, wool scllcrs wcrc taking
thcir goods clscwhcrc. Sir, thcy bcggcd thc count, |w|c know truly
that il you kncw thc grcat damagc which you arc sucring hcrc lrom
loss ol rcnts, lrom your ovcns, your mills, your labric manulacturcrs
and your othcr lactorics which you havc hcrc at Provins, and thc grcat
damagc which your bourgcois arc sucring . . . lor Gods sakc, hclp
us. Unlortunatcly, wc dont know how thc count, Tibaud, rc
spondcd to this poignant plca. Nor do wc know how much thc Tcm
plars carncd lrom thcir cxtortion.
Anothcr big sourcc ol incomc was lrom thc privilcgcs givcn to thc
Tcmplars by thc various popcs. Tc rst, givcn by Popc !nnoccnt !!,
on March a, .., was that thc Tcmplars could kccp all thc booty
thcy capturcd. Tis was a privilcgc that thc 8cncdictincs and Cistcr
cians hadnt cvcn thought ol. !n Spain cspccially, this was cxtrcmcly
protablc, although thc ordcr was oltcn givcn land by thc kings on
condition that thcy conqucr it thcmsclvcs. 8ooty also brought in a
lot ol incomc in thc Holy Land, at lcast at thc bcginning. !t was bc
causc ol this that Villiam ol Tyrc accuscd Grand Mastcr 8crnard ol
Trcmclcy ol rclusing to lct anyonc but Tcmplars insidc thc walls ol
Ascalon whcn thcy had brokcn in. Villiam insistcd that 8crnard was
too grccdy to lct anyonc clsc havc a chancc to loot thc city.
Tc popc also gavc thc Tcmplc thc right to build its own small
churchcs and bury its mcmbcrs and lamily in thcm. Tc lamily
was a vcry loosc tcrm, mcaning thc rclativcs ol thc brothcrs but also
scrvants, thcir rclativcs, and anyonc who had bccomc a lay brothcr or
lay sistcr ol thc housc through a donation.
nc ol thc worst boncs ol contcntion bctwccn thc ordcr and thc
local clcrgy grcw out ol thc privilcgc givcn by Popc Cclcstinc !! on
January , ... Cclcstinc cncouragcd pcoplc to donatc to thc Tcmplc
by allowing thcm to ignorc onc scvcnth ol any pcnancc a pricst had
givcn thcm. Tat wasnt so bad. !t didnt cost anyonc anything. Tc
pricst could adjust thc pcnancc. 8ut thcn hc allowcd thc Tcmplars to
comc through villagcs oncc a ycar and opcn thc churchcs in placcs
that wcrc undcr intcrdict. Tis mcant that thc Knights ol thc Tcmplc
got thc donations that wcrc givcn at marriagcs and burials that thc
local clcrgy couldnt pcrlorm whilc thc intcrdict lastcd. Tis was
litcrally a godscnd lor thc ordcr.
Tc biggcst donation that thc Tcmplars cvcr rcccivcd was onc
third ol a country. Tcy didnt gct to kccp it, but thcy tradcd it back to
thcir advantagc.
!n .., Allonso ! ol Aragon and Navarrc, known as thc 8attlcr,
dicd without dircct hcirs. !nstcad ol nding somc distant cousin to
rulc altcr him, hc lclt thc wholc kingdom ol Aragon to bc dividcd
bctwccn thc Tcmplars, thc Hospitallcrs, and thc canons ol thc Holy
Scpulchcr in Jcrusalcm.
8clorc thc cclcbrations in thc commandcrics wcrc ovcr, thc bcnc
ciarics ol thc will rcalizcd that thc nobility ol Aragon wcrcnt going
to stand lor that. Tcy draggcd Allonsos brothcr, Ramiro, out ol a
monastcry, marricd him o, and crowncd him king. !n Navarrc,
Count Garca Ramrcz took ovcr.
Popc !nnoccnt !! tricd to gct thc tcrms ol thc will cnlorccd, but it
was impractical lrom thc bcginning. Tc Hospital and thc canons ol
thc Holy Scpulchcr camc to tcrms with thc Spanish noblcs by ..c.
Tc Tcmplars hcld out until ... Tcir scttlcmcnt includcd castlcs, a
tcnth ol royal rcvcnucs, onc thousand solidos cvcry ycar, a lth ol all
lands conqucrcd lrom thc Moors, and cxcmption lrom somc taxcs.
So thc Tcmplars (and thc Hospitallcrs) had a widc varicty ol
sourccs ol incomc. 8ut was it cnough:
Where Did the Money Go?
Critics such as Matthcw Paris sccm to havc had thc imprcssion that
thc Tcmplars and Hospitallcrs had morc than cnough moncy to con
qucr Saraccn lands lrom Cairo to 8aghdad. Hc and othcrs wcrc ccr
tain that thc Tcmplars spcnt all thcir moncy on a luxurious lilcstylc
and oricntal dc cadcncc. ithcr that or thcy wcrc miscrs, hoarding cash
that should go to thc strugglc to rcgain thc Holy Land.
Vcrc thcy: Vhat did thcy spcnd thcir moncy on:
First ol all, thc Knights Tcmplar did not livc likc ordinary monks.
ach knight brothcr had to havc thrcc horscs and tack and onc squirc,
a ration ol barlcy lor thc horsc, and armor, as wcll as rcgular clothing.
Hc nccdcd his own napkin and washcloth. Hc also had a cook pot
and bowl to mcasurc thc barlcy, drinking cups, two asks, a bowl and
spoon madc ol horn, and a tcnt, among othcr things.
Tc scrgcants got most ol thc samc things as thc knights, cxccpt
lor thc tcnt and cook pot. Tcy wcrc allowcd onc horsc cach.
Tc avcragc cost ol a warhorsc during thc twcllth and thirtccnth
ccnturics was thirtysix livrcs. Tats morc than thc valuc ol a good
sizcd manor. Tcrc arc many storics about poor knights who sold or
mortgagcd thcir patrimony lor a good horsc. Most Tcmplar knights
brought at lcast onc horsc with thcm whcn thcy cntcrcd, but horscs
wcrc just as oltcn casualtics ol war as mcn and both wcrc costly to
rcplacc.
Tc Tcmplars also hircd Turcopolcs to ght with thcm. Tcsc
mcn wcrc Christian Syrians or sons ol Grccks and Turks. Tcy wcrc
traincd as mountcd archcrs in thc astcrn stylc. Somc ol thcm wcrc
brothcrs ol thc ordcr but most wcrc paid mcrccnarics. Tc Tcmplars
had a mastcr in chargc ol thcm, callcd a Turcopolicr, who also was
commandcr ol thc scrgcant brothcrs in timcs ol combat.
Addcd to thcsc, thcrc was thc cost ol shipping mcn and cquip
mcnt lrom Vcst to ast. 8y thc middlc ol thc thirtccnth ccntury, thc
Tcmplars had somc ships ol thcir own, but thcy wcrc costly to main
tain, cvcn il thcy took on paying passcngcrs.
Also, not all ol thosc donations camc without strings.
For cxamplc, in April .., two womcn ol Arlcs, Maria and Sclar
mandia, and, oh ycs, thcir husbands and all thcir childrcn, sold prop
crty to thc Tcmplars. Tcy wcrc vcry spccic about thc moncy thcy
would rcccivc as a gilt in rcturn: ac sous ol Mclgucil in ncw moncy
and .c sous in small changc.
Gcncrally, thc chartcrs arcnt as up lront about salcs as this onc
was. Most pcoplc wantcd it to appcar that thcy wcrc giving propcrty
or rights lor thc good ol thcir souls. For instancc, in ..a, a man
namcd Arnaud gavc thc Tcmplars willingly, ol my own accord all
that ! havc or should havc in thc town ol 8urcalols. Hc adds that hc
docs this lor thc lovc ol God and thc rcmission ol my sins and thosc
ol my lamily and to rcccivc lilc cvcrlasting, Amcn. !ts only in thc
nal scntcnccs that its mcntioncd that thc Tcmplars arc giving him
lourtccn livrcs morebetani and tcn sous and a carton ol whcat ol thc
mcasurc ol Toulousc.
Many timcs thc pricc ol thc propcrty bcing donatcd is callcd a
charity. !n ..a, 8crnard Modul rcccivcd lorty sous lrom thc Tcmplc
as charity lor somc land his brothcr had givcn thc Tcmplars ol
ouzcns. Apparcntly 8crnard also had a claim to thc land. !n rcturn,
8crnard rclcascd his claim.
Rcading through thc surviving chartcrs, it appcars that a largc
part ol thc donations to thc Tcmplars wcrc actually salcs.
Also, thc Tcmplars acccptcd what wcrc callcd corrodians. Tis
systcm was somcthing likc thc rctircmcnt homcs that takc a largc lcc
up lront and promisc to housc and lccd thc rcsidcnts until thcy dic. An
carly cxamplc ol a Tcmplar corrody comcs lrom ..a. Picrrc 8crnard
and his wilc gavc thcmsclvcs and thcir propcrty to thc Tcmplc. !n cx
changc lor this, thc Tcmplars promiscd to lccd and clothc thcm lor thc
rcst ol thcir livcs. Picrrc and his wilc wcrcnt that old at thc timc, lor
thcy put in a clausc about thc carc ol thcir childrcn, il wc havc chil
drcn. Tat mcant that, whilc thc Tcmplars did gct cvcrything thc
donors owncd, thcy might wcll bc supporting thc lamily lor two gcn
crations.
!n somc cascs thc corrodics also includcd a sct amount ol moncy
to bc paid by thc Tcmplars cvcry ycar along with a tallow candlc
nightly, rcwood as nccdcd, and a groom assigncd by thc prcccptor to
scrvc thcm.
Tc Rulc ol thc Tcmplars implics that thcrc arc timcs whcn thcy
cxpcctcd to run short ol rcady moncy. Vhcn thc timc altcr astcr
comcs lor thc grcat cxpcnscs that thc houscs havc to pay lrom thc
harvcsts, and thc commandcrs tcll thc Mastcr that thcy dont havc
cnough mcat, thc Mastcr may go to thc brothcrs and ask thcir advicc.
And il thc brothcrs agrcc to givc up mcat on Tucsday, thcn thcy may
do without. 8ut whcn thc whcat is harvcstcd, thcn thc mcat should bc
rcstorcd. Although thc Tcmplars tricd to gct rcnts in moncy, most
ol thc timc thcy sccm to havc bccn land rich and cash poor.
Bankers to the Kings
utsidc ol thcir military activity, thc Tcmplars arc bcst rcmcmbcrcd as
nancicrs, holding thc trcasurics ol ngland and Francc in thcir com
mandcrics, making loans to all thc bcst lamilics ol uropc, and translcr
ring largc amounts ol lunds lrom onc cnd ol thc contincnt to thc othcr.
Tc Tcmplars sccm to havc gottcn into thc banking busincss almost
by accidcnt. !t startcd with King Louis \!! ol Francc. n his cxpcdi
tion to Jcrusalcm in .., hc ran short ol moncy and borrowcd lrom thc
Tcmplars. Hc had to writc homc to his rcgcnt, thc abbot Sugcr, tclling
him to pay thc Tcmplars in Paris thirty thousand sous in thc moncy ol
Poitou. Fortunatcly, Sugcr camc through with thc cash.
Vhcn Louis camc homc, hc placcd thc royal trcasury, what was
lclt ol it, in thc salckccping ol thc Tcmplars in Paris. Hc madc a
Tcmplar, Tcirry Galcran, royal trcasur cr. Galcran had bccn in
Louis scrvicc lor many ycars and had gonc on thc crusadc with him.
From that timc, thc Frcnch royal trcasury was gcncrally in thc carc
ol thc Tcmplars. Undcr Louis son Philip Augustus, thc trcasur cr ol
thc Tcmplc took in and countcd thc moncy thc king rcccivcd, undcr thc
watchlul cycs ol six ol thc burgcsscs ol Paris and a M. Adam. Tc
Tcmplar brothcrs Gilcs and Hugh sccm to havc llcd thc samc o cc
undcr Saint Louis. Right up through thc carly ycars ol King Philip
the Fair, thc Tcmplars not only hcld thc trcasurc lor thc king, but also
kcpt an account ol crcditors and dcbtors and thc amounts owcd.
Howcvcr, thc Tcmplc in Paris was ncvcr morc than a holding placc
lor cash. Tc trcasur cr ol thc Tcmplars was not normally a royal o cial.
Hc did not havc any part in nancial planning nor did hc audit ac
counts. Tc Tcmplc took moncy in, storcd it, and paid it out. Most ol
thc timc thc Tcmplars wcrc morc likc warc housc guards than bankcrs.
Statcmcnts wcrc scnt to thc kings (and othcr clicnts) thrcc timcs a
ycar, at Candlcmas (Fcbruary a), Asccnsion (lorty days altcr astcr,
thc datc changcd), and All Saints ay (Novcmbcr .). Tcrc arc only a
lcw lragmcnts ol thcsc statcmcnts lor thc Frcnch kings. From onc
lragmcnt wc lcarn, howcvcr, that, in .aca/c thc provosts ol Paris dc
positcd .,ccc livrcs in thc carc ol 8rothcr Haimard at thc Tcmplc.
Tc bailis dcpositcd ,,ccc livrcs with 8rothcr Haimard and a lur
thcr ,ccc livrcs with 8rothcr Gurin. !n .aa at Candlcmas, thc
trcasury took in ,a,., livrcs, . sols, and , dcnarii. xpcnscs wcrc
.a,ccc livrcs, . sol, and c dcnarii. At Asccnsion, it took in .a.,c6
livrcs, . sols, and dcnarii and paid out ...,c, livrcs, sols, and
dcnarii.
!l it was good cnough lor thc king ol Francc, it was good cnough
lor thc nobility, too. Louis !Xs brothcr Alphonsc ol Poiticrs had all
his rcvcnucs scnt dircctly to thc Tcmplc in Paris. Alphonsc cvcn scnt
unrcncd silvcr to thc Tcmplc lrom his mincs in rzals through thc
commandcr in Roucrguc.
Tc Tcmplars cvcn obligcd by carrying dcpositors lunds lor thcm
whilc on crusadc. Vhcn Louis !X wcnt on his rst crusadc and was
unlortunatc cnough to bc capturcd, Jcan dc Joinvillc brokc into thc
moncy boxcs bclonging to somc ol thc noblcmcn (ovcr thc protcst ol
thc Tcmplar guarding thcm).
Tcrc is somc rccord ol kings in othcr countrics using thc Tcmplc
as a salc placc to kccp thcir cash. !n .ac, King mcric ol Hungary
rcccivcd a quantity ol silvcr lrom Archbishop Uranc and dcpositcd it
with thc Tcmplars.
Tc Tcmplars must havc had somc sort ol holding lcc lor this, but
thcy couldnt and didnt chargc intcrcst on loans and thcy also didnt
lcnd moncy lclt in thcir kccping.
!t isnt clcar how much ol thc Tcmplar incomc camc lrom bank
ing. Tcy kcpt moncy lor pcoplc at thcir commandcrics and movcd it
lrom onc sidc ol thc sca to thc othcr. Tcy madc loans, cspccially to
royalty. 8ut kings arc notoriously slow to rcpay. !t sccms that most ol
thc moncy kcpt in Paris and London bclongcd to dcpositors. Vhcn
Hubcrt dc 8urgh, thc justiciar ol King Hcnry !!! ol ngland, lcll
lrom powcr, Hcnry tricd to appropriatc thc moncy that Hubcrt had
dcpositcd at thc Tcmplc. Tc mastcr rcluscd to turn it ovcr without
Hubcrts pcrmission. Hubcrt was convinccd to givc it.
Tcrc arc scvcral othcr cascs whcrc dcpositors moncy was stolcn
by thc kings or noblcman. !n .a6, Princc dward wcnt to thc Ncw
Tcmplc and brokc opcn a numbcr ol chcsts and carricd o a largc
sum ol moncy bclonging to othcrs.
8anking may havc bccn morc high prolc than lucrativc, and thc
dangcrs involvcd in transporting valuablcs wcrc high. Tcrc is no in
dication that thc Tcmplars cvcr had mounds ol cash and trcasurc lor
thcir own usc, cspccially not in thc London and Paris houscs.
Tc Tcmplars did not invcnt modcrnstylc banking. For ccnturics
Jcws had bccn arranging among thcmsclvcs to dcposit lunds at onc
placc and pick thcm up at anothcr. Most monastcrics acccptcd goods
lor salckccping and also loancd moncy at intcrcst, dcspitc prohibitions
on usury. Tc !talian citystatcs, particularly \cnicc, Gcnoa, and
Pisa, had a trading cmpirc that including banking. Tc Tcmplars wcrc
simply onc group among many.
Tc dicrcncc is that thc Tcmplars wcrc trustcd by royalty, particu
larly thc kings ol Francc and ngland, to handlc thcir busincss aairs.
Tc Tcmplc commandcrics in both London and Paris scrvcd as thc royal
trcasurics. Tis mcant that thc trcasurc storcd thcrc bclongcd to thc
king. !t could bc rctricvcd at any timc. Tc Tcmplars took a lcc lor
guarding it but thcy didnt darc usc it to invcst in othcr loans or cntcr
priscs.
Somctimcs thc Tcmplars thcmsclvcs nccdcd to transmit lunds. !n
.c, Valtcr dc la Morc, Tcmplar mastcr ol ngland, nccdcd to travcl
to scc thc Grand Mastcr. Hc paid a sum to a group ol Florcntinc
bankcrs, thc Mari, who had an occ in London. Valtcr was supposcd
to rctricvc it at thc Mari bank in Paris but thc Paris o ccrs ol thc
company had skippcd town. No rcason is givcn as to why Valtcr
hadnt handlcd thc mattcr through thc Tcmplc, but its possiblc that
hc wasnt surc thcrc would bc cnough cash in thc Paris commandcry
to takc carc ol his nccds.
Tc Tcmplars did indccd havc a lot ol propcrty in wcstcrn u
ropc, but thcy usually didnt rcccivc rcnt lor it in moncy, but in pro
ducc. Part ol thcir carnings wcnt to lccd thc poor and thcmsclvcs.
Also, oncthird ol cvcrything that was takcn in wcnt to thc ast to
maintain thc ghting lorcc.

Fov ycars somc pcoplc havc bccn assuming that somchow in .c, all
thc commandcrics in Francc got wind ol thc impcnding arrcsts and
cithcr hid or rcmovcd cvcrything ol valuc. Tcn thcy all just wcnt to
bcd and waitcd lor thc kings mcn to comc lor thcm. ! nd this hard to
bclicvc. First ol all, it implics an amazing lack ol scllprcscrvation
among thc knights. 8ut mostly, it sccms vcry unlikcly that all thc
bustlc ol collccting and scnding away valuablcs could havc bccn ac
complishcd without somconc noticing. Tc strccts ol Paris wcrc nar
row and crowdcd. Carts big cnough to carry tons ol trcasurc couldnt
havc madc it through. Also, thcrc wcrc city gatcs that wcrc shut cvcry
cvcning and guardcd. !l anyonc had tricd to gct out with a largc
amount ol goods, thcy would havc bccn stoppcd and thc boxcs
scarchcd. !l thc Tcmplars had tricd to gct away by thc Scinc Rivcr,
thcy still would havc had to cross town to do it.
Tc cntirc city would havc hcard thcm.
Finally, thc supposcd trcasurc not only has ncvcr bccn lound but it
has ncvcr cvcn bccn dcscribcd. All thcsc things togcthcr makc mc
think that nothing lclt Paris lrom thc Tcmplc bclorc thc arrcsts.
Tc trcasurc ol thc Tcmplars, il thcrc was any, wouldnt havc
bccn in London or Paris in any casc, but in Cyprus in thc Tcmplar
hcadquartcrs. n thc day ol thcir arrcst in Cyprus, an invcntory was
takcn ol Tcmplar goods. At Nicosia, along with a lot ol crossbows
and loodstus wcrc .ac,ccc whitc bczants (coins madc ol a mix ol
silvcr and somc gold). Tat sccms likc a lot to mc but lcgcnds bcgin
carly, and a ncar contcmporary chroniclcr insists that no onc kncw
whcrc in thc world thcy hid thc rcst, nor has anyonc bccn ablc to nd
out.
J Matthcw Paris, Chronicles, cd. and tr. Richard \aughan (Glouccstcr: Sutton, .) p. a..
2 Plcasc scc Te Templars and the Saint lor morc on this cpisodc. For Villiam, scc Grand Mas
ters 11911292/93.
3 Plcasc scc How to Tell if You Are Reading Pseudohistory.
4 Gcorgcs Lizcrand, Le Dossier de l Aaire des Templiers (Paris, .a) p. ,.
5 !bid., p. c, ccrvoisc pour lcs garsons ct pour lcs ouvricrs.
6 !bid., qui cst a la lamc mons. Rogcr dc Plancs ct cst cn gagcs, si commc lc cammandoour ct
8crtin dcu Couiscl disoicnt.
7 !bid., p. a.
8 vclyn Lord, Te Knights Templar in Britain (London, acca) pp. a,c. ! nd it vcry rcsponsiblc
ol thc mastcr not to kccp a loadcd crossbow in thc housc.
9 Villiam ol Tyrc, Chronique, cd. R. 8. C Huygcns (Turnholt, .6) .a, ,, p. . Quibus quon
iam ncquc ccccsia crat ncquc ccrtum habcbant domicilium, rcx in palatio suo, quod sccus
Tcmplum omini ad australcm habct partcm cis ad tcmpus conccssit hibiaculum, canonici
vcro Tcmpli omini platcam, quam circa prcdictum habcbant platinum, ad opus o ciarum
ccrtis quibusdam conditionibus conccsscrunt.
J0 Tis oltcn happcns. 8aldwin movcd into what was callcd thc Towcr ol avid. Sincc hc had
lour daughtcrs, hc may havc bccn looking lor a placc with morc bathrooms.
JJ Adrian J. 8oas, Jerusalem in the Time of the Crusades: Society, Landscape and Art in the Holy City
Under Frankish Rule (London: Routlcdgc, acc.) p. ,. 8oas quotcs thc chroniclcr, Fulchcr ol
Chartrcs. 8ccausc ol our lack ol rcsourccs wc wcrc not ablc cvcn to maintain this building in
thc condition in which wc lound it. For this rcason it is mostly dcstroycd.
J2 Villiam ol Tyrc, .a, ,, p. .
J3 Marquis dAlbon, Cartulaire de l Ordre du Temple (Paris, ..a) p. a.
J4 !bid.
J5 Plcasc scc chaptcr .., Fulk of Anjou.
J6 Tomas V. Parkcr, Te Knights Templars in England (Univcrsity ol Arizona Prcss, .) p. ..
J7 Albon no. .a, p. ,.
J8 Plcasc scc chaptcr , Go Forth and Multiply.
J9 Albon listcd cvcry chartcr hc could nd lrom ... through ..c. Tc compilation is cc
pagcs.
20 Paul rliac, La Cartulaire de La Selve, La Terre, Les Hommes at le Pouvior en Rouergue au XIIe
Sicle (Paris, .) p. ,6.
2J Alan Forcy, Te Templars in the Corona of Aragon.
22 Parkcr, pp. a.
23 !bid., p. 6.
24 Malcolm 8arbcr and Kcith 8atc, Te Templars: Selected Sources Translated and Annotated (Man
chcstcr Univcrsity Prcss, acca) pp. .c.
25 Jcan dc Joinvillc, Histoire de Saint Louis tr. M. Natalis dc Vailly (Paris, .6) p. ,.
26 R. H. C. avis, Te Medieval Warhorse (London, .) pp. 6,. Pagc 6a also has a ncat
illustration ol how thc horscs wcrc boardcd on thc ships.
27 Hclcn Nicholson, Te Knights Templar (London, acc.) p. ..
28 Nicholson, p. ... nc intcrcsting thing about this is that thc wool thc mcrchants wcrc sclling
was still on thc shccp. Tcy wcrc bcing chargcd lor sclling wool luturcs.
29 Omne Datum Optimum, in dAlbon, p. ,6. a ctiam quc dc corum spoiliis ccpcritis, dcntcr
in usus vcstros convcrtatis, ct, nc dc his, contra vcllc vcstrum, portioncm alicui darc cogamini,
prohibcmus.
30 Alan Forcy, Te Templars in the Corona of Aragon (xlord Univcrsity Prcss, .,) p. a.
3J Villiam ol Tyrc, .,, a,, pp. ,,.
32 Milites Templi, in Rudoll Hcistand, Papsturkunden fr Templar und Johanniter (Gottingcn, .,a)
p. a., si lortc locus ipsc indtcrdictus sit, . . . in anno apcriantur ccclcsic ct ct cxclusis cxcom
municatcs divina o cial cclcbrcntur.
33 Forcy, p. .,.
34 Joscph F. Callaghan, A History of Medieval Spain (Corncll Univcrsity Prcss, .,) pp. a and
a. Ramiro did his duty, had a daughtcr to inhcrit, and rcturncd to thc monastcry.
35 Forcy. p. aa.
36 Contrary to popu lar opinion, pcoplc in thc Middlc Agcs did wash.
37 Laurcnt aillicz, Rgle et Statuts de l Ordre du Temple (Paris, .,a) p. ., rulc no. .c.
38 Charlcs Gladitz, Horse Breeding in the Medieval World (ublin: Four Courts Prcss, .,) p.
..
39 aillicz, p. .a, rulcs no. .6 and .,c.
40 Albon, p. aa,, no. a, ccl solidos Mclgoricnsis novc monctc ct cl solidos dc numis.
4J Cartulaire des Templiers de Douzens cd. Picrrc Grard and lisabcth Magnou (8ibliothquc
Nationalc, .6) p. .., no. .a..
42 ouzcns, p. .., no. .a..
43 !bid.
44 !bid., p. ., no. ..
45 !bid., p. a6, no. ...
46 Parkcr, p. a.
47 aillicz, p. .c, rulc no. 6.
48 Sugcrii Abbatis S. ionysii, Opera, pisotolac L\!! and L\!!!, columns .,,.,. cbct
autcm cis rcddcrc triginta milia solidorum Pictavicnsis monctac, dc quisbus licct mihi bonum
rcsponsum dcdcrit.
49 Achillc Luchairc, Institutions Franaises (Paris, .a) p. .
50 Sugcrii, column .ca, in a lcttcr lrom thc Archbishop ol Scns. \idimus cnim lratrcm Gclcra
num, qui custodict Parisiu domum Tcmpli, rcdcuntcm a dominus rcgc.
5J Fcrdinand Lot and Robcrt Fawticr, Histoire des Institutions Franaise au Moyen Age: Tome II
Institutions Royale (Paris, .) p. .
52 Luchairc, p. .
53 !bid.
54 8rycc Lyon and A. . \crhulst, Medieval Finance (8rown Univcrsity Prcss, .6,) p. ..
55 John V. 8aldwin, Te Government of Philip Augustus: Foundations of French Royal Power in the
Middle Ages (Calilornia Univcrsity Prcss, .6) p. .66.
56 Lot and Fawticr, p. ... Until cvcrything was put on thc dccimal systcm, thc l, s, and d bccamc
thc shorthand lor pounds, shillings and pcncc in ngland, just in casc you cvcr wondcrcd.
57 8outaric, Louis IX et Alphonse de Poitiers (8rionnc, .,) pp. ...a. Tcrc is no indication that
thc Tcmplars wcrc nancial adviscrs. Tcy simply took in thc moncy and kcpt accounts.
58 8outaric, pp. ac.c. Tc rccords dont say who rcncd thc silvcr.
59 Jcan dc Joinvillc, Lilc ol St. Louis, in Chronicles of the Crusades tr. M.R.8. Shaw (Pcnguin,
.6) p. a.
60 Tomas ol Spalato, ExTomae Historia Ponticum Salonitanorum et Spalatinorum in Monumenta
Germania Historia Scriptores cd. G. H. Pcrtz. \ol. a, p. ,,.
6J Parkcr, p. 6c. From his prison ccll, Hubcrt gavc thc rcquircd pcrmission. Vhat a good sport!
62 !bid., p. 6..
63 8crnard ol Clairvaux.
64 cmurgcr, p. .a..
65 Amaldi, quotcd in Alain cmurgcr, Jacques de Malay: Le crepuscule des templiers (8iographic
Payot, Paris, acca) p. ., notc a,. !l rcsto havcvano nascoso cosi sccramcntc chc alcun dcl
mondo non ha possuto savcr nicntc di qucllo. cmurgcr adds, Couragc trcasurc scckcrs! !ts
to Cyprus onc must go!
CH A P T I R T WI NT Y I I V I
Te Temple in Paris
T
hc closcst onc can comc today to thc Tcmplc compound in which
Jacques de Molay and thc othcr Tcmplars wcrc arrcstcd is to takc
thc Paris Mctro (linc ) to thc stop labclcd Tcmplc. 8ut dont cxpcct to
nd anything ol thc Tcmplars thcrc. Tc buildings wcrc dcstroycd dur
ing or shortly altcr thc Frcnch Rcvolution. l thc imposing group ol its
monumcnts, church, donjon, cloistcr and monastic buildings, and con
structions ol all sorts, homcs and houscs ol commcrcc that wcrc cncir
clcd and shcltcrcd by its vast cnclosurc, not onc stonc rcmains.
Vhcn did thc Tcmplars rst havc a building in Paris:
Tc commandcry ol thc Knights Tcmplar in Paris is rst notcd
during thc timc ol Louis \!!. A woman namcd Gcntc, thc daughtcr ol
thc physician ol Louis \!, donatcd a watcr mill, undcr thc Grcat 8ridgc
in Paris, to thc Tcmplars. Unlortunatcly, wc can only datc this within
thc ycars .., and ..,. Tc Tcmplar who acchcptcd thc gilt was vc
rard dc 8arrcs, mastcr ol thc Tcmplc in Paris and latcr Grand Mastcr.
King Louis madc a gilt to thc Tcmplc in .., ol twcntyscvcn
livrcs to bc paid oncc a ycar. Howcvcr, thc donation chartcr docsnt
spccily that this is to thc Tcmplc in Paris, only to thc Tcmplars. Nci
thcr docs a donation madc to thc Tcmplars in .. by 8artholomcw,
dcacon ol Notrc amc. !ts lrustrating, but part ol historical rcscarch
is not to assumc anything, so whilc it makcs scnsc that thcrc would
havc bccn a commandcry, thcrc is still no prool.
A meeting with the king outside the Temple walls in Paris. Te
pointed towers in the background are the Louvre. (Art Resource, NY)
Finally, in ..6/,, thcrc is a rccord ol a donation lrom Simon, thc
bishop ol Noyon, to thc Tcmplars. !t statcs clcarly that this was donc
at thc Tcmplc in Paris, in thc prcscncc ol thc mastcr and thc convcnt
ol knights. Now wc can bc ccrtain that thcrc was a building in Paris
whcrc thc Tcmplar mastcr lor Francc and thc knights livcd. Vhcthcr
it is thc samc as thc onc that bccamc thc ccntcr ol thc Tcmplar com
pound in Paris still isnt surc, but wcrc closcr.
!n August ol ..,, thcrc was a grcat gathcring ol Tcmplars. Popc
ugcnius !!! was in town and prcparations wcrc bcing madc lor thc
Second Crusade. Lord 8crnard ol 8alliol gavc thc Tcmplars lands
that hc posscsscd in ngland. Tis was witncsscd by thc popc, King
Louis \!!, scvcral archbishops, and .c brothcrs ol thc Knights Tcm
plar, wcaring thc whitc cloaks. Tis mcans that thcrc wcrc that
207 The Temple in Paris
many nobly born knights ol thc Tcmplc in Paris. Sincc thc ghting
lorcc in Jcrusalcm at that timc avcragcd lrom thrcc to six hundrcd its
a good bct that thcsc knights had arrivcd lrom all ovcr Francc, and
pcrhaps ngland, bclorc thcy lclt lor thc ast.
!l wc had thc chartcrs ol thc Tcmplc itscll, a lot ol thc mystcry
surrounding thc ordcr would bc clcarcd up. As it is, thc ncxt major
gilt in Paris that wc know ol was not until ..,a, whcn Constancc, sis
tcr ol King Louis, gavc thc Tcmplars a housc in Champcaux. !n this
casc, ninc Tcmplars ol thc housc in Paris arc listcd by namc.
8y thc cnd ol thc twcllth ccntury, thc Tcmplc in Paris was bcing
uscd lor thc royal trcasury. Louis son Philip !! (Philip Augustus) uscd
thc Tcmplc as a dcpository lor taxcs and othcr rcvcnucs. His o cials
thcn drcw moncy out lor pcrsonal cxpcnscs lor thc king and his lamily.
Tis was continucd undcr his son, Louis \!!!, and grandson,
Louis !X.
vcn though thc kings had thcir own palacc, many timcs thc cntirc
royal lamily chosc to stay at thc Tcmplar commandcry whilc thcy wcrc in
Paris. Philip !!! staycd thcrc with his wilc and childrcn in .a, and again
in .a and .a. !n ordcr lor thc Tcmplc to housc thc king and court,
thcy would havc nccdcd a spacious gucst housc within thc grounds.
Tc Tcmplc in Paris also scrvcd as a salc placc to kccp royal docu
mcnts, such as trcatics. !n .a, Hcnry !!! ol ngland agrccd to rc
nouncc his claims to Normandy, Mainc, Anjou, Tourainc, and Poitou,
about a quartcr ol thc tcrritory ol modcrn Francc. Tc trcaty was dc
positcd at thc Tcmplc. !n rcturn, Louis promiscd to pay a ccrtain
amount to Hcnry, to bc dcpositcd to Hcnrys account at thc Tcmplc in
Paris twicc a ycar.
Hcnry !!! also staycd in thc Tcmplc whcn hc camc to Paris in
.a. Hc may havc just wantcd to bc closc to his moncy, but hc sccms
to havc bccn on good tcrms with thc Tcmplars, as wcll. !n .a,, thc
Grand Mastcr, Villiam ol Sonnac, scnt thc king a crystal vasc allcg
cdly containing a portion ol thc blood ol Christ.
As thc govcrnmcnt ol thc kings ol Francc bccamc morc complcx, a
spccial scction was crcatcd callcd thc Chambcr ol Accounts. Tis body
mct thrcc timcs a ycar at thc Tcmplc in Paris to act on agcnda prcparcd by a
sub committcc which mct at thc Chambre des Deniers in thc Louvrc. Tc
mcmbcrs wcrc not Tcmplars, thcy just uscd thc housc lor thcir mcctings.
Tc Paris Tcmplc was thc hcart ol thc nancial conncction bc
twccn thc Latin kingdoms and thc Vcst. Vhcn thc patriarch ol Jcru
salcm (in cxilc in Acrc) nccdcd to arrangc lor moncy and wcapons to
dclcnd thc city, hc wrotc to Amaury dc la Rochc, commandcr ol thc
Tcmplc in Paris. Tc patriarch nccdcd lunds scnt to Acrc to pay cross
bowmcn, knights, and soldicrs. Hc cxpcctcd Amaury to bc ablc to
makc thc arrangcmcnts lor thc loans and thc translcr ol thc moncy.
!n .c6, just a ycar bclorc thc arrest ol thc Tcmplars, King Philip
the Fair lclt surc cnough ol thc loyalty ol thc Tcmplars to scck rclugc
in thc Paris Tcmplc during thc riots causcd whcn hc dcvalucd thc
moncy. 8y thcn thc Tcmplar compound was surroundcd by thick
walls and includcd scvcral buildings as wcll as thc church and living
quartcrs lor thc brothcrs. !n that ycar, Philip issucd chartcrs that wcrc
madc at thc Tcmplc.
!t was rumorcd that Philip cvcn spcnt thc night ol ctobcr .,
.c,, at thc Tcmplc so that hc could bc thc rst to start counting thc
loot altcr thc arrcsts. !ts a nicc imagc but thcrc is no cvidcncc.
Altcr thc lall ol thc Tcmplars, thc Tcmplar cnclosurc was takcn
ovcr by thc crown lor a timc bclorc it was nally turncd ovcr to thc
Hospitallers. Tc surviving daughtcrinlaw ol Philip thc Fair, Clcm
cncc, sccms to havc livcd thcrc starting in .., until hcr dcath in .a.
!n a piccc ol poctic justicc, onc ol thc architccts ol thc downlall ol
thc Tcmplars, ngucrrand dc Marigny, was bricy imprisoncd at thc
Tcmplc by King Louis X. ngucrrand had bccn accuscd ol taking
bribcs and lalsilying accounts. Vhcn hc was provcd innoccnt ol thosc
chargcs, hc was thcn accuscd ol sorccry and hangcd.
vcn though thc Tcmplc in Paris was in thc hands ol thc Hospi
tallcrs until thc Frcnch Rcvolution, it continucd to bc callcd thc Tcm
plc. !t was uscd as a prison o and on, thc most lamous prisoncrs
bcing King Louis X\! and his wilc, Maric Antoincttc. Tcy wcrc
imprisoncd in thc towcr ol thc Tcmplc and it was lrom thcrc that thcy
wcrc takcn to thc guillotinc.
Tc church ol thc Tcmplc has also vanishcd but an cightccnth
From Henri de Curzon, La Maison du Temple de Paris, 1888.
ccntury skctch rcmains. Tc church was much likc thc onc at thc
Temple in London, with a round navc and a long choir. Parts ol it
may havc bccn addcd to in thc mid thirtccnth ccntury so wc cant
know what it lookcd likc originally.
Apart lrom thc buildings uscd cxclusivcly by thc Tcmplars, thcrc
was an cntirc villagc within thc walls madc up ol thc pcoplc who
workcd lor or wcrc dcpcndcnt on thc Tcmplars and thcn altcr thc or
dcr was dissolvcd, thc Hospitallcrs. !t was madc up ol kitchcn gardcns,
shcds, storc houscs, small shops, and houscs. Tc Tcmplars may havc
livcd in thcir own world within Paris, but it was a busy onc. Vith all
thc comings and goings ol thc wcalthy, thc noblcs, and all ol thc rcst
ol socicty that took carc ol thcm, it would havc bccn di cult lor thc
Tcmplars to kccp many sccrcts.
h ycs, whcn thc Mctro systcm was dug lor thc Tcmplc station,
no trcasurc was lound.
J Hcnri dc Curzon, La Maison du Temple de Paris (Paris, .) p. ..
2 Cartulaire Gnral de Paris, Tome Premier, cd. Robcrt dc Lastcyric (Paris, .,) p. a6, chartcr
no. a,c.
3 !bid., p. a,, chartcr no. a.. Tis was madc in thc prcscncc ol Bernard of Clairvaux and wit
ncsscd by othcr mcn lrom Notrc amc and ocials ol thc king, but no Tcmplars arc namcd.
4 !bid., p. a, chartcr no. c.
5 !bid., p. a, chartcr no. a. Actum Parisius in Tcmplc, prcscntc magistro ct convcntu mili
tum.
6 !bid., p. c,, chartcr no. , alba clamidc indutis.
7 !bid., pp. aaa, chartcr no. c,.
8 John 8aldwin, Te Government of Philip Augustus (Calilornia Univcrsity Prcss, .6) p. .6.
Also, plcasc scc chaptcr a, Templars and Money.
9 Curzon, p. ac.
J0 G. P. Cuttino, English Medieval Diplomacy (!ndiana Univcrsity Prcss, .) pp. .a.
JJ Tomas V. Parkcr, Te Knights Templars in England (Univcrsity ol Arizona Prcss, .) p. .
J2 John L. Lamontc, Te World of the Middle Ages: A Reorientation of Medieval History (Ncw York,
.) p. 6. For morc on thc Tcmplar and Frcnch nanccs plcasc scc chaptcr a.
J3 Malcolm 8arbcr, Te New Knighthood (Cambridgc, .) pp. a666,.
J4 Curzon, p. a..
J5 !bid., p. ac.
J6 !bid., p. aa. Hc citcs this story but docsnt sccm to bclicvc it.
J7 !bid., p. a.
J8 Saul K. Padovcr, Te Life and Death of Louis XVI (New York: Appleton, 1939) pp. a..
CH A P T I R T WI NT Y S I X
Te Temple in London
T
uckcd away into a courtyard in Tcmplc 8ar on thc banks ol thc
Tamcs is onc ol thc oldcst churchcs in London, Tcmplc Church.
Tc round church was oncc thc ccntcr ol Tcmplar activitics in n
gland, surroundcd by living quartcrs, stablcs, mccting rooms, and
storagc lacilitics. Today onc has to lollow a pathway bctwccn law ol
ccs until onc nds a small sign pointing to thc church.
Tis is actually known as thc Ncw Tcmplc. Tc rst was built
around ..a, soon altcr Hugh de Payns visitcd on his grand tour to
drum up intcrcst in thc ordcr. Tc old Tcmplc was in Holborn in Lon
don, thcn a rural arca. Vhcn thc loundations wcrc uncovcrcd in .,
it was lound that this church was round, madc lrom stonc lrom Cacn,
in northcrn Francc. Many ol thc Tcmplar churchcs wcrc round, in
imitation ol thc Church ol thc Holy Scpulchcr in Jcrusalcm built in
thc timc ol Constantinc. Round churchcs wcrc also built lor thc samc
rcason by thc Hospitallers.
Tc Tcmplars movcd to thc prcscnt sitc, bctwccn Flcct Strcct and
thc Tamcs Rivcr, in ..6. and bcgan to build thc Ncw Tcmplc Church.
Tc church was consccratcd on Fcbruary .c, .., by Hcraclius, patri
arch ol Jcrusalcm and dcdicatcd to thc \irgin Mary. !n timc a hall ol
pricsts was built and conncctcd to thc church by a cloistcr and, a bit
larthcr lrom thc church, thcrc was a hall ol knights to housc thc
Tcmplar brothcrs. !n .ac thc rcctangular choir was addcd (scc photo
Temple Church nave. (Sharan Newman)
abovc) as wcll as a chapcl dcdicatcd to Saint Annc, thc \irgins
mothcr.
Tis would havc bccn a busy placc, with a bakchousc, smithy,
stablcs, and othcr domcstic buildings. Tc knights would havc takcn
carc ol rcpairs to thcir armor and othcr cquipmcnt in thc Tcmplc arca.
For scrious training, thcy had a cld ol about ltccn acrcs on thc othcr
sidc ol thc Tamcs, known as Fickcttscrolt.
uring thc trials ol thc Tcmplars in ngland, onc accusation
madc against thcm was that thcy had murdcrcd an !rish Tcmplar by
putting him in thc pcnitcntial ccll in thc northwcst corncr ol thc
choir. Tc ccll is lour and a hall lcct long and two lcct, ninc inchcs
widc. Tcrc arc two window slits that would havc allowcd thc prisoncr
to scc thc round part ol thc church and thc altar.
At thc dissolution ol thc Tcmplars in .., all thcir goods wcrc to
bc turncd ovcr to thc Hospitallcr Knights. Howcvcr, dward !! ol
213 The Temple in London
ngland instcad gavc thc Tcmplc propcrty in London to his cousin
Tomas, carl ol Lancastcr. Tomas, howcvcr, lost his hcad (litcrally)
as a rcsult ol a rcbcllion against thc king. dward thcn gavc thc prop
crty to thc carl ol Pcmbrokc, Aylmcr dc \alcncc. !t passcd through
scvcral othcr hands bclorc thc Hospitallcrs nally rcccivcd thc prop
crty. Sincc thcy alrcady had a hcadquartcrs in London, thc Hospi
tallcrs lcascd thc !nncr and Middlc Tcmplc to a group ol lawycrs.
Tc lormcr scrvants ol thc Tcmplars staycd on during thc transi
tion, dward !! paying thcir wagcs and pcnsions.
vcr thc ycars, through changcs in kings and govcrnmcnts thc
lawycrs hcld on to thc Tcmplc. !n .6,, thcy wcrc nally rcwardcd lor
thcir tcnacity by bcing allowcd to buy thc propcrty lrom King Charlcs
!!. uring thc sixtccnth ccntury, thc church was uscd in bctwccn
scrviccs lor lawycrclicnt conlcrcnccs, which took placc whilc walking
about bctwccn thc knightly cgics on thc oor.
uring thc Rclormation thc church was whitcwashcd ovcr, thcn
thc oor was covcrcd with hundrcd ol cartloads ol carth and rub
bish. A rcstoration was madc in .c, including clcaring thc oor
and rcconstructing thc shattcrcd c gics.
Tc cgics in thc church arc ol ninc knights and a bishop. Unlor
tunatcly, it is not ccrtain which sculpturc is which knight. Tcy havc
bccn movcd around so much ovcr thc ccnturics that thc idcntications
havc bccn scramblcd. Tcy havc also bccn rcstorcd scvcral timcs. Tc
originals datc lrom thc twcllth and thirtccnth ccnturics. Vc know that
onc ol thcm is Sir Gcorcy dc Magnavillc, carl ol sscx, who dicd in
.. and was rst buricd in thc ld Tcmplc and movcd to thc Ncw.
thcrs arc ol Villiam Marshal, thc rst carl ol Pcmbrokc, who was
admittcd to thc socicty ol thc Tcmplars on his dcathbcd, and two ol his
sons. Marshall is considcrcd thc prototypc ol thc pcrlcct knight, loyal,
bravc, and valiant. Hc was thc subjcct ol storics and songs cvcn in his
lilctimc. Tc Tcmplars must havc bccn plcascd to havc his patronagc.
Most ol thc othcr cgics arc just known as knight or crusadcr
knight.
Tc cgics rcprcscnt not Tcmplars but thcir confrators, or associ
atcs, noblcs who wishcd to support thc ordcr without actually joining.
A straight-legged knight at the Temple Church. (Sharan Newman)
215 The Temple in London
Temple Church in 1837, before bombs and resora
tions. (Art Resource, NY)
Tc mcn wcrc buricd in Tcmplar ccmctcrics and commcmoratcd in
stonc in thc church. Tc crosslcggcd knights arc thosc who havc ci
thcr gonc on a crusadc or at lcast takcn a vow to do so.
Tc church survivcd intact until .., whcn it was bombcd by thc
Gcrmans. Tc vault survivcd but thc columns crackcd in thc hcat and had
to bc rcplaccd. Much ol what wc scc today is rcstoration and rc crcation.
!ts dicult thcsc days to imaginc thc Tcmplc church in its propcr
sctting. 8rick buildings crowd around it now. riginally, it would havc
had a grassy courtyard bctwccn all ol thc buildings ol thc Tcmplars.
!nsidc thc church, Tcmplar knights would havc rccitcd thc Hours by
daylight and candlclight. Tc wind might havc blown in lrom thc rivcr
or lrom thc dircction ol thc stablcs, a sccnt thc knights would havc
prclcrrcd. Tc grcatcst lords and thc richcst mcrchants would havc
comc to dcposit thcir trcasurc lor salckccping or to bcg a loan.
Tcrc would havc bccn noisc and color and cxcitcmcnt. 8ut now
all that rcmains is a small and loncly church.
J Gcorgc Vorlcy, Te Church of the Knights Templars in London: A Description of the Fabric and Its
Contents, with a Short History of the Order (London, .c,) p. ..
2 Malcom 8arbcr, Te New Knighthood (Cambridgc, .) p. ..
3 Vorlcy, p. .. cdicatc hcc ccclcsia in honorc 8catc Maric. Tc inscription was dcstroycd
during rcpairs in .6 and rcwrittcn on an insidc wall.
4 Tomas V. Parkcr, Te Knights Templars in England (Univcrsity ol Arizona Prcss, .6) p. a.
5 Vorlcy, p. ..
6 Parkcr, p. a.
7 Vorlcy, pp. c. Tis docsnt mcan that thc Tcmplars wcrc all lour lcct tall, but that thc ccll
was intcndcd to bc horribly uncomlortablc.
8 Vorlcy, p. .6.
9 !bid.
J0 C. G. Addison, Te Temple Church (London, ., rcprint) p. ...
JJ Addison, pp. .
J2 Vorlcy, p. .6.
J3 !bid., p. a..
J4 !bid., p. .
J5 !bid., pp. c,.
CH A P T I R T WI NT Y S I V I N
Te Last Stands;
Te Fall of Acre and
Loss of the Holy Land
B
y thc cnd ol thc thirtccnth ccntury thc principalitics cstablishcd by
thc rst crusadcrs wcrc rcduccd to a lcw small scttlcmcnts clinging
to thc Mcditcrrancan coast and thc citics ol Tripoli and Acrc. Tc titlc ol
king ol Jcrusalcm was almost an altcrthought, tackcd on as an honoric
to morc substantial oncs, such as king ol Cyprus or cmpcror ol Gcrmany.
Tcrc wcrc still somc tradc routcs that brought in cnough rcvcnuc to
makc thc land worth putting up a ght lor, but not much morc.
l coursc, thcrc was always thc possibility that thc lost tcrritory
could bc rccovcrcd. Jcrusalcm had bccn lost and rcgaincd bclorc as had
Acrc. So thcrc was still intcrcst in thc titlc. !n .a,, onc ol thc pcoplc
claiming thc right to thc thronc ol Jcrusalcm was Maria ol Antioch.
Shc was convinccd to scll it to thc youngcr brothcr ol Saint Louis,
Charlcs ol Anjou. Altcr his dcath thc titlc rcvcrtcd to thc Lusignan
lamily, dcsccndants ol 8aldwin !!. Tcy continucd to call thcmsclvcs
kings ol Jcrusalcm, but thcy and many ol thc noblc lamilics ol thc
Latin kingdoms had by thcn cstablishcd thcmsclvcs on Cyprus.
!n .a thc city ol Tripoli lcll to thc Mamluk sultan Malik al
Mansour. Tc Tcmplar commandcr ol thc city, Pctcr ol Moncada, was
killcd along with othcr Tcmplars and Hospitallcrs. Tc king ol Jcru
salcm at thc timc, Hcnry !!, arrivcd in Acrc lrom his homc in Cyprus.
Hc didnt comc at thc hcad ol an army to takc back Tripoli but to ar
rangc a trucc with thc sultan. Tis trucc was signcd by do, thc bai
li ol Acrc, Villiam ol 8caujcu, Grand Mastcr ol thc Tcmplars,
Nicholas Lorgnc, Grand Mastcr ol thc Hospitallers, and Conrad, thc
rcprcscntativc ol thc Grand Mastcr ol thc Tcutonic Knights.
Vc havc an cycwitncss account ol what happcncd ncxt madc by thc
sccrctary ol Tcmplar Grand Mastcr Villiam ol 8caujcu. Tc writcr is
known as thc Tcmplar ol Tyrc although hc wasnt a Tcmplar and hc
probably wasnt lrom Tyrc, but Cyprus. 8ut oncc a namc is attachcd to
somconc, its hard to changc it without conlusion. So, hcrc is thc story
according to thc sccrctary ol Villiam ol 8caujcu, who wasnt lrom Tyrc:
!t happcncd that, bccausc ol thc lall ol Tripoli, thc popc scnt
twcnty gallcys to thc aid ol thc city ol Acrc. Tcsc gallcys wcrc
armcd in \cnicc, thcir captain was a grcat noblcman ol \cnicc
namcd Jacopo Ticpolc. . . . A grcat numbcr ol common pcoplc ol
!taly also took thc cross and camc to Acrc.
Vhcn thcsc pcoplc camc to Acrc, thc trucc which thc king had
madc with thc sultan was wcllmaintaincd bctwccn thc two partics.
Poor Saraccn pcasants camc into Acrc carrying goods to scll, as
thcy wcrc accustomcd to do. !t happcncd onc day, . . . that thc cru
sadcrs, who had comc to do good and to arm thcmsclvcs lor thc
succor ol thc city ol Acrc, brought about its dcstruction, lor onc day
thcy rushcd through Acrc, putting all thc poor pcasants who had
brought goods to scll in Acrc to thc sword. Tcy also slcw a numbcr
ol bcardcd Syrians who wcrc ol thc law ol Grcccc. (Tcy killcd
thcm bccausc ol thcir bcards, mistaking thcm lor Saraccns.)
Tis was illdonc indccd, lor Acrc was takcn by thc Saraccns
bccausc ol it, as you shall hcar.
Vord ol this outragc was scnt at oncc to thc sultan in Cairo, who
dcmandcd rctribution. Villiam ol 8caujcu suggcstcd a pragmatic so
lution lor this. Rathcr than turn ovcr thc misguidcd crusadcrs to thc
219 The Last Stands
sultan, hc suggcstcd that thc citizcns ol Acrc scnd condcmncd mcn
lrom thc local prisons, sincc thcy wcrc to dic anyway.
Howcvcr, Villiam was ovcrrulcd and thc sultan was told thc truth,
adding that, sincc thc pcrpctrators ol thc atrocity wcrc !talians, thcy
wcrcnt subjcct to thc laws ol Acrc so thcy couldnt bc prosccutcd.
!n hindsight, honcsty may not havc bccn thc bcst choicc.
Tc Sultan took this answcr badly, and gathcrcd his lorccs and
his sicgc cngincs, and also collcctcd his host ol armcd mcn. Hc took
his timc prcparing a massivc cxpcdition in ordcr to drivc thc Franks
out ol Acrc lorcvcr.
Tc Tcmplar ol Tyrc and thc various Arabic Chroniclcs agrcc on
thc basics ol thc sicgc and taking ol thc city. Tc sultan ol gypt ar
rivcd at Acrc on thc lth ol April, .a., with a largc army and many
sicgc cngincs.
8y thc bcginning ol May, thc sultan had managcd to undcrminc
and dcstroy onc ol thc major towcrs ol thc city. Somc ncgotiating wcnt
on, but no agrccmcnt was madc, and so thc two sidcs bcgan again
thcir labors, ring mangoncls at onc anothcr, and doing thc things
that arc usually donc bctwccn cncmics.
A major assault was madc on thc city and thc mastcr ol thc Tcm
plc, Villiam, took his mcn and wcnt to thc gatc that was bcing at
tackcd. Tc mastcr ol thc Hospital and his mcn joincd thcm.
Tcy wcrc ovcrwhclmcd by thc numbcr ol soldicrs and by thc
Grcck rc that was bcing thrown at thcm. Tc Tcmplar ol Tyrc must
havc sccn this happcn lor hc givcs a grucsomc picturc ol thc burning
to dcath ol an nglishman who was unlucky cnough to bc caught in
thc amcs.
Tc latc ol Villiam ol 8caujcu was not so dramatic but cqually
latal. Hc was struck by a javclin and thc shalt sank into his body a
palmslcngth, it camc through thc gap whcrc thc platcs ol thc armor
wcrc not joincd.
Tc mastcr must havc staycd upright cnough to appcar unharmcd,
lor whcn hc turncd his horsc to go, somc ol thc othcr dclcndcrs panickcd
and bcggcd him not to lcavc. Hc answcrcd, My lords, ! can do no morc
lor ! am killcd, scc thc wound hcrc! . . . and as hc spokc hc droppcd thc
spcar on thc ground and his hcad slumpcd to onc sidc. 8clorc hc could
lall lrom his horsc, his mcn caught him and carricd him to thc Tcmplar
lortrcss. Hc lingcrcd lor thc rcst ol thc day, dying in thc cvc ning. And
God has his soulbut what grcat harm was causcd by his dcath!
!t sccmcd that thc city was about to lall, so thc king and his mcn
wcnt to thcir boats and lclt. Tc rcmaining pcoplc in thc city rushcd to
thc Tcmplar lortrcss, thc strongcst in Acrc. Tcy hcld out lor tcn days
but wcrc nally lorccd to ask lor tcrms ol surrcndcr, including salc
passagc lor thc womcn and childrcn insidc. Howcvcr, whcn thc Mos
lcm soldicrs camc in, thcy bcgan molcsting thc womcn and young
boys. At this thc Tcmplars wcnt altcr thc soldicrs and killcd or drovc
thcm out ol thc lortrcss. Tcy thcn dccidcd to ght to thc cnd.
All thc dclcndcrs ol thc Tcmplc lortrcss wcrc killcd. Tc rcmain
ing noncombatants wcrc takcn prisoncr. Abu alMahasin notcs that
thc city lcll on thc samc day and hour cxactly onc hundrcd ycars altcr
Richard the Lionheart had rst capturcd Acrc. Hc adds that it was a
just rcvcngc lor Richards slaughtcr ol his prisoncrs at that timc.
Tc propcrty ol thc Tcmplars, Hospitallcrs, and Tcutonic Knights
was takcn as booty. Tcrc is no indication that any trcasurc was on thc
ships that lclt bclorc thc city lcll. A lcw Tcmplars, including thc ncxt
Grand Mastcr, Tibaud Gaudin, managcd to cscapc by boat. Tcy
wcnt to thc lortrcss ol Sidon and thcn to Cyprus. 8ut thc idca, oltcn
statcd as lact by pscudohistorians, that thcy could havc brought a
hoard ol trcasurc with thcm is highly unlikcly. Tc cntirc coastlinc
was lull ol thc sultans soldicrs and archcrs. Mcn burdcncd with any
thing morc than thcir clothcs and swords would not havc bccn ablc to
gct through.
A uniquc vicw ol Acrc just bclorc thc lall comcs lrom an !talian
ominican pricst, Ricoldo dc Montc Crocc. 8orn ncar in Florcncc
around .ac, hc joincd thc ominicans at thc agc ol twcntyvc and
spcnt thc ncxt lcw ycars in study. At somctimc around .a, hc dc
cidcd to cmbark on a mission ol convcrsion to thc ast. Vc nd him
rst in Acrc.
!n many ways Ricoldo rcprcscnts thc changc in thc approach to
thc nonChristian world that had occurrcd sincc thc loundation ol thc
William of Beaujeu defending Acre, as depicted by Dominique Louis Papty in 1845. William is
wearing the red tunic and white cross of a Hospitaller and hes standing when he was actually on
horseback. Hollywood isnt the only place where history is adapted to make a beter picture. (Art
Resource, NY)
Tcmplars. Tc ominicans wcrc loundcd by ominic ol Castilc and
thc ordcr was givcn papal approval in .a.6. Tc plan ol thc omini
cans was to takc thc word ol Christianity to pcoplc all ovcr thc world.
To this cnd, thc ominican monks wcrc among thc bcst cducatcd ol
thc clcrgy in languagcs. Tcy drcamcd ol bringing Christianity to thc
masscs through pcrsuasion, passion, and logic. !n this thcy wcrc thc
cxact oppositc ol thc Tcmplars.
Undcr thc dircction ol thc popcs, thc ominicans also bccamc
thc chicl inquisitors in uropc, but this was not thc rst dcsirc ol
many ol thc pricsts ol thc ordcr and Ricoldo sccms to havc prclcrrcd
convcrting thc hcathcn to prosccuting hcrctics.
Ricoldo staycd at thc ominican housc in Acrc and also bc
lricndcd thc patriarch ol Jcrusalcm, Nicholas, anothcr ominican.
Tcn hc sct out into Moslcm tcrritory, whcrc his prcaching was largcly
ignorcd. Hc was in 8aghdad in .a. whcn word camc ol thc lall ol thc
city. So his inlormation was gaincd through Moslcm accounts.
His lcttcr about thc lall ol thc city is addrcsscd to thc patriarch,
who was killcd in thc taking ol thc city, and to all thc brothcrs who
dicd in thc capturc ol Acrc. His shock and gricl comc through in
cvcry scntcncc. Tis outpouring ol cmotion rcminds thc rcadcr ol thc
human lacc ol war. Morc than oncc hc anguishcs ovcr thc latc ol thc
nuns who had now bccomc slavcs ol Moslcm mcn, ol childrcn who had
bccn torn lrom thcir mothcrs and sold to bc raiscd as Moslcms.
Particularly chilling is Ricoldos cxpcricncc with thc scllcrs ol
spoils lrom thc city. From a Saraccn pcddlcr, hc bought a tunic that
had bccn picrccd by a sword or a lancc that was partly staincd with
blood. Hc wondcrcd il it had bclongcd to somconc hc kncw. Tc
lcttcr altcrnatcs bctwccn Ricoldos attcmpts to rcjoicc that his lricnds
arc now martyrcd and in hcavcn and his intcnsc miscry. Vhcrc is
Tripoli: hc crics. Vhcrc is Acrc, whcrc arc thc churchcs ol thc
Christians that oncc wcrc hcrc: . . . Vhcrc arc thc multitudcs ol
Christians: . . . ! havc hcard that on thc sixth day, in thc third hour,
you wcrc slaughtcrcd. Tc words tumblc ovcr cach othcr in his dccp
and pcrsonal agony.
223 The Last Stands
!n thc midst ol Ricoldos lamcntation, hc notcs that thc mastcr ol
thc Tcmplc was picrccd in thc stomach and lungs, as was Ahab, king
ol !sracl, and dicd around vcspcrs, as is also rclatcd by thc Tcmplar ol
Tyrc. Tc ncxt day thc city was takcn. nc scholar lccls that this al
lusion to King Ahab, who wasnt onc ol thc bcttcr kings ol !sracl, is a
commcnt on thc wcakncss ol thc Tcmplars. Tis is not impossiblc,
but ! think it morc likcly that it was bccausc Ahab was shot with an
arrow in a battlc with thc Syrians and dicd in thc cvc ning, as did Vil
liam ol 8caujcu.
Howcvcr, throughout Ricoldos lcttcr thcrc arc thc rcpcatcd qucs
tions: Vhy did this happcn: Vhy did thc bulwark lail: Vhy did God
allow this: Ricoldo assumcs that it must bc bccausc ol thc sins ol thc
pcoplc. nc ol thcsc passagcs is just bclorc thc rclcrcncc to thc dcath
ol thc Grand Mastcr.
Tis undcrcurrcnt ol lcclingthat someone must bc to blamc lor
thc lall ol Acrcsccms to havc bccn sharcd by many pcoplc in both
thc ast and Vcst. Tc Tcmplars wcrc sccn as thc invinciblc war
riors, thc protcctors ol thc Holy Land. Tc loss ol Acrc damagcd thcm
morc than any ol thc othcr military ordcrs.
Altcr thc loss ol Acrc and thc dcath ol Villiam ol 8caujcu, thc
hcart sccmcd to go out ol thc Tcmplars. Somc ol thcm tricd to hold on
to Sidon, but thcy lcarncd that thc Tcmplars on Cyprus considcrcd
thcm a lost causc and so Sidon was abandoncd by night. Shortly thcrc
altcr, Chatcau Pclcrin was also abandoncd. Tat was thc last ol thc
Tcmplar holdings in what had oncc bccn thc Latin kingdoms.
Tc Tcmplars madc onc morc attcmpt to rcgain thc mainland, at
thc timc ol thc last Grand Mastcr, Jacques de Molay. Tcy built a
stockadc on thc tiny island ol Ruad, not lar lrom thc town ol Tortosa.
From thcrc, thcy planncd on invading thc town, but thcy wcrc com
plctcly ovcrrun by thc Mamluk Sayl alin nscndcmur in .ca. Tc
surviving Tcmplars wcrc takcn to gypt and sold into slavcry.
!t was with this background ol lailurc that thc Tcmplars had to
lacc thc incrcasing bclicl in uropc that thcy wcrc at bcst usclcss and
at worst traitors to thc Christian causc.
J Jonathan RilcySmith, Te Crusades (Ncw Havcn: Yalc Univcrsity Prcss, acc) p. a..
2 !bid., p. ac. For morc on Charlcs plcasc scc Te Templars and the Saint.
3 Hans bcrhard Maycr, Te Crusades (xlord Univcrsity Prcss, .,a) p. a.
4 Te Templar of Tyre, tr. Paul Crawlord (Ashgatc, Aldcrshot, acc) p. .c., scction ,,.
5 Te Templar of Tyre, p. .c., scction ,.
6 !bn Abd AzAzhir, Tc Trcaty with Acrc, in Arab Historians of the Crusades tr. Franccsco
Gabricli (Ncw York: orsct, .) p. a6. Tc chroniclcr was mistakcn in thc namc ol thc Hos
pitallcr mastcr. Hc was John ol \illicrs. Conrad was Conrad ol Fcuchtwangcn (Te Templar of
Tyre, p. .c, notc ).
7 Te Templar of Tyre, pp. .c.a, scction c.
8 Te Templar of Tyre, p. .ca, scction ..
9 !bid.
J0 Te Templar of Tyre, p. .c, scction , Abu alFida in Gabricli, p. , Abu alMahasin in
Gabricli, p. .
JJ Te Templar of Tyre, p. .c, scction .
J2 Te Templar of Tyre, p. ..c.., scction .
J3 !bid. !l you lccl thc nccd to know cxactly what happcncd, gct a copy ol thc book.
J4 !bid., p. ..a.
J5 !bid.
J6 Te Templar of Tyre, p. ...
J7 Tis is rccountcd in both Abu alMahasin in Gabricli, p. , and thc Templar of Tyre, p. ..,,
scction c,, as wcll as othcr chroniclcs.
J8 Gabricli, p. ..
J9 All accounts mcntion thc diculty ol gctting away by sca and strcss thc numbcr ol pcoplc who
dicd trying to gct to boats.
20 Cccilia Manctti, Comc Achab al Calar dcl Solc un omcnicano Giudica ! Tcmplari La
Caduta dAcri nclla Tcstimonianza di Fra Riccoldo da Montc Crucc, Acri 1291: La ne della
presenze degli ordini militari in Terra Santa e i nuovi orientamenti nel XIV secolo (Quattrocmmc,
Pcrugis, .6) pp. .,.,a.
2J Ricoldo dc MontcCrucc, Lcttrcs dc Ricoldo dc MontcCrucc, Archives de l Orient Latin
Tomc !! (Paris, ., rpt. 8russcls, .6) Lcttcr !\ p. a, ct aliis lratribus qui motui sunt in
captionc Accon. Ricoldo docsnt mcntion, and might not havc known, that thc patriarch
drowncd whilc trying to cscapc (Te Templar of Tyre, p. .., notc ,).
22 !bid., p. a. Gladio vcl lancca pcrloratuam, quc ctiam modico sanguinc rosca crat.
23 !bid., p. a.. Ubi cst Tcmpolis, ubi cst Accon, ubi sunt ccclcsic christianorum, quc ibi cr
ant . . . Ubi cst multitudo populi chriniani, qui ibi crant: . . . Audivi cnim, quod lcria cxta,
hora tcrtia, occisi luistis.
24 !bid., p. aa. Pcrcussit magistrum Tcmpli intcr stomachum ct pulmoncn quasi altcrum Achab
rcgcm !sracl, wt mortuus cst caodcm scro vcspcri . . . ct statim scqucnti manc capta cst civitas
subitcr.
25 Manctti, p. .,.
26 . Kings aa, .
27 Te Templar of Tyre, pp. .6c6., scctions 6.
PART THREE
Te End of the Order
of the Poor Knights
CH A P T I R T WI NT Y I I GHT
Jacques de Molay:
Te Last Grand Master
12921313
J
acqucs dc Molay, thc nal Grand Mastcr ol thc Tcmplars, has
bccomc a gurc ol lcgcnd. To somc hc was a martyr, to othcrs a
hcrctic. Hc was cithcr thc victim ol a plot or justly punishcd lor thc
crimcs ol thc ordcr. Plays havc bccn writtcn about him. A Masonic
youth group is namcd altcr him. Vas hc thc last mastcr ol a sccrct so
cicty: Vas hc a hcrctic who dcnicd thc divinity ol Christ: r was hc
just a dcvout soldicr caught up in thc snarcs ol thc king ol Francc, a
rclic ol a dying world:
Vho was this man who prcsidcd ovcr thc Tcmplars in thcir last
days:
!n many ways, thc last Grand Mastcr ol thc Tcmplc is also thc
lcast wcll known. Almost all thc pcrsonal inlormation on him comcs
lrom his own dcpositions, which wcrc madc altcr hc was arrcstcd in
.c,.
!n thc rst rccord that wc havc, madc on ctobcr a, .c,, clcvcn
days altcr thc arrcst, Jacqucs statcs that hc has bccn a Tcmplar lor
lortytwo ycars. Hc was rcccivcd into thc ordcr in thc town ol 8caunc,
in thc dioccsc ol Autun, by Humbcrt dc Pairaud and Amaury dc la
Rochc. !l hc had bccn around scvcntccn whcn hc bccamc a Tcmplar,
that would put his agc at around sixty at thc timc ol thc arrcsts, but hc
could havc bccn slightly youngcr or much oldcr.
Tc placc ol his birth is not ccrtain, cithcr. Hc sccms to havc bccn
lrom a villagc in 8urgundy, but thcrc arc scvcral thcrc namcd Molay.
His biographcr, Alain cmurgcr, has narrowcd it down to two towns.
8ut onc cant bc ccrtain about cvcn that.
!l hc was born in 8urgundy, thcn hc was not undcr thc juris
diction ol thc king ol Francc, lor 8urgundy was thcn part ol thc
Holy Roman mpirc. 8ut it is likcly that Jacqucs considcrcd himscll
Frcnch.
Jacqucs lamily and carly lilc arc a complctc mystcry. Vc dont know
why hc dccidcd to join thc Tcmplars. Tcrc isnt a mcntion ol him in
any surviving Tcmplar documcnts that might tcll us what hc did bc
lorc hc was clcctcd Grand Mastcr. !t sccms ironic that thc most
lamous ol thc Tcmplar Grand Mastcrs is also thc onc wc havc thc
lcast inlormation on. !ts vcry likcly that thcrc was much morc about
his carly ycars in thc documcnts lost whcn thc islc ol Cyprus was con
qucrcd by thc Turks in .,.. 8ut knowing where thc inlormation was
docsnt hclp us to know what it was.
Jacqucs dc Molay bccamc Grand Mastcr at a critical timc lor thc
Tcmplars and thc crusadcr kingdoms. Hc must havc bccn in thc ast
at thc timc ol thc Fall of Acre in .a.. Hc may havc cvcn bccn onc ol
thc lcw who cscapcd lrom thc city, although it was ncvcr mcntioncd.
!ts morc likcly that hc was stationcd at onc ol thc outposts, such as
Sidon or Cyprus.
Altcr thc dcath ol Villiam ol 8caujcu, who lcll dclcnding Acrc,
thc commandcr in thc ast at thc timc, Tibaud Gaudin, bccamc
mastcr. Hc was probably clcctcd bccausc hc was thc highcstranking
mcmbcr surviving altcr thc slaughtcr. nly a lcw lcttcrs survivc lrom
Gaudins short tcnurc in occ. Hc apparcntly dicd somctimc bclorc
April .aa, lor at that timc Jacqucs dc Molay scnt a lcttcr to Spain
authorizing thc salc ol somc propcrty in Aragon. Hc signcd it as mas
tcr ol thc Tcmplc.
Jacques de Molay: The Last Grand Master 12921313 229
8ut what was thcrc lclt lor him to bc mastcr ol:
Although thc Tcmplars had lought bravcly at Acrc, whcn thc city
lcll thcy sccm to havc takcn most ol thc blamc lor it, at lcast in thc
cycs ol thc Vcst. Tcrclorc, Jacqucs rst ordcr ol busincss was to rc
gain as much ol thc old Latin kingdoms as hc could. To do this, hc
had to cnsurc thc survival ol thc last ol thc astcrn Christian king
doms, that ol Armenia, now thc southcastcrn part ol Turkcy.
arly in .aa, Popc Nicholas !\ had writtcn to thc Tcmplars and
Hospitallcrs ordcring that Tcy must comc to thc aid and dclcnsc ol
thc Kingdom ol Armcnia with thc gallcys which, by thc command and
ruling ol thc apostolic scc, thcy hold to countcr thc cncmics ol thc
cross. Unlortunatcly Armcnia had bccn wcakcncd by powcr strugglcs
within its ruling lamily and thc loss ol support lrom thc Latin king
doms. Tc attcmpts to aid thc Armcnians wcrc also hampcrcd by a war
going on bctwccn thc \cnctians and thc Gcnocsc. Tcsc two mcrchant
powcrs controllcd a grcat dcal ol thc shipping ol mcn and supplics.
Tcir privatc war hampcrcd all sca travcl in thc castcrn Mcditcrrancan.
For a timc thc Tcmplars still hcld thc island ol Ruad, just across
lrom thc town ol Tortosa. From hcrc, Jacqucs dc Molay hopcd to prc
parc an invasion lorcc to bcgin thc rcconqucst. Ruad was ncvcr in
tcndcd to bc anything morc than a jumpingo placc lor a garrison. !t
is a small, rocky island, with no lrcsh watcr. !n .cc thc island was a
staging ground lor a proposcd invasion in which thc crusadcr lorccs
would attack lrom thc wcst and thc Mongol army would comc in lrom
thc cast. For a varicty ol rcasons, including wcathcr and problcms
among thc Mongol lcadcrs, thc invasion ncvcr occurrcd. Tc Tcm
plars and thcir allics did capturc thc city ol Tortosa but, without hclp,
thcy couldnt hold it. Tcy had to rctrcat to Ruad again.
Tc Tcmplars managcd to hold Ruad until .ca, whcn thc island
was invadcd by an gyptian cct. !t was hcadcd by an cmir, Sayl al
in scndcmur, who was born ol a Christian man and woman in a
land callcd Gcorgia. Tat is, hc camc lrom slavic lands and had bccn
capturcd as a slavc to thc gyptians. Tc Tcmplars had no ships largc
cnough to ght at sca or to cscapc in. Altcr a short battlc, thc Tcmplars
and thcir dcpcndcnts wcrc lorccd into surrcndcr. Tcy wcrc promiscd
salc passagc but thc Saraccns had thc hcads ol all thc Syrian loot
soldicrs cut o, bccausc thcy had put up such a sti dclcnsc and had
donc grcat damagc to thc Saraccns and thc brcthrcn ol thc Tcmplc
wcrc dishonourably conductcd to 8abylon. Tis is thc chroniclcrs
mctaphor to tcll thc rcadcr that, likc thc Jcws who wcrc stolcn lrom
!sracl, thc Tcmplars wcrc also sold into slavcry. !n this casc, thcy wcrc
probably takcn to thc slavc markcts in gypt.
Jacqucs wasnt on Tortosa whcn it was takcn. Hc was in Cyprus
trying to arrangc lor ships to bc scnt to rclicvc thc garrison. 8ut hc
might havc wishcd that hc had bccn. Tc loss ol Ruad and thc capturc
ol thc Tcmplars wcrc to bc uscd against thc ordcr at thc trials.
!n thc lacc ol disastcr and chaos in thc ast and a lack ol lunds or
rcinlorccmcnts coming lrom thc Vcst, Jacqucs dc Molay lclt it was
ncccssary to do somc pcrsonal rccruiting lor thc ordcr. Hc lclt thc ncw
Tcmplar hcadquartcrs in Cyprus in .a to scc il hc could spark somc
cnthusiasm among thc hcads ol uropc lor rctaking Jcrusalcm. Hc
also nccdcd to ovcrscc somc disputcs about various propcrtics hcld by
thc Tcmplars. Finally, hc intcndcd to hold a gcncral mccting ol thc
commandcrs and othcr o cials in uropc.
Tc ncxt two ycars wcrc spcnt in a tirclcss crisscross ol thc coun
trics in which thc Tcmplars wcrc most invcstcd: Francc, Provcncc,
8urgundy, Spain, !taly, and ngland. !n August .a, hc hcld thc gcn
cral mccting ol thc ordcr in Montpcllicr. !n Junc .a, hc hcld anothcr
gcncral chaptcr mccting in Paris. Sincc it was traditional that thcsc
mcctings bc hcld in sccrct, wc dont know what was discusscd at thcm.
Vc do know that Jacqucs was in Naplcs lor thc coronation ol
Popc 8onilacc \!!! and that hc sccms to havc had a good working
rclationship with thc popc. Tis would not havc cndcarcd him to thc
popcs mortal cncmy, King Philip IV, but thc lricndship docsnt sccm
cnough to cxplain why thc Tcmplars and Jacqucs wcrc singlcd out lor
thc kings vcndctta.
Howcvcr, thcrc is a possibility in somcthing that happcncd around
.a, to makc thc king think that Jacqucs had to go. A short timc bc
lorc, King Philip had borrowcd a,cc livrcs lrom thc Tcmplc. Tat
was a usual amount lor thc Frcnch kings. 8ut, according to a Cypriot
chroniclcr, thc trcasur cr ol thc Tcmplars also gavc Philip a loan ol
acc,ccc orins. Vhcn Jacqucs lound out about this cnormous loan,
hc cxpcllcd thc trcasur cr. vcn thc plcas ol thc king could not changc
his mind.
Tc troublc with accounts likc this is that wc dont know il thcy arc
truc or somcthing thc chroniclcr madc up. Tc rcc ords wcrc lost long
ago. Howcvcr, il it is truc, it would mcan that Jacqucs kncw that King
Philip was a bad crcdit risk. For Philip, it would bc a rcason to havc thc
Tcmplar rccords con vcnicntly misplaccd. !t would also indicatc that
thcrc was bad blood bctwccn thc king and thc ordcr bclorc thc arrcsts.
Jacqucs rcturncd to Cyprus in latc .a6 and staycd in thc ast lor
thc ncxt tcn ycars. Hc conductcd naval raids on gypt and partici
patcd in anothcr illlatcd cxpcdition to Armcnia around .a, in which
thc last Tcmplar holding in that kingdom was lost.
8y carly .c6, Jacqucs was awarc ol thc ccct that all thcsc losscs
wcrc having on public opinion in thc Vcst. Hc was also cmbroilcd in
thc politics ol thc kingdom ol Cyprus, just as his prc dc ccs sors had lct
thcmsclvcs bccomc involvcd in thc lcuds among thc lords ol thc Latin
kingdoms. Vhcn thc lcttcr camc lrom thc ncw popc, Clement V, tcll
ing him to comc up with a plan lor mcrging thc Tcmplars and thc
Hospitallcrs, his hcart must havc sunk. Tc idca ol combining thc
military ordcrs into onc had bccn around at lcast sincc thc Sccond
Council ol Lyons in .a,, but Jacqucs may havc lcarcd that this timc
thcrc would bc no rcpricvc lor thc Knights ol thc Tcmplc.
!l hc couldnt convincc thc popc that thcrc was a rcason lor thc
Tcmplars to continuc, hc kncw thcy would bc swallowcd up by thc
Hospitallcrs, thcir old rivals. !l so, hc could scc no placc lor himscll in
thc ncw ordcr.
Vhcn Popc Clcmcnt \ ordcrcd Jacqucs to comc to thc papal
court at Poiticrs to discuss thc mattcr, Jacqucs wrotc a lcttcr cxplain
ing his position on thc subjcct. His argumcnts against thc union
must havc sccmcd thin cvcn to him. Hc tclls thc popc that its not
right to ask a man who has joincd onc ordcr to suddcnly bccomc part
ol anothcr and that thcrc would bc bickcring and nastincss bctwccn
thc mcmbcrs ol thc two ordcrs il thcy had to livc togcthcr. Tc lamous
(or inlamous) rivalry bctwccn thc two ordcrs would bc lost, and with
it hcalthy compctition lor cach to bc bravcr, morc honorablc, and morc
charitablc than thc othcr. For, whcn thc Hospitallcrs madc an armcd
sortic against thc Saraccns, thc Tcmplars would stop at nothing until
thcy madc a bcttcr onc, and likcwisc lor thc Hospitallcrs.
Jacqucs docs admit that it might bc chcapcr to havc onc ordcr, but
hc lccls that thc rcsultant squabbling wouldnt bc worth it. All in all,
it wasnt thc most lorcclul dclcnsc hc could havc madc. 8ut, whilc hc
was cxtrcmcly conccrncd about thc proposal, ! bclicvc that his main
goal in rcturning to uropc was still to raisc cnough mcn to put Jcru
salcm back in Christian hands.
An intcrcsting point in thc opcning to Jacqucs lcttcr is somcthing
that casts doubt on thc rcliability ol his mcmory, cvcn whcn hc was
not subjcctcd to imprisonmcnt and thc thrcat ol torturc. Hc mcntions
that in .a, hc had attcndcd thc papal council at Lyon with Villiam
ol 8caujcu, who had rcccntly bccomc Grand Mastcr.
Now thc inquisitors might havc donc wcll to study this lcttcr bc
lorc thcy bcgan qucstioning Jacqucs, lor hc tclls Popc Clcmcnt that hc
rcmcmbcrs sccing King Louis !X (Saint Louis) at thc council. Louis
dicd in .a,c, lour ycars bclorc thc council was hcld. !l this had bccn
pointcd out at thc trial, it might havc put an cntircly dicrcnt spin on
thc casc. A man who has a vision ol a dcad saint isnt likcly to bc a
hcrctic. n thc othcr hand, a man who rcmcmbcrs an cvcnt that in
corrcctly might not bc vcry rcliablc on othcr mattcrs.
!t wasnt until Jacqucs rcachcd thc port ol Marscillc in latc summcr
ol .c, that hc hcard about thc rumors that wcrc bcing sprcad about thc
Tcmplars. Up until thcn, hc had assumcd that any complaints wcrc just
thc old oncs: Tcmplars wcrc proud, thcy wcrc grccdy, thcy didnt givc
cnough to charity, thcy wouldnt tcll anyonc about what happcncd in
thcir chaptcr mcctings, ctc., ctc. !maginc his horror at bcing told that
thcy wcrc bcing accuscd ol dcnying Christ, spitting on thc cross, and
gross obsccnity.
How thcsc storics bcgan is impossiblc to say, which docsnt mcan
that scholars havcnt tricd. Somc say that a brothcr with a nagging
conscicncc conlcsscd to a lricnd about what hc had bccn rcquircd to
do upon joining thc Tcmplc. thcrs, that mcn who had bccn cxpcllcd
lrom thc ordcr madc up thc storics to gct cvcn.
Somc sort ol talc about irrcgularitics in thc Tcmplar initiation
sccms to havc bccn circulating by carly in .c,. 8ut Jacqucs dc Molay
actcd as il hc wcrc no morc than mildly conccrncd. Hc told Popc
Clcmcnt that hc wantcd a papal commission sct up to invcstigatc and
disprovc thc slandcrs. Hc thcn wcnt on about his busincss. Tis was
as latc as August ol that ycar.
Tc sccrct ordcr lor thc arrcst ol thc Tcmplars was scnt out a
month latcr.
All ol thc contcmporary chroniclcrs statc that thc Tcmplars,
Jacqucs dc Molay in partic u lar, had no idca that thcy wcrc about
to bc takcn by thc kings mcn. Tcrc was no warning. Tcrc was no
timc to prcparc, to cc, to hidc any important documcnts or trca
surc. n Tursday thc twcllth ol ctobcr, Jacqucs wcnt to slccp as
thc hcad ol a prcstigious rcligious ordcr. n Friday thc thirtccnth,
hc was in prison bcing intcrrogatcd lor inlamous crimcs against
Christ.
Vhat must hc havc lclt whcn Guillaume de Nogaret and thc
soldicrs startcd bcating down thc doors at thc Paris Tcmplc: id hc
think it was a rc, an invasion, ncws ol somc disastcr in Cyprus:
Vhcn thc soldicrs burst into his slccping quartcrs and draggcd him
out into thc strccts, did hc undcrstand what was happcning:
Tc rcport ol his rst intcrrogation was madc on ctobcr a. !t is
a stark lcgal documcnt, a conlcssion that whcn hc was rcccivcd into
thc Tcmplars, lortytwo ycars bclorc, hc had bccn told to dcny Christ
and hc, although unwillingly, did it. Vhcn askcd il hc thcn spit on
thc cross hc answcrcd, no, hc had spit on thc ground.
Jacqucs admittcd to thcsc things but dcnicd that hc had bccn told
hc could join carnally with thc brothcrs and hc insistcd undcr oath
that hc had ncvcr donc such a thing.
Tat was all. 8ut it was cnough lor his advcrsarics. Tc ncxt day
thcy had Jacqucs rcpcat his conlcssion bclorc thc mastcrs ol thc
Univcrsity ol Paris. Tcy also madc him writc an opcn lcttcr to thc
othcr Tcmplars, stating that hc had admittcd his guilt and rcpcntcd.
Hc bcggcd thcm to do thc samc. Somc ol thcm did, but by no
mcans all.
Vhy did Jacqucs conlcss: Hc latcr said that hc had bccn starvcd
and thrcatcncd with torturc. ! suspcct that in thosc rst days, hc was
simply in a statc ol shock.
At somc point hc must havc rcalizcd that thc king ol Francc had
no lcgal powcr ovcr him or thc ordcr. !n all latcr intcrrogations, hc
rcluscd to answcr any ol thc qucstions, insisting that hc bc takcn to
thc popc, who alonc could judgc him.
For thc ncxt six ycars, Jacqucs dc Molay stuck to that position.
Tc trials and dclcnsc ol thc Tcmplars continucd without him as hc
rcmaincd silcnt in prison.
Tcrc is no doubt that his conlcssion, such as it was, damagcd
thc dclcnsc ol thc ordcr. ! think that il hc and thc othcr o ccrs ol thc
ordcr had hcld last, it would havc bccn much hardcr to convincc thc
gcncral public ol thc Tcmplars guilt. Many pcoplc wcrc doubtlul that
thcy wcrc as cvil as Philip and his councilors insistcd and thc knowl
cdgc that thc mastcr ol thc ordcr rcluscd to admit to thc truth ol thc
accusations might havc kcpt thc popc lrom issuing thc command lor
thc arrcst ol Tcmplars outsidc Francc. Sadly, wcll ncvcr know what
might havc happcncd.
Jacqucs gavc no lcadcrship to thc morc than six hundrcd Tcmplars
who soon camc lorward to dclcnd thcmsclvcs and thc ordcr. n c
tobcr a, .c,, hc did rccant his conlcssion in thc prcscncc ol two car
dinals scnt by Popc Clcmcnt. Howcvcr, in August .c, thc cardinals
qucstioncd him again at Chinon, whcrc hc was now imprisoncd. At
this timc, hc admittcd to thc samc crrors as bclorc.
Had hc bccn torturcd in thc mcantimc: Vas prison wcaring him
down: !t is intriguing that hc ncvcr admittcd to morc than thc irrcgu
larity ol his rcccption into thc ordcr. Hc spat ncxt to thc cross and dc
nicd Christ and thcn got on with thc job as a good Christian knight.
At thc intcrrogation ol .c, hc again insistcd that hc bc judgcd only
by thc popc. Vhcn rcmindcd ol his conlcssion, hc sccmcd to bc stupc
cd by this. Tc imagc is ol a man cmotionally and mcntally brokcn.
!ts hard not to bc critical ol Jacqucs dc Molay, sitting silcnt in his
ccll whilc so many othcrs riskcd, and lost, thcir livcs dclcnding thc Tcm
plars. Hc sccms to havc placcd his cntirc dclcnsc on thc bclicl that only
thc popc could judgc him. Hc did at onc point dclcnd thc ordcr as a
wholc, saying that thc pricsts wcrc orthodox, that hc kncw ol no othcr
rcligious ordcr that gavc so much to charity and that hc kncw ol no othcr
ordcr, nor pcoplc, who wcrc willing to put thcir livcs on thc linc dclcnd
ing thc laith against indcls. 8ut hc rctrcatcd back into horricd si
lcncc as thc accusations bccamc morc numcrous and morc bizarrc: that
thc Tcmplars worshippcd a black cat, that thcy worshippcd an idol that
thcy bclicvcd could makc thcm rich as wcll as causc crops to ourish,
that cvcry Good Friday thcy urinatcd on a crucix.
Altcr bcing qucstioncd by thc papal commission, Jacqucs was im
prisoncd lor thc ncxt lour ycars at thc royal chatcau at Gisors. Along
with him wcrc Raimbaud dc Caron, thc grand commandcr, Gcorcy
ol Charncy, thc commandcr ol Normandy, Gcoroy dc Gonncvillc,
commandcr ol AquitaincPoitou, and Hugh dc Pairaud, Tcmplar \is
itor ol Francc. Tcsc wcrc thc highcstranking Tcmplars in custody
and Popc Clcmcnt had insistcd on judging thcm himscll.
Tc popc took his timc about it.
Tcrc is no inlormation about Jacqucs and his collcagucs during
thc timc that thc popc was dcciding how to handlc thc mattcr. Fi
nally, in cccmbcr .., a ycar altcr thc rdcr ol thc Tcmplc had bccn
ocially disbandcd, Clcmcnt dccidcd to dclcgatc thc problcm ol Jacqucs
and thc othcrs to thrcc ol his cardinals. Tcy gathcrcd in Paris in
March ...
8clorc a group ol church dignitarics, including thc archbishop ol
Scns, who had allowcd ltylour Tcmplars to bc scnt to thc stakc in
..c, Jacqucs and thc othcrs conlcsscd to cvcrything. n thc Monday
altcr thc lcast ol St. Grcgory |March .| in thc public placc bclorc thc
cathcdral ol Notrc amc, thcy wcrc condcmncd to pcrpctual impris
onmcnt. 8ut, just whcn thc cardinals thought thc wholc aair was
nishcd, all at oncc, two ol thc Tcmplars, thc Grand Mastcr and thc
Mastcr ol Normandy, dclcndcd thcmsclvcs tcnaciously against thc
cardinal who pronounccd thc scntcncc and against thc archbishop ol
Scns. And without any rcspcct, thcy dcnicd cvcrything thcy had prc
viously sworn, which causcd many pcoplc to bc grcatly surpriscd.
King Philip was at his palacc ncarby and was immcdiatcly in
lormcd ol thc stand takcn by Jacqucs and Gcorcy ol Charncy. Tc
king had had cnough. Tc chroniclcr, Guillaumc dc Nangis, says,
Vithout tclling thc clcrgy, by a prudcnt dccision, that cvc ning, hc
|thc king| dclivcrcd thc two Tcmplars to thc amcs on a littlc is
land in thc Scinc, bctwccn thc royal gardcn and thc church ol thc
Hcrmit brothcrs.
Guillaumc continucs by saying that thcy cndurcd thc sucring
with such an air ol indicrcncc and calm that . . . to all thc witncsscs
it was a mattcr ol admiration and astonishmcnt.
nc ol thc witncsscs was Gcorcy ol Paris, a clcric in thc cmploy
ol King Philip. Hc includcd thc cpisodc in his vcrsc account:
Te Master, who saw the re near
Removed his clothing without fear
And then, as I saw with my own eyes
He went, naked in his shirt
Freely and with a brave face;
Never did he tremble,
Even when they shoved him this way and that
As they took him and tied him to the stake.
He let them bind him without fear.
Tey tied his hands with a rope
But he said to them, Lords at least
Let me join my hands a little
To make a prayer to God
For it is now the season
Here I see my judgment.
And death suits me well.
God knows who is wrong and who has sinned
Te time will come soon for evil
To those who have wrongly condemned us
God will avenge our deaths . . .
And hc wcnt so soltly to his dcath
Tat cvcryonc thcrc marvclcd at it.
Jacqucs dc Molay madc a good dcath. Vhcthcr hc actually gavc a
spccch on thc pyrc, ! dont know. Gcorcy ol Paris is thc only witncss
who mcntions it and hc was a poct and thcrclorc inclincd to liccnsc.
8ut it is agrccd that thc manncr ol his dcath causcd many to qucstion
his guilt and that ol thc ordcr.
Altcr rcading thc lcw rcc ords that arc lcltthc lcttcrs hc wrotc,
his statcmcnts during intcrrogations, thc accounts ol his travcls! gct
thc imprcssion that Jacqucs dc Molay was a man ol avcragc intclligcncc
and couragc. Hc was rcasonably pious and gcnuincly dcvotcd to thc
Tcmplars and thc goal ol rccapturing Jcrusalcm lor Christianity. Hc
kncw that thc ordcr nccdcd rclorm, but not bccausc ol hcrctical ritcs.
Hc sccms to havc had in mind making thc Rulc clcarcr to thc many
Tcmplars who wcrc not cducatcd and may havc misundcrstood things.
At no timc did hc givc thc imprcssion that hc had a sccrct agcnda.
n thc contrary, Jacqucs appcarcd stunncd by thc chargcs against thc
Tcmplars. Tis may havc bccn bccausc hc was not thc kind ol man
who was good at intriguc. His mislortunc was to comc up against a
king who was a mastcr at it.
J Gcorgcs Lizcrand, Le Dossier de L Aaire de Templiers (Paris, .a) p. .
2 Alain cmurgcr, Jacques de Molay: Le crepuscule des templiers (Paris: 8iographic Payot, acca) pp.
..
3 !bid., p. . For morc on Gaudin, plcasc scc chaptcr aa, Grand Masters 11911192/93.
4 !bid., pp. 6,.
5 Malcolm 8arbcr, Te Trial of the Templars (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .,, rcv. cd. Canto
acc6) p. a.
6 Rcg. Nicholas !\ t. !!, p. ., n. 6, quotcd in cmurgcr, p. .., translation minc.
7 Te Templar of Tyre, tr. Paul Crawlord (Ashgatc, acca) p. .c. Tc Tcmplar was ncithcr a Tcm
plar nor lrom Tyrc but somconc in thc ninctccnth ccntury callcd him that and thc namc stuck.
Hc was in Acrc and Cyprus during thc timc ol thc cvcnts hc chroniclcs.
8 Paul Crawlord, privatc corrcspondcncc, Aug. a6, acc6.
9 Te Templar of Tyre, pp. .6c6..
J0 !bid., p. .6.. Tc Tcmplars wcrc not actually takcn to thc city ol 8abylon. Tis is a biblical rclcr
cncc mcaning that thcy wcrc sold into slavcry. Tcy wcrc probably takcn to gypt.
JJ J. Michclct cd., Le Procs des Templiers (Paris, ..) pp. 6.
J2 cmurgcr, p. ...
J3 !bid., p. 6.
J4 Hcnri dc Curzon, La Maison du Temple de Paris (Paris, .) p. a,.
J5 Hclclc and Lcclcrq.
J6 Tcxt in Lizcrand, pp. ...
J7 Lizcrand, p. , quia si Hospitalarii lacicbant aliquod bonum cxcrcitium armorum contra Sara
ccnos, Tcmplari numquam ccssabant nisi lccisscnt tantumdcm vrl plus ct c convcrso.
J8 Lizcrand, P. Ccrtc rccolo quod papa Grcgorius, dum cssct in concilio Lugduncnsi ct sanctus
Ludovicus cum co.! dcnitcly rcmcmbcr that Popc Grcgory was at thc council with Saint
Louis and othcrs.
J9 Vhcthcr you bclicvc thc Tcmplars wcrc guilty ol thcsc things or not, it still must havc bccn
a shock.
20 cmurgcr, pp. a... cmurgcr sccms to lccl that thc allcgations wcrc truc but that thc cntry
ritual was just a tcst ol thc rccruits obcdicncc, a sort ol lratcrnity prank. ! disagrcc. ! givc my
rcasons in chaptcr c, Te Arrest and Trials of the Templars.
2J !bid., p. ac.
22 !bid., p. , qui, licct invictus, lccit.
23 !bid., scd spuit ad tcrram.
24 !bid., p. 6. !ntcrrogatus . . . si sibi luit aliquid dictum quod commiccrct sc carnalicr cum
lratribus, dixit pcr juramcntum suum quod non ncc umquam lccit.
25 Guillaumc dc Nangis, Chroniques captiennes: Tome II (Paris: Palco, acca) pp. .
26 Lizcrand.
27 Julcs Michclct, Le Procs des Templiers (Paris, .., rpt. Paris: ditions du C.T.H.S., .,)
pp. a, a, and , lor thrcc dicrcnt intcrrogations.
28 cmurgcr, pp. a6.
29 Michclct, p. , vidcbatur sc cssc valdc stupclactum dc hiis.
30 Plcasc scc chaptcr c.
3J Michclct, p. .
32 Malcolm 8arbcr, Te Trial of the Templars (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .,, rcv. cd. Canto,
acc6) pp. aa.
33 cmurgcr, p. a6.
34 Guillaumc dc Nangis, p..a.
35 !bid.
36 !bid., pp. .aa.
37 Quotcd in cmurgcr, pp. a66 (my translation).
CH A P T I R T WI NT Y NI NI
Philip the Fair
P
hilip !\ ol Francc was known as le Bel or thc Fair, not lor his
scnsc ol justicc, as will bc sccn, but lor his light coloring and
good looks. Hc was thc grandson ol Louis !X, who dicd whilc on
crusadc, and much ol Philips rcign was dircctcd at sccing that Louis
was rccognizcd as a saint.
Philip was born around .a6,. His mothcr, !sabclla, dicd in .a,c,
whilc rcturning lrom thc crusadc. Philips stcpmothcr, Maric dc 8ra
bant, was apparcntly not sympathctic to thc childrcn ol hcr husbands
rst marriagc. Shc sccms to havc rcscntcd hcr husbands sons bccausc
ol thc lact that hcrs would not inhcrit thc thronc.
Philip bccamc king ol Francc in .a, shortly altcr his marriagc to
Jcannc, hcircss ol Navarrc and Champagnc. Philips bridc brought
with hcr a tcrritory ncarly thc sizc ol hcr husbands, which shc man
agcd in hcr own right. Morc importantly, shc sccms to havc lovcd him
and hc hcr. Unlortunatcly this sccms to havc happcncd too latc in his
lilc to makc Philip a niccr pcrson. 8y all accounts hc was withdrawn
and uncomlortablc in public. Not thc bcst pcrsonality traits lor a rulcr.
Hc acquircd a rcputation lor bcing alool and pcrhaps not vcry bright.
8ut hc was at lcast ornamcntal. Scvcral pcoplc commcntcd on his
good looks.
Philip and Jcannc had thrcc sons and onc daughtcr. From his latcr
actions, it docsnt sccm that Philip carcd much lor his sons, but hc
Philips happy family. (Art Resource, NY)
may havc just had strangc ways ol showing it. !sabclla was in cvcry
scnsc daddys littlc princcss. vcn altcr shc marricd dward !! ol n
gland, hc kcpt in closc touch with hcr and oltcn gavc prcscnts to hcr
husband at hcr rcqucst.
!n ctobcr .a, whcn Philip was cightccn, his lathcr dicd, lcav
ing him thc kingdom, a disastrous war in Aragon, and a mountain ol
dcbt. So, bcsidcs bcing obscsscd with thc canonization ol this grand
lathcr, Philip was also drivcn to nd ncw ways to gct cash. Tc major
conicts ol his rcign arc all ticd to thcsc two goals.
Philip the Fair and Pope Boniface VIII
Moncy was at thc hcart ol Philips conict with thc Popc 8onilacc. To
support his war against dward ! ol ngland, Philip had lcvicd a tax
on lands owncd by thc Church. Tis was not unknown and usually thc
Church allowcd taxcs lor thc dclcnsc ol thc rcalm, although prcvi
241 Philip the Fair
ous kings and clcrics had always prctcndcd that it wasnt a tax but a
voluntary contribution.
Philip got carricd away with thc pcrccntagc ol thcir incomc that
hc chargcd thc Churchcs ol Francc and King dward, sccing that no
onc was complaining too much, dccidcd to do thc samc in ngland.
At this point 8onilacc stcppcd in and, in .a6, issucd a bull, Clericos
Laicos, lorbidding thc clcrgy to pay or agrcc to any aids or subsidics
to any lord without thc pcrmission ol thc Holy Scc.
Sincc thc church owncd a largc sharc ol thc land in both Francc
and ngland, Philip and dward wcrcnt happy with this. 8ut it was
Philip who wcnt ballistic. Hc orga nizcd a mcdia campaign against thc
popc. Pamphlcts bcgan to appcar castigating 8onilacc and thc clcrgy.
Sincc thc authors wcrc govcrnmcnt cmployccs, thcy didnt havc to
worry about libcl laws.
Tis tactic workcd so wcll that Philip would usc it again whcn hc
dccidcd to go altcr thc Tcmplars.
At rst 8onilacc backcd down, but thcn dccidcd to ght back. As
is thc casc with many major cvcnts, thc spark was somcthing minor. A
bishop in thc Langucdoc, 8crnard Saissct, was in thc habit ol gctting
a bit tipsy and running down thc king. Tis was a common a pastimc
thcn as it is today. 8ut Langucdoc was thc homc ol thc Cathar hcrcsy
and it had also only rcccntly bccn addcd to thc Frcnch posscssions.
Tis madc Philip morc scnsitivc to criticism coming lrom that rcgion.
nc commcnt that Saissct madc bccamc lamous throughout uropc:
ur king rcscmblcs an owl, thc laircst ol birds, but worthlcss. Hc is
thc handsomcst man in thc world, but hc only knows how to look at
pcoplc unblinkingly, without spcaking.
Tis and othcr pithy rcmarks causcd thc bishop to bc chargcd with
trcason. Now, it had bccn thc rulc lor ccnturics that clcrics chargcd ol
crimcs could only bc tricd in Church courts. !l thcy wcrc guilty ol major
crimcs, likc murdcr, thcy might bc turncd ovcr to civil authoritics lor
punishmcnt, but thc dccision to do so was madc by othcr clcrics. How
cvcr, instcad ol nding somc bishops willing to try Saissct in thcir
courts, Philip had thc bishop arrcstcd and brought to Scnlis lor trial.
8onilacc had had cnough. Hc issucd onc bull altcr anothcr
dcclaring that thc papacy was abovc any monarch and that Philip had
bcttcr turn Saissct ovcr to him or clsc. Tis dcclaration ol papal su
prcmacy was an old issuc. Tc popcs kcpt insisting that thcy wcrc thc
lcadcrs ol Christcndom and that kings wcrc mcrcly thcir licutcnants.
Tis ncvcr wcnt ovcr wcll with thc kings, who thought thc popcs wcrc
mcddlcrs. Soon this lcd to an allout war bctwccn 8onilacc and Philip.
!t was clcar to most pcoplc that thc popc would losc. Tc wiscst coursc
would bc to comc to somc sort ol compromisc, but 8onilacc rcluscd.
Hc mct Philip hcadon.
Vhy did 8onilacc sct himscll on a suicidc coursc: nc historian
suggcsts that hc had gallstoncs and that sourcd his charactcr.
Tc battlc did not connc itscll to words. Philip, through his ad
viscr Guillaume de Nogaret, accuscd 8onilacc ol hcrcsy, sodomy,
and othcr unclcrical bchavior. Tcy also implicd that hc wasnt rcally
a lawlul popc, having drivcn his prc dcccs sor, Cclcstinc \, out ol ol
cc. Tcrc was cnough truth in thcir accusations to put 8onilacc on
shaky ground. Hc was onc ol thc many popcs who had bccn clcctcd as
part ol a powcr strugglc bctwccn thc grcat lamilics ol Romc. Vhcn
Philip nccdcd hclp to condcmn thc popc, 8onilaccs cncmics, thc Col
onna lamily, wcrc happy to obligc.
Nogarct thcn wcnt to !taly and lcd a band that arrcstcd and im
prisoncd 8onilacc at his homc town ol Anagni. Howcvcr, altcr a short
timc, thc citizcns ol Anagni bccamc ncrvous about locking up a popc.
Public sympathy outsidc Francc was changing in support ol 8onilacc,
il not his policics. 8ut wcll ncvcr know who would havc won. 8oni
lacc was rclcascd and wcnt back to Romc an agcd and brokcn man. Hc
dicd a month latcr on ctobcr .., .c.
Tis is a quick summary ol a vcry complcx issuc, but thc arrcst ol
8onilacc is important to undcrstanding what happcncd to thc Tcm
plars bccausc thcrc is a pattcrn bcing cstablishcd hcrc. Philips battlc
with 8onilacc bcgan with thc kings nccd lor moncy to support his
various wars. Tc nccd camc rst. Tc moral and lcgal justications
lollowcd. Tcsc wcrc backcd up by accusations ol wrongdoing, somc
provablc, somc clcarly madc up, likc hcrcsy and scxual misconduct.
From Philips point ol vicw, cvcrything was justicd.
243 Philip the Fair
Philip and the Jews
Moncy still bcing a problcm, Philips ncxt targct was thc Jcwish popula
tion. Tc situation ol thc Jcws in Francc was always unstablc. As non
Christians, thcy wcrc alrcady sct apart lrom thc rcst ol thc population
and could bc morc casily targctcd. Tcy wcrc not numcrous and conccn
tratcd mostly in thc major citics, living in thcir own cnclavcs and lollow
ing thcir own customs. Jcws wcrc also considcrcd a scparatc socicty, with
thcir own courts. !n most placcs thcy wcrc undcr thc dircct protcction ol
thc king or bishop, to whom thcy paid hugc taxcs lor thc privilcgc.
Although thcrc had bccn sporadic accusations ol ritual murdcr,
thc worst bcing in 8lois in ..,., thcrc had bccn no mass pcrsccutions
in Francc. Philip !! had cxpcllcd thc Jcws lrom his tcrritory in ..c
but invitcd thcm back by ... Sincc thcn, thc Jcws wcrc gcncrally
lclt in pcacc in Francc.
vcn in thc thirtccnthccntury dctcrmination to stamp out hcrc
tics, Jcws wcrc lclt rclativcly alonc. Ncvcr having bccn Christian, thcy
couldnt bc hcrctics. 8ut, by thc cnd ol thc ccntury, thcrc was oncc
again a gcncral lccling that thcy shouldnt bc allowcd to livc in Chris
tian lands. dward ! cxpcllcd thcm lrom ngland in .ac and many
wcnt to Francc.
8y .c6, Philip !\ had lost thc county ol Gascony to dward and
thc county ol Flandcrs to Countcss Margaritc along with thc rcvcnuc
lrom thosc lands. Hc bcgan looking around lor a ncw sourcc ol cash.
!n thc Jcws hc suddcnly noticcd a scction ol thc population that had a
good dcal ol disposablc incomc and who wouldnt bc misscd at all.
Philip lclt that this was a chancc to kill two birds with onc stonc.
Along with his constant nccd lor moncy, his approval rating in thc cycs
ol thc Frcnch pcoplc was at an alltimc low. Not long bclorc, hc had
dcbascd thc coinagc, causing rampant ination. Vc all know how popu
lar that makcs politicians. !n Paris this causcd latal scdition. Tc in
habitants ol that town wcrc lorccd to rcnt thcir houscs and rcccivc thc
rcntal paymcnts in thc ncw coin, according to royal dccrcc. Most ol thc
common pcoplc lound this vcry oncrous lor it triplcd thc usual pricc.
Philip madc a plan to cxpcl thc Jcws and takc thcir propcrty. His
cxcusc was that thcy wcrc known to bc usurcrs who gougcd honcst
Christians with cxorbitant intcrcst. Actually, thc ratcs thc Jcws chargcd
wcrc oltcn lowcr than thosc ol thc Christian lcndcrs but that madc thc
gcncral angcr worsc sincc that mcant thcy wcrc taking busincss lrom
Christians.
Philip and his adviscrs dccidcd that it was bcttcr to kccp thc mattcr
quict until thc day ol thc arrcsts. Tcy didnt want noblcs protcsting,
Jcws ccing with thcir valuablcs, or local mobs gctting into thc spirit ol
things and looting Jcwish propcrty bclorc thc kings mcn arrivcd.
Tc lightning arrcsts didnt go as smoothly as planncd. Somc Jcws
got away with thcir goods. Somc lords tricd to protcct thcm. 8ut Philip
got cnough out ol thc cpisodc to makc it worth his whilc. For good
mcasurc, hc also cxpcllcd thc Lombards, anothcr group ol lorcigncrs
associatcd with banking.
Still Philip nccdcd morc. Hc cast about lor anothcr group that was
pcrccivcd as wcalthy and wasnt all that pop ular. Hc scttlcd on thc Tcm
plars. His attack on thcm uscd all thc tools hc had pcrlcctcd in his car
licr vcndctta. vidcncc that thc Tcmplars wcrcnt cxpccting to bc put
among thc outsidcrs was thc lact that thcy bought thc synagoguc com
plcx in 8clvzc cithcr lrom thc ccing Jcws or lrom thc king. Tc com
plcx was wallcd and had a moat, pcrlcct to thc nccds ol thc Tcmplars.
Tcy only had a lcw months to rcdccoratc bclorc thcir turn camc.
Last Years
Historians havc disagrccd as to how much Philip was thc instigator ol
thc dccds attributcd to him. 8crnard Saissct wasnt thc only contcm
porary who had a low opinion ol thc king. Anothcr contcmporary
said, ur king is an apathctic man, a lalcon. Vhilc thc Flcmings
actcd, hc passcd his timc in hunting. . . . Hc is a child, hc docs not scc
that hc is bcing dupcd and takcn advantagc ol by his cntouragc.
Vas hc: ! cant bc surc. His closc adviscr Guillaume de Nogaret
has bccn blamcd lor cvcry cvil thing Philip did, cspccially rcgarding
Philip the Fair 245
Popc 8onilacc and thc Tcmplc. !ts possiblc that Philip was casily
dupcd. !ts also possiblc that Philip, likc many pcoplc, prclcrrcd to
makc a good imprcssion on thc public and lct undcrlings takc thc
hcat. Hc might havc bccn a Tcon king. From looking at thc rcc ords,
!m inclincd to think hc was smartcr than pcoplc thought and not just
a puppct. !m surc thc mattcr will continuc to bc dcbatcd lor ycars.
Altcr thc cxccution ol thc Tcmplars, Philip had onc morc major
scandal. !n Novcmbcr .., all thrcc ol his daughtcrsinlaw wcrc ac
cuscd ol adultcry and arrcstcd. !t appcars that two ol thcm wcrc
guilty, although ! wouldnt swcar to that, cithcr. Tc third managcd to
provc hcr innoccncc. Tc mcn involvcd wcrc cxccutcd. Tc two womcn
who wcrc convictcd wcrc imprisoncd and dicd soon altcr.
Tis wholc situation is cxtrcmcly odd. nc wondcrs just what was
wrong with Philips sons. !vc ncvcr lound a rclcrcncc to thcm cithcr
condcmning or dclcnding thcir wivcs. vcrything was donc by thc
king. !ts anothcr indication that Philip always callcd thc shots.
Vhilc thc thrcc sons cach bccamc king in his turn, nonc ol thcm
produccd an hcir. !n an ironic twist, Philips only dcsccndant would bc
thc son ol his daughtcr, !sabclla, whosc marriagc to dward !! ol n
gland produccd King dward !!!. Tat lcd to what is callcd thc Hun
drcd Ycars Var bctwccn thc two countrics. !l hcr actions in ngland
arc any indication, !sabclla was a chip o thc royal block.
Anothcr ol thc signicant changcs in King Philips rcign is his
rcliancc on lawycrs to maintain thc workings ol thc statc. Unlikc his
anccstors, Philips adviscrs wcrc not rclativcs or knights who owcd
him military scrvicc, but lcgal administrators. Tc strongcst, most
highly dcvclopcd . . . branch ol thc govcrnmcnt was thc judicial sys
tcm. Philip was a mastcr at using this systcm to givc a lcgal justi
cation lor all his actions, including anncxing thc land ol othcr
countrics, bringing down a popc, cxpclling thc Jcws, and, ol coursc,
dcstroying thc Tcmplars.
His lcgacy is still bcing disputcd. !n many ways hc strcngthcncd
thc Frcnch govcrnmcnt. Hc provcd that a king in his own country can
bc morc powcrlul than a popc in Romc. Hc cstablishcd a wcblikc bu
rcaucracy that, as lar as ! can tcll, still thrivcs. Hc ccrtainly madc thc
law a vcry lucrativc prolcssion in Francc. 8ut cvcn his grcatcst sup
portcrs admit that a chilly, arrogant pcrsonality couplcd with rampant
ovcrspcnding madc him onc ol thc most dislikcd kings Francc cvcr
had. His trcatmcnt ol thc Tcmplars is only onc ol many misdccds
Philip committcd in his singlcmindcd qucst lor nancial sccurity.
Philips passion lor hunting was lcgcndary and it surpriscd no onc
whcn hc dicd in a hunting accidcnt, Novcmbcr a, ...
J Hc was, ol coursc, or thcrc would bc no St. Louis, Missouri.
2 Joscph Straycr, Te Reign of Philip the Fair (Princcton: Princcton Univcrsity Prcss, .c) p. 6.
3 !bid., p. ..
4 !bid., p....
5 Robcrt Fawticr, Te Capetian Kings of France (London: Macmillan, .6) pp. c..
6 !bid.
7 8ishop 8crnard Saissct, quotcd in Charlcs\ictor Langlois, Philip thc Fair: Tc Unknown
King in Philip the Fair and Boniface VIII, cd. and tr. Charlcs T. Vood (Ncw York: Holt Rinc
hart Vinston, .6,) p..
8 Straycr, pp. a6a6.
9 Jcan Favicr, Philippe le Bel (Paris: Fayard, .,) p. a6 (my translation).
J0 Straycr, pp. a,,,.
JJ !bid., p. a,.
J2 T. S. R. 8oasc, Boniface VIII (London: Constablc and Co., .) pp. ...
J3 Robcrt Chazan, Medieval Jewry in Northern France, (Jolins Hopkins Univcrsity Prcss, 8alti
morc, .,) p. ,.
J4 !bid. p. ,.
J5 Continuator ol Guillaumc dc Nangis, Chroniques Captiennes.Tome II, tr. Franois Guizot
(Paris: Palco, acca) p. .
J6 Villiam Chcstcr Jordan, Te French Monarchy and the Jews (Philadclphia: Univcrsity ol Pcnn
sylvania Prcss, .).
J7 Jordan, pp. aca.
J8 Favicr, p. ac.
J9 Scc chaptcr c, Te Arrest and trials of the Templars.
20 Cyril P. Hcrshon, Faith and Controversy: Te Jews of Mediaeval Languedoc (Univcrsity ol 8ir
mingham, UK, .) p. .ca.
2J Favicr, p. 6.
22 Straycr lcans to this opinion and makcs a vcry good casc lor it.
23 Guillaumc dc Nangis, pp. .ac.
24 !sabcllas lilc is anothcr intcrcsting story. Just dont bclicvc anything you saw about hcr in
Braveheart. Shc was only vc ycars old whcn Villiam Vallacc dicd.
25 Straycr, p. .
CH A P T I R T HI R T Y
Friday the Tirteenth;
the Arrest and Trials
of the Templars
A
t thc bcginning ol ctobcr .c, Jacques de Molay was mainly
conccrncd with lcnding o thc proposcd union ol thc Tcm
plars and thc Hospitallers and with gctting togcthcr thc mcn and
matcrials ncccssary to rctakc thc Holy Land. Hc sccms to havc had no
idca that Philip the Fair was alrcady prcparing thc mass arrcst ol cv
cry Tcmplar in Francc.
c Molay may havc cvcn lclt that hc had a rcal chancc ol succcss.
Tc ncw popc, Clcmcnt \, had proclaimcd lrom thc bcginning ol his
ponticatc that thc rccovcry ol thc Holy Land was onc ol his main
goals. King Philip also sccmcd disposcd to lcading a crusadc, al
though thc tcrms undcr which hc would do so wcrcnt what thc mastcr
ol thc Tcmplc had in mind. Philip wantcd thc Tcmplars disbandcd
and a ncw ordcr crcatcd, possibly undcr thc lcadcrship ol his youngcr
brothcr, Charlcs dc \alois. Charlcs had marricd Cathcrinc dc Cour
tcnay, granddaughtcr ol thc last Vcstcrn cmpcror ol Constantinoplc,
and hc had drcams ol onc day rctaking thc city lrom thc Grccks and
ruling it himscll.
Tcrclorc, c Molay sccms to havc bccn oblivious to thc coming
storm. Vhcn hc camc to Paris in ctobcr .c,, hc had no idca that
Philip had alrcady scnt out thc ordcr lor thc arrcst ol cvcry Tcmplar in
Francc.
Vhy did Philip dccidc that thc Tcmplars would bc his ncxt tar
gct: !ts not rcally clcar, cvcn with thc mass ol matcrial his counsclors
wrotc to justily his actions. !l wc takc thcsc documcnts at lacc valuc,
thc pious king had rcccntly bccn horricd to lcarn that thc Tcmplars
wcrc not as thcy sccmcd. !nstcad ol bcing thc pillars ol Christcndom,
a bulwark against thc hcathcn, thcy had rcally rcnounccd Christ and
wcrc working activcly against Him and, by cxtcnsion, against thc
most Christian king ol Francc and, oh ycs, thc papacy.
nc month bclorc thc arrcst, on Scptcmbcr ., .c,, Philip scnt
sccrct ordcrs to his ocials throughout thc land. His words lcavc no
doubt ol his shock and horror at what hc was asking thcm to do: A
bittcr thing, a dolclul thing, a thing horriblc to contcmplatc, tcrriblc
to hcar, a dctcstablc crimc, an cxccrablc pollution, an abominablc act,
a shocking inlamy, somcthing complctcly inhuman, cvcn morc, out
sidc ol all humanity.!!!
Tc mcn who rcccivcd this must havc bccn quaking in thcir boots
as thcy rcad, not knowing what monstcr was about to bc unlcashcd.
Philips ordcrs continuc in this way lor a lull pagc bclorc hc lcts on
that thc pcrpctrators ol this cvil arc, gasp, thc Tcmplars! Volvcs in
shccps clothing, undcr thc habit ol thcir ordcr, thcy insult thc laith.
ur Lord Jcsus Christ, crucicd lor thc salvation ol mankind, is cru
cicd again in our timc.
Hc thcn rcvcals thc blasphcmics that thcy arc guilty ol. Tcsc
would bccomc lamiliar to cvcryonc soon, but onc has to wondcr
what thc bailis and scncschals lclt whcn thcy hcard thcm lor thc
rst timc.
!n thcir initiation ccrcmonics, Philip statcs, thc Tcmplars ritually
dcny thc laith thrcc timcs. Tcn thcy spit thrcc timcs on thc lacc ol
thc cross. Finally, thc ncw rccruit strips nakcd and kisscs thc Tcmplar
who has rccruitcd him, rst at thc basc ol thc spinc, thcn on thc navcl,
and thcn on thc mouth, as is thc prolanc ritc ol thcir ordcr.
As il that isnt cnough, thcn thc ncw rccruit to thc Tcmplars is
249 Friday the Thirteenth
told that hc must now givc himscll to thc othcr brothcrs, not rclusing
anything thcy ask, lying togcthcr in this horriblc and drcadlul vicc.
And, by thc way, thcy also worship idols.
Philip winds up by tclling his ocials that hc is only taking this
drastic stcp at thc rcqucst ol thc !nquisitor Gcncral ol Paris, and with
thc pcrmission ol thc popc, bccausc thc Tcmplars posc a clcar and
prcscnt dangcr to all thc pcoplc ol Christcndom. Tcrclorc, hc com
mands his mcn to arrcst all thc Tcmplars in thcir jurisdiction and hold
thcm. Tc ocials arc also to scizc all thcir goods, both buildings and
propcrty, and hold thcm lor thc king (ad manum nostrumlor our
hand), without using or dcstroying anything. 8ccausc, ol coursc, il it
should turn out that thc Tcmplars wcrc innoccnt, cvcrything ought to
bc rcturncd to thcm just as thcy lclt it.
Guillaumc dc Paris, thc !nquisitor, was also Philips privatc con
lcssor. l coursc that didnt acct his loyalty to thc Faith or to thc
popc, not at all.
vcrything was in placc.
n Tursday, ctobcr .a, .c,, Jacqucs dc Molay attcndcd thc
luncral ol Cathcrinc dc Courtcnay, thc wilc ol Charlcs dc \alois. Hc
was givcn a placc ol honor and cvcn hcld onc ol thc cords ol thc pall.
Tat night, hc must havc gonc to bcd lccling lairly surc ol his placc in
court socicty.
! havc oltcn hcard that our supcrstition about Friday thc thir
tccnth bcing an unlucky day stcms lrom thc arrcst ol thc Tcmplars. !ts
vcry dicult to tracc thc origin ol a lolk bclicl. !t docs sccm that thir
tccn was an unlucky numbcr long bclorc thc Tcmplars, and thcrc arc
traditions that Friday is an unlucky day, pcrhaps stcmming lrom Fri
day bcing thc day ol Jcsus crucixion. ! havcnt bccn ablc to discovcr
whcn thc two bclicls wcrc joincd. !t was ccrtainly unlucky lor Jacqucs
and thc rcst ol thc Tcmplars. !n lact, Jacqucs world was shattcrcd in
thc prcdawn hours ol thc ncxt morning, Friday, ctobcr ., whcn thc
Temple in Paris was invadcd by agcnts ol thc king. All thc Tcmplars
that could bc lound in thc kingdom ol Francc wcrc, all at oncc, in thc
samc momcnt, scizcd and lockcd up in dicrcnt prisons, altcr an ordcr
and dccrcc ol thc king.
!ts not clcar il thcy kncw at rst what thcy wcrc chargcd with.
Jacqucs dc Molay had apparcntly hcard thc rumors ol improprictics in
thc ordcr and had askcd Popc Clcmcnt to look into thcm. Clcmcnt
promiscd to do so but put thc mattcr o bccausc ol his chronic illncss.
Ncithcr man sccmcd to lccl it was anything urgcnt.
8y ctobcr a, Jacqucs dc Molay had conlcsscd to cvcry misdccd
his accuscrs suggcstcd. Hc did this, thc rcc ords statc, not bccausc ol
torturc or lcar ol torturc or bccausc hcd bccn thrown into prison but
on thc contrary, hc spokc thc purc truth lor thc good ol his soul.
Almost all ol thc Tcmplars arrcstcd that night produccd almost
idcntical conlcssions within thc ncxt lcw wccks. ithcr thcy wcrc ob
viously guilty or thc inquisitors had all bccn working lrom thc samc
script.
Pcoplc who hcard ol this tcndcd to onc sidc or thc othcr dcpcnd
ing on thcir cxpcricncc with thc Tcmplars and thcir distancc lrom thc
court ol Philip thc Fair. Jamcs !!, king ol Aragon, wrotc to Philip that
hc was astonishcd by thc accusations, as thc Tcmplars had livcd as
rcligious mcn in thcsc parts in a laudablc manncr according to pop ular
opinion. dward !! ol ngland, Philips soninlaw, told him that
hc and his council lound thc wholc mattcr morc than is possiblc to
bclicvc.
Tc pcrson who was most amazcd, apart lrom thc imprisoncd
Tcmplars, was Popc Clcmcnt. As onc ol thc cxcmpt ordcrs, thc Tcm
plars wcrc answcrablc only to thc popc. Not cvcn thc local bishops
could prosccutc thcm. Tis had bccn a sourcc ol lriction cvcr sincc thc
military ordcrs had bccn loundcd. Tcrclorc, lor thc king ol Francc
who was, whcn all is said and donc, only a laymanto arrcst and
qucstion thc Tcmplars without cvcn tclling thc popc rst, that was
just too much.
Clcmcnt lct Philip know that hc wasnt happy. Hc immcdiatcly
wrotc to thc king, You . . . havc in our abscncc, violatcd cvcry rulc
and laid hands on thc pcrsons and propcrty ol thc Tcmplars. You havc
also imprisoncd thcm and, what pains us cvcn morc, you havc not
trcatcd thcm with duc lcnicncy |that mcans you torturcd thcm| . . .
Your hasty act is sccn by all, and rightly so, as an act ol contcmpt
towards oursclvcs and thc Roman Church.
Clcmcnt was right to bc alarmcd. Hc rcmcmbcrcd only too wcll
what had happcncd to 8onilacc \!!! in his homctown in !taly, whcn
hc had madc an cncmy ol Philip. How much morc dangcrous was it
lor a popc to challcngc Philip thc Fair in his own kingdom: Clcmcnt
had bccn drivcn out ol Romc and was at that timc in Poiticrs. Still,
hc had to say somcthing. Philip sccmcd to bc usurping thc rolc ol
lcadcr ol thc laithlul. Clcmcnt probably kncw that hc was alrcady
widcly rcgardcd as nothing morc than Philips puppct. 8ut this was
going too lar. Tc popc kncw that hc had ncvcr agrccd to lct Philips
mcn arrcst thc Tcmplars, but Philip had told cvcryonc that hc had
blcsscd thc dccd.
Clcmcnt had to nd a way to gct control ol thc situation.
Philip argucd in rcturn that, sincc thc Tcmplars wcrc so dangcr
ous and thc thrcat so immincnt, as a good Christian and crowncd
dclcndcr ol thc laith, hc had no choicc but to act, sincc thc popc
wouldnt. Clcmcnt didnt agrcc with that, nor did thc mastcrs at thc
Univcrsity ol Paris whcn Philip put thc mattcr to thcm.
Actually, Philip ncvcr said just what thrcat thc Tcmplars poscd.
Tcrc was a vcilcd insinuation that thcy might bc luring morc mcn
into thc pcrnicious hcrcsy ol thc ordcr, but thcrc was no mcntion ol an
upcoming plot to dcstroy thc kingdom or assassinatc thc popc. As a
mattcr ol lact, until Jacqucs dc Molay conlcsscd, nonc ol thc chargcs
wcrc anything but rumors. 8ut altcr Jacqucs and othcr lcadcrs ol thc
Tcmplars admittcd thcir guilt, thc latc ol thc Tcmplars was scalcd.
Still, it would bc anothcr vc ycars bclorc thc ordcr was o cially
dissolvcd. Tc story ol thcsc ycars rcccts thc politics and cmotional
climatc ol thc timc as much as thc guilt or innoccncc ol thc Tcm
plars.
Tcy wcrc, to somc cxtcnt, pawns in thc strugglc ol Popc Clcm
cnt to cscapc thc control ol thc king ol Francc. Tcy also sucrcd
lrom thc rcscntmcnt ol local bishops and pricsts against thc cxcmpt
ordcrs along with a pop u lar lccling that thc Tcmplars had grown
too arrogant and powcrlul. Addcd to that was a growing uncasc in
uropc about hcrcsy and thc bcginning ol a bclicl that it was somc
how conncctcd to sorccry and magic. Tis was to culminatc in thc
scvcntccnth ccntury, during thc nlightcnmcnt, with thc witch
trials.
At rst, Clcmcnt simply tricd to makc thc bcst ol a bad situation.
!n ordcr to appcar that hc was in chargc, on Novcmbcr aa, .c,, hc
ordcrcd that all Tcmplars in all countrics bc arrcstcd. Hc also scnt
cmissarics to try to nd out what was going on.
Vhilc thc popc dithcrcd, thc kings mcn continucd to qucstion
thc Tcmplars cncrgctically. !t was said that at lcast thirtysix ol thcm
dicd as a rcsult.
Where Did the Charges Come From?
Most ol the charges against thc Tcmplars arc so commonplacc that
lor a long timc pcoplc assumcd that Philip and his counsclors had
madc thcm up. Accusations ol dclacing holy objccts, idolatry, scxual
dcviation, and wild orgics havc bccn staplcs ol condcmnations ol out
sidcrs sincc long bclorc thc Christian cra. As a mattcr ol lact, thc
accusation ol hcrcsy without orgics sccms to bc almost unhcard ol,
cvcn against groups that prcach cclibacy.
!n any casc, it turns out that at lcast onc pcrson was sprcading
salacious storics about thc Tcmplars in thc months bclorc thc arrcsts.
A man lrom Gascony, squin dc Floyran, had bccn trying to gct thc
kings ol uropc to pay attcntion to him lor somc timc. Hc had rst
gonc to King Jamcs !! ol Aragon with thc inlormation, but Jamcs had
told him that his storics wcrc nonscnsc.
Undauntcd, Floyran took his inlormation to Philip thc Fair, who
was much morc rcccptivc and scnt spics into thc Tcmplar commandcr
ics to nd out il thc chargcs wcrc truc. Tc spics rcportcd back that
thcy wcrc. !ts not clcar cxactly how thc spics lound that out. Tcy
dont sccm to havc actually joincd thc Tcmplars thcmsclvcs. Pcrhaps
thcy hung about in local tavcrns asking scrvants and othcrs. Tats
what invcstigators do on tclcvision.
Tc Tcmplars wcrc awarc ol Floyrans accusations, but dont sccm
to havc bccn that worricd about him. For an cxpcricnccd lcadcr,
Jacqucs dc Molay actcd in a manncr that was most unworldly.
!n January .c, Floyran wrotc a lcttcr to King Jamcs !! to say !
told you so. !n it hc spccics that hc told Jamcs that thc Tcmplars
dcnicd Christ and spit on thc cross, that thcy wcrc cncouragcd to havc
scx with cach othcr, and that thc rcccption ccrcmony includcd kissing
on various parts ol thc body. Hc rcminds Jamcs that you wcrc thc
rst princc in thc wholc world to whom ! cxposcd thcir actions. . . . !n
this you wcrc unwilling, lord, to givc lull crcdcncc to my words. Hc
thcn gocs on to givc thc main rcason lor his lcttcr: My Lord, rcmcm
bcr that you promiscd mc . . . that il thc activitics ol thc Tcmplars
wcrc lound to bc provcd, you would givc mc .,ccc livrcs in rcnts and
,ccc livrcs in moncy lrom thcir goods.
Tcrc is no rccord ol Jamcs paying.
! havcnt lound anything that indicatcs whcrc squin dc Floyran
lound thc inlormation about thc Tcmplars in thc rst placc. Vas hc a
good citizcn rcporting a crimc or a grccdy bastard with an ax to grind:
As with so many things, wc may ncvcr know.
If the Templars Were Innocent,
Why Did They Confess?
For scvcral ccnturics, pcoplc havc dcbatcd this qucstion. Somc pcoplc
havc said that thcy must havc bccn guilty. !l thcy wcrcnt doing somc
thing bad, why wcrc thcir rcccption ccrcmonics sccrct: thcrs havc
assumcd that thcrc was somcthing in thc chargcs but thc actions wcrcnt
signs ol hcrcsy. Tc spitting on thc cross and dcnying ol Christ wcrc
just tcsts to judgc thc obcdicncc ol thc ncw rccruit. Tc kisscs wcrc just
mcdicval boyish high spirits, to show humility. Tc ccrcmony was
nothing morc scrious than a lratcrnity initiation.
Somc pcoplc havc takcn thc conlcssions morc scriously. Tcy havc
assumcd that at lcast parts ol thc conlcssions rccctcd rcal cvcnts and
uscd thcm to asscrt that thc Tcmplars wcrc rcally a sccrct mystical
and/or pagan socicty. Vhilc thcy wcrc accuscd ol blasphcmy and
dcnial ol thc divinity ol Jcsus, nonc ol thc accusations imply that thc
Tcmplars had a cohcrcnt sccrct agcnda.
! bclicvc that many ol thosc scarching lor cxplanations havc ig
norcd thc situation that thc Tcmplars lound thcmsclvcs in as wcll as
thc bclicls ol thc world in which thcy livcd.
First ol all, most ol thc mcn arrcstcd wcrc not knights, but scrv
ing brothcrs or cvcn scrvants. Tc avcragc agc ol thosc qucstioncd in
Paris was ..6 ycars. Jacqucs dc Molay was at lcast in his carly six
tics. thcrs wcrc still in thcir tccns and had only rcccntly joincd thc
ordcr. Tis was natural, as all mcn ol ghting agc wcrc scnt to thc ast
as soon as possiblc, so thc oncs lclt in Francc would havc bccn cithcr
too old and inrm to ght or not yct traincd. 8ut it mcant that thc
wcakcst ol thc brothcrs wcrc thc oncs who lcll into Philips trap.
!n ordcr to makc scnsc ol thc accusations against thc Tcmplars
and thcir conlcssions, onc nccds to undcrstand how hcrcsy was vicwcd
at this timc. !t was not cnough simply to bclicvc somcthing that wcnt
countcr to Church tcaching. nc had to hold to a contrary bclicl cvcn
altcr thc acccptcd doctrinc was cxplaincd. Also, thc hcrcsy usually
was ignorcd unlcss thc bclicvcr tricd to convcrt othcrs.
An cstablishcd group ol hcrctics who didnt answcr to Church or
civil authority could lcad to a brcakdown ol socicty. Tis was onc rca
son why kings and othcr rulcrs wcrc cagcr to stamp it out. Tis dangcr
had bccn madc all too clcar lty ycars bclorc thc Tcmplar trial whcn
wholc countics had rcluscd to obcy local rcligious lcadcrs, prclcrring
thc tcaching ol thc Cathars.
Howcvcr, in thcory, thc Church did not want to punish sinncrs,
but savc thcm. Tcrclorc, il a hcrctic conlcsscd, showcd contrition,
and was prcparcd to do pcnancc, hc or shc would bc lorgivcn and
brought back into thc lold. !n thc casc ol thc Tcmplars, whcn thcy
wcrc arrcstcd, thcy wcrc prcsumcd to bc guilty. A chroniclcr rcports,
Somc ol thcm conlcsscd, sobbing, to most or all ol thcsc crimcs.
Tcsc wcrc allowcd, it sccms, to rcpcnt. Somc othcrs wcrc qucstioncd
with various torturcs, or lrightcncd by thc thrcat or sight ol thc tor
turc instrumcnts. Still othcrs wcrc lcd or cocrccd by inviting promiscs.
Many wcrc tormcntcd and lorccd by starvation in thc prison to swcar
to thc truth ol thc accusations.
Altcr days or wccks ol imprisonmcnt and torturc, it may wcll havc
sccmcd to thc Tcmplars that it would makc morc scnsc just to conlcss,
do thc pcnancc, and gct on with thcir livcs. Sccn in this light, thc
mass conlcssions makc somc scnsc.
Vhat is amazing is that thc conlcssions wcrc rctractcd. Tc
chroniclcr is also amazcd. 8ut a grcat numbcr ol thcm dcnicd abso
lutcly cvcrything, and morc, who had at rst conlcsscd, latcr rccantcd
and pcrsistcd in thcir dcnials right up to thc cnd. Somc among thcm
dicd whilc bcing torturcd.
Finally, Popc Clcmcnt bccamc lcd up with Philips dctcrmination
to continuc thc unauthorizcd intcrrogation ol thc Tcmplars. Sincc thc
king insistcd that hc was only acting on bchall ol Guillaumc dc Paris,
thc papal inquisitor, Clcmcnt was ablc to nd a loopholc. !n Fcbruary
.c, hc suspcndcd thc !nquisition in Francc, thcrcby bringing thc
trial ol thc Tcmplars to a dcad cnd.
8ut it was too latc to go back. Tcmplars all ovcr Christcndom
wcrc in prison or on thc run. Tcir goods had bccn conscatcd. And
thc Grand Mastcr had conlcsscd to horriblc crimcs that, by cxtcnsion,
madc cvcry Tcmplar suspcct ol thc samc.
Clcmcnt may havc bccn hoping to makc thc invcstigation ol thc
Tcmplars purcly an intcrnal mattcr, but Philip was having nonc ol
that. Hc stcppcd up his mcdia campaign against thc Tcmplars. nc
ol his clcrks, Picrrc ubois, wrotc a pcoplcs proclamation, sup
poscdly a rccction ol popu lar Frcnch opinion. !t was writtcn in
Frcnch and widcly distributcd throughout thc kingdom. !n it, thc
pcoplc prolcss thcmsclvcs to bc horricd by thc buggcry ol thc
Tcmplars. Tcy arc also upsct about thc conlcssions ol blasphcmy
and can only imaginc that thc Tcmplars havc bribcd thc popc to stop
thc procccdings.
!nstcad ol attacking thc Tcmplars, thc proclamation gocs lor Popc
Clcmcnt, who is rcally an casicr targct. !t accuscs him not only ol tak
ing bribcs but ol putting many ol his rclativcs in important positions
in thc Church. 8oth ol thcsc things wcrc truc. His ncphcw 8crnard
dc Fargucs had bccn madc archbishop ol Roucn. Anothcr ncphcw,
Arnaud dc Cantiloup, bccamc archbishop ol 8ordcaux. Yct anothcr,
Gaillard dc Prcissac, was givcn thc bishopric ol Toulousc. Tc popc
was vcry much a lamily man.
Clcmcnt had rcason to bc ncrvous, as thc lcttcr continucd to hint
that a popc who didnt act in thc intcrcsts ol thc laith might not bc
around long.
Tis was lollowcd by a sccond proclamation, in Latin, that lo
cuscd morc on thc sins ol thc Tcmplars but still bcggcd thc king to scc
that thc popc takc action at oncc. Tc pcoplc ol thc Kingdom ol
Francc urgcntly and dcvotcdly ask Your Majcsty that howcvcr . . . thc
discord bctwccn you and thc popc ovcr thc punishmcnt ol thc Tcm
plars, hc sworc to uphold thc Catholic laith. Again it urgcs thc king
to hclp thc popc scc his duty and condcmn thc Tcmplars.
Tc king thcn callcd togcthcr a group ol rcprcscntativcs lrom thc
kingdom, consisting ol minor local ocials and bourgcoisic. Hc put
thc mattcr to thcm as spokcsmcn lor thc pcoplc ol Francc and thcy
camc through by agrccing that somcthing should bc donc.
Clcmcnt got thc mcssagc. vcn so, hc rcluscd to allow thc king to
judgc thc ordcr. !n carly .c, hc sct up a papal commission to intcr
vicw thc Tcmplars in custody and gathcr cvidcncc lor a dccision on thc
ordcr as a wholc. Hc had alrcady announccd that thcrc would bc a
gcncral council ol thc Church that would mcct in ctobcr ..c.
The Papal Investigation
Popc Clcmcnts commission, hcadcd by Gillcs Aycclin, archbishop ol
Narbonnc, didnt mcct until August , .c. Tc bishops issucd a
proclamation that all who wishcd to dclcnd thc Tcmplars should comc
to mcct with thcm at thc monastcry ol St. Gcncvicvc, in Paris.
Tc rst day thcy mct no onc camc.
Tc sccond day no onc camc.
Tc third day no onc camc, cvcn though thc portcr, John, had
shoutcd thc invitation all ovcr thc city.
Tc samc thing happcncd lor thc lollowing vc days. Finally, thc
commission was about to adjourn and try again in Novcmbcr. Altcr
all, cvcryonc knows August is whcn thc Frcnch all lcavc Paris lor
somcplacc coolcr.
Howcvcr, thcy madc onc last attcmpt. Tcy scnt a lcttcr to thc
bishop ol Paris asking il hc could hurry things up a bit. Tc bishop
dccidcd to go to scc thc Tcmplars lor himscll and lound that somc did
want to tcstily. !ts hard to gct away to attcnd a mccting whcn yourc
shacklcd to a wall.
Tc ncxt day scvcn Tcmplars appcarcd, including thc \isitor,
Hugh dc Pairaud. Howcvcr, cach onc told thc commission that thcy
wcrc simplc knights, without horsc, arms or land and had no idca
how to dclcnd thc ordcr. Vhcn Hugh was lcd in, hc said only that
thc Tcmplars wcrc an honorablc ordcr and only thc popc should judgc
thcm.
Tis wasnt thc dclcnsc thc commission had in mind.
A lcw mcn did stragglc in latcr. nc, Pctcr ol Sorayo, had lclt thc
Tcmplars somc timc bclorc and had comc to Paris looking lor work.
No, hc didnt know anything bad about thc ordcr, but could thc com
mission givc him a handout: Anothcr couplc ol mcn had bccn scnt by
Tcmplars in Hainault in thc north, to nd out what was going on.
Tcy didnt know what thcy wcrc supposcd to dclcnd.
Tc commission adjourncd until Novcmbcr.
The Interviews
Vhcn thc cardinals rcturncd in Novcmbcr, thcy lound an cntircly dil
lcrcnt situation, although thc rst witncss didnt givc any indication ol
that. !t was Jacqucs dc Molay.
Tc Grand Mastcr ol thc Tcmplars insistcd that hc thought it
unlikcly that thc popc would want to dcstroy an ordcr that had donc
so much lor thc laith. Hc addcd that hc couldnt aord counscl, lor hc
had only lour dcnarii to his namc. Tc commission had his prcvious
conlcssion rcad to him. Upon hcaring it, hc madc thc sign ol thc
cross twicc ovcr his lacc and movcd his hands in othcr signs, sccming
to bc stupccd by this.
ithcr Jacqucs was a grcat actor or his two ycars in prison had
rattlcd his brains.
Undauntcd, thc commission continucd to intcrvicw Tcmplars.
Somc rcpcatcd thcir conlcssions but, day by day, thcy sccmcd to gain
couragc. Ponsard ol Gizy, prcccptor ol thc rst commandcry at Payns,
admittcd that hc had prcviously conlcsscd to all thc chargcs. Tcn hc
told thc cardinals that hc and thc othcrs had only donc so through
lorcc and lcar bccausc thcy had bccn torturcd, and all inlormation
gathcrcd that way was lalsc.
Ponsard thcn told thc commission whom hc thought might havc
had a grudgc against thc ordcr. nc ol thc lour mcn hc listcd was
squin dc Floyran.
thcr Tcmplars bcgan to comc lorward. Somc rccantcd thcir
conlcssions. thcrs, who had ncvcr conlcsscd, told ol thc torturc thcy
had cndurcd, dcsigncd to gct thcm to admit wrongdoing. Somc had
had thcir hands ticd bchind thcir backs and thcn wcrc pullcd up by
thcir wrists until thcir arms wcrc dislocatcd. nc man told thc com
mission that wcights had bccn hung lrom his gcnitals and othcr parts
ol his body during thc qucstioning. Anothcr had had grcasc rubbcd
ovcr his lcct and thcn hcld to a rc until thc skin was burncd away.
Many had bccn starvcd and conncd in spaccs too small to rcst in
comlort. vcn thc oncs who hadnt bccn torturcd kncw that it was
happcning. Scvcral mcn admittcd that thc thrcat ol torturc had bccn
cnough to makc thcm givc in.
vcntually ncarly scvcn hundrcd Tcmplars camc lorward. Most ol
thcm lclt that thcy wcrc too ignorant to prcscnt a solid lcgal dclcnsc
but nally onc ol thc pricsts ol thc ordcr, Pctcr ol 8ologna, was con
vinccd to spcak lor all. Pctcr had bccn traincd as a lawycr and had
bccn thc Tcmplar rcprcscntativc to thc papal court in Romc. His
rhctoric was a match lor that ol thc kings counsclors.
n April a, ..c, Pctcr and thrcc othcr dclcndcrs camc bclorc thc
commission and dcclarcd that thc actions ol King Philip had bccn
outsidc ol law and rcason. Tc procccdings against thc rdcr had
bccn rapid, unlookcd lor, hostilc and unjust, altogcthcr without jus
ticc, but containing complctc injury, most gravc violcncc and intolcr
ablc crror, lor no attcmpt had bccn madc to kccp to propcr proccdurcs.
Hc addcd that as a rcsult ol this suddcn and horriblc arrcst, imprison
mcnt, and torturc, thc Tcmplars had bccn dcprivcd ol lrccdom ol
mind, which is what cvcry good man ought to havc. ncc a man is
dcprivcd ol his lrcc will, hc is dcprivcd ol all good things, knowlcdgc,
mcmory and undcrstanding.
Tis passionatc spccch was lollowcd by a dcmand lor all thc docu
mcntation hcrctolorc gathcrcd in thc casc, along with thc namcs ol all
witncsscs callcd and to bc callcd. Tc dclcndcrs also dcmandcd that
witncsscs not bc allowcd to talk with cach othcr and that thc tcsti
mony bc kcpt sccrct until it was scnt to thc popc.
Tc commission agrccd. Suddcnly, thcrc sccmcd to bc a hopc that
thc Tcmplars would bc dcclarcd innoccnt and at last, altcr two long
ycars, sct lrcc.
Philips End Run around
the Papal Commission
!t was now May ol ..c, almost thrcc ycars altcr thc arrcsts. Tc Tcm
plars had not yct bccn judgcd as an ordcr. Most wcrc still imprisoncd
at various placcs in Francc. Philip thc Fair still did not havc lcgal ac
ccss to thcir propcrty. !t was bcginning to look as though hc might
havc to givc it all back. Philip nccdcd to takc dccisivc action.
8y an odd coincidcncc, thc ncw archbishop ol Scns, Philip dc
Marigny, was thc brothcr ol King Philips ncw lavoritc counsclor,
ngcrrand dc Marigny. Now, at that timc, Paris was undcr thc juris
diction ol thc archbishop ol Scns. !t also happcncd that, whilc thc com
mission had bccn sct up to try thc Tcmplars as an ordcr, thc local bishops
had thc right to try and scntcncc individual Tcmplars. Tc archbishop
dccidcd to do just that. Hc announccd that thc Tcmplars imprisoncd in
Paris would bc tricd in thc archicpiscopal court.
Tis scnt thc dclcndcrs into a panic. Pctcr ol 8ologna and thc othcrs
huntcd down thc commission cvcn though it was a Sunday. Pctcr bcggcd
thcm to prcvcnt thc archbishop lrom taking thcm, cspccially thosc who
had conlcsscd undcr torturc and thcn rccantcd. Tc lcvcl ol tcrror is clcar
cvcn in thc notorial rcc ords, which rcpcat thc plca vcrbatim.
!t would bc against God and justicc and complctcly ovcrturn
this invcstigation. . . . Vc call upon thc Popc and thc Apostolic Scc
both out loud and in writing . . . that all thc brothcrs who havc ol
lcrcd or will ocr a dclcnsc bc takcn undcr thc protcction ol thc Ap
ostolic Scc. Vc bcg thc popc, again wc bcg, and wc bcg with thc
grcatcst urgcncy!
Tc imagc ol thcsc bravc mcn standing in thc chapcl ol St. ligius
at thc monastcry ol St. Gcncvicvc, in thc Sunday calm, plcading lor
thcir livcs, is a haunting onc. Vc dont know how it acctcd thc com
missioncrs. Gillcs Aycclin, who was also a counsclor ol thc king, cx
cuscd himscll lrom making a dccision. Tc othcr commissioncrs askcd
thc Tcmplars to rcturn at vcspcrs that altcrnoon, to hcar thcir an
swcr.
Tis is onc ol thosc timcs whcn its hard lor mc to kccp a scholarly
objcctivc.
Tc commissioncrs Villiam urant, bishop ol Mcndc, Rcginald
ol La Portc, bishop ol Limogcs, Matthcw ol Naplcs, and John ol
Mantua, archdcacon ol Trcnt, joincd by John ol Montlaur, archdca
con ol Maguclonnc, rcturncd to lacc Pctcr and his comradcs.
Tcy told thc Tcmplars that thcrc was nothing thcy could do. Tc
law was clcar on this and thcy couldnt poach on thc tcrritory ol thc
archbishop ol Scns. Tcy wcrc vcry sorry, but that was that.
Vcrc thcsc mcn sticklcrs lor thc law: Vcrc thcy cowards, alraid
ol Philip thc Fair: id thcy bclicvc that thc Tcmplars wcrc guilty and
dcscrvcd what cvcr thcy got: Tcy dcnitcly kncw that thcy wcrc put
ting all thc Tcmplars in gravc dangcr.
Two days latcr, thc archbishop ol Scns ordcrcd thc burning ol
ltylour Tcmplars. Tcy wcrc burncd outsidc ol Paris in a cld not
lar lrom thc convcnt ol thc nuns ol Saint Anthony. Tc victims
sccm to havc bccn pickcd at random lrom thosc who had not yct bccn
rcconcilcd with thc Church. nly a lcw ol thcm had said thcy would
dclcnd thc ordcr.
And yct, thcy all dicd proclaiming thcir innoccncc. All ol thcm,
not onc cxccptcd, rcluscd to admit to thc crimcs ol which thcy wcrc
accuscd and pcrsistcd rmly and consistcntly in gcncral dcnial, not
ccasing to dcclarc that it was without causc and unjust that thcy wcrc
scntcnccd to dcath. A grcat numbcr ol pcoplc saw this with grcat as
tonishmcnt and cxccssivc shock.
Tc shock ripplcd back to thc Tcmplars still in prison. Now no
onc was cagcr to dclcnd thc ordcr. Tc popc cithcr wouldnt or
couldnt protcct thcm. Tc pillar thcy had trustcd to support thcm
had crumblcd.
Tc ncxt witncss brought bclorc thc commission, Aimcry ol
Philip the Fair watches as Templars burn. (Te British Library)
\illicrs lcuc, was so tcrricd that hc told thc commission hc would
conlcss anything as long as it would kccp him lrom thc amcs. Trying
to distancc himscll lrom thc ordcr as much as possiblc, Aimcry ap
pcarcd with his bcard shavcd and without his Tcmplar mantlc. Hc was
clcarly upsct. And whcn thc commissioncrs saw that thc witncss was
at thc cdgc ol a prccipicc, thcy told him to go homc and not to rcvcal
anything ol what hc had said.
Tings wcrc looking bad lor thc Tcmplars, but thcy wcrc about
to gct worsc. Tc ncxt timc that thc commissioncrs askcd to scc Pc
tcr ol 8ologna, thc bcst traincd ol thc dclcndcrs, thcy wcrc told that
hc had vanishcd. Vhcn thcy askcd lor morc inlormation, thcy wcrc
told that hc had suddcnly rcturncd to his lormcr conlcssion, thcn
brokcn out ol jail and cd.
Right.
Tcrc wcrcnt many Tcmplars who had thc lcgal training to arguc
thcir casc, and his loss was a scvcrc blow.
Pv:vv ol 8ologna was ncvcr sccn or hcard lrom again. You can draw
your own conclusions.
nc scholar has suggcstcd that thc incrcascd intcrcst in cducation
shown by thc Hospitallcrs in thc lourtccnth ccntury might bc duc to
how much thc illitcracy and lcgal incompctcncc ol thc Tcmplars had
contributcd to thcir downlall. Tc ccct ol thc loss ol thcir main
advocatc sccms to support this thcory.
Tc commission continucd o and on until Junc ... but thc hcart
had gonc out ol it. Most ol thc Tcmplars who camc lorward did not
attcmpt to dclcnd thc ordcr but rathcr to conlcss thcir crimcs. Tcy
sccmcd cagcr to outdo cach othcr in thc dctails ol thcir blasphcmous
rcccption into thc ordcr. Tcy minutcly dcscribcd thc crosscs thcy had
spat on or ncxt to. Tc hcads thcy wcrc supposcd to havc adorcd wcrc
gold or coppcr or csh. Tcy lookcd likc a woman, a monstcr, or a man
with a long gray bcard. vcryonc sccms to havc had thcir own pcr
sonal idol.
!n thc cnd thc commissioncrs closcd thc procccdings and had all
thc inlormation scnt to Popc Clcmcnt at Avignon. Tcy madc no rcc
ommcndation as to thc latc ol thc Tcmplars.
Tat was now up to Popc Clcmcnt and thc Council of Vienne.
J Sophia Mcnachc, Clement V (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. .,. Cathcrincs dcath just
bclorc thc arrcst ol thc Tcmplars (scc bclow) may havc lorccd Charlcs to rcvisc his plans lor
conqucst.
2 Jcan Favicr, Phillippe le Bel (Paris: Fayard, .,) p. ..
3 !bid., p. c.
4 Gcorgcs Lizcrand, Le Dossier de LAaire des Templiers (Paris, .a) p. .6. Rcs amara, rcs cbilics,
rcs quidam cogitatu horribilis, auditu tcrribilis, dctcstabilis criminc, cxccrabilis scclcrc, abhomi
nabilis opcrs, dctcstanda agicio, rcs pcnitus inhumana, immo ab omni humanitatc scposita.
5 Lizcrand, p. ., gcrcncts sub spccic agni lupum ct sub rcligionis habitu notrc rcligioni dci
ncquitcr insultantcs, dominum nostrum Jhcsum Christum, novissimis tcmporibus, pro humani
gcncric rcdcmtionc crucixum.
6 !bid., juxta prophanus ordinis sui ritum.
7 !bid., prolcssionis suc voto sc obligant quod altcr altcrius illius horribilis ct trcmcndi concubi
tus vicio.
8 !l you bclicvc this, ! havc somc land in Atlantis !d likc to scll you.
9 Malcolm 8arbcr, Te Trial of the Templars (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .,, ncw cdition
lorthcoming) p. ,.
J0 Continuator ol Guillaumc dc Nangis, Chroniques captiennes Tome II 12701328 (Paris: Palco,
acca) p. a. Guillaumc was attachcd to thc court ol Philip and his chroniclc lollows thc inlor
mation givcn in thc public announccmcnts.
JJ 8arbcr, p. .
J2 Lizcrand, p. ,, immo dixit puram vcritatcm proptcr salutcm animc suc.
J3 Quotcd in Alan Forcy, Te Fall of the Templars in the Crown of Aragon (Ashgatc, Aldcrshot,
acc.) p. .
J4 8arbcr, p. 6.
J5 Quotcd in Mcnachc, p. ac,.
J6 8arbcr, p. c. And darncd bravc it was ol thcm, too.
J7 Norman Cohn, Europes Inner Demons.
J8 Julcs Michclct, Le Procs des Templiers (Paris, ..., rpt. Paris: CNRS, .,) \ol. ! p. 6.
J9 Tcrc arc a numbcr ol books that addrcss this. For mcdicval attitudcs: Jcrcy Richards, Sex,
Dissidence, and Damnation: Minority Groups in the Middle Ages (Routlcdgc Univcrsity Prcss,
..), and Norman Cohn, Europes Inner Demons (St. Albans, .,6). Also anything by Jcrcy
8urton Russcll.
20 Alan Forcy, Te Fall of the Templars in the Crown of Aragon (Ashgatc, Aldcrshot, acc.) p. a.
2J 8arbcr, p. 66.
22 Translatcd in Malcolm 8arbcr and Kcith 8atc, Te Templars: Selected Sources Translated and
Annotated (Manchcstcr Univcrsity Prcss, acca) p. a6.
23 8arbcr and 8atc, p. a,.
24 Alain cmurgcr, Jacques de Molay: Le Crepuscule des Templiers (Paris: Payot, acca) p. a. cm
urgcr lcans to this bclicl. Hc lccls that thc rcccption ccrcmony cxistcd but was a sort ol hazing.
25 Tis is thc prcmisc in, Maichacl 8aigcnt, Richard Lcigh and Hcnry Lincoln, Te Holy Blood
and the Holy Grail (London: Jonathan Capc, .a). ! do not, undcr any circumstanccs, rccom
mcnd this book.
26 8arbcr, p. .
27 Guillaumc dc Nangis, p. .
28 !bid.
29 Mcnachc, p. a..
30 Lizcrand, p. , la bougrcric du Tcmplicrs. My modcrn dictionary says it mcans idiocy.
Maybc it docs today but, trust mc, thats not what it mcant in thc lourtccnth ccntury. Actually,
thc word only camc into usc in thc thirtccnth ccntury, and was applicd to thc Cathars and so
carricd with it a scnsc ol hcrcsy as wcll as homoscxual practicc.
3J Lizcrand, p. 6.
32 Mcnachc, p. .
33 Lizcrand, p. ,, notc .
34 Lizcrand, p. 6. Cum instancia dcvotc supplicat populus rcgni Francic quatinus advcrtat rcgia
majcstas quod quclibct . . . pro domino popa allcgatc (sunt) supcr dsicordia punitionis Tcm
plariorum intcr vos commota, dcm catholicc protbatur sc tcncrc ct tcncbat.
35 Michclct.
36 8arbcr, p. .a6.
37 Michclct, vol. !, p. a, quod simplcx milcs, sinc cquis, armis ct tcrra, crat, ct non possct ncc
scirct ipsum ordincm dclcndcrc.
38 !bid., vol. !, p. a.
39 !bid., vol !. pp. a.
40 !bid., vol. !, p. , bis signum cruciscoram lacic sua ct in aliis signis prctcndcrc, vidcbatur sc
cssc valdc stupclactum dc hiis.
4J !bid., vol. !, p. 6. Vhilc most ol thc rcport is in Latin and only givcs thc gist ol what cach man
said, this part, in Middlc Frcnch, sccms to bc a dircct quotc.
42 !bid.
43 !bid., \ol. !, p. a., luit qucstionatus pondcribus apcnsis in gcnctalibus suis ct in aliis mcnbris
quasi usquc ad cxcminacionam.
44 !bid.
45 8arbcr, p. a.
46 Quotcd and summarizcd in 8arbcr, pp. .66. Vhcrc is Pctcr ol 8ologna whcn wc nccd
him:
47 8arbcr, pp. .6,c.
48 Michclct, pp. a66.
49 Michclct, p. a6, 8arbcr, p. .,,.
50 Continuator ol Guillaumc dc Nangis, vol. !!, p. a,.
5J 8arbcr, Trial, p. .,
52 Continuator ol Guillaumc dc Nangis., p. a.
53 Michclct, vol. !, p. a,6.
54 8arbcr, pp. ..a.
55 Anthony Luttrcll, Tc Hospitallcrs ol Rhodcs and thc Mausolcum at Halicarnassus, in Te
Meeting of Two Worlds: Cultural Exchange between East and West during the Period of the Crusades
cd. 8ladimir P. Goss (Kalamazoo, M!: Mcdicval !nstitutc, .6) p. .6..
56 8arbcr, p. ..
57 For morc on this, plcasc scc chaptcr c, Baphomet.
CH A P T I R T HI R T Y ONI
Te Charges Against
the Templars
W
hcn Jacques de Molay was rst qucstioncd, on ctobcr a,
.c,, about thc sins ol thc Tcmplars, thc only accusations
wcrc about his cntry into thc ordcr. id hc dcny Christ and spit on a
crucix: Vas hc told that hc could havc scx with thc othcr brothcrs:
Tcsc sccm to havc bccn thc only things that thc accuscrs ol thc Tcm
plars had comc up with at thc timc.
!n thc ncxt lcw months, thc list ol accusations grcw to .a,. Many ol
thcsc, howcvcr, arc almost idcntical. For instancc, thcrc arc vc that dcal
with spitting, trampling, or urinating on a cross. Tcn thcrc arc two
morc that say thcy did this in contcmpt ol Christ and thc rthodox
laith, and that thc mcn who rcccivcd thcm into thc ordcr madc thcm do
this. Tcmplars conlcsscd to just about cvcrything suggcstcd to thcm.
nc can imaginc a Tcmplar scrgcant or knight brought in altcr
scvcral months ol imprisonmcnt and torturc:
Good day, the inquisitor begins. Were here from the church and the
king and we only want the truth for the good of your soul.
Te Templar is distracted by the smell of roast venison, which reminds
him that hes starving and also that his fate will be similar to the deers if he
doesnt get the answers right.
Now, when you joined the Templars, were you told to spit on a
cross?
Yes, sir, but I cleverly spat next to it and no one noticed.
Were you ordered to stomp on the cross?
I sort of remember something like that.
Did you stomp on the cross?
No, I didnt.
Did you stomp and urinate on the cross on Good Friday? Was that the
ritual for the day Our Lord died for your sins, you heretic scum?
No, my lord, it wasnt.
Ah, then you must have stomped and urinated on another day. What
day was it, Holy Tursday? Just when did you desecrate the cross? We know
you did. All the other Templars have confessed. Are you saying that you were
the only one who didnt do this?
And so on. Eventually, the Templar is so cowed and confused that hes
happy to confess to anything and go back to his quiet cell.
Although this sccnc is thc product ol my imagination, ! havc
hcard that this tcchniquc ol intcrrogationasking thc samc qucstion
scvcral timcs in various waysis still bcing uscd. Fortunatcly, ! dont
havc rsthand knowlcdgc.
Sincc so many ol thc chargcs arc almost thc samc, wc can group
thc .a, chargcs into morc managcablc groups:
A Summary of the Charges
1. Tat thc Tcmplars dcnicd Christ in thcir rcccption ccrcmony
or soon altcr. Tcy also spat and tramplcd on a cross.
2. Tat thcy cxchangcd kisscs on various parts ol thc body, thc
navcl and basc ol thc spinc bcing lavoritcs.
3. Tat at thc rcccption thcy wcrc told thcy could havc scx with
othcr Tcmplars. Tcy wcrc madc to swcar that thcy would
ncvcr lcavc thc ordcr. Also, thc rcccptions wcrc hcld in
sccrct.
267 The Charges Against the Templars
4. Tat thcy wcrc not allowcd to rcvcal what happcncd in thc
rcccption to anyonc.
5. Tat thcy did not bclicvc in thc Mass or in othcr sacra
mcnts. Tcir pricsts did not say thc words ol consccration
ovcr thc Host.
6. Tat thcy wcrc told that thc mastcrs could absolvc thcir sins,
implying that thcy had no nccd ol a pricst.
7. Tat thcy vcncratcd an idol, as thcir God and savior. Vcll,
somc ol thcm did. Tat is, most ol thcm in thc chaptcrs did.
ach provincc had onc, it was said, somctimcs with thrcc
laccs, somctimcs onc. Somctimcs it was a human skull. Any
way, thcy bclicvcd that it could makc thcm rich and also makc
thc owcrs bloom and thc land bc lcrtilc. ach ol thcm worc a
cord around thcir waist that had touchcd thc idol and thcy
cvcn slcpt in it.
8. Tat thcy wcrc only allowcd to conlcss thcir sins to a pricst ol
thc ordcr.
9. Tat thcy didnt givc charity as thcy ought and thcy bclicvcd
that it was not a sin to makc moncy and that thcy wcrc autho
rizcd to do so by any mcans possiblc, lcgal or illcgal.
10. Tat thcy mct at night and in sccrct.
11. Tat cvcryonc, wcll, almost cvcryonc, in thc ordcr kncw about
thcsc things and did nothing to corrcct thcm.
12. Tat many brothcrs lclt thc ordcr bccausc ol thc lth and cr
rors. (8ut scc numbcr .)
13. Tat thc wholc mattcr has causcd public gossip and scandal
throughout Christcndom.
14. Tat thc Grand Mastcr and othcr ocials ol thc ordcr havc
conlcsscd.
As thc rcadcr will noticc, cvcn brokcn down likc this, somc ol thc
chargcs arcnt chargcs at all but statcmcnts. thcrs arc qualicd so
many timcs that it sccms as il thc inquisitors wcrc trying to makc
various individual conlcssions makc scnsc.
! addrcss thc rst vc chargcs in thc chaptcr on thc Secret Rite of
Initiation. Tc sixth chargc, that thcy bclicvcd thc mastcr could ab
solvc thcir sins, sccms to bc truc. Apparcntly, somc ol thc brothcrs
wcrc conluscd bctwccn thc absolution thcy rcccivcd altcr conlcssion
to a pricst and thc absolution that thc mastcr or commandcr gavc
thcm altcr conlcssing in thc wcckly chaptcr mccting about brcaking
thc rulcs ol thc ordcr.
Tc qucstion ol thc mystcrious Tcmplar idol is covcrcd in my
chaptcr on Baphomet. Sincc to modcrn rcadcrs it sccms to bc onc ol
thc most lascinating ol thc chargcs, ! dont think it hurts to rcpcat that
no idol ol any sort was cvcr lound in any ol thc commandcrics. !n
Paris a scarch rcvcalcd a silvcr rcliquary containing thc skull boncs ol
onc ol thc clcvcn thousand virgins martyrcd with Saint Ursula in Co
lognc in thc lourth ccntury. And, cvcn undcr torturc, most ol thc
Tcmplars only appcarcd conluscd by thc qucstion about an idol.
Tcmplars did havc thcir own pricsts but many ol thcm wcrc only
hircd lor a ccrtain tcrm. Tc numbcr ol pricsts ol othcr ordcrs who
tcsticd lor and against thcm lrom inlormation lcarncd in conlcssions
provcs that this accusation was lalsc.
n thc accusation that thc Tcmplars did not givc charity, its hard
to say. Answcring that would nccd morc rcc ords than wc havc. How
cvcr, thcy sccm to havc givcn alms at lcast thrcc timcs a wcck and thc
Rule had strict guidclincs lor giving to thc poor. Anything might bc
givcn as alms cxccpt military cquipmcnt. Vhcn thc Grand Mastcr
visitcd a commandcry, vc poor pcoplc wcrc to bc lcd thc samc lood as
thc brothcrs atc, in his honor. Also, cvcry day onctcnth ol thc brcad
prcparcd should bc givcn to thc almoncr to givc to thc poor.
Tc Tcmplars did not sct up hospiccs as thc Hospitallers did, but
thcy did spcnd a grcat dcal to ransom poor prisoncrs ol thc Moslcms
and thcy had placcs to givc shcltcr to pilgrims. id thcy givc cnough:
! dont know. o any ol us givc cnough:
Tc Tcmplars wcrc on thin icc with thc chargcs about moncy.
Tcrc arc too many cascs in chartcrs whcrc thcy sccm to go to grcat
lcngths to gct all that thcy lcgally could and onc or two timcs whcn
thcy may havc takcn moncy that thcy wcrcnt cntitlcd to. Plcasc scc
thc scction on Templars and Money lor a morc complctc look at this
issuc.
n thc accusation that thc Tcmplars mct at night, and in sccrct,
thats onc ol thosc nowin accusations. Tcy somctimcs mct at night in
thc timc altcr rcciting thc prcdawn praycrs callcd matins. According to
thc Rulc, thcy wcrc rst to chcck up on thcir horscs and gcar and thcn
thcy could go to bcd. 8ut this was also a convc nicnt timc lor holding
chaptcr mcctings. Tc mcctings wcrc hcld in sccrct in thc scnsc that
what happcncd in thcm was not to bc discusscd with outsidcrs.
Tc odd thing about thc chargc is that most rcligious ordcrs had
closcd mcctings. Tc purposc ol thc chaptcr was to discuss laults and
problcms. Tcsc wcrcnt things thcy wantcd thc public at largc to
know about. ! dont know why no Tcmplars bothcrcd to mcntion this.
!ts possiblc that thcy didnt know much about thc practiccs ol othcr
ordcrs.
Tc rcal problcm was thc sccrct rcccption. Most ordcrs had public
ccrcmonics lor ncw mcmbcrs. !t was a big day and lamilics lookcd
lorward to sccing it. !t was stupid lor thc Tcmplars to wclcomc ncw
rccruits privatcly. 8ut it docs sccm to bc somcthing that sclcct socict
ics likc to do.
Tc accusation that cvcryonc in thc ordcr kncw thcsc things wcrc
going on is classic distortion. !t assumcs all thc othcr chargcs to bc
truc.
! lovc thc chargc that brothcrs had lclt thc ordcr bccausc thcy
wcrc disgustcd with thc hcrctical bchavior. First ol all, thc inquisitors
alrcady accuscd thc Tcmplars ol lorbidding mcmbcrs to lcavc. l
coursc, mcn could havc lclt without pcrmission and somc did. 8ut thc
numbcr who lclt lcgally lor various rcasons was lar too many lor thc
ordcr to havc a policy ol silcncing thosc who wantcd out.
nc ol thc mcn who tcsticd against thc ordcr in Paris was a
pricst namcd Jcan dc Folliaco. Hc statcd that hc had bccn lorccd to do
all thc nasty things at his rcccption and that hc had complaincd to thc
kings provost in Paris in .c. Hc told thc popc that hc had a lcttcr
proving his complaints wcrc truc, but it was missing. vcntually, hc
admittcd that his main objcction to rcmaining in thc ordcr was that
thc lilc was too hard and hc was alraid ol bcing scnt ovcrscas whcrc
thc ghting was.
nc intcrcsting casc, howcvcr, conccrns a Spanish brothcr, Pons
ol Guisans, who bccamc a Tcmplar whcn hc lcll ill on his way to thc
ast. Hc thought hc was dying and assumcd hcd gct a shortcr timc in
purgatory il hc dicd a Tcmplar. 8ut hc didnt dic. !nstcad, hc bccamc
a lull mcmbcr ol thc ordcr and had a position ol rcsponsibility in Jcru
salcm. Tcn hc mct this woman. Hc lclt thc ordcr to marry hcr. Altcr
hcr dcath, hc dccidcd that hc wantcd to comc back. Hc had to do pcn
ancc lor a ycar lor lcaving, but thcy lct him back in. bviously Pons
was not put o by lth and crror.
Finally, thc last two chargcs arcnt chargcs at all. Tcy arc simply
cxcuscs. Tc nal rcason lor thc dissolution ol thc Tcmplars at thc
Council of Vienne was that thc scandal was so grcat that no onc
would takc thc ordcr scriously again. !t may sccm odd to pcoplc today
but a lcar ol crcating scandal was somcthing that mcdicval organiza
tions and individuals drcadcd. Tcy kncw thc powcr ol a wcllplaccd
rumor. vcn il onc wcrc innoccnt ol all chargcs, thc shamc ol bcing
accuscd was cnough to ruin a pcrsons lilc, as thc Tcmplars lound out
to thcir sorrow.
J Gcorgcs Lizcrand, Le Dossier de l Aaire des Templiers (Paris, .a) pp. ,.
2 Julcs Michclct, Le Procs des Templiers \ol. ! (Paris, rpt. .,) pp. c.. Tcsc chargcs arc all
translatcd in Malcolm 8arbcr, Te Trial of the Templars (Cambridgc, .,) pp. aaS.
3 Tc lollowing is takcn lrom Hclcn Nicholson, Te Knights Templar (Sutton, acc.) p. ac6. Hcr
orga nization is slightly dicrcnt lrom minc but it was a handy starting point.
4 Michclct, p. a. !tcm, quod aliqui corum. !tcm quod major pars illorum qui crrant in capitulis.
!m not making this up.
5 !bid., p. , dicti ordinus quibuscumquc modis posscnt pcr las aut ncphas procurarc.
6 !bid., p. 6, multi lratcrs dc dicto ordinc proptcr lcditatcs ct crrors cjusdcm ordinis cxicrunt.
Translation in 8arbcr, p. a..
7 Paul Guron, Vie des Saints \ol. X!! (Paris: 8ollandistcs, .c) pp. 6,.
8 Laurcnt aillicz cd., Rgle et Statuts de l Ordre du Temple (Paris, .,a) p. .a6. Rulc no. a.
9 !bid., p. .a. Rulc no. a.
J0 !bid., p. a,. Rulc no. a,.
JJ csmond Scward, Knights of the Cloister: Templars and Hospitallers in Central-Southern Occitania
c. 1100300 (Voodbridgc: 8oydcll, .) pp. .....
J2 8arbcr, p. .
J3 Scward, p. .aa. Tc casc is lrom thc 8arcclona Rulc ol thc Tcmplc.
CH A P T I R T HI R T Y T WO
Guillaume de Nogaret
O
l all thc pcoplc involvcd in thc arrest and trials of the Tem
plars, Guillaumc dc Nogarct has bccn considcrcd thc most
sinistcr, thc man who was thc mastcrmind bchind cvcrything that
happcncd. Tis scrvant ol thc king had cut his tccth on thc strugglc
with Popc 8onilacc \!!! in .c and was rcady oncc again to provc
himscll to his mastcr, King Philip IV, by dcstroying thc Tcmplars as
wcll. Many havc considcrcd him thc cvil gcnius bchind thc trial ol thc
Tcmplars as wcll as thc campaign against 8onilacc.
Vho was this man: Vas hc pulling thc strings to makc King
Philip dancc to his tunc or was it Guillaumc who was thc puppct, tak
ing thc lall lor thc king:
Guillaumc dc Nogarct was born in thc town ol SantFlix dc
Caraman in southwcstcrn Francc. Tc datc isnt ccrtain, pcrhaps
around .a6c. Nogarct is not thc namc ol a placc but is a variation on
thc ccitan word nogarde, or walnut growcr.
Unlikc many ol thc occrs ol thc govcrnmcnt ol Philip thc Fair,
Guillaumc was not nobly born. !t was said that his grandlathcr had
bccn burncd as a Patarinc hcrctic. !ts not clcar il this is truc or not.
Howcvcr, it was a chargc that was thrown back at him morc than oncc
ovcr his lilc, and it must havc acctcd him strongly. Sincc it was hc who
wrotc most ol thc broadsidcs condcmning thc Tcmplars as hcrctics, his
background in this is important. id hc actually bclicvc that thc
273 Guillaume de Nogaret
Tcmplars wcrc bad Christians or had hc simply traincd himscll to scc
hcrcsy cvcrywhcrc hc lookcd, to provc that his rcligion was orthodox:
cspitc thcir suspcct origins, Guillaumcs lamily had cnough
moncy to cducatc him. Hc may havc studicd lor a timc at Toulousc
bclorc going to thc town ol Montpcllicr to study law. 8y .a hc was a
doctor ol law.
Somctimc around .a6, Nogarct rcccivcd a call lrom Paris. Hcd
madc thc big timc, lcgal counscl to thc king! vcr thc ncxt lcw ycars
hc succcsslully handlcd scvcral ncgotiations lor Philip. !n .a, hc was
rcwardcd by bcing promotcd to thc nobility. Altcr that, hc was cnti
tlcd to call himscll knight. Tis was anothcr ol thc innovations ol
thc king. Tc cnnobling ol nonmilitary mcn lcd to what was callcd thc
noblcssc dc robc. Tcsc noblcs wcrc dcpcndcnt upon thc king who
crcatcd thcm lor thcir livclihood rathcr than having inhcritcd lands to
lall back on.
Nogarct sccms to havc bccn Philips main counsclor during thc
kings battlc with Popc 8onilacc. Tc rcasons bchind thc disputc
arc rootcd in thc ongoing strugglc bctwccn thc rulcrs ol uropc and
thc church lor powcr. n onc sidc, thc popcs lclt that kings should
not bc allowcd to appoint thcir lricnds and lamily to bishoprics
and othcr high church occs. n thc othcr sidc, thc kings wantcd
thc clcrgy ol thc rcalm to bc subjcct to thc samc laws as cvcryonc clsc.
Troughout thc Middlc Agcs, clcrics wcrc tricd in a church court.
!l thcy wcrc judgcd guilty, thcy might cithcr bc scntcnccd to hard timc
in a strict monastcry or, il thc crimc warrantcd it, turncd ovcr to thc
statc lor cxccution.
!n Philips conlrontation with thc popc, Nogarct was apparcntly
thc guiding hand and also thc onc who physically lcd thc attack on thc
popc in his rctrcat at Anagni in .c.
Two prccc dcnts wcrc sct in this cpisodc. Tc rst was that
Philip cstablishcd, in his own mind at lcast, that il thc popc was
corrupt, thcn it was up to sccular powcrs to ovcrthrow him. No onc
could bc abovc Gods law. Tc sccond was thc usc ol thc mcdia to
convict 8onilacc in public opinion cvcn bclorc hc was arrcstcd by
Philips mcn.
!n this, Nogarct was a mastcr. According to Nogarcts dclcnsc ol
thc kings actions, 8onilacc was a hcrctic, idolatcr, murdcrcr, and sod
omitc. Hc also practiccd usury, bribcd his way into his position, and
madc troublc whcrcvcr hc wcnt. Tcsc chargcs wcrc ncvcr provcd but
thcy convinccd many. Tcy also gavc Guillaumc dc Nogarct good
matcrial lor his diatribc against thc Tcmplars lour ycars latcr.
Altcr thc dcath ol thc popc, Nogarct wrotc to thc Collcgc ol Car
dinals justilying his actions. !l somc antichrist wcrc to invadc thc
Holy Scc, wc must opposc him, thcrc is no insult to thc Church in
such opposition. . . . !l, in thc causc ol right, violcncc is committcd,
wc arc not rcsponsiblc.
Vhcthcr Nogarct was rcsponsiblc lor thc violcncc at Anagni or not,
hc was sccn as bcing thc ringlcadcr. Tc ncxt popc, 8cncdict X!, had
witncsscd thc attack on 8onilacc. Vhcn, as part ol a dcal, hc issucd
absolution lor thc dccd to King Philip and othcr instigators, Nogarct
was not among thcm. Actually, hc was at thc top ol thc naughty list, thc
hcad ol thc sons ol pcrdition, ol thc rstborn ol Satan. 8cncdict was
about to convcnc a tribunal to cxcommunicatc Nogarct and twclvc oth
crs whcn hc suddcnly dicd on July ,, .c.
!t was popularly bclicvcd that Nogarct had arrangcd to havc him
poisoncd. Tcrc was no prool ol this, cithcr, but that didnt stop thc
rumors.
Hc had also carncd thc cnmity ol a much bcttcr writcr than hc. !n
thc Divine Comedy antc comparcd Nogarct to Pontius Pilatc.
Nogarct not only instigatcd thc arrcst ol thc Tcmplars, hc also did
his bcst to guidc thc intcrrogations. !n .c, whcn Jacques de Molay
was bcing qucstioncd lor thc third timc, thc inquisitors wcrc intcr
ruptcd by Nogarct, who arrivcd uncxpcctcdly. Hc conlrontcd thc
mastcr and told him that thc chroniclcs ol thc abbcy ol St. cnis said
that at thc timc ol Saladin, thc Tcmplars had paid homagc to thc
sultan and that at that timc, Saladin had said publicly that thc Tcm
plars had donc this bccausc thcy workcd at thc vicc ol sodomy and
bccausc ol this thcy had lost all thcir laith and thcir law.
Tc twcnticthccntury cditor ol thc dcposition adds in a lootnotc,
Tis accusation . . . is not lound in thc tcxt ol thc chroniclcs ol St.
275 Guillaume de Nogaret
cnis that wc havc. nc wondcrs how many ol thc inquisitors or
thc pcoplc ol Francc who hcard Nogarcts accusation cvcr bothcrcd to
chcck thc library ol St. cnis to nd out il it was truc.
At thc Council of Vienne, Nogarct was again cagcr to provc that
all hc and Philip had donc was lor thc good ol Christcndom. To
nancc a projcctcd crusadc to rcgain thc Holy Land, hc suggcstcd that
thcy usc not only all thc wcalth ol thc Tcmplars but that ol thc wholc
ccclcsiastical rdcr: thc clcrgy would, thcrclorc, bc lclt with only
thosc lunds ncccssary lor its daily subsistcncc.
Tat must havc gonc ovcr wcll with thc cardinals and bishops.
Altcr thc Tcmplars had bccn arrcstcd, Nogarct should havc lclt
hcd accomplishcd all his goals. Howcvcr, onc problcm rcmaincd. Hc
was still cxcommunicatcd. Nogarct was tcrricd that hc would dic
still undcr scntcncc lrom thc popc.
nc rcason that Nogarct lought so hard to havc his cxcommuni
cation liltcd was to cnsurc that his lamily would bc takcn carc ol. Hc
had a wilc, 8catrix, and thrcc childrcn, Raymond, Guillaumc, and
Guillcmcttc. 8catrix sccms to havc comc lrom a noblc lamily ol
Langucdoc so thc ncw man, born into a lamily ol walnut growcrs, had
comc lar. 8ut it would bc lor nothing il his propcrty was conscatcd at
his dcath.
Nogarct wcnt to thc kings brothcr, Charlcs dc \alois, to put prcs
surc on Clcmcnt \. Hc cvcn wrotc a bull lor thc popc to sign that cx
plaincd how hc had actcd only lor thc good ol thc church. !t was
rumorcd that moncy changcd hands. Finally in April ..., Clcmcnt
signcd thc dccrcc stating that all thosc involvcd in thc attack on 8onilacc
\!!! wcrc rcconcilcd with thc church. A pcnancc was assigncd to Guil
laumc. Hc had to go on a pilgrimagc to Compostcla in Spain and thcn
takc a party ol soldicrs to ght in thc Holy Land, an ironic twist.
Hc ncvcr did cithcr.
Guilluamc dc Nogarct dicd in Novcmbcr ... Hc was probably
buricd, as hc had rcqucstcd, at thc monastcry ol thc ominicans ncar
Nimcs.
Outsidc ol Francc, whcrc hc did his bcst to scc that thc history
books would justily his actions, Nogarct was totally rcvilcd. antc
had no doubt who was pulling thc strings ol King Philip. ! dont bc
licvc that Nogarcts actions can bc justicd, but thcy dcscrvc to bc
lookcd at objcctivcly in thc light ol thc timcs. Tcrc arc thosc who
might say that, by arrcsting a popc and by dcstroying thc Tcmplars,
ncithcr ol whom wcrc all that innoccnt, Nogarct also struck a blow at
thc unlair dominancc ol thc papacy and thosc it protcctcd.
Howcvcr, !m not rcady to bc that objcctivc.
J rncst Rcnan, Guillaume de Nogaret: Un Minister du Roi Philippe le Bel (Qucbcc: Numcrus,
acc6, rpt. ol .,a cd.) p. .
2 !bid. Tc Patarincs wcrc only onc ol thc many hcrcsics in uropc at thc timc. Tcy wcrc not
conncctcd with thc Cathars.
3 !bid., p. .
4 !bid., p. .
5 !bid., p. 6.
6 For a good ovcrvicw ol this issuc, scc UtcRcnatc 8lumcnthal, Te Investiture Controversy
(Univcrsity ol Pcnnsylvania Prcss, Philadclphia, ..)
7 xccpt Philip, ol coursc.
8 Rcnan, p. .
9 Quotcd in Sophia Mcnachc, Clement V (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. ..
J0 Quotcd in Rcnan, p. .
JJ antc, Purgatorio, Canto XX, ll. .
J2 Gcorgcs Lizcrand, Le Dossier de l Aaire des Templiers (Paris, .a) p. .6. \crum, cum pcr
nobilcm virum Guillclmum dc Nogarcto, caccllarium rcgium, qui supcrvcncrat, . . . luissct
dictumcidcm magistro quod in cronicis quc crant apud Sanctum ionisium, contincbantur
quod tcmporc Saladini, sodani 8abilonic, magistcr ordnis Tcmplc qui tunc crat ct alii majorcs
ipsius ordinis lcccrant homagium ipsi Saladino ct quod idcm Saladinus, auditaadvcrsitatc
magna quam dicti Tcmplarii tunc passi lucrant, dixcrat in publico prcdictos Tcmplarios luissc
dictam advcrsitatcm pcrpcssos, qui vicio sodomitico labarabant ct quia dcm suam ct lcgcn
prcvaricati lucrant.
J3 Lizcrand, p. .6.
J4 Mcnachc, p. ...
J5 Rcnan, pp. . ! worry about somconc who lccls thc nccd to namc both a son and a daughtcr
altcr himscll.
J6 !bid., pp. ....
J7 !bid., p. ..6.
CH A P T I R T HI R T Y T HR I I
Te Council of Vienne and
the End of the Order
P
ope Clement V was dctcrmincd to kccp somc sort ol control
ovcr thc problcm ol thc Tcmplars, dcspitc thc dctcrmination of
King Philip the Fair to dictatc thcir latc. So lar thc trials had bccn ol
individual Tcmplars, not thc ordcr as a wholc. Lcgally, thc Tcmplars
could only bc condcmncd or dcclarcd innoccnt ol all chargcs by thc
popc.
Clcmcnt kncw that il hc madc thc dccision alonc, hc would bring
down thc wrath ol onc sidc or thc othcr. Hc had to makc it clcar that
a pronounccmcnt on thc Tcmplars would comc lrom thc lcadcrs ol thc
Church acting togcthcr. Tcrclorc, hc callcd lor a council to mcct in
thc town ol \icnnc, just south ol Lyon. \icnnc was not yct part ol
Francc but Lyon had rcccntly bccn takcn ovcr by King Philip. Clcm
cnt kncw that anything that hc and thc council did would bc in thc
shadow ol Philip and his army, but at lcast not undcr thc kings juris
diction.
Tc rst summons to thc council was writtcn on August .a, .c.
!n it Clcmcnt ordcrcd all thc archbishops, bishops, and abbots ol
Christcndom to mcct in ctobcr ..c. Hc didnt mcntion thc Tcm
plars by namc in thc summons. !nstcad hc askcd thc attcndccs to
prcparc rcports listing arcas in which thc Church nccdcd rclorming.
Hc also scnt invitations to most ol thc major rulcrs ol uropc. !t was
undcrstood that thc main issucs would bc thc supprcssion ol thc Tcm
plars, thc nccd to rcgain thc Holy Land, and thc rclorm ol thc Church
as a wholc.
!t is a tributc to Clcmcnts skill at procrastinating that thc council
wouldnt actually bcgin until ctobcr .... Tis gavc many ol thosc
invitcd (or commandcd) to attcnd timc to comc up with cxcuscs.
Tnis was not a pop u lar council. vcr a third ol thc Church o cials
didnt show up, cvcn though thcy had bccn ordcrcd, not invitcd, to
appcar. !ts possiblc that thcy wcrc worricd that thcy would bc askcd to
providc morc moncy lor thc support ol thc papal curia. Nonc ol thc
rulcrs camc, cxccpt Philip !\ (with his army) and hc was only thcrc
lor thc mcctings conccrning thc Tcmplars.
So, instcad ol crcating a show ol unity and willingncss to support
any papal dccision, Clcmcnt lound himscll lacing a group ol largcly
disgruntlcd prclatcs. Tcsc mcn wcrc mostly noblcmcn, with rcgional
and lamily conncctions that mcant morc to thcm than punishing thc
sins ol thc Tcmplars. Fcw ol thcm wcrc willing to gct on thc wrong
sidc ol King Philip.
And many ol thcm wcrc not at all surc that thc Tcmplars wcrc
guilty.
Addcd to that, thc town was crowdcd, priccs had bccn jackcd up
to mcct dcmand, and thc wcathcr was tcrriblc. n Novcmbcr , Ray
mond cspont, bishop ol \alcncia, wrotc to King Jamcs !! ol Aragon,
!t is vcry tcdious hcrc, sincc thc land is cold bcyond mcasurc and . . . it
is not suitcd to my agc. Tc placc is small with a multitudc ol pcoplc,
and thcrclorc crowdcd. As a rcsult many rcmain inconvcnicnccd, but
it is ncccssary to cndurc it with paticncc.
Tcrc wcrc also complaints that thc council had bccn packcd with
Frcnch prclatcs who wcrc too alraid to votc against thc wishcs ol King
Philip.
!t sccms that Clcmcnt had hopcd to gct a quick votc on thc con
dcmnation ol thc Tcmplars, assign thcir propcrty to anothcr ordcr,
279 The Council of Vienne and the End of the Order
and gct on with his drcam ol a ncw crusadc. Hc also wantcd to kccp
King Philip lrom pushing lor a dcnunciation ol Popc 8onilacc \!!!.
!t wasnt a good idca to lct kings think thcy could disposc ol popcs,
cvcn oncs that wcrc dcad.
Tings didnt work out at all according to plan. First ol all, to
givc an appcarancc ol lairncss, Clcmcnt had invitcd Tcmplars to
comc to \icnnc and dclcnd thc ordcr pcrsonally. Rcmcmbcring thc
burnings ol ..c, Clcmcnt apparcntly assumcd that thcy wouldnt
darc show up.
Howcvcr, on cccmbcr , ..., scvcn mcn did. Tc ncxt day, two
morc joincd thcm. Tcy told thc council that thcy wcrc prcparcd to
givc a dclcnsc and that thcrc wcrc ovcr a thousand othcrs in thc arca
who would also spcak on bchall ol thc Tcmplars.
Clcmcnt had thcm arrcstcd.
Hc thcn hcld a sccrct mccting ol a small group ol prclatcs. Clcm
cnts biographcr, Ptolomy dc Lucca, latcr rcportcd what happcncd.
Tc bishops and thc cardinals wcrc callcd togcthcr by thc popc to
dclibcratc on thc subjcct ol thc Tcmplars. . . . Tc popc intcrrogatcd
thcm onc at a timc. Tcy told him that thcy wcrc agrccd that thc
Tcmplars should bc allowcd to prcscnt thcir dclcnsc. All thc !talian
bishops, with onc cxccption, camc round to this opinion, along with
all thc bishops lrom Spain, Gcrmany, acia, ngland, Scotland,
!rcland and Francc, cxccpt thc thrcc archbishops ol Rcims, Scns and
Roucn.
Tc archbishop ol Scns was thc onc who had ordcrcd thc con
agration ol Tcmplars in ..c and was also, you may rcmcmbcr,
Philip dc Marigny, thc brothcr ol King Philips trustcd counsclor
ngucrrand dc Marigny. Tc archbishop ol Rhcims, Robcrt dc
Courtcnay, was rclatcd to thc Frcnch royal lamily through mar
riagc. And Gillcs Aycclin, archbishop ol Roucn, was also thc chan
ccllor ol Francc and ncphcw ol oncs ol Philips lormcr adviscrs,
Picrrc Flotc.
vcryonc at thc council was vcry much awarc ol this.
Tats not to say that many pcoplc wcrc willing to dclcnd thc
Tcmplars thcmsclvcs. Tcrc was still thc problcm that Jacques de
Molay and thc othcr ocials ol thc ordcr had conlcsscd, rctractcd
thcir conlcssions, and thcn conlcsscd again. How could thcy dcclarc
somconc innoccnt whcn thcy had admittcd thcy wcrc guilty:
8ut onc man, at lcast, Jacqucs dc Trincs, was willing to dclcnd
thcm at thc council. !n ... hc was thc abbot ol a Cistcrcian monastcry
in what is now 8clgium. !n .c, hc had bccn onc ol thc mastcrs ol thc
Univcrsity ol Paris who told King Philip that hc didnt havc a casc
against thc Tcmplars. Tcn, hc had bccn onc voicc in a group ol lour
tccn scholars. Now, hc stood alonc.
!n his addrcss to thc council, Abbot Jacqucs statcd many ol thc
argumcnts that havc bccn cchocd lor thc past scvcn hundrcd ycars.
Vas it logical that thc chargcs against thc Tcmplars wcrc truc: Tcsc
wcrc mcn lrom widcly dicrcnt backgrounds, who had cntcrcd thc
ordcr at dicrcnt agcs. !t sccmcd incrcdiblc to Jacqucs that common
crs and noblcs, mcn ol dicrcnt spccch and lands, raiscd not as bas
tards but in stablc, godlcaring houscholds, mcn who had lcrvcntly
cxprcsscd thc dcsirc to dclcnd thc holy placcs would all havc thc ap
pctitc to lall to prcciscly thc samc tcmptations.
Jacqucs concludcd, as many havc sincc, that thc conlcssions ol thc
Tcmplars wcrc patcntly untruc, torn lrom thc mcn by torturc and
through tcrror. Tc lact that somc had bccn bravc cnough to rccant
and lacc thc stakc spokc cvcn morc lor thcir innoccncc. Tc lact that
trials outside of France had turncd up no cvidcncc ol guilt was also
suspicious. And, in any casc, thc mattcr wasnt lor thc king ol Francc
to dccidc, but thc popc.
Tc ball was back in Clcmcnts court and hc wasnt plcascd about it.
!t sccmcd a good timc to call a wintcr rcccss.
Clcmcnt spcnt thc ncxt thrcc months trying to nd a way out bc
lorc thc council convcncd again in March.
!ts hard to say what hc rcally thought ol thc guilt ol thc Tcmplars.
! bclicvc that il hc had bccn ccrtain ol it, hc would havc condcmncd
thc ordcr immcdiatcly. As it was, hc must havc known that thcy would
havc to bc sacriccd in onc way or anothcr. !l hc savcd thc Tcmplars,
hc would still bc laccd with Philips dctcrmination to havc Popc 8oni
lacc cxcommunicatcd posthumously, which would includc digging up
his body and burning it lor hcrcsy. !l thc Tcmplars wcrc condcmncd,
thcn it would only cncouragc thc clcrics who wcrc opposcd to thc cx
cmpt ordcrs. Ncxt, it might bc thc Cistcrcians or thc Franciscans and
ominicans, not to mcntion thc Hospitallers, who wcrc attackcd.
Tc supprcssion ol a rcligious ordcr was not ncw. !n .a,, two Provcn
al ordcrs, thc Picd Friars and thc Friars ol thc Sack, had bccn dis
solvcd. Tc Tcmplars had bcnctcd lrom this whcn thcy rcccivcd
propcrty that had bclongcd to thcsc ordcrs.
Tcrc sccmcd no way lor Clcmcnt to win. No wondcr thc poor
popcs stomach always hurt.
Finally, Clcmcnt madc up his mind to act. Tis may havc bccn
cncouragcd by thc arrival, on March ac, ..a, ol Philip thc Fair, ac
companicd by his thrcc sons, his brothcrs, and his army. Two wccks
carlicr, Philip had scnt Clcmcnt a lcttcr insisting that thc Tcmplars bc
supprcsscd at oncc. Hc says that burning with zeal for the orthodox
faith and that such a grcat injury to Christ not go unpunishcd, wc
humbly and dcvotcdly bcg Your Holincss that thc alorcsaid ordcr bc
supprcsscd.
Tcrclorc, n thc day ol thc moon altcr thc Quasimodo |March
aa|, thc sccond scssion ol thc gcncral council was hcld in thc grcat ca
thcdral. Tc rcturning lcadcrs ol thc Church gathcrcd and prcparcd
to hcar Clcmcnts opcning scrmon.
Vith thc king on onc sidc and his cldcst son, thc luturc Louis X,
on thc othcr, Clcmcnt rcad out thc bull supprcssing thc ordcr ol thc
Tcmplars.
Hc rst madc it clcar that hc lound thc things that Jacques de
Molay and thc othcr Tcmplars had conlcsscd to absolutcly disgusting:
it was against thc lord Jcsus Christ himscll that thcy lcll into thc sin
ol impious apostasy, thc abominablc vicc idolatry, thc dcadly crimc ol
thc Sodomitcs, and various hcrcsics. 8ut, lortunatcly, Tcn camc
thc intcrvcntion ol our dcar son in Christ, Philip, thc illustrious king
ol Francc. . . . Hc was not movcd by grccd. . . . Hc was on rc with
zeal for the orthodox faith.
At this point, cant you just scc thc popc glancing ncrvously to
ward thc king:
Altcr outlining thc arrest and trials of the Templars, and how
thc inlormation gathcrcd lrom all thc trials in uropc had bccn stud
icd by a committcc ol cardinals and bishops, hc admittcd that c
pcrccnt ol thc asscmbly lclt that thc Tcmplars should bc allowcd a
dclcnsc. Howcvcr, thc namc ol thc ordcr had bccn so soilcd that it
could ncvcr lunction with any crcdibility again. Tcrclorc, with a
sad hcart . . . wc supprcss, with thc approval ol thc sacrcd council,
thc rdcr ol thc Tcmplars, and its rulc, habit and namc, by an invio
lablc and pcrpctual dccrcc, and wc cntircly lorbid anyonc lrom now
on to cntcr thc rdcr, or rcccivc or wcar its habit or to prcsumc to
bchavc as a Tcmplar.
!ts not ccrtain that thc mcmbcrs ol thc council had agrccd to thc
supprcssion but it didnt mattcr sincc thc popc had madc thc dccision
and could cnlorcc it without thcir approval.
Hc also cautioncd that thc propcrty that had bclongcd to thc
Tcmplars was to bc rcscrvcd to thc papacy, to bc uscd lor thc rctaking
ol thc Holy Land, and no onc was to touch it. ! imaginc that hc didnt
look at thc king whilc rcading this.
Clcmcnt also ordcrcd that Tcmplar brothcrs who had not con
lcsscd or who had bccn judgcd innoccnt wcrc to bc pcnsioncd o.
Tosc who had conlcsscd and bccn absolvcd wcrc to bc assigncd to
various monastcrics to pcrlorm thcir pcnancc.
n May a, thc popc announccd that all thc Tcmplar propcrty was
to bc givcn to thc Hospitallcrs, with thc cxccption ol that owncd by
thc Tcmplars in Aragon, Castilc, Portugal, and Majorca.
Tis was thc cnd ol thc rdcr ol thc Tcmplars, but thcir story was
lar lrom ovcr. Scvcral thousand mcn had to bc accountcd lor and
goods consisting ol houscs, churchcs, chapcls, oratorics, citics, cas
tlcs, towns, lands, grangcs, placcs, posscssions, jurisdictions, rcvcnucs,
rights, all thc othcr propcrty, whcthcr immovablc, movablc or scll
moving, and all thc mcmbcrs togcthcr with thcir rights and bclong
ings, both bcyond and on this sidc ol thc sca, in cach and cvcry part ol
thc world . . .
How all that was sortcd out is anothcr chaptcr.
Vhilc thc aair ol thc Tcmplars ovcrshadows thc wholc Council
ol \icnnc, it wasnt thc only subjcct ol intcrcst to thc Church. Clcm
cnts dcath in .. prcvcntcd thc immcdiatc publication ol thc dc
crccs ol thc council but his succcssor, John XX!!, who attcndcd, had
thcm scnt out. Tcy includcd clarications ol articlcs ol laith, such
as baptism, and thc issuc ol a hcrctical scct that had startcd in thc
Low Countrics, known as thc Frcc Spirits. Tcy sct down rulcs lor
thc mcndicant ordcrs, thc Franciscans and ominicans, who wan
dcrcd about lar too much lor somc pcoplcs tastc. Tc univcrsitics ol
Paris, xlord, 8ologna, and Salamanca wcrc told to start tcaching
Hcbrcw, Arabic, and Chaldcic that thcy might bc ablc to instruct
thc indcl.
Tc council nally closcd, on May 6, ... Tc last lcw days wcrc
takcn up with administrativc busincss. Tc prclatcs may havc thought
thcy wcrc nally gctting away, but thcy discovcrcd that Philip had onc
last surprisc lor thcm. Hc agrccd to go on crusadc in .., and askcd
lor a portion ol thc Church tithcs bc put asidc to pay lor his cxpcdi
tion.
Vcarily, thc council agrccd.
Ncithcr Philip nor his sons cvcr wcnt on crusadc.
J CharlcsJuscph Hclclc and om H. Lcclcrcq, Histoires des Conciles daprs les documents
originaux \ol. \! sccond part (Paris, ..) p. 6.
2 Sophia Mcnachc, Clement V (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. a.
3 Malcolm 8arbcr, Te Trial of the Templars (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, acc6, and cd.) p. a.
4 Hcinrich Finkc, Papstum und Untergang des Templerordens (Munstycr, .c,) \ol. a, pp. a.a,
quotcd in 8arbcr, pp. a6c.
5 8arbcr, p. a6a.
6 Quotcd in Hclclc and Lcclcrcq, p. 6..
7 Hc was thc brothcr ol thc wilc ol thc kings brothcr.
8 Jcan Favicr, Philippe le Bel (Paris: Fayard, .,) pp. a,a.
9 Villiam Chcstcr Jordan, Unceasing Strife, Unending Fear: Jacques de Trines and the Freedom of
the Church in the Age of the Last Capetians (Princcton: Princcton Univcrsity Prcss, acc) p. ..
J0 !bid., p. .
JJ !bid.
J2 Hclclc and Lcclcrcq, p. 66.. Philips ambassadors rcally suggcstcd this.
J3 ominic Scllwood, Knights of the Cloister: Templars and Hospitallers in Central-Southern Occita
nia c. 11001300 (Voodbridgc: 8oydcll, .) p. . And no, ! did not makc up thosc namcs,
but ! cant imaginc many pcoplc would want to admit to bcing a picd lriar.
J4 Gcorgcs Lizcrand, Le Dossier de LAaire de Templiers (Paris, .a) p. .6. Quarc, zclo dci
orthodoxc succcnsi ct nc tanta injuria Christo lacta rcmancat impunita, vcstrc sanctitati
acctuosc, dcvotc ct humilitcr supplicamus quatinus tollatis ordincm supradictum. (italics
minc)
J5 Continuator ol Guillaumc dc Nangis, cd. and tr. M. Guizot (Paris, .a) p. a.
J6 Malcolm 8arbcr and Kcith 8atc, cds. Te Templars: Selected Sources Translated and Annotated
(Manchcstcr Univcrsity Prcss, acca) p. ... From Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils cd. N. P.
Tanncr, vol. . (London: Shccd and Vard, .c) pp. 6.
J7 !bid. (italics minc)
J8 !bid., p. .6.
J9 !bid., p. ..
20 !bid., p. .aa. Tc bull is namcd Ad providam.
2J !bid., pp. aca..
22 Scc chaptcr ,, Marguerite Porete.
23 Hclclc and Lcclcrcq, p. 6, qui indclcs ipsos sciant ct valcnt sacris institutis instrucrc.
kay, minc is a loosc translation.
24 Mcnachc, pp. ..a.6.
CH A P T I R T HI R T Y I OU R
Time Line of the Trials
T
his is adaptcd lrom Malcolm 8arbcr, Te Trial of the Templars.
1292 Jacqucs dc Molay bccomcs Grand Mastcr ol thc Tcmplars
1305 Novcmbcr ., 8crnard dc Got bccomcs Popc Clcmcnt \
1306 Junc, King Philip thc Fair lorccd to rcstorc thc old valuc ol
coinagc
July, Jcws cxpcllcd lrom Francc and thcir propcrty cons
catcd
Autumn, Jacqucs dc Molay arrivcs in thc Vcst lrom
Cyprus
1307 Scptcmbcr ., Philip scnds sccrct ordcrs lor thc arrcst ol thc
Tcmplars
Scptcmbcr a, Clcmcnt writcs Philip saying that hc is
opcning an inquiry into thc chargcs against thc Tcmplars
ctobcr ., all Tcmplars in Francc arrcstcd and imprisoncd
ctobcr ., intcrrogations bcgin in Paris
ctobcr a, Jacqucs dc Molay conlcsscs to all chargcs
ctobcr a, Jacqucs dc Molay rcpcats his conlcssion lor thc
mastcrs ol thc Univcrsity ol Paris
ctobcr a,, Popc Clcmcnt writcs to King Philip protcsting
thc arrcsts
Novcmbcr , Hugh dc Pairaud, Tcmplar \isitor lor Francc,
conlcsscs to all chargcs
Novcmbcr aa, Popc Clcmcnt issucs a bull calling lor thc
arrcst ol Tcmplars in all lands
cccmbcr a, Jacqucs dc Molay is takcn bclorc thc popcs
rcprcscntativcs and thcrc rcvokcs his conlcssion
1308 Fcbruary, Popc Clcmcnt suspcnds thc !nquisition in Francc
Latcr in Fcbruary, Philip asks thc mastcrs ol Paris to judgc
his rolc in thc arrcsts
March a, in rcply to his qucstions, thc mastcrs ol thcology
at thc Univcrsity ol Paris statc that King Philip did not havc
thc right to arrcst thc Tcmplars
May a, Philip calls thc statcsGcncral to Tours to
justily his actions, which thcy do, Popc Clcmcnt lcavcs
Francc and scttlcs in thc papal town ol Avignon
1309 Local inquirics bcgin, ovcrsccn by thc bishops
August , in Paris, thc papal commission opcns inquiry on
thc ordcr (as opposcd to individual Tcmplars)
Novcmbcr aa, thc rst hcarings ol thc papal commissions
bcgin
Novcmbcr a6, Jacqucs dc Molay appcars bclorc thc commission
Time Line of the Trials 287
Novcmbcr a, Jacqucs dc Molay again appcars bclorc thc
commission, thc commission gocs on Christmas brcak
1310 Fcbruary , papal commissio n again in scssion
March a, Jacqucs dc Molay appcars oncc again, hc insists
that only thc popc can judgc him
March ., .a, accusations rcad to Tcmplars who wish to
dclcnd thc ordcr
March a, ncarly six hundcrd Tcmplars mcct in Paris to
dclcnd thc ordcr
April ,, Pctcr ol 8ologna and Rcginald ol Provins, as
spokcsmcn, givc thc dclcnsc ol thc ordcr
May .a, thc archbishop ol Scns turns ovcr ltylour Tcm
plars to bc burncd at thc stakc lor rctracting thcir conlcs
sions, thc dclcndcrs scattcr
May a, Pctcr ol 8ologna disappcars
May c, thc papal commission dccidcs to takc an carly
summcr holiday
Novcmbcr , papal commission rcconvcncs
1311 May a6, papal commission hcars thc nal dcposition
Junc , papal commission adjourns lor thc last timc
ctobcr .., Council of Vienne opcns
Latc ctobcr, scvcn Tcmplars ask to bc allowcd to dclcnd
thc ordcr
1312 March ac, Philip thc Fair and his army arrivc in \icnnc
March aa, Clcmcnt \ rcads out thc bull Vox in excelso, which
dissolvcs thc ordcr, thc bull Ad providam translcrs all ol its
propcrty to thc Hospitallcrs
1314 March ., Jacqucs dc Molay and Gcorcy ol Charncy asscrt
thcir innoccncc oncc again and arc immcdiatcly scnt to burn
at thc stakc in Paris
April ., Guillaumc dc Nogarct dics
April ac, Popc Clcmcnt \ dics
Novcmbcr a, King Philip !\ dics
CH A P T I R T HI R T Y I I V I
Te Trials Outside
of France
W
hilc King Philip and his associatcs wcrc doing thcir utmost
to scc that thc Tcmplars and thc ordcr as a wholc wcrc tricd
and convictcd as soon as possiblc, thc rulcrs ol othcr lands wcrc not so
cagcr to prosccutc, or cvcn to arrcst thc mcmbcrs ol thc ordcr. Tc
Tcmplars wcrc known lor bcing proud and grccdy, but this was a stc
rcotypc handy lor satirc but not uscd on a daily basis. Most pcoplc had
good rclations with thc Tcmplars who livcd among thcm. !t was only
thc ordcr by Pope Clement V that convinccd thcm to takc any sort ol
action, with rcsults that varicd according to placc.
Arrests and Trials in Spain
!n thc carly lourtccnth ccntury thc !bcrian Pcninsula was madc up ol
scvcral kingdoms: Castilc, Lcon, Navarrc, Portugal, and Aragon,
which includcd Catalonia and \alcncia. Tc southcrn part ol !bcria
was Andalusia, still in Moslcm hands.
Tc cxpcricncc ol thc Tcmplars in Aragon is thc onc lor which wc
havc thc bcst inlormation. Tc king, Jamcs !! (.aa.a,), lovcd to
kccp rcc ords and copics ol mcssagcs and many ol thcm still cxist.
At rst thcrc wcrc only rumors about thc happcnings in Francc
conccrning thc Tcmplars. Tcn, latc in ctobcr .., thc Spanish
Tcmplars lcarncd ol thc arrcst ol scvcral ol thcir brcthrcn in thc king
dom ol Navarrc, thcn rulcd by Philip thc Fairs son Louis. Trcc ol
thc Aragoncsc Tcmplars sct out to nd out what was going on. As
soon as thcy arrivcd in Navarrc, thcy wcrc arrcstcd, too.
Tc Tcmplar mastcr ol Aragon, Jimcno dc Lcnda, immcdiatcly
wrotc to King Jamcs. Jamcs scnt an cnvoy to Navarrc to havc thc Tcm
plars rclcascd. Tc cnvoy also tricd to gct inlormation on just cxactly
what was going on with thc Tcmplars in Francc.
Hc rcportcd back to King Jamcs, tclling him ol thc accusations
against thc Tcmplars. 8y thc middlc ol Novcmbcr, Jamcs had rcccivcd
a lcttcr lrom King Philip tclling him in strong languagc that thc Tcm
plars wcrc horriblc hcrctics and homoscxuals and that thcy must bc
arrcstcd at oncc.
Jamcs answcrcd him politcly, but did nothing. Hc scnt word to
thc popc that Vc can scarccly cnvisagc that thcy do anything in sc
crct or pcrpctuatc any hiddcn dccd attacking Christ, lor whosc laith
thcy ght.
8ut again, it was thc ncws ol thc conlcssions ol Jacqucs dc Molay
and thc othcrs that convinccd Jamcs that hc ought to put thc Tcm
plars undcr guard. Tat and thc lact that thc Tcmplars in his lands
had bccn busy lortilying thcir castlcs. Tcy wcrcnt going to bc caught
unawarcs.
Sincc thc Tcmplars in !bcria had bccn ghting against thc Mos
lcms in thcir own land lor two hundrcd ycars, thcy had a dicrcnt
status than in othcr Vcstcrn countrics. Unlikc thc Tcmplars in thc
Latin kingdoms, thcy hadnt lost tcrritory, but hclpcd to rcgain it. Tc
castlcs thcy owncd had oncc bccn on thc bordcrs ol Christian lands.
Now thcy wcrc lar lrom thc lronticr. Pcoplc living around thcm kncw
what thc Tcmplars had donc and could do.
Anothcr dicrcncc was that, unlikc thc Frcnch Tcmplars, many
ol thc knights lrom Aragon camc lrom thc uppcr nobility. Guillcrmo
dc Rocabcrti, archbishop ol Tarragona, was thc brothcr ol a Tcmplar.
291 The Trials Outside of France
Tcsc mcn wcrc lcss casily intimidatcd and thcir lamilics wcrc closc
cnough by to lodgc protcsts il thcy wcrc badly trcatcd.
!n cccmbcr .c,, Jamcs nally gavc in to papal prcssurc and or
dcrcd that thc Tcmplars bc takcn into custody. Howcvcr, hc was not as
lorcclul about it as King Philip. Tcrc was no suddcn mass arrcst. !n
stcad, thc Aragoncsc mcsscngcrs wcnt lrom onc Tcmplar housc to
anothcr, surpriscd to nd that vcry lcw ol thcm wcrc at homc. Somc
had simply cd, othcrs had madc thcir way to onc ol thc Tcmplar
castlcs to wait out thc storm. Tc Tcmplar mastcr ol Aragon was onc
ol thosc who had rcluscd to run. Hc was takcn and imprisoncd.
From thcir strongholds, thc Tcmplars scnt lcttcrs to thc king, not
ol dcancc, but plcading with him to bc allowcd to provc thcir inno
ccncc and rcturn to thcir commandcrics.
Jamcs rcluscd to do this. Hc had rcccivcd thc ordcr lrom Popc
Clcmcnt and lclt compcllcd to obcy it. Hc ordcrcd thc knights to sur
rcndcr. Tc Tcmplars had hcard about thc torturc and starvation ol
thc mcn in Francc and dccidcd not to trust in thc goodwill and justicc
ol princcs. Jamcs had to bcsicgc thcir castlcs. !t was a ycar and a hall
bclorc thc last onc lcll.
ncc capturcd, thc Tcmplars wcrc placcd, lor thc most part, back
in thcir commandcrics, undcr guard. Tcy wcrc qucstioncd by papal
commissions along with thc local inquisitor ol thc dioccsc. Tc rst
intcrrogations didnt cvcn start until Novcmbcr ,, .c, two ycars altcr
thc Frcnch arrcsts. !n thc mcantimc, thc Tcmplars in Aragon had
bccn dcccntly lcd, clothcd, and houscd. Tcy wcrcnt torturcd.
uring thc qucstioning, although somc ol thc mcn wcrc unsurc
about somc ol thc minor ocnscs, such as thinking that thc commandcr
ol thc housc could absolvc thcir sins, not onc conlcsscd to spitting or
dcling a cross or any ol thc othcr morc scnsational chargcs.
8y ..., thc Council of Vienne was schcdulcd and Clcmcnt hadnt
rcccivcd any good conlcssions lrom !bcria. Hc scnt a lcttcr to thc bish
ops in chargc ol thc intcrrogations authorizing thcm to usc torturc to
gct thc truth. ight Tcmplars wcrc torturcd, but still nonc would con
lcss. Finally, on Novcmbcr, , ..a, altcr thc ordcr had bccn dissolvcd
Te Templar fortress of Monzn. (Photo by Joan Fuguet Sans)
by thc popc, a council in Aragon dcclarcd all thc Tcmplars in thc
kingdom innoccnt.
Sincc thcrc was no longcr an ordcr, somcthing had to bc donc
with thcir propcrty and also with thc mcn thcmsclvcs. For King
Jamcs, his Tcmplar hcadachcs wcrc only bcginning. Tc king spcnt
many ycars dcaling with thc nccds and dcmands ol thc cxTcmplars.
Arrests and Trials in England
Tc numbcr ol Tcmplars in ngland in .c, has bccn rcckoncd at a
total ol .. l thcsc, ac at most wcrc knights, .6 pricsts, and around
.c scrgcants. Tcir cxtcnsivc propcrtics in thc country wcrc main
taincd lor thc most part by scrvants and tcnants.
Vhcn Philip the Iair arrcstcd thc Tcmplars in Francc, hc wrotc
to dward !! ol ngland, who was cngagcd to Philips daughtcr, !sa
bclla, tclling him to arrcst thc 8ritish Tcmplars at oncc. dward,
dcspitc only having bccn king lor lour months, was not inclincd to
bclicvc his prospcctivc lathcrinlaw. Hc not only wrotc back that hc
doubtcd thc truth ol thc chargcs, but also scnt mcssagcs to thc kings
ol Portugal, Castilc, Aragon, and Naplcs, supporting thc ordcr. Tcn
hc wrotc to Popc Clement V, saying that thc Tcmplars in ngland
had bccn constant in thc purity ol thcir laith.
dward was inclincd to think that thc chargcs wcrc totally lalsc
and thc product ol cnvy. Hc kncw Philip.
Howcvcr, thc conlcssion ol Jacqucs dc Molay and othcr Tcmplars
in Francc, along with thc papal ordcr lor arrcsts cvcrywhcrc, issucd on
Novcmbcr aa, .c,, sccms to havc convinccd dward that hc should
look into thc mattcr lurthcr.
Hc ordcrcd that thc Tcmplars in ngland bc arrcstcd on January
.c, .c. Tis was donc in a rathcr casual manncr. Many ol thc Tcm
plars wcrc put undcr housc arrcst in thcir own commandcrics. Tc
mastcr in ngland, Villiam dc la Morc, was imprisoncd at Cantcr
bury but was givcn a daily allowancc and thc usc ol a bcd, robcs and
various pcrsonal posscssions. Torturc was not uscd in ngland, it
was illcgal.
Tc Tcmplars waitcd in rclativc comlort, supportcd by thc incomc
lrom thcir propcrty, until thc inquisitors arrivcd to intcrrogatc thcm
in ctobcr .c.
Tc inquisitors might havc savcd thcmsclvcs thc trip. Tc Tcm
plars all gavc totally orthodox accounts ol thcir cntry into thc ordcr.
Tis includcd thc prcccptor ol Auvcrgnc, !mbart 8lanc, who had
cithcr bccn visiting in ngland at thc timc ol thc trials or had cs
capcd thcrc. Tcrc arc many spcculations about why hc happcncd to
bc in ngland but no hard lacts.
!mbart was qucstioncd on ctobcr a. Hc had bccn a mcmbcr ol
thc ordcr lor thirtysix or thirtyscvcn ycars and had bccn rcccivcd
into it by Villiam ol 8caujcu, thc mastcr who had dicd dclcnding
Acrc. Hc dcnicd all thc chargcs, stating only that hc had bccn kisscd
on thc mouth |as was customary| and that cach and cvcry onc ol thc
articlcs wcrc cvil lics and had ncvcr happcncd.
nc ol thc Tcmplars, Tomas ol Ludham, had cntcrcd thc ordcr
only clcvcn days bclorc bcing arrcstcd, thrcc months altcr thc arrcsts
in Francc. Tc implication is that thc 8ritish Tcmplars assumcd that
thc problcm was only in thc Frcnch houscs and that thcy should carry
on as usual.
8y Junc ol ..c, thc inquisitors wcrc complctcly lrustratcd by thc
lack ol conlcssions. Sincc torturc was lorbiddcn undcr nglish law,
thcy askcd thc archbishop ol Cantcrbury il thcy could takc thc Tcm
plars to Ponthicu, which was onc ol thc kings Frcnch holdings.
Tcrc torturc could bc morc lully and lrccly applicd. To dwards
crcdit, hc did not allow thc nglish Tcmplars to bc takcn abroad lor
torturc.
dward did bucklc a bit undcr prcssurc lrom thc popc and somc
ol his bishops. Hc had thc Tcmplars put undcr thc authority ol thc
inquisitors in prisons attachcd to thc city gatcs ol London. Hc said
thcy could do what thcy wantcd to thc prisoncrs, but hc was only al
lowing it out ol rcvcrcncc lor thc Apostolic Scc.
!t sccms that, in London at lcast, somc torturc was nally applicd
but to no avail. Tc 8ritish Tcmplars would not conlcss. Tc inquisi
tors addcd onc morc qucstion to thc list put to thc Frcnch Tcmplars.
Vhy wcrc Tcmplars buricd in sccrccy:
Vhy thcy askcd this is unknown. Tcy may havc bccn grasping at
straws. Tc answcr was that thcy wcrcnt buricd in sccrccy, and lurthcr
invcstigation provcd that this was so. Tcmplar luncrals wcrc wcll
attcndcd.
Tis was bccoming cxtrcmcly cmbarrassing lor thc inquisitors.
!n dcspcration, thcy dccidcd to gct cvidcncc lrom witncsscs lrom
outsidc thc ordcr. 8y now it was .... Tc Council of Vienne was
about to start and thcy worricd thcy would bc thc only inquisitors to
show up without somc juicy talcs ol Tcmplar sin.
Tc outsidc witncsscs wcrc much morc lun.
nc man, a scrving brothcr lrom !rcland namcd Hcnry, said
that hc had hcard tcll that Hugh thc Mastcr ol Castlc Pilgrim
rcccivcd many mcn with thc dcnial ol Christ as part ol thc ccrc
mony. Hc also kncw ol a Tcmplar on Cyprus who owncd a gold
hcad, or maybc it was bronzc, that answcrcd any qucstion put to it.
8ut hc didnt think thc Tcmplar worshippcd it, just uscd it lor gcn
cral inlormation.
Mastcr John ol Varrington, in York, announccd that a Tcmplar,
Villiam dc la Fcnnc, had givcn (Johns) wilc a book that said that
Christ was not God and had not bccn crucicd. c La Fcnnc rc
spondcd that hc had givcn Mastcr Johns wilc a book but thcrc was
nothing hcrctical in it, and, by thc way, why had hc waitcd six ycars to
mcntion it:
Scvcral pcoplc said that thcy had hcard about sccrct mcctings hcld
at night and, whilc thcy didnt know what wcnt on thcrc, it stood to
rcason that it was somcthing bad. nc witncss, dcscribcd as a loosc
woman, told ol disgusting abominations conccrning a black cat and
a stonc.
Vhilc not at all rcliablc, thc tcstimony ol witncsscs, or thosc who
kncw somconc who was a witncss, is much livclicr, il lcss crcdiblc.
Finally, a Franciscan witncss said that hc had bccn told by a
woman, who had bccn told by a man, who had bccn told by somconc
clsc, that a scrvant ol thc lattcrs acquaintancc had bccn put to dcath
whcn caught watching thc Tcmplars worship an idol.
At this point cvcn thc most dichard inquisitor would havc to
havc thrown down his quill and quit.
Tcy did managc to gct thrcc Tcmplars, or possibly lormcr Tcm
plars, to conlcss to thc chargcs. All thrcc had only rcccntly bccn ar
rcstcd and had bccn hiding out sincc .c,. !t was now thc summcr ol
.... Tcy sccm to havc bccn torturcd to conlcss, but its not ccrtain.
Altcr thcsc thrcc conlcsscd, thcy all publicly askcd lorgivcncss.
Tcy wcrc givcn a pcnancc and absolvcd.
vcntually thc rcst ol thc Tcmplars, still in prison, although thcy
hadnt bccn convictcd ol anything, dccidcd thcy might as wcll conlcss,
too. Tc oncs who wcrc strong cnough stood on thc stcps ol St. Pauls
Cathcdral and announccd that thcy wcrc no longcr hcrctics but ortho
dox Christians. Tcy wcrc givcn pcnanccs, lorgivcn, and scnt o to
various monastcrics around thc country with a pcnsion ol lour pcncc a
day lrom Tcmplar rcvcnucs.
nly thc Tcmplar mastcr in ngland, Villiam dc la Morc, and
thc Frcnch prcccptor, !mbart 8lanc, rcluscd to ask lorgivcncss. c la
Morc insistcd to thc cnd that hc would not ask lor absolution lor
somcthing hc hadnt donc.
8oth mcn dicd in prison.
Arrests and Trials in Germany
Tcrc wcrc not many Tcmplars in Gcrmany. Tc Hospitallers and thc
Tcutonic Knights wcrc morc pop u lar, cspccially thc lattcr, bcing thc
homc tcam, as it wcrc. !n all ol ccntral uropc, thc Tcmplars only had
lty houscs at thc timc ol thc dissolution. Tis includcs all thc vari
ous Gcrman statcs and Poland. Tcy did own propcrty throughout thc
arca that was administcrcd lor thcm and thc rcnts collcctcd, but thcrc
wcrc lcw placcs whcrc Tcmplars actually livcd, cvcn in small groups.
Altcr thc lailurc ol thc crusadcs ol Saint Louis, thc Tcmplars had
cstablishcd a lcw ncw commandcrics in Moravia (onc namcd Tcmpcl
stcin). Toward thc cnd ol thc thirtccnth ccntury, thcy bcgan to bc in
control ol small tcrritorics, although nothing on thc scalc ol thc Tcu
tonic Knights, who govcrncd wholc countrics.
Tcrc arc no rcc ords ol thc trials in Gcrmany. !ts known that in
somc arcas, thc Tcmplars wcrc arrcstcd. 8ut this was morc compli
catcd than in ngland or Francc. For instancc, thc archbishop ol
Magdcburg imprisoncd a numbcr ol Tcmplars, including Frcdcrick
ol Alvcnslcbcn, who was prcccptor ol Gcrmany. Tis should havc
bccn quitc a coup. Howcvcr, thc bishop ol Halbcrstadt took cxccp
tion to this. Tc Tcmplars had bccn poachcd lrom his tcrritory. So
thc bishop cxcommunicatcd thc archbishop. !m lairly surc its against
thc rulcs to cxcommunicatc oncs supcrior but thc bishop ol Halbcr
stadt tricd it anyway. Popc Clcmcnt had to stcp in, rcvokc thc cxcom
munication, and rcmind thcm that it was thc Tcmplars who wcrc on
trial.
!n Tricr on thc wcstcrn cdgc ol Gcrmany, thc archbishop tricd
thrcc Tcmplars. Hc also listcncd to somc witncsscs. Tc Tcmplars in
Tricr wcrc acquittcd.
Two brothcrs, Hugh and Frcdcrick ol Salm, wcrc commandcrs ol
houscs in Grumbach and thc Rhincland. Tcy wcrc much morc lorcc
lul in thc dclcnsc ol thc ordcr. Hugh burst into thc council mccting
in Mainz on May ., ..c. Hc told thc archbishop and thc court that
hc had hcard that thc council was trying to dcstroy thc ordcr. Tis
was complctcly harsh and intolcrablc. Hugh announccd that hc
wantcd to bc hcard by a luturc popc, not Clcmcnt \. Smart man.
Hugh also addcd somcthing that may havc bccn onc ol thc carli
cst ol thc lcgcnds that grcw up altcr thc trials. Hc said that thosc who
had constantly dcnicd thcsc cnormitics had bccn dclivcrcd up to thc
rc, but that God had shown thcir innoccncc by a miraclc, lor thc rcd
cross and whitc mantlc thcy worc would not burn.
Tc archbishop saw thc logic in Hughs protcst and said hc would
scc what thc popc said about it. Hugh and thc twcnty armcd Tcmplars
hc had brought with him wcrc satiscd with his promisc and lclt.
Frcdcrick ol Salm told his inquisitors that hc kncw Jacqucs dc
Molay wcll and did not bclicvc thc chargcs. Hc ocrcd to undcrgo thc
ordcal ol rcdhot iron, in which thc suspcct must hold onto a bar ol
iron brought straight lrom thc lorgc. !l thc burns hcal quickly, hc is
innoccnt. Frcdcricks ocr was turncd down and thc trial wcnt on in
thc usual way, without torturc. Altcr hcaring thc cvidcncc, thc arch
bishop dcclarcd thc Tcmplars innoccnt.
!n othcr arcas thc popcs ordcrs wcrc simply ignorcd. tto, thc
Tcmplar commandcr ol 8runswick, had no intcntion ol stcpping
down. Hc cvcntually bccamc commandcr ol thc Hospitallcr housc at
Supplingcnburg, with a ycarly pcnsion ol onc hundrcd marks. l
coursc, hc was thc brothcr ol thc dukc. 8ut it appcars that lcss im
portant Tcmplars in thc Gcrman statcs larcd almost as wcll. Fcw ol
thcm wcrc cvcr imprisoncd and nonc ol thcm wcrc killcd.
Arrests and Trials in Cyprus
Cyprus was now thc scat ol thc Kingdom ol Jcrusalcm in cxilc. 8oth
thc Tcmplars and thc Hospitallers wcrc bascd thcrc. Tc king ol
Cyprus, Amaury ol Lusignan, had bccn supportcd by thc Tcmplars in
his takcovcr ol thc govcrnmcnt lrom his brothcr, Hcnry. At thc Tcm
plar hcadquartcrs on thc island ol Cyprus, scvcnty Tcmplars wcrc in
tcrrogatcd. Nonc ol thcm conlcsscd to any ol thc chargcs. utsidc
witncsscs wcrc also qucstioncd. Most ol thcm actually dclcndcd thc
Tcmplars.
Unlikc thc othcr Tcmplar ccntcrs outsidc ol Spain, thc knights
on Cyprus wcrc thc ghting lorcc. Tc rcc ords ol thcir trial nally
givc us an idca ol thc makcup ol thc Tcmplar lorccs in thc ast. For
thc rst timc, thcrc is a rcal scnsc that this was an intcrnational or
dcr. 8rothcr Nicholas was nglish and had cntcrcd thc ordcr at Lid
lcy in Shropshirc in .cc. 8rothcr John was also nglish but had
bccomc a Tcmplar in !taly and, although a scrgcant, had bccomc thc
commandcr ol a housc. 8rothcr Francis camc lrom Slavonia and
had bccn rcccivcd into thc ordcr by Jacqucs dc Molay himscll.
8rothcr 8crtrand camc lrom 8rindisi and 8rothcr Picrrc lrom
Provcncc.
Tcrc wcrc cvcn Tcmplars lrom Acrc: 8rothcr Guy, who had bccn
rcccivcd in Acrc, and 8rothcr Hubald, who camc lrom Acrc but had
joincd in .a on Cyprus.
Tcsc wcrc thc youngcr, ttcr mcn who had bccn scnt cast as soon
as possiblc to bc rcady to mount an cxpcdition to rcgain thc Holy
Land. Most ol thcm had lought and sccn thcir lricnds dic lor thc
causc and thcy wcrc cvcn morc indignant at thc chargcs than thc scrv
ing brothcrs in uropc, who may ncvcr havc bccn to thc ast.
!n thc middlc ol thc trials, King Amaury was murdcrcd, not by a
Tcmplar, ! hastcn to add. His body was lound stucd bcncath thc
stairs in his housc at Nicosia. Tc most likcly suspcct was his
brothcr, Hcnry, who now bccamc king, but ! dont bclicvc thc mattcr
was lookcd into vcry closcly.
Sincc thc Tcmplars had hclpcd Amaury takc thc thronc lrom
Hcnry a lcw ycars bclorc whcn thc trial was rcopcncd and ncw wit
ncsscs brought in, thcy had good rcason to cxpcct thc worst.
!t didnt happcn. Tc ncw witncsscs, important mcn ol thc
kingdom, told thc inquisitors that thc Tcmplars wcrc thc most valiant
ghting mcn thcy kncw and all sccmcd dcvout. Tcy rcgularly wcnt to
Mass and rcccivcd thc Host. nc ol thc Tcmplars guards had startcd
out ccrtain that thc mcn wcrc guilty. Altcr two ycars with thcm, hc
not only had changcd his mind, hc lclt that God had pcrlormcd a
miraclc in ordcr to provc it to him.
Popc Clcmcnt wasnt satiscd with thcsc rcsults and, in ..., scnt
a papal lcgatc to Cyprus to rcopcn thc trial and this timc to usc tor
turc. !m not surc il hc wantcd to torturc thc Tcmplars or thc witncsscs
or both, but thcrc is no rccord ol anything morc happcning.
Arrests and Trials in Italy
!taly, ol coursc, is a modcrn nation. !n thc lourtccnth ccntury, thc
!talian pcninsula was madc up ol scvcral tcrritorics, such as Lombardy
and Tuscany, or citystatcs, such as \cnicc, Pisa, and Gcnoa. Scat
tcrcd among thcm wcrc thc various Papal Statcs (scc bclow). Tcrc
was also thc Kingdom ol Naplcs, rulcd by Charlcs !!, unclc ol Philip
thc Fair.
Naplcs was onc placc whcrc thc Tcmplars wcrc scriously prosc
cutcd. uring thc coursc ol thc trials, Charlcs dicd and was succccdcd
by his son, Robcrt, who wishcd to prcss his claim to thc throncs ol
Jcrusalcm and Sicily. !n thc summcr ol .c, Robcrt madc a trip to
Anjou to scc Popc Clcmcnt and rcccivc o cial conrmation ol his
rights.
Fcw rcc ords rcmain ol thc trial in Naplcs but it appcars that thc
six Tcmplars arrcstcd thcrc wcrc torturcd in ordcr to makc thcm con
lcss. Tc trial was hcld in April ..c and thc highlight ol it was thc
tcstimony ol onc Galccrand dc Tcus, who rcgalcd thc inquisitors with
thc story ol how hc had bccn rcccivcd in Catalonia and not only told
to dcny Christ but assurcd that Jcsus, whilc on thc cross, had con
lcsscd that hc was not divinc and had bccn lorgivcn. Hc insistcd that
all thc Catalonian Tcmplars kncw this. Howcvcr, it latcr camc out
that Galccrand had bccomc a Tcmplar in !taly and may not havc cvcr
bccn to Catalonia.
!n Tuscany only thirtccn Tcmplars wcrc takcn. Six ol thcm con
lcsscd undcr torturc. Tc othcr scvcn didnt. As was usual in othcr
countrics outsidc ol Francc, morc attcntion was paid to occupying and
taking invcntory ol Tcmplar propcrty than in capturing thc mcn
thcmsclvcs.
Again thc main thrust ol thc qucstioning involvcd thc sccrct rc
ccption ol ncw mcmbcrs ol thc ordcr. Tc dcposition ol 8rothcr Gia
como di Phighazzano sums up thc lrustration and cxaspcration thc
rcst ol thc Tcmplars must havc lclt:
Tc rcccption ol thc brothcrs to thc community was donc as thc
Rulc commandcd, hc insistcd. No brothcr was rcccivcd who was not
rcccivcd according to thc rulcs handcd down by thc blcsscd Bernard
and by which lathcr Jamcs had rcccivcd him.|Giacomo|
Arrests and Trials in the Papal States
Tc Papal Statcs wcrc arcas ol !taly that camc undcr thc lcgal juris
diction ol thc popcs. Tcy consistcd ol scvcral towns and rcgions
scattcrcd up and down what is now thc country ol !taly. Tc total
wasnt a hugc arca, but it is rathcr surprising that in all ol it, whcn
thcrc wcrc at lcast thirty commandcrics, only scvcn Tcmplars wcrc
arrcstcd. Tcrc wcrc six scrving brothcrs, Ccccus Nicolai di Lan
gano, Andrcas Armanni dc Montc dcrisio, Gcrard dc Placcntia,
Pctrus \alcntini, \ivolus dc villa Sancti !ustini, and Gualtcrius Jo
hannis dc Napoli, all !talian. Tc scvcnth was a Tcmplar pricst,
Guillclmo dc \crduno. Nonc ol thcm had cvcr bccn ovcrscas, thcy
had ncvcr cvcn lclt !taly.
Tc scvcn Tcmplars all conlcsscd that thcy had spit and stampcd
on thc cross, cxccpt thc pricst, who had bccn allowcd to stamp on two
picccs ol straw. Four ol thcm said thcy had bccn askcd to worship an
idol. ach onc dcscribcd a dicrcnt idol. Ccccus saw a young boy
madc ol mctal, Andrcas saw onc with thrcc hcads, Gcrards idol was
madc ol wood and had onc lacc, \ivolus saw a whitc hcad with thc
lacc ol a man.
Nonc ol thc Tcmplars appcarcd to havc bccn torturcd. Tcy wcrc
all absolvcd.
Tcrc is no rccord ol what happcncd to thc rcst ol thc Tcmplars in
thc Papal Statcs.
u:sibv ol Francc vcry lcw Tcmplars conlcsscd, or wcrc judgcd
guilty, ol anything. Many ncvcr camc to trial at all. !n spitc ol Popc
Clcmcnts attcmpts to gct thc rcgional church authoritics to prosccutc
thc Tcmplars rigorously, using torturc il ncccssary, it docsnt sccm to
havc oltcn happcncd.
Tc rcsult ol thc trials was to put a lot ol Tcmplars out ol work.
Tc Hospitallcrs cvcntually got most ol thc Tcmplar propcrty but thcy
wcrc saddlcd with thc job ol paying pcnsions to thc cxTcmplars and
thcir dcpcndcnts.
Tc rcal loscrs in thc wholc aair wcrc Clcmcnt \ and thc popcs
who camc altcr him. Clcmcnt was shown to bc a wcak man and his
occ as onc with vcry littlc rcal powcr. Hc could ordcr thc arrcst ol
thc Tcmplars bccausc thcy wcrc undcr his dircct authority. 8ut hc
couldnt makc local bishops hunt thc Tcmplars down. Hc had thc
powcr to supprcss thc ordcr but not cnough to scc that its propcrty was
dclivcrcd whcrc hc wantcd it.
And now thc wholc world kncw it.
J !n 8arcclona at thc Archivo dc la Corona dc Aragn, il you want to chcck thcm. r scc Alan
Forcy, Te Fall of the Templars in the Crown of Aragon (Ashgatc, Aldcrshot, acc.), hc has scarchcd
thc archivcs cxtcnsivcly lor you and mc. ! am cxtrcmcly gratclul.
2 Tis is my summary ol Forcy, pp. .6.
3 Forcy, p. a..
4 !bid., p. ,.
5 Malcolm 8arbcr, Te Trial of the Templars (Cambridgc, acc6) p. a6.
6 8arbcr, p. a,.
7 Tomas V. Parkcr, Te Knights Templars in England (Univcrsity ol Arizona Prcss, .6) p. .,.
8 vclyn Lord, Te Knights Templar in Britain (London: Longmand, acca) pp. .,.
9 8arbcr, p. a..
J0 Annc Gilmour8ryson, Tc London Tcmplar Trial Tcstimony, in A World Explored: Essays in
Honour of Laurie Gardiner, cd. Annc Gilmour8ryson (Mclbournc, .).
JJ 8arbcr, p. a..
J2 Rogcr Svc and AnncMaric Chagny Svc, Le Procs des Templier dAuvergne 13091311, p. a.
dixit quod osculantur sc in orc, ct omnia alia ct singula in prcdictus articulis contcnta sunt
lallsa ct mala, ncc lacta lucrunt.
J3 Gilmour8ryson, p. .
J4 Parkcr, p. .
J5 !bid., p. 6.
J6 Gilmour8ryson, p. a.
J7 !bid. Tis was bclorc thc !ntcrnct, ol coursc, but just imaginc what a grcat scicncc ction story
this would makc. Rcmcmbcr, ! had it rst.
J8 Lord, p. .. !ts possiblc that John couldnt rcad, but his wilc could.
J9 !bid.
20 Parkcr, p. ,. All ol thcsc comc lrom thc rccords ol thc tcstimony.
2J Lord, p. .
22 !bid., acc.
23 Karl 8orchardt, Tc Tcmplars in Ccntral uropc, in Te Crusades and the Military Orders:
Expanding the Frontiers of Medieval Latin Christianity, cd. Zsolt Hunyadi and Joscl Laszlovszky
(8udapcst: Ccntral Hungarian Univcrsity, acc.) p. a.
24 Plcasc scc chaptcr , Other Regional Military Orders, lor morc on thc Tcutonic knights.
25 8arbcr, p. a..
26 !bid.
27 !bid.
28 !bid.
29 !bid.
30 !bid., p. aa.
3J 8orchardt, p. a.
32 Pctcr dbury, Tc Military rdcrs in Cyprus, in Hunyadi and Laszlovszky, p. .ca.
33 !bid.
34 K. Schottmullcr, Der Untergang des Templer Ordens (8crlin, .,) \ol. !!, p. .6. Prol. Annc
Gilmour8ryson has translatcd thc rccords ol thc trial into nglish. Unlortunatcly, ! was not
ablc to obtain a copy ol hcr book.
35 !bid., p. ..
36 !bid., p. ...
37 !bid., pp. ac,.
38 !bid., pp. . and a.,.
39 8arbcr, pp. a6.
40 p. a6.
4J Schottmullcr, pp. .,.
42 8arbcr, p. a..
43 Fulvio 8ramato, Storia dell Ordine dei Templari in Italia, Vol. II Le Inquisizioni, Li Fonti (Romc:
Atanor, .) p. a.
44 !bid., pp. c..
45 8arbcr, p. a..
46 8ramato, pp. ,.
47 Quotcd in 8ramato, rcccptions lrutrum comintcr prcdictis modis in ordinc sic cbant, tamcn
aliqui non sic rccipicbantur, scd rccipicbantur sccumdum rcgulam cis traditam a bcato 8cnardo
sccundum quam ipsc lr. Jacobus asscruitsc rcccptum.
48 Gilmour8ryson, pp. .
49 !bid., p. . Tc lollowing paragraphs arc a summary ol Gilmour8rysons cxccllcnt cdition ol
thc transcripts ol thc trials.
CH A P T I R T HI R T Y S I X
Te Secret Rite
of Initiation
T
hc most scrious chargcs brought against thc Tcmplars by King
Philipand thc oncs that still sccm to lascinatc pcoplc today
all rcvolvcd around thc sccrct ccrcmony ol initiation into thc ordcr.
All ol thc Tcmplars who wcrc arrcstcd wcrc askcd about what thcy did
at thcir cntry. Tc answcrs lcll into two catcgorics. Tc rst was thc
normal ritc that was spcllcd out in thc Rule.
Tc ccrcmony ol rcccption is in thc ld Frcnch vcrsion, so it was
acccssiblc to anyonc who could rcad or havc it rcad to him. !t was a
sccrct ccrcmony not in thc scnsc that no onc could nd out what hap
pcncd, but in that lamily and lricnds wcrc not invitcd.
Hcrc arc thc main parts ol thc initiation:
!l a man wishcs to bccomc a Tcmplar, hc is rst brought into a
room ncar thc chaptcr hall whcrc thc Tcmplars gathcr lor thcir wcckly
mcctings. Tcrc hc is askcd scvcral qucstions.
Tc rst qucstions arc about his willingncss to join thc ordcr:
8rothcr, do you ask to join thc company ol thc housc:
!l hc docs, thcn thcy arc to tcll him about all thc di cultics ol thc
job and thc sucring hc will cndurc and ask il hc is prcparcd to bc a
scrl and a slavc ol thc housc lor always, all thc days ol his lilc. Tis is
strcsscd scvcral timcs. !t is not an unusual rcqucst. Anyonc joining a
305 The Secret Rite of Initiation
rcligious ordcr is told that thcy must obcy thcir supcriors without
qucstion. Tis was truc ol thc 8cncdictincs, Cistcrcians, Franciscans,
ominicans, and all othcr ordcrs. Howcvcr, it was considcrcd that
mcn who had bccn traincd as knights would havc morc troublc bcing
subscrvicnt than most monks.
!l thc applicant is not dctcrrcd by this inlormation thcn hc is
askcd qucstions that conccrn rcasons why hc may not bccomc a Tcm
plar. !s hc marricd: !s hc a mcmbcr ol anothcr ordcr: ocs hc owc
moncy that hc cant rcpay: ocs hc havc a communicablc discasc:
!l thc answcrs to thcsc arc satislactory, thcn onc ol thc brothcrs
qucstioning him gocs into thc chaptcr hall and says to thc mastcr:
Lord, wc havc spokcn with this worthy man who is outsidc and
havc told him ol thc hardships ol thc housc as wcll as wc could. And
hc says that hc wishcs to bccomc a scrl and slavc ol thc housc. . . .
Tcn thc applicant is brought in. Hc knccls bclorc thc mastcr and
joins his hands, saying:
Lord, ! havc comc bclorc God and bclorc you and bclorc thc
brothcrs and implorc and ask you by God and by ur Lady, that you
may wclcomc mc into your company and thc bcncts ol thc housc as
onc who dcsircs to bc a scrl and a slavc ol thc housc lor all my
days.
Tc mastcr trics again to dissuadc thc man:
Good brothcr, hc says. You ask a vcry grcat thing, lor ol our
ordcr you scc only thc outcr appcarancc. For in appcarancc you scc us
having nc horscs, and good cquipmcnt, and good lood and drink,
and nc robcs, and thus it sccms to you that you would bc wcll at casc.
8ut you do not know thc harsh commandmcnts which lic bcncath: lor
it is a painlul thing lor you, who arc your own mastcr, to makc your
scll a scrl to othcrs. For it will bc dicult lor you to do as you wish, lor
il you wish to bc in thc land this sidc ol thc sca, you will bc scnt to thc
othcr sidc, or il you wish to bc in Acrc, you will bc scnt to thc country
ol Tripoli or Antioch or Armcnia. . . . And il you wish to slccp, you
will bc wakcncd, and il you somctimcs wish to stay awakc, you will bc
ordcrcd to stay in your bcd.
!l thc applicant is not a noblcman, hc is rcmindcd that hc will bc
madc a scrgcant. Tis mcans an cvcn hardcr lilc, doing work that hc
may think bcncath him. Tc mastcr docsnt mincc words. Hc lists all
thc irksomc jobs thc man might bc rcquircd to do. Honcstly, ! would
havc changcd my mind whcn hc got to thc part about clcaning out thc
pigsty and swccping up altcr thc camcls. 8ut many mcn rcmaincd
rm in thcir dcsirc to join.
Tc applicant is thcn scnt outsidc to await thc dccision ol thc
chaptcr. !l thcy dccidc to acccpt him, hc is callcd back in and askcd
oncc morc il hcs willing to cndurc all that thcy havc told him.
Vhcn hc agrccs, thc mastcr riscs and asks thcm all to stand and
pray to ur Lord and Lady Saint Mary that hc may do wcll. Tcy
thcn say thc Lords Praycr and thc chaplain givcs anothcr praycr to thc
Holy Spirit. Altcr that thc applicant is givcn thc Gospcls and, with
his hands on thcm, is askcd onc nal timc il thcrc is any rcason why hc
should not bccomc a Tcmplar.
Lastly, thc man takcs thc oath, o you promisc God and ur
Lady that all thc days ol your lilc you will bc obcdicnt to thc mastcr ol
thc Tcmplc and what cvcr ordcrs that will bc |givcn| you: Again, do
you promisc to livc chastcly, without propcrty, that you will livc ac
cording to thc customs ol thc housc: o you promisc to God and
Lady Saint Mary that, lor all your lilc, you will aidc in conqucring thc
holy land ol Jcrusalcm with thc lorcc and powcr that God has givcn
you: And that you will hclp to protcct and savc any Christian who
may nccd it: o you promisc ncvcr to lcavc thc ordcr without thc pcr
mission ol thc mastcr:
To all ol thcsc, thc man answcrs, Ycs, il it plcascs God.
Finally, thc mastcr says:
And wc, by God and by ur Lady Saint Mary and by my lord
Saint Pctcr ol Romc and by our lathcr thc popc, and by all thc broth
crs ol thc Tcmplc, wc wclcomc you to all thc bcncts ol thc housc
which havc bccn donc sincc thc bcginning and will bc donc until thc
cnd, and . . . you also wclcomc us to all thc good dccds that you havc
donc and will do. And so wc promisc you thc brcad and thc watcr and
thc poor clothing ol thc housc and morc than cnough ol pain and
tormcnt.
At last thc ncw Tcmplar is givcn his cloak, whitc lor a noblcman
or black or brown lor a scrgcant. Tc chaplain rcads Psalm ., 8c
hold how good it is lor brothcrs to livc togcthcr in unity. Tc brothcrs
rccitc thc Lords Praycr again and thc mastcr raiscs thc ncw rccruit up
and kisscs him on thc mouth.
A kiss on thc mouth was thc normal way to scal an oath. Tis was
donc both in rcligious communitics and in royal trcatics, as wcll as ol
cial grcctings. My imprcssion is that it was ccrcmonial and not scx
ual. !m lairly surc no tongucs wcrc involvcd.
At lcast on papcr, this is a sacrcd and complctcly orthodox rcccp
tion. Tcrc is nothing in it that nccdcd to bc sccrct. Tc Tcmplars
simply prclcrrcd that thc ccrcmony bc privatc.
Tis dcsirc lor privacy was to lcad to thcir downlall. !n thc minds
ol somc pcoplc, things that arc sccrct arc automatically suspcct. !l
thcy wcrcnt doing somcthing bad thcn why couldnt anyonc comc and
watch: Tcrclorc, thcrc must bc somcthing blasphcmous about thc
rcccption or a sccond ccrcmony must also takc placc.
Tis thcorctical sccond ccrcmony was spcllcd out in thc chargcs:
altcr thc usual rcccption, thc ncw Tcmplar was supposcdly takcn asidc
and told to dcny Christ and spit on thc crucix. Tcn hc cithcr kisscd
thc mastcr on thc basc ol thc spinc and thc navcl or thc ncw Tcmplar
was kisscd. Rcports varicd. Tis ccrcmony was dcscribcd mostly by
Tcmplars who had cithcr bccn torturcd or cxpcctcd to bc il thcy didnt
givc thc answcrs that thcir inquisitors wantcd.
Tc problcm with thc rcports ol thc intcrrogations is that thcy arc
all in thc third pcrson, not in thc cxact words ol thc mcn. ach Tcm
plar was askcd il hc had participatcd in thc crimcs thc ordcr was ac
cuscd ol. Tcsc wcrc rcad out onc at a timc. Tcn thc inquisitor wrotc
down thc gist ol thc answcr.
Tc rst statcmcnt ol Grand Mastcr ]acques de Molay is almost a
tcmplatc lor thcsc rcports ol a sccrct rcccption.
n ctobcr a, .c,, ninc days altcr his arrcst, Jacqucs told thc
inquisitors that, altcr hc rcccivcd his whitc cloak, hc was shown a
cross ol bronzc on which was thc imagc ol Christ and hc was told to
dcny. And hc, with much distastc (licet invictus), did it. Tcn hc was
told to spit on thc cross, but hc spat on thc ground. Finally, hc was
askcd il hc had takcn a vow ol chastity. Ycs, hc answcrcd. 8ut thcy
told mc ! could unitc carnally with thc brothcrs, but ! swcar on my
oath that ! ncvcr did.
thcr conlcssions would lollow this pattcrn. 8rothcr Pctcr la
\crnha, a scrgcant, tcsticd that altcr hc rcccivcd his cloak hc was
told to kiss thc rcccptor bctwccn thc shouldcr bladcs, which hc did.
Tcn hc was told to dcny God, lor that was thc custom ol thc rcccp
tion. Hc did this by mouth, not in thc hcart (ore, non corde).
8rothcr Stcvcn thc Ccllcrcr only had to kiss thc rcccptor on thc
navcl ovcr his clothcs. Hc also dcnicd Christ, also ore, non corde, and
spat ncxt to, not on, thc crucix.
Tcsc two conlcssions wcrc madc in Paris. !n thc Auvcrgnc, lar to
thc southcast, 8rothcr John almas ol Artonnc, a knight, said that hc
had bccn rcccivcd into thc ordcr in .a bclorc thc prcccptor, !mbart
8lanc. !mbart told him that thc dcnial ol Christ was part ol thc rcgu
lations ol thc ordcr. So John did it, again ore, non corde, and spat ncxt
to thc cross.
Tc carly intcrrogations only mcntion thc dcnial ol Christ, spit
ting on thc cross, and somctimcs pcrmission to havc scx with thc
othcr brothcrs. As thc months passcd, thc Tcmplar prisoncrs wcrc
askcd about idol worship. Tis accusation is trcatcd clscwhcrc in this
book.
Now, many ol thc Tcmplars insistcd that thcir rcccption had bccn
complctcly orthodox but ol thc oncs who conlcsscd, thcy all lollow a
pattcrn. Tc rst two actions, dcnying Christ and spitting on thc cru
cix, arc almost idcntical in cach statcmcnt. Tc obsccnc kiss varics
as to placc, with thc navcl and thc basc ol thc spinc bcing lavoritcs.
Nonc ol thc Tcmplars admits to bcing cnthusiastic about it. !n thcir
hcarts thcy all rcmaincd bclicvcrs, or so thcy said.
So what did thc inquisitors think was thc purposc ol this sccrct
initiation:
id thcy rcally bclicvc that cvcry ncw Tcmplar was immcdiatcly
lct in on thc grcat surprisc that thc ordcr wasnt rcally Christian at all,
but dcnicd Christ and dclcd thc crucix: !t sccms odd that a ncw
rccruit, rcady and cagcr to givc his lilc ghting lor Christ, should bc
told on thc rst day that that wasnt thc rcason lor thc ordcrs cxis
tcncc. ! also nd it strangc that, altcr thcy supposcdly dcnicd Christ,
thcy wcrc thcn told to worship an idol that somc callcd Baphomet. !t
sccms a lot to throw at a man on his rst day on thc job.
Also, according to thc tcstimonics ol thc Tcmplars at thcir trials,
altcr this ccrcmony, nothing morc happcncd. Tcy continucd hcaring
thc ivinc cc and going to Mass, although somc said that thc
pricsts omittcd thc words to consccratc thc Host. Tcy also continucd
shipping out lor thc Holy Land, whcrc thcy lought and dicd.
8ut lor what: !l thcy wcrcnt thcrc to protcct pilgrims and ght
thc indcl in ordcr to gain rcmission ol thcir sins and havc thc hopc ol
hcavcn, what wcrc thcy doing thcrc: Vhilc pcoplc havc comc up with
lots ol thcorics, at thc timc ol thc trials, nonc ol thc mcn who con
lcsscd camc out with a sct ol bclicls to rcplacc thc Christian oncs.
Tcy didnt say thcy had bccomc Moslcms. Tcy didnt givc any ol
thc altcrnatc bclicls ol othcr Christian hcrctics. Tcy didnt say that
thcy wcrc Cathars. Tcy ccrtainly didnt tcll thc inquisitors that thcy
wcrc athcists, a conccpt that was barcly known at this timc. !t is unprc
cc dcntcd in thc history ol hcrctical movcmcnts not to havc somc sort
ol sct ol bclicls. And yct, il thc Tcmplars wcrcnt Christian, thcy
didnt conlcss to bcing anything clsc.
! tcnd to think that this was somcthing that thc accuscrs ol thc
Tcmplars slippcd up on. Maybc thcy countcd on thc public to ll in
thc blanks with thcir most drcadcd hcrcsy. 8ut it is anothcr rcason
to suspcct that thc hcrctical rcccption ccrcmony cxistcd only in thc
imagination ol thc inquisitors.
Alan cmurgcr thinks that thcrc rcally was somc sort ol unortho
dox part ol thc ccrcmony, put in as an initiation tcst. ! dont think it
makcs scnsc to dcmand that an initiatc dcny thc vcry rcason hc wants
to join a group, cvcn as a hoax. Howcvcr, ! wont complctcly discount
this, just bccausc ol thc strangc things !vc hcard ol modcrn malc ini
tiations. Howcvcr, ! think that thc most probablc answcr is that thcrc
ncvcr was such a ccrcmony. No Tcmplar who tcsticd without thc
thrcat ol torturc conlcsscd to a hcrctical rcccption.
nc ol thc most shocking accusations was that at thc rcccption,
thc Tcmplars dcnicd Christ and spat or cvcn urinatcd on thc cross.
Likc cmurgcr, somc scholars havc assumcd that this might havc
happcncd and cxplain it as a tcst ol loyalty or obcdicncc. ! think thats
nonscnsc. Tis was just anothcr ol thc gcncral bclicls oating around
conccrning hcrctics.
Tnv Tcmplars opcncd thcmsclvcs up to lurid spcculations by kccping
thc rcccption sccrct. Vhy:
Tc bcst answcr ! havc hcard is onc givcn by !mbart 8lanc, thc
prcccptor ol Auvcrgnc, who had bccn capturcd and tricd in ngland.
cspitc thc tcstimony ol John almas, rclatcd abovc, !mbart insistcd
that thc accusations wcrc all lics.
Tc inquisitor thcn askcd him why thc Tcmplars kcpt thcir rcccp
tion ccrcmonics a sccrct.
His rcply: Vc wcrc loolish!
!mbart addcd that thcrc was nothing in thc rcccption ccrcmony
that was not t lor thc wholc world to scc.
Rathcr than conlcss to somcthing hc had ncvcr donc, !mbart dicd
in prison in ngland.
!t sccms to mc that thc mostly likcly cxplanation is !mbarts. For
ccnturics pcoplc havc tricd to makc scnsc ol thc sccrct ritcs ol thc
Tcmplars. As ! mcntion in thc scction on thc Templars and the Saint,
thcrc is a story told about Louis !X, grandlathcr ol Philip thc Fair.
Vhilc in captivity, Louis was askcd to takc an oath that, il hc lailcd to
dclivcr his ransom, hc would bc an apostatc who dcnics Christ and
spits on thc cross. Also, in thc .., account ol thc taking ol thc city ol
Lisbon by thc crusadcrs, thc Moslcm dclcndcrs ol thc city arc sup
poscd to havc displaycd thc symbol ol thc cross bclorc us with mock
cry: and spitting upon it and wiping thc lth lrom thcir postcriors
with it, and nally making watcr upon it.
Many pcoplc havc imagincd a rcligion to t thc tcstimony givcn
undcr torturc. Most ol thcsc rcligions havc littlc or nothing to do
with thc statcmcnts madc in thc conlcssions. Tcrc is no placc whcrc
thc Tcmplars givc any doctrinc ol bclicl that gocs with thc rituals thcy
arc supposcd to havc practiccd. !ts a vcry strangc hcrcsy that has no
dogma. Vith thc inlormation wc havc, ! am lorccd to concludc that
thcrc was probably no sccrct rcccption and that thcrc ccrtainly wasnt
a hcrctical altcrnatc rcligion practiccd by thc Tcmplars.
Tc Tcmplars wcrc cstablishcd to scrvc God and protcct othcr
Christians and that is what thcy livcd and dicd bclicving thcy wcrc
doing.
J Laurcnt aillicz, Rgle et Statuts de LOrdre du Temple (Paris, .,a) p. c,. Frcrcs, rcqucrs vos
la compaignic dc la maison:
2 !bid., ct quil vcaut cstcr scrl ct csclalc dc la maison a tou jors mais tous lcs jors dc sa vic.
3 nc good way to undcrstand this is to rcad thc 8cncdictinc Rulc, on which most ol thc othcrs
arc bascd. !t has bccn translatcd into most languagcs. nc in nglish is Anthony C. Mciscl and
M. L. dcl Mastro, Te Rule of St. Benedict (Gardcn City, .,).
4 aillicz, p. c,. Rulc no. 6. Sirc nos avons parlc a ccst prodomc quc cst dclors ct li avons
mostr lcs durts dc la maison si comc nos avons pcu ct scu. t il dit quil vcaut cstrc scrl ct cs
clal dc la maison.
5 !bid., p. c. Rulc no. 66c. !rc, jc suis vcnu dcvant icu ct dcvant vos ct dcvant lcs lrcrcs, ct vos
pric at vos rcquirc por icu ct por Nostrc amc, quc vous macucillis cn vcstrc compaignic ct
cn vos bicnlaits dc la maison comc cclui qui to los jors ms vcaut cstcr scrl ct csclal dc la mai
son.
6 !bid., p. c. Rulc no. 66.: 8iau lrcrc, vos rcquircs mult grand chosc, quar nostrc rcligion vos
nc vcs quc lcscochc qui cst par dclors. Car lcscorchcs sc cst quc vos nos vc bcaus chcvaus, ct
bcau hcrnois, at bicn bovrc ct bicn mangicr, ct bclcs robcs, ct cnsi vos scmblc quc vos lussis
mult ais. Mais vos nc sav cs pas lc lors comandcmcns qui sont par dcdans: quar lortc chosc sicst
quc vos, qui cst sircs dc vos mcismcs, quc vos vos laitcs scrl dautrui, Quar a grant poinc lcrs
jamais chosc quc vos vcullcs: car si vos vcullcs cstrc cn la tcrrc dca mcr, lcn vos mondcra cn la
tcrrc dc Triplc ou dAntyochc ou drmcnic. . . . t sc vos vol cs dormir on vos lcra vcillicr: ct
sc vos vols aucuncs loi vcillicr lcnvos commandcra quc vos aillis cn vostrc lit.
! havc adaptcd thc nglish quotc lrom thc translation madc by J. M. UptonVard, Te Rule
of the Templars (8oydcll, .a) p. .6. ! only lound out about this translation toward thc cnd ol
my work on this book. !t is vcry good, but occasionally hcr carclully litcral translation is a bit
hard to lollow so ! havc gonc back to thc original to clarily.
7 aillicz, Rulc no. 66. Pris nostrc Scignor cr madamc saintc Maric, quc il dc doit bicn
lairc.
8 !bid., Rulcs no. 6, and 6,6.
9 il, sirc, si icu plaist.
J0 aillicz, p. .. Rulc no. 6,,. t nos dc par dicu ct dc par Nostrc amc saintc Maric, ct dc par
mon scignor saint Picrrc dc Romc, at dc par nostrc pcrc lapostilc, ct dc par tous lcs lrcrcs dou
Tcmplc, si vos acuillons a toz lcs bicnlais dc la moison qui on cst lais ds lc comcnccmcnt ct qui
scront lais jusqucs a la n, . . . t vos aussi nos acuillis cn toz lcs bicnslais quc vos avs lais ct
lcrs. t si vos promcton dou pain ct dc laiguc ct dc la povrc robc dc la maison ct dc la poinc ct
dou travail asss.
JJ !bid., p. .. ct lc baiscr cn la bouchc.
J2 Plcasc scc chaptcr ., Te charges Against the Templars.
J3 Gcorgcs Lizcrand, Le Dossier de l Aaire des Templiers (Paris, .a) p. .
J4 !bid., p. ,. !ntcrrogatus, quum vovit castitatcm, si sibi aliquid dictum quod commisccrct sc
carnalitcr cum lratribus, dixt pcr jarmcntum suum quod non ncc numquam lccit.
J5 Julcs Michclct, Le Procs des Templiers \ol !! (Paris, .,, rpt. ol .. cd.) pp. a.6.,.
J6 !bid., pp. a.a.
J7 Rogcr Svc and AnncMaric Chagny Svc, Le Procs des Templiers dAuvergne 13091311 (Paris,
.6) pp. .a,a.
J8 Scc chaptcr c, Baphomet.
J9 Alain cmurgcr, Jacques de Molay: Le Crepuscule des Templiers (Paris: 8iographic Payot, acca)
p. .
20 Malcom 8arbcr, Te Trial of the Templars (Cambridgc, acc6, and. cd.) pp. aaca..
2J Charlcs Vcndcll avid, cd. and tr. Te Conquest of Lisbon c xpugnationc Lyxboncnsi (Co
lumbia Univcrsity Prcss, .6, rpt. acca) pp. .a, atquc in illam cxpucntcs, lcditis suc pos
tcriora cxtcrgcbant cx illa, siquc dcmum micturicntcs in illam. ! am gratclul to Malcolm
8arbcr lor pointing out this rclcrcncc to mc.
CH A P T I R T HI R T Y S I V I N
Marguerite Porete
T
hc 8clgian mystic Margucritc Porctc may sccm an odd pcrson
to includc in a book about thc Tcmplars. Shc ncvcr wcnt to thc
Holy Land. Shc may ncvcr havc cvcn mct a Tcmplar. 8ut thcir latc
acctcd hcrs in thc most disastrous manncr.
Margucritc was onc ol a group ol laypcoplc known as thc 8c
guincs. Tc movcmcnt was strongcst in thc Low Countrics but
rcachcd all through uropc. 8cguincs livcd in towns in communal
homcs, workcd outsidc or bcggcd lor alms, and poolcd thcir posscs
sions lor thc common good. Tcir bclicls rangcd lrom a complctcly
orthodox dcsirc to livc a rcligious, scmimonastic lilc to dccply mysti
cal, somctimcs hcrctical rcvclations. Although thc movcmcnt was
condcmncd at thc Council of Vienne, it survivcd into thc twcnticth
ccntury. Somc ol thcir homcs, or bcguinagcs, havc bccn turncd into
muscums.
Many 8cguinc mystics wcrc rcvcrcd locally and acccptcd by thc
hicrarchy ol thc Church. Margucritc wasnt onc ol thcsc. Shc wan
dcrcd about, prcaching hcr bclicl in thc Frcc Spirit (anothcr hcrctical
movcmcnt condcmncd at thc Council of Vienne) and cxplaining to
pcoplc that thc soul can achicvc union with God without thc guidancc
ol what shc callcd thc littlc church.
Now, rst ol all, no onc was supposcd to prcach publicly without
pcrmission lrom thc local bishop and womcn wcrcnt allowcd to prcach
at all, at lcast not outsidc thc lamily. Margucritc not only did so, but
shc also wrotc a book about hcr mystical cxpcricnccs, Te Mirror of
Simple Souls. Tc book was condcmncd and burncd by thc bishop ol
\alcncicnncs in .c6. Undauntcd, Margucritc submittcd thc book to
thrcc scholars at thc Univcrsity ol Paris, cach ol whom said that thc
book containcd nothing hcrctical.
Tc mastcrs ol thc univcrsity wcrc apparcntly gctting quitc a rcp
utation lor dcciding mattcrs ol rcligion. Philip the Iair wcnt to thcm
scvcral timcs in his attcmpts to justily thc arrest and trials of the
Templars. So Margucritc must havc lclt sccurc in thcir approval as
shc carricd on with hcr work.
Howcvcr, in .c, Philips conlcssor, Guillaumc dc Paris, who was
also thc papal inquisitor, happcncd to gct a copy ol Te Mirror of Sim
ple Souls. At this point hc was lrustratcd by Pope Clement Vs lack ol
cnthusiasm lor condcmning thc Tcmplars. Unlikc thc mastcrs ol thc
univcrsity, Guillaumc lound scvcral hcrctical passagcs in Margucritcs
book. Hc had hcr brought to Paris to bc qucstioncd.
Margucritc, who had spokcn hcr mind to all and sundry lor ycars,
rcluscd to say anything to thc inquisitors. Altcr a ycar and a hall in
prison without dclcnding hcrscll, shc was condcmncd on Junc , ..c,
and burncd at thc stakc thc ncxt day.
Tis was lcss than a month altcr thc archbishop ol Scns had or
dcrcd thc burning ol ltylour Tcmplars. !t has bccn suggcstcd that
bccausc ol his acts ol intolcrancc against thc Tcmplars, thc king ol
Francc had angcrcd thc Popc. Philip may havc hopcd that Clcmcnt
was rcady to lollow thc king in all things but hc may havc worricd that
thc burning had pushcd thc popc too lar.
Tcrclorc, Philip and Guillaumc nccdcd an cxamplc ol a truc
hcrctic, somconc who had opcnly dcridcd thc authority ol thc Church.
Margucritc was a pcrlcct choicc. Shc was a lrcc spirit in many ways,
not attachcd to a convcnt or to an important lamily. And hcr work
could bc sccn as dccidcdly unorthodox.
8ut would shc havc bccn burncd il thc casc ol thc Tcmplars
hadnt bccn going so badly: ! suspcct not. !t is morc likcly that hcr
book would havc bccn burncd and shc would havc bccn shut up
315 Marguerite Porete
somcwhcrc. n thc othcr hand, Margucritc also rcprcscntcd a grow
ing intcrcst among litcratc laypcoplc in undcrstanding thc laith on
thcir own. Tis indcpcndcncc thrcatcncd thc stability ol all ol soci
cty, not just that ol thc Church. Tc various rclorms in thc Church
ovcr thc prcvious two hundrcd ycars had cmphasizcd pcrsonal dcvo
tions. Many pcoplc wcrc trying to makc scnsc ol thc bclicls thcy had
bccn taught. Margucritc was onc ol thc morc vocal but shc was not as
alonc as shc may havc lclt.
vidcncc ol this is that, although all copics ol Te Mirror of Simple
Souls wcrc to bc handcd in and dcstroycd, scvcral pcoplc kcpt thcm. !t
is a tcstamcnt to hcr work that it was translatcd into nglish, !talian,
and Latin (!). Clcarly hcr mystical cxpcricnccs touchcd a widc rangc ol
pcoplc.
id Margucritc lall into a trap sct lor thc Tcmplars or wcrc shc
and thc Tcmplars caught up in a gcncral panic on thc part ol thosc in
powcr: Vcrc thcy accuscd ol hcrcsy bccausc ol valid cvidcncc or bc
causc that was thc chargc most likcly to bc takcn scriously, givcn thc
mood ol thc timcs:
! honcstly dont know. 8ut it is somcthing to think about.
J CharlcsJoscph Hclclc and om H. Lcclcrcq, Histoire des Conciles daprs les Documents Originaux
Tomc \! dcuximc partic (Paris, ..) p. 6.. Tc lth canon ol thc council lumps thc 8cguins
in with thc hcrcsy ol thc Frcc Spirit and condcmns both.
2 Pctcr ronkc, Women Writers of the Middle Ages: A Critical Study of Texts from Perpetua (d. 203) to
Marguerite Porete (d. 1310) (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. a.,.
3 Cathcrinc M. Mullcr, Marguerite Porete et Marguerite dOingt, de l autre cte du miroir (Ncw
York: Land, .) pp. ...
4 !bid., p. ..
5 !bid.
6 !bid.
7 ronkc, p. a.,.
CH A P T I R T HI R T Y I I GHT
Who Were the Templars?
W
hilc thcrc arc somc notablc mcn who bccamc Tcmplars, and
occasionally onc ol thc rankandlc Tcmplars was singlcd
out lor approval by a chroniclcr lor thc glory ol his dcath, most ol thc
timc thc Tcmplars sccmcd intcrchangcablc. Tis was intcntional. Un
likc sccular knights, thcy wcrc not supposcd to bc intcrcstcd in pcr
sonal lamc. Tcy wcrc not just soldicrs, but monks. Tcir livcs
combincd thc disciplinc ol an army unit in thc cld with thc rigor ol
thc monastic schcdulc ol praycr cight timcs a day.
Tc Rule tclls us what thc daily lilc ol thc Tcmplar should bc.
Tcrc was ol coursc a big dicrcncc bctwccn thc livcs ol thosc who
wcrc on duty in thc Latin kingdoms and thosc who ncvcr lclt thc
Vcst. 8ut thc Rulc givcs us a pattcrn that cvcry Tcmplar was sup
poscd to lollow. !t is probablc that whcn not activcly in battlc, most ol
thcm did thcir bcst to kccp to it.
Vhat did thcy look likc: First ol all, unlikc thc dandyish knights
and courticrs ol thc twcllth ccntury, clcan shavcn with long curly
locks, thc Tcmplars worc thcir hair short and had niccly trimmcd
bcards. Tc Latin Rulc, writtcn by rcgular cloistcrcd monks, makcs it
clcar that thcy wcrcnt to drcss in thc latcst stylcs. Tc monks particu
larly dcspiscd thc lashion lor rostris, or shocs with long, pointcd tocs
and laccs, which arc obviously a hcathcn lashion. Tcir clothcs
should bc plain and scrviccablc, without lur or lrills. Likc monks, thc
317 Who Were the Templars?
clothcs wcrc not thcir own, but distributcd by thc rapcr, who was
told to makc surc that thcy t so that no brothcr lookcd likc a lool in
somcthing too long or too short.
Also likc othcr monks, thc Tcmplars atc togcthcr and in silcncc.
ut ol rcgard lor thc amount ol cxtra cncrgy thcy would nccd, thcy
wcrc allowcd mcat thrcc days a wcck, cxccpt lor somc lcast days.
Tcy might havc winc bclorc bcd, but in modcration. Vhcn thcy got
to bcd, thcrc should always bc a light burning, so that thc shadowy
cncmics might not lurc thcm to cvil.
Many ol thc rulcs wcrc dcsigncd to makc surc that thc brothcrs
had no chancc lor any sort ol scxual contact, with mcn or womcn.
Tcy wcrc always to go in pairs, or morc, but, should thcy stop at an
inn, thcy wcrc not to go into cach othcrs rooms. Tis rulc puzzlcs mc
bccausc most inns did not havc privatc roomsonc might wcll havc
bccn askcd to sharc a bcd with a strangcr. ithcr thc monks who
wrotc this rulc didnt gct out much or thc Tcmplar cash was going lor
thc bcst lodging availablc.
Tcir daily livcs wcrc bascd on thosc ol thc monastcry. Tcy got
up in thc middlc ol thc night lor thc praycrs ol Matins. At dawn thcy
said thc praycrs ol Primc and thcn hcard Mass. Tcy stoppcd lor thc
othcr six timcs ol praycr, cnding with Complinc, altcr which thcy
wcrc not allowcd to spcak until thc ncxt Matins.
!t was undcrstood that lcw ol thc brothcrs would havc thc Latin
to rccitc thc psalms ol thc ivinc cc or cvcn bc ablc to rcad thcm
in Frcnch. So thcy only nccdcd to listcn to thc pricst rccitc and to say
thc Lords Praycr thirtccn timcs at cach ol thc hours. At thc cnd ol
cach cc, thc brothcrs wcrc givcn any ncccssary ordcrs or important
announccmcnts.
Altcr Matins, long bclorc dawn, thc Tcmplars did not go back to
bcd until thcy had chcckcd thcir horscs and cquipmcnt, rcpaircd any
thing that nccdcd it, and conlcrrcd with thcir squircs about any othcr
problcms. Tcn thcy could go back to bcd until thc sun rosc.
!nstcad ol thc usual monastic dutics, such as copying manuscripts
or working in thc gardcn, thc Tcmplars in thc cld spcnt most ol thcir
lrcc timc taking carc ol thcir armor and thcir horscs. Tc carc ol thc
A nineteenth-century idealized image of a Templar. (Art Resource, NY)
horscs was a major conccrn. Tc monk do ol cuil, who wcnt with
Louis \!! on thc Second Crusade, was imprcsscd with thc way thc
Tcmplars kcpt thcir horscs lcd, cvcn though thcy thcmsclvcs wcrc
starving. Tc Rulc gavc guidclincs lor lccding and cxcrcising thc
horscs and lor military training. Tc Temple in Iondon had a cld
across lrom thc housc which was probably uscd lor jousting and othcr
cxcrciscs, so not only thc brothcrs scrving in thc ast wcrc cxpcctcd to
stay in training.
As in a monastcry or a modcrn army, a Tcmplar was strictly undcr
thc authority ol thc mastcr. Hc had to ask pcrmission to do almost
anything and was cxpcctcd to obcy an ordcr instantly, saying, De par
DieuFor thc sakc ol God.
nc conccssion that thc writcrs ol thc latcr scctions ol thc Rulc
had to makc was about gambling. Gamcs ol chancc wcrc thc sccond
most popu lar rccrcation lor mcdicval soldicrs and, sincc thc Tcm
plars had vowcd chastity, thc rst was out ol thc qucstion. So rulc
numbcr ., gavc limits on what thc Tcmplar may wagcr. !t appcars
as il thc idca was to lct thcm play without risking anything. 8ccausc
thcy had takcn a vow ol povcrty, thcy had no moncy, so thcy wcrc
lorbiddcn to bct anything valuablc, such as a saddlc. !nstcad thcy
could wagcr with tcnt pcgs or picccs ol candlc or wornout cord
lrom a crossbow. Tcy wcrc not to play chcss or backgammon at
all.
Tcsc mcn had grown up in a socicty whcrc cvcryonc playcd
gamcs ol chancc. Tc lact that thc Rulc had to bcnd a bit to accom
modatc this shows how ingraincd thc knightly lilc was in thc mcn
who chosc to bccomc Tcmplars.
Tcrc was a grcat dicrcncc bctwccn thc livcs ol thc Tcmplars in
thc ast and in thc Vcst. Vith thc cxccption ol thc !bcrian Pcnin
sula, thc Tcmplars living in thc various commandcrics and small
houscs ncvcr saw combat. Tcir lilc was much morc likc that ol thc
monks living in thc countrysidc ncar thcm. Tcsc mcn had two main
jobs: to rccruit knights to scnd to Jcrusalcm or Acrc and to bring in
thc moncy to support thcm.
!n Paris and London, cspccially, somc Tcmplars bccamc nancial
scrvants ol thc kings. 8ut wc still havc only a lcw ol thcir namcs, no
scnsc ol who thcy wcrc. ! think that this is bccausc most ol thc Tcm
plars wcrc not on thc samc social lcvcl as thc mcn who hircd thcm.
vcn thc knights who worc thc whitc cloak tcndcd to comc lrom thc
lowcr nobility. Tc scrgcants only had to bc lrccborn to cntcr thc or
dcr. Vhcn it camc down to it, with a lcw cxccptions, thc nobility
considcrcd thc Tcmplars in Paris and London as no morc than civil
scrvants.
!t is possiblc to givc a picturc ol a lcw ol thc Tcmplars, mostly
lrom chartcrs.
Individual Templars
nc ol thc unusual things about thc Tcmplars is that mcn could join
lor a limitcd amount ol timc. nc ol thosc who did was a knight
namcd Humbcrt ol 8caujcu. Humbcrt was thc son ol Guichard, lord
ol 8caujcu, in 8urgundy, and Lucicnnc ol Rochclort. Tc datc ol his
birth isnt known but it many havc bccn bctwccn ... and ..ac. Hc
signcd on with Louis \!! lor thc Second Crusade. Hc was going to
travcl to thc Holy Land with his lathcrinlaw, Amadcus !!! ol Savoy,
but onc night hc had a vision warning him to go on his own. !ts not
quitc clcar what disastcr thc vision cxpcctcd. Amadcus !!!, who was
also thc unclc ol Louis \!!, was bringing a hugc lorcc on thc cxpcdi
tion. Amadcus and Louis sharcd in thc disastcrs ol thc journcy across
Anatolia and wcrc among thosc who wcnt too lar ahcad, causing thc
slaughtcr ol Louis rcar guard in Turkcy. 8ut Amadcus himscll sur
vivcd thc crusadc and dicd on Cyprus ol a lcvcr.
Vhcn Humbcrt, travcling on his own, rcachcd Jcrusalcm, hc
joincd thc Tcmplars, although hc was marricd. ithcr hc told thcm hc
was singlc or hc ocrcd to sign up lor a tcrm and licd about having his
wilcs pcrmission. Hc must havc scrvcd with thcm only lor thc dura
tion ol thc crusadc, lor hc was back in 8urgundy by ..c. Hc may
havc accompanicd thc Grand Mastcr, vcrard dc 8arrcs, who rc
turncd to thc Vcst at about this timc.
Humbcrts lathcr, Guichard, had cntcrcd thc monastcry ol Cluny,
ncar Macon in 8urgundy, in .., and Humbcrt was apparcntly vcry
activc in thc arca, kccping thc pcacc and gctting rid ol brigands and
thicvcs. vcrard may not havc wantcd thc lord ol 8caujcu to lcavc thc
Tcmplars. !ts always hard to losc an cnthusiastic workcr. Tc abbot ol
thc monastcry, Pctcr thc \cncrablc, was all lor ridding thc Holy Land
ol thc Saraccns but thc maraudcrs in 8urgundy, though Christian in
namc, wcrc much closcr and poscd an immcdiatc thrcat to him and
his monks.
Abbot Pctcr wrotc to vcrard, bcgging him to rclcasc Humbcrt
lrom thc Tcmplars so that hc could continuc to protcct Cluny and thc
surrounding rcgion. Tis is anothcr rcason why ! think that Humbcrt
was a tcmporary Tcmplar. Tc abbot ol Cluny would not havc sug
gcstcd making somconc rcvokc a monastic vow. 8ut il Humbcrt had
promiscd to scrvc thc ordcr lor a short timc and hc had lclt bclorc thc
timc was up, Pctcr might havc considcrcd his nccd grcatcr than thc
Tcmplars.
Hc points out to thc mastcr that, whilc all thc good mcn wcrc
o ghting, thc bad oncs staycd bchind to prcy on thc innoccnt.
8ut Humbcrt, who has but latcly comc back lrom ovcrscas and rc
turncd to our ncighborhood to takc up thc carc ol thc land, to gcn
cral rcjoicing, is now ablc to protcct widows, orphans, and dclcnsclcss
monks.
So Humbcrt did not rcmain in thc Tcmplars. Hc staycd in 8cau
jcu, whcrc hc was activc in clcaring his land ol criminals. Hc also was
known lor his battlcs with his son, Humbcrt !\, who probably wishcd
thc old man had staycd in Jcrusalcm. Tcir quarrcl was nally scttlcd
by thc bishop ol Lyons, who arbitratcd thcir pcacc:
Among all thc mislortuncs which havc struck our rcgion, onc
must placc rst that uphcaval (tempestas illa), that pitilcss war
which Humbcrt ol 8caujcu and his son wagcd against cach
othcr, and which mcn almost dcspaircd ol cvcr sccing
cndcd. . . . |At last| Tc lathcr rcccivcd his son likc his natural
hcir, and as thc lcgitimatc scignor altcr him ol his wholc cl and
domain ol 8caujcu, and hc sworc to this bclorc all thc witncsscs.
Tc son, in his turn, did him homagc. And it was in this way
that, through our mcdiation, thc young Humbcrt gavc back to
his lathcr thc grcatcr part ol thc scignory on which hc had laid
his hand.
Tc youngcr Humbcrt dicd on thc Tird Crusadc. His lathcr dicd
around ..a, in his latc scvcntics or carly cightics. ! hopc hc was lcisty
to thc cnd.
Humbcrt is a good cxamplc ol how thc Tcmplars wcrc not just
mcn who gavc up lamilics and thc world. ! havcnt bccn ablc to nd
any indication ol him staying in contact with thc local Tcmplars altcr
his rcturn, but this may bc duc to a lack ol rcc ords. Tc lact that his
son wcnt on thc ncxt crusadc implics that Humbcrt bclicvcd in thc
causc, although thc youngcr Humbcrt did not lollow his lathcrs cx
amplc and join thc Tcmplars.
8u: in somc cascs, thc Tcmplars were a lamily aair. nc ol thc most
important donors to thc Tcmplar commandcry at Richcndcs was thc
local lord, Hugh ol 8oubouton. !n ..6, hc and his ncphcw, 8crtrand,
along with many ol thcir lricnds and ncighbors, gavc thc Tcmplars a
lairly largc parccl ol land. To bc ccrtain that no onc contcstcd this, thcy
had thc bishop ol St. Paul Trois Chtcaux, Pons dc Grillon, witncss
it. Two ycars altcr that Hugh, with his wilc, son, and ncphcw among
othcrs, gavc thc Tcmplc morc land. Tc ncxt day, Hugh bccamc a
Tcmplar. Hc cvcntually bccamc thc commandcr ol Richcndcs.
Hughs cxamplc sccms to havc inspircd his son, Nicholas. n
cccmbcr , .., hc also bccamc a Tcmplar, in spitc ol thc protcsts ol
his mothcr, who was nally convinccd to acccpt his dccision. Hc must
havc bccn an only child, lor hc gavc thc rcmaindcr ol thc lamily prop
crty to thc ordcr, lor, as hc quotcd, nc may not bc My disciplc un
lcss onc givcs up all that onc posscsscs. nough was lclt to support
his poor mothcr, Marchcsa. nc wondcrs how shc spcnt thc rcst ol
hcr lilc, lor its clcar lrom thc documcnt that Nicholas kncw how his
dccision had hurt hcr.
!n this casc wc can scnsc thc dccp rcligious dcdication ol Hugh
and his son. Tcy had propcrty and position but thcy gavc it up to ght
lor God. Tcrc is no indication as to what promptcd thcir dccisions,
but thc rcligious dcvotion is obvious. !ts onc ol thc tantalizing un
knowns that makcs historical rcscarch both cxciting and lrustrating. !
imaginc Hugh staying at thc commandcry whilc Nicholas wcnt o to
Jcrusalcm, pcrhaps to dic at onc ol thc battlcs ol thc Sccond Crusadc or
in somc unimportant skirmish. id Hugh rcgrct cncouraging his son:
id his wilc cvcr spcak to him again: Tcrcs no way to know.
Pcrhaps il wc had morc ol thcsc pcrsonal imagcs ol thc Tcmplars
and thcir lamilics, thcrc wouldnt bc so many imaginary talcs about
thcir livcs.
J Rcnc Groussct, Histoire des Croisades et du Royaume Franc de Jrusalem \ol. ! (Paris, .)
p. .
2 Hcnri dc Curzon, La Rgle du Temple (Paris, .6) pp. a, manilcstum cst cssc gcntili.
3 !bid. Rulc no. ..
4 !bid. Rulc no. a6.
5 !bid. Rulc no. c.
6 !bid. Rulc no. ,. Tis was customary in both monastcrics and convcnts.
7 !bid. Rulc no. ..
8 !bid. Rulc no. aa.
9 !bid. Rulc no. a.
J0 do ol cuil, De Profectione Ludovici VII in Orientem, cd. and tr. \irginia Gigncrick 8crry
(Ncw York: Norton, .) p. ..
JJ Gcorgc Vorlcy, Te Church of the Knights Templars in London: A Description of the Fabric and Its
Contents, with a Short History of the Order (London, .c,) p. ..
J2 Curzon. Rulc no. ..
J3 !bid. Rulc no. .,.
J4 !bid., Rulcs no. 6 and 66.
J5 ! havcnt lound a conncction bctwccn him and Grand Mastcr Villiam ol 8caujcu, but onc may
cxist. Familics tcndcd to choosc a rcligious ordcr and support it ovcr thc gcncrations.
J6 Constancc 8rittain 8ouchard, Sword, Miter, and Cloister: Nobility and the Church in Burgundy,
9801198 (!thaca: Corncll Univcrsity Prcss, .,) p. aa.
J7 Jonathan RilcySmith, Family Traditions and Participation in thc Sccond Crusadc, in Te
Second Crusade and the Cistercians (Ncw York: St. Martins Prcss, .a) p. .c.
J8 Yvcs Sassicr, Louis VII (Paris: Fayard, ..) p. .,.
J9 Gilcs Constablc, Te Letters of Peter the Venerable \ol. !! (Cambridgc, MA: Harvard Univcrsity
Prcss, .6,) p. a..
20 Constablc, p. a.a, docs mcntion that Humbcrt had lclt without his wilcs pcrmission. Humbcrt
wouldnt havc bccn thc rst man to join up to cscapc a bad marriagc but thcrc is no inlormation
on this point.
2J Constablc, p. c, nupcr a partibus transmarinus vcnicns ad partcs nortras rcdiit, ct cum im
mcnsa cxulatationc.
22 dward 8cnjamin Krchbicl and Achillc Luchairc, Social France at the Time of Philip Augustus
(Ncw York: H. Holt, ..a) p. a6.
23 Marquis dAlbon, Cartulaire Gnral de l Ordre du Temple (Paris, ..a) no. .aa, p. .
24 ominic Sclwood, Knights of the Cloister: Templars and Hospitallers in Central-Southern Occita
nia c.1100300 (8oydcll, Voodbridgc, .) p. 6.
25 Albon, p. a,, no. ..
CH A P T I R T HI R T Y NI NI
Te Other Guys;
Regional Military Orders
The Teutonic Knights
uring thc Tird Crusadc, part ol thc Gcrman army, minus thcir
lcadcrs but with thc body ol Frcdcrick 8arbarossa, arrivcd at thc city
ol Acrc. Tcy wcrc in poor shapc and wcrc ovcrjoycd to bc grcctcd by
thc monks ol thc Gcrman hospital ol St. Mary. Vhcn thc army wcnt
homc, somc ol thc Gcrman soldicrs staycd to work at thc hospital. !n
.. it was dccidcd that St. Marys should bc dividcd into a scrvicc to
carc lor thc poor and thc sick among thc Gcrman pilgrims and also
into a military ordcr lollowing thc rulc ol thc Tcmplars. Tcy wcrc
known as thc Tcutonic Knights.
Tc mcmbcrs ol thc Tcutonic Knights mostly camc lrom thc
group known as thc ministeriales. Tis was a class ol pcoplc who wcrc
thc scrls ol thc kings ol thc Gcrman statcs. Tcy wcrc ministcrs ol
nancc and handlcd much ol thc burcaucratic work. Vhilc many ol
thc lamilics bccamc rich and inucntial, thcy wcrc not considcrcd
lrcc and not allowcd to marry into thc nobility. Mcn ol this class
who had military training might wcll havc sccn thc Tcutonic rdcr
as an opportunity lor thc knightly activity that thcir birth dcnicd
thcm.
8y thc timc ol thc Filth Crusadc, thc Tcutonic Knights wcrc part
ol thc armics supplicd by thc military ordcrs. Tcy lought alongsidc
thc Hospitallers and thc Tcmplars during thc lailcd campaign in
.a..aa. to conqucr gypt. Tcy also hclpcd thc Tcmplars to rcbuild
thcir lortrcss ol Chatcau Pclcrin, now known as Atlit.
8ut thc Tcutonic Knights soon rcalizcd that thcir sphcrc ol activ
ity was not thc rcconqucst ol Jcrusalcm. Tcy wcrc convinccd that it
was just as important to cxpand thc laith by bringing Christianity to
thc pagan Prussians, Livonians, and stonians.
Tcy startcd thcir pursuit ol this in Hungary in .a.., whcn King
Andrcw !! gavc thcm somc land north ol thc Transylvanian Alps. A
short timc latcr hc could writc, Tcy havc bccn placcd likc a ncw
loundation on that lronticr, and in withstanding thc constant on
slaughts ol thc Cumans |a pagan group| and in providing a strong
dclcnsc lor thc kingdom thcy do not lcar to cxposc thcmsclvcs to
dcath cvcry day.
Howcvcr, within a lcw ycars, Andrcw had gonc o thc Tcutonic
brothcrs. !ts not ccrtain why. 8ut onc rccord statcs, Tcy arc to thc
king likc a rc in thc brcast, a mousc in thc wallct and a vipcr in thc
bosom, which rcpay thcir hosts badly. So it sccms thcy outstaycd
thcir wclcomc. Tcy wcrc cxpcllcd lrom Hungary in .aa.
Tcy had bcttcr luck with mpcror Frcdcrick !!, who was discov
cring that its not casy to rulc a tcrritory that rcachcs lrom thc Mcdi
tcrrancan to thc 8altic. So hc was happy to givc thc Tcutonic Knights
thc district ol Culmcrland plus anything thcy could takc ovcr in
Prussia.
Tcy didnt havc to bc askcd twicc.
Tis docs not mcan that thc Tcutonic Knights wcrcnt scrious
about rcligion. Tcir ordcr was as strict as any othcr. Knights took
vows ol cclibacy, pcrsonal povcrty, and obcdicncc. Vhcn thcy wcrc on
campaign, thc mastcrs tcnt scrvcd as a church. Vhcrc thc Tcmplars
wcrc allowcd low stakcs gambling, thc Tcutonic Knights could only
do wood carving lor rccrcation. Military disciplinc was scvcrc.
8y .ac, thc Tcutonic rdcr had a monopoly on thc military or
dcrs in castcrn uropc. A small housc ol thc Calatravan rdcr (scc
327 The Other Guys; Regional Military Orders
bclow) vanishcd. Two othcr Gcrman ordcrs, thc Swordbrcthrcn and
thc rdcr ol obrin, wcrc absorbcd. Tcy stcadily took ovcr largc
parts ol Prussia. Tcy wcrc ablc to bring Gcrman pcasants into thc
arca to colonizc it undcr thcir authority, which gavc thcm a bcttcr basc
than thc Tcmplars had, cvcn bcttcr than thc Hospitallcrs, who didnt
havc many colonists cvcn whcn thcy scttlcd on Malta.
Two ycars bclorc thc Tcmplars wcrc arrcstcd, thc Tcutonic Knights
in Livonia wcrc put on trial. Tc chargcs against thcm wcrc thc im
prisonmcnt ol thc bishop ol Riga, inlringcmcnt ol ccclcsiastical privi
lcgcs, prcvcnting missionary work, corruption ol thc rdcrs ranks
and thc salc ol castlcs and wcapons to thc Lithuanians. Tcy wcrc
actually guilty ol quitc a lcw ol thcsc things, but thcy had no onc likc
Philip !\ against thcm and thcy had thcir own country to ght lrom
so thcy cmcrgcd unscathcd.
!n thc mid ltccnth ccntury a Carthusian monk wrotc a history ol
thc various ordcrs in thc lorm ol a dialoguc bctwccn a mothcr and son.
Vhcn shc arrivcs at thc Tcutonic rdcr, thc mothcr dcscribcs how
thcy bcgan, although stating that thcy lollowcd thc Rulc ol thc Hos
pitallcrs, not thc Tcmplars. Tcy startcd out noblc dclcndcrs ol thc
laith, shc says, 8ut, |now| alas! cccivcd by wcalth thcy try to ovcr
throw almost cvcry ordcr and wickcdly dcstroy cvcry singlc statc!
!n .a thc Tcutonic kingdom ol Prussia was madc into a Protcs
tant duchy. Tcrc wcrc not many knights lclt by thcn. Somc ol thc
youngcr oncs lclt thc ordcr and marricd. Tc cldcr knights mostly
prclcrrcd to stay truc to thcir monastic vows and lound rcligious
houscs to takc thcm in. !n Gcrmany thc ordcr rcor ga nizcd to ght
thc Turks in thc 8alkans. vcntually thc hcadquartcrs movcd to \i
cnna and bccamc a military and chivalric cxtcnsion ol thc Housc ol
Hapsburg.
The Calatravans
Tis group ol knightly monks took thcir namc lrom thc lortrcss ol
Calatrava in Spain. Tcy wcrc lormcd in .. altcr thc Tcmplars had
abandoncd thc lortrcss lor rcasons still unclcar. At that timc thcrc
was grcat lcar ol an attack by thc Moors lrom Granada. King Sancho
!!! ol Castilc scnt a lrantic lcttcr to Raymondo, thc abbot ol thc Cis
tcrcian monastcry ol Fitcro, in Navarrc, asking lor his hclp. Tis isnt
thc rst placc ! would havc lookcd lor military aid, but thc abbot camc
through, ocring his support and taking thc ncw ordcr undcr thc pro
tcction ol thc Cistcrcians. Tis was thc rst ol thc Spanish ordcrs.
Although thc Tcmplars wcrc vcry activc in thc reconquista in Spain
and Portugal, thcy also scnt a portion ol cvcrything thcy took in to
support thc work in thc crusadcr kingdoms. Sincc thc kings ol thcsc
countrics lclt that thcrc was cnough work to do at homc, thcy cncour
agcd thc nativc ordcr ol warriormonks, whosc loyalty was strictly to
thcir own country.
King Sancho startcd thc Calatravans o wcll, giving thcm not
only thc town and lortrcss ol Calatrava but also anothcr villagc in a
morc sccurc arca. Tcy wcrc also promiscd thc rcvcnuc lrom spccic
towns, il thcy could conqucr thcm. Tat, along with thc promisc ol a
portion ol booty lrom othcr conqucsts, cncouragcd thc Calatravans in
thcir corts.
Tc Calatravans must havc bccn apprcciatcd by thc local popula
tion, lor thcrc arc numcrous rcc ords ol donations to thcm ol cstatcs
and rights. Tcy also bcnctcd by thcir conncction to thc Cistcrcians,
who, likc thc Tcmplars, wcrc rcsponsiblc to thc popc and not local
bishops. Tis, as usual, crcatcd lriction with thc Spanish clcrgy but it
also brought in a sizcablc incomc.
Tc knights ol Calatrava wcrc activc, along with thc othcr military
ordcrs, in most ol thc battlcs in thc !bcrian Pcninsula throughout thc
twcllth and thirtccnth ccnturics. Although thcy lost thc town ol
Calatrava in .., thcy continucd to opcratc lrom thc town ol Salvaticrra
until lorccd to surrcndcr that. Undauntcd, thcy continucd ghting and
rcgaincd Calatrava in July .a.a.
Tc ordcrs in Spain providcd mcdical trcatmcnt lor thosc
woundcd in battlc. Calatrava had at lcast six hospitals. Tc com
mandcr ol onc ol thcm, Santa lalla, travclcd with royal armics to
providc lor knights and lootsoldicrs, both thc woundcd and thc poor,
thc ill and thc sick, and to takc a chaplain with him to ocr viaticum
|last ritcs| to thc woundcd, il ncccssary, and a mastcr ol surgcry to
givc mcdicinc to thc woundcd. !n this thcy sccm to havc combincd
thc dutics ol thc Tcmplars and thc Hospitallcrs.
Tc Calatravans attractcd thc lormation ol smallcr ordcrs in Lcn,
thc rdcr ol St. Julin dcl Pcrciro, and in Portugal, thc rdcr ol
Avis. CastilcLcn was also homc to thc rdcrs ol Santiago and
Alcntara. Vhilc thc Tcmplars also had commandcrics in this arca,
by and largc thc Castilian kings prclcrrcd nativc ordcrs.
Tcy sccm to havc bccn corrcct in this judgmcnt. Tc military
ordcrs ol thc !bcrian Pcninsula did not havc to rcly on donations lrom
othcr lands and only had to dcal with thc squabblcs ol thcir own rul
crs. !ts possiblc that, sincc thcy didnt havc to opcratc on an intcrna
tional scalc, thcy could put morc timc and cncrgy into thcir main goal,
thc cxpulsion ol thc Moors lrom Spain. Tis was nally accomplishcd
in .a.
The Order of St. Lazarus
nc ol thc most intriguing ol thc military ordcrs was known as thc
rdcr ol St. Lazarus. At lcast at thc bcginning, it was composcd cn
tircly ol lcpcrs.
As carly as ..c, a man ol 8urgundy namcd Vido Cornclly,
judgcd to havc contractcd lcprosy, voluntccrcd to go to Jcrusalcm
and scrvc as a knight ol thc Tcmplars to thc cnd ol his lilc. Judging
lrom thc list ol namcs witncssing his vow, Vido was a noblcman. Hc
arrangcd lor thc carc ol his wilc and childrcn bclorc hc lclt. Hc
dcnitcly joincd thc Tcmplars rst, not St. Lazarus. Howcvcr, il hc
did indccd havc lcprosy, thc Tcmplars would havc had to nd a way to
carc lor him oncc his illncss bccamc dcbilitating.
Tcrc was alrcady a hospital lor lcpcrs in Jcrusalcm. Likc most
such hospitals, it was dcdicatcd to Saint Lazarus. Tcrc wcrc two mcn
by that namc in thc Gospcls. Tc rst was a bcggar, covcrcd with
sorcs, who lay, ignorcd, at thc gatc ol a rich man until hc dicd. Hc was
thcn takcn to hcavcn whilc thc rich man was scnt to hcll. Tis Laza
rus might wcll havc bccn considcrcd a lcpcr and thc parablc illustratcs
thc punishmcnt lor not sharing what onc has with thosc lcss lortu
natc. Tc othcr, bcttcr known, Lazarus was Lazarus ol 8cthany,
brothcr ol Mary and Martha, whom Jcsus raiscd lrom thc dcad. To
many pcoplc lcpcrs wcrc thc living dcad. So which onc was it: Tc
answcr is probably both. Likc Mary Magdalcnc, thc saint vcncratcd in
thc Middlc Agcs as Lazarus was likcly a blcnding ol two mcn with
thc samc namc.
Tc hospital was in cxistcncc at thc timc that Vido madc his vow
to join thc Tcmplars. !t wasnt cxactly in Jcrusalcm, morc up against
an outcr wall. Vhilc pcoplc did not yct bclicvc that lcprosy was a pun
ishmcnt lor oncs sins, thcy didnt know how onc got it and so most
houscs lor lcpcrs wcrc not in dcnscly populatcd parts ol thc city.
Tc royal lamily ol Jcrusalcm, starting with Iulk and Melisande,
gavc gcncrously to thc church and convcnt ol thc inrm ol St. Laza
rus. Most ol thc othcr nobility ol thc Latin kingdoms did as wcll.
ltcn thcrc arc Tcmplars who witncss thcsc chartcrs. Somc ol thcm
arc cvcn contractcd at thc Tcmplc ol Solomon. Tat might appcar as
il thc Tcmplars and thc lcpcrs had an carly arrangcmcnt lor thc carc ol
lcprous knightsthat is, until wc rcmcmbcr that thc Tcmplc had bc
comc a gcncral mccting placc lor pcoplc in Jcrusalcm to transact busi
ncss. Altcr all, pcoplc might want to givc to thc poor lcpcrs but not
havc to actually visit thcm. So wc cant bc ccrtain that thc Tcmplars
wcrc conncctcd to thc Hospital ol St. Lazarus yct.
Somctimc around .., thc hospital sccms to havc dcvclopcd a
sccond lunction as a homc lor lcpcrous knights who wcrc still wcll
cnough to ght. Tc rst known mastcr ol St. Lazarus was a ccrtain
8artholomcw. Hc carricd watcr lor thc usc ol thc lcpcrs and took carc
ol thcm. !n .., Almaric, thc son ol Fulk and Mclisandc, gavc a
villa to thc brothcrs ol St. Lazarus ol Jcrusalcm and to Hugh ol Saint
Paul, who is now mastcr ol this placc and ol all thc lcpcrs.
!ts not clcar whcn St. Lazarus startcd scnding knights into com
bat. Somc ol thc chartcrs arc to thc brothcrs and othcrs to thc lcpcrs.
!s it simply a mattcr ol thc tcrm thc scribc lclt likc using that day or
did it makc a dicrcncc: My lccling is that thc military ordcr cvolvcd
slowly as mcn in thc carly stagcs ol lcprosy camc to thc hospital but
wcrc still ablc to bcar arms. Tcrc wcrc ncvcr cnough ghting mcn in
Jcrusalcm. Also, scvcral skin conditions wcrc misdiagnoscd as lcprosy,
cspccially at thc bcginning. Tcsc mcn would havc bccn wcll cnough
to ght lor quitc a whilc.
!t wasnt until thc lall ol Jcrusalcm in .., that thc rdcr ol St.
Lazarus rcccivcd papal privilcgcs similar to thosc ol thc othcr ordcrs.
At this point wc can say that it was o cial. Tc rst timc thc knights
arc mcntioncd as having participatcd in a battlc is that ol La Forbic in
.a, whcrc thcy wcrc all killcd. Tat didnt stop Stcphcn ol Salcrno
lrom donating tcn sous lour ycars latcr, on condition that thcy acccpt
his most blcsscd and bclovcd son, Astorgc, as a brothcr.
Tcsc mcn had all sccn what kind ol dcath thcy would lacc lrom
lcprosy. Tc agony ol dying in battlc must havc sccmcd plcasant by
comparison.
Tc Tcmplars must havc agrccd. Somctimc in thc carly thirtccnth
ccntury thcy addcd to thcir Rule, !l, by thc will ol God, it happcns
that a brothcr sccms to havc lcprosy and thc thing is provcn, thc
brothcrs ol thc housc should advisc him and bcg that hc ask to takc
lcavc ol thc housc and go to Saint Lazarus and takc thc habit ol a
brothcr ol Saint Lazarus.
Tc rdcr ol St. Lazarus movcd to Acrc along with thc Tcmplars
and Hospitallers. Tcy had a housc thcrc, a hospital, and a convcnt
lor sistcrs ol thc ordcr. Again, whcn thc Mamluks took thc city, all
thc knights ol St. Lazarus wcrc killcd.
nc would think that a military ordcr likc this would havc cndcd
with thc lall ol Acrc. 8ut thcy sccm to havc cstablishcd thcmsclvcs lor
a whilc on Cyprus. vcntually, howcvcr, thcy wcrc lclt with only thcir
propcrtics in uropc, principally in ngland and Francc.
8y this timc, thcrc wcrc no morc lcpcrs among thc Knights ol St.
Lazarus. Tis had happcncd gradually but by thc cnd ol thc thirtccnth
ccntury thc knights wcrc all mcn in rcasonably good hcalth. Somc
timc bclorc .c,, thcy dccidcd to movc thcir hcadquartcrs to thcir
Frcnch holding in 8oigny. Tcn things got rcally wcird.
!n .c, Philip the Iair took thc Knights ol St. Lazarus undcr his
pcrsonal protcction. Considcring what was happcning to thc Tcm
plars at thc timc, thcy might havc wondcrcd il this was a grcat idca.
8ut thcy also may havc thought it a salc port in a nasty storm.
Tc Knights ol St. Lazarus continucd to cxist in ngland until
Hcnry \!!! discontinucd monasticism thcrc. 8ut thcy didnt havc
much to do with hospitals anymorc and thcy didnt go on crusadcs so
thcir purposc was non cxis tcnt. !n Francc, thcy had ups and downs.
Undcr Louis X!\, thcy bccamc a military ordcr again, ghting against
thc hcathcn 8ritish. !n a tting cnd to what had bccomc an incrcas
ingly bizarrc story, thc last Frcnch Grand Mastcr ol thc Knights ol St.
Lazarus ol Jcrusalcm was Louis X\!. Tc ordcr cndcd with him at
thc guillotinc in .,a.
8ut, likc thc Lazarus ol thc 8iblc, thc ordcr was rcsurrcctcd in
..c. !t is now a worldwidc Christian rclicl agcncy with branchcs in
uropc and North Amcrica. Likc thc Tcmplars, thc Knights ol St.
Lazarus wcrc too intriguing to lct dic.
The Order of St. Thomas at Acre
According to thc nglish pilgrim and chroniclcr Ralph ol iccto, thc
rdcr ol St. Tomas at Acrc bcgan with a vow madc by a tcrricd and
scasick pricst namcd Villiam. Hc promiscd that, il hc cvcr managcd
to sct loot on dry land again, hc would build thc most clcgant chapcl
possiblc and sta it and consccratc a ccmctcry in honor ol St. Tomas
thc Martyr. And it was donc.
Howcvcr, latcr chroniclcrs statc that a crusadcr namcd Hubcrt
Valtcr loundcd thc ordcr, and Matthcw Paris, writing in thc mid
thirtccnth ccntury, dccidcd that thc man who madc thc shipboard
vow was nonc othcr than Richard the Iionheart. l coursc, it was
Richard who got thc ultimatc crcdit lor it. Not only was hc thc king,
hc was also thc son ol thc man who had supposcdly ordcrcd thc mur
dcr ol Saint Tomas. Tat makcs a much bcttcr story.
Vhocvcr madc thc original loundation, thc rdcr ol St. Tomas
ol Acrc was most likcly loundcd during or altcr thc Tird Crusadc,
altcr thc loss ol Jcrusalcm in .., and thc rcmoval ol thc scat ol thc
kingdom to Acrc.
Tc original purposc ol thc ordcr was to carc lor thc poor and to
bury thc dcad. Tc pricsts at thc church ol St. Tomas paid partic u lar
attcntion to nglish pilgrims who did not spcak Frcnch, thc languagc
ol thc Latin kingdoms.
Tc ordcr docsnt sccm to havc bccn ashy cnough to attract many
donations. Tcy scrimpcd along until about .aa, whcn thc bishop ol
Vinchcstcr, Pctcr dcs Rochcs, paid thcm a visit. Hc dccidcd that thc
church was too poor to survivc, and thc pricsts had bccomc disso
lutc. Tc pricsts sccm to havc bccn canons rathcr than monks. Tat
mcant that cach had his own homc, rathcr than living togcthcr. !n
othcr placcs this had somctimcs lcd to thc canons ignoring thc vows ol
chastity and povcrty. nc ol thc grcat rclorms ol thc twcllth ccntury
had bccn to rcplacc many ol thc cathcdral canons with monks who
wcrc undcr thc closc supcrvision ol an abbot.
8ishop Pctcr was having no truck with concubincs and gluttony or
any othcr lorm ol dissolution. Hc was in thc Holy Land with a party
ol crusading knights and was not abovc lcading a battlc chargc pcr
sonally. Hc got rid ol thc canons (without bloodshcd) and turncd St.
Tomas ol Acrc into a military ordcr. Tc Rulc it was to lollow was
not that ol thc Tcmplars but ol thc Tcutonic Knights. Tat mcant that
thc ordcr still had somc obligation to carc lor thc poor and sick, al
though thc mcmbcrs ghting ability was thc most important aspcct ol
thcir job.
How much ghting thcy did is hard to say. Tcy arc not mcn
tioncd by thc chroniclcrs as having bccn in any ol thc major battlcs.
8ut, by .a6, thcy managcd to gct thc samc papal privilcgcs as thc
Tcmplars and Hospitallers had.
Tcy did rcccivc donations ol propcrty, mainly in ngland, but also
somc on thc contincnt. Pctcr dcs Rochcs had bccn a strong supportcr ol
King John, Richards baby brothcr, and also guardian ol Johns son,
Hcnry !!!. So his patronagc allowcd thc ordcr to rcccivc somc royal
gilts. 8ut it ncvcr rcally thrivcd. !n .a,, thc church in Acrc was still
unnishcd, duc to lack ol lunds. !n thc latc thirtccnth ccntury, thcrc
was cvcn a movc to havc thc rdcr ol St. Tomas bc absorbcd into thc
Tcmplars. Tc Tcmplars alrcady owncd thc building thcy livcd in at
Acrc. Although an agrccmcnt ol somc sort was madc, cnough ol thc
mcmbcrs must havc protcstcd, lor thc union ncvcr camc about.
Tc rcmnants ol thc ordcr in thc ast wcnt to Cyprus with what
was lclt ol thc Tcmplars and Hospitallcrs altcr thc lall ol Acrc in .a..
8ut thcy rcally had littlc purposc thcrc and in thc carly lourtccnth
ccntury thc hcadquartcrs ol thc ordcr was nally movcd to London,
although thcrc sccms to havc bccn a small outpost on Cyprus lor somc
timc.
Altcr thc scttlcmcnt in London, thc rdcr ol St. Tomas sccms to
havc dccidcd that thc Tcutonic Rulc didnt suit anymorc. !t changcd
to thc rulc ol St. Augustinc, which mcans that thc mcn must havc
rcturncd to bcing monastic canons rathcr than knights.
!n its latcr days, thc ordcr mainly gavc noblc patrons a placc to
stay whcn thcy visitcd London. !t also startcd a grammar school in
London that lastcd until thc timc ol King Hcnry \!!!. 8y thc timc
thc king closcd all thc monastcrics, thc patrons ol St. Tomas wcrc no
longcr thc nobility but thc mcrchants ol London. Tc propcrty ol thc
rdcr ol St. Tomas was bought by thc Mcrccrs Guild.
Tc rdcr ol St. Tomas ol Acrc is onc ol many quasimilitary
ordcrs that wcrc loundcd in thc wakc ol thc Tcmplars. Tcy may havc
wishcd at timcs that thcy wcrc as inucntial and wcll lundcd as thc
two important ordcrs. 8ut whcn thc soldicrs camc lor thc Tcmplars in
.c,, thcrc must havc bccn many who gavc praycrs ol thanksgiving
that thc plans to makc thc Knights ol St. Tomas part ol thc Tcmplars
had lailcd to occur.
J Annalcs acvi Sucvici (MGH SS X\!. Hannovcr, .,) p. .. !mpcrator Fridcricus, pacato
impcrio, cum lio suo Fridcrico ducc Sucvorum ct mango poccrum ct aliorum comitatu Tcrram
Sanctam visitavit. Scd cum quadam dic lavarctur in uminc, pcriit ct dictus lius cius cxcrcitum
strcnnuc rcxit, scd ct ipsc in brcvi obit in ccclcsia sancta Maric hospitalis Tcutonicorum, quam
patcr ct ipsc inchoavcrant, scpultus luit.
2 Alan Forcy, Te Military Orders from the Twelfth to the Early Fourteenth Centuries (London:
MacMillan, .a) p. ac.
3 Villiam Urban, Tc Tcutonic Knights and 8altic Chivalry, in Te Historian \ol. ,, No. ,
., p. ac.
4 John 8. Frccd, Noble Bondsmen: Ministerial Marriages in the Archdiocese of Salzburg, 11001343
(!thaca: Corncll Univcrsity Prcss, .) providcs a good cxplanation ol thc minstcrialcs.
5 livcr ol Padcrborn, Te Capture of Damietta, tr. John J. Gavigan (Univcrsity ol Pcnnsylvania
Prcss, .) chaptcr , p. ..
6 8londs sunburn so casily.
7 Forcy, p. .
8 !bid., p. .
9 !bid.
J0 ric Christianscn, Te Northern Crusades (London: Pcnguin, .,) pp. 6,.
JJ Forcy, p. 6.
J2 Sophia Mcnachc, Clement V (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. a..
J3 Anonymous, c Rcligionum riginc, in Veterum Scriptorum et Monumentorum, Historicorum,
Dogmaticorum, Moralium, Amplissima Collectio \ol. \! (Paris, .,a) col. 6a. Scd, hcu! Fallaccs
divitiac omncm pcnc ordincm nitutur cvcrtcrc, omncm statum prorsus moliuntur dcpravatc.
(My thanks to Jcrcy Russcll lor corrccting my initial translation ol this.)
J4 Urban, p. a.
J5 !bid., p. a.
J6 Joscph F. Callaghan, Reconquest and Crusade in Medieval Spain (Univcrsity ol Pcnnsylvania
Prcss, acc) p. a.
J7 Clara stow, Tc conomic cvclopmcnt ol thc rdcr ol Calatrava ...66, in Speculum
\ol. ,, No. a, April .a, p. a6,.
J8 Callaghan, p. a.
J9 stow, p. a,..
20 !bid., p. a,a.
2J !bid., pp a,,.
22 Callaghan, p. 6,.
23 !bid., p. ,..
24 Quotcd in Callaghan, p. .,.
25 Callaghan, p. a.
26 Malcolm 8arbcr, Te New Knighthood (Cambridgc, .6) p. a6.
27 Marquis dAlbon, Cartulaire General de l Ordre du Temple 1119?1150: Recueil des chartes et des
bulle relatives a lordrc du Temple (Paris, ..) p. ., chartcr a,.
28 Lukc .6:...
29 avid Marcombc, Leper Knights: Te Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem in England 11501544
(8oydcll, Voodbridgc, acc) p. .
30 Comtc dc Marsy, Fragmcnt dunc Cartulairc dc S. Lazarc, in Archives de l Orient Latin \ol.
!!, p..a.
3J !bid., pp. .a6a,. An .. chartcr ol 8arisan d!bclin that is not only cnactcd at thc Tcmplc but
conrmcd with thc scal ol thc Tcmplc. Maybc 8arisan lclt his at homc that day.
32 8arbcr, p. .
33 Marcombc, p. .
34 Marsy, p. ... Santo Lazaro dc Jcrusalcm lratri vidclicict Hugoni dc Sancto Paulo, qui nunc
cst magistcr loci illius ct toti lcprosorum.
35 Marcombc, p. ..
36 !bid., p. ..
37 Marsy, p. .,.
38 Laurcnt aillicz, Rgle et Status de l Ordre du Temple (Paris, .,a) p. a, rulc . Quant il
avicnt a aucun lrcrc quc par la volcnt dc nostrc Scignor il chict cn mcsclcric ct la chosc cst
provc, li prodomc lrcrc dc la maison lc doivcnt amoncstcr ct procr quc il dcmandc congi dc la
maison ct quc il sc rcndrc a saint Ladrc, ct quc il prcignc labit dc lrcrc dc saint Ladrc. ! nd it
intcrcsting that thc ld Frcnch word uscd lor lcprosy, mcsclcric, actually mcans spoilcd or
lcd astray. Pcrhaps thc sccds ol intolcrcncc wcrc alrcady thcrc in thc thirtccnth ccntury. !t has
nothing to do with thc topic, but il yourc obscssivc cnough to rcad thc lootnotcs, it might in
tcrcst you, too.
39 Marcombc, p. .a.
40 !bid., p. ac.
4J !bid., p. a..
42 !bid., p. xx.
43 http://www.stlazarus.nct/world/mcnu.htm
44 Ralph ol iccto, Opera historia cd. V. Stubbs (Rolls Scrics, ii, London, .,6) pp. c..
Sancto Tomac martyri sumptibus suis juxta lacultum possibiliatcm capcllam consturucrct, ct
procrurarct ibidcm ad honcrcm martyris cimitcrium consccrati. Quod ct lactum cst. St.
Tomas thc Martyr is Tomas 8cckct, killcd in Cantcrbury Cathcdral cc. a, ..,c, by hcnch
mcn ol King Hcnry !! ol ngland.
45 A. J. Forcy, Tc Military rdcr ol St. Tomas ol Acrc, in Te English Historical Review No.
6, July .,,, p. a.
46 !bid., p. ,.
47 !bid., p. ,.
48 Forcy, St. Tomas, p. ,.
49 !bid., p. ..
50 !bid., p. a.
5J !bid., p. .
52 !bid., p. ,.
53 !bid., pp. ca.
CH A P T I R I OR T Y
Baphomet
D
uring thc trial ol thc Tcmplars, onc ol thc charges against
thcm was that thcy worshippcd an idol, somctimcs callcd 8a
phomct. Tc inquisitors may havc acccptcd this as plausiblc bccausc
thcy had hcard thc namc bclorc. !n thc Middlc Agcs most uropcans
kncw littlc about thc bclicls ol !slam. Tc Koran had bccn translatcd
into Latin in thc ..cs at thc rcqucst ol Pctcr thc \cncrablc, abbot ol
Cluny. Howcvcr, most pcoplc rcccivcd thcir knowlcdgc ol thc laith
through ction.
Tc Frcnch chansons de geste, talcs ol thc dccds ol grcat warriors,
wcrc lull ol battlcs against Saraccns, thcir tcrm lor Moslcms. !n
thcsc storics, thc Saraccns wcrc pagans who worshippcd many gods,
among thcm Apollo and 8aphomct.
Undcr various lorms, 8aphomct appcars oltcn in thc chansons de
geste, always associatcd with !slam. For instancc, in thc twcllthccntury
cpic Aymeri de Narbonne, 8aphomct is onc ol thc Saraccn kings ol
Narbonnc whom Aymcri must ght.
Rois Baufumez . . .
avec aus .xx. paien arm
Qui Deu ne croient le roi de majest
Ne sa mere hautisme.
King 8aphomct . . .
with twcnty pagan warriors
Vho dont bclicvc in God, thc king ol majcsty
Nor in his mothcr most high.
ll cac6
Tis latctwcllth or carlythirtccnthccntury crusadc pocm has a
charactcr callcd 8ausums or 8aulrcm, who is thc unclc ol a Saraccn
warrior. Tc Enfances Guillaume ol thc thirtccnth ccntury also has a
Moslcm charactcr namcd 8allums.
!t is gcncrally agrccd that 8aphomct is a corruption ol thc namc
Mohammcd, and linguistically, this is probablc. Tcrc is a quotc lrom
thc mid .accs lrom a Tcmplar poct, Ricaut 8onomcl, lamcnting thc
numbcr ol rcccnt losscs ol Christian lorccs. !n truth, whocvcr wishcs to
scc, rcalizcs that God upholds thcm |thc indcl|. For God slccps whcn
Hc should bc awakc, and Bafomet works with all his powcr to aid thc
Mclicadcscr |8aibars, thc Mamluk rulcr ol gypt at that timc|.
Tcrc is no inlormation that indicatcs that 8aphomct was thc
namc ol an ancicnt god. !t is only in a lcw cascs that thc so callcd idol
ol thc Tcmplars was cvcn givcn a namc at all.
uring thc trials most Tcmplars said thcy didnt know anything
about an idol. nc scrgcant, Pctcr dAucrac, admittcd to dcnying
Christ in thc rcccption ccrcmony, but hc ncithcr kncw nor had hcard
it said that thcrc was an idol in thc lorm ol a hcad. Tc samc is truc
lor lias dc Jotro, a scrvant, and lor Pctcr dc Charutc. As a mattcr ol
lact most ol thc Tcmplars, cvcn thc oncs who had bccn torturcd,
claimcd to havc no idca what thc inquisitors wcrc talking about.
Howcvcr, thc oncs who did tcll ol an idol all dcscribcd it dicr
cntly. nc said it was thc hcad ol a bcardcd man, which was thc g
urc ol 8aphomct. Anothcr said it was a gurc callcd Yalla (a Saraccn
word |possibly Allah|). thcrs callcd it a black and whitc idol and a
woodcn idol.
nc Tcmplar, thc knight Villiam ol Arrcblay, statcd that hc did
scc a hcad vcncratcd in Paris. Hc lrcqucntly saw a ccrtain silvcr hcad
upon thc altar that hc saw adorcd by most ol thosc at Chaptcr, and hc
Baphomet 339
hcard it said that it was thc hcad ol onc ol thc clcvcn thousand vir
gins. Saint Ursula and hcr clcvcn thousand virgins wcrc popu lar
among thc Tcmplars as saints who wcrc stcadlast in thcir laith cvcn in
thc lacc ol dcath. !l mcrc womcn could do so much, thc Tcmplars
could do no lcss. Altcr a littlc morc coaching, Villiam rcalizcd that
it sccmcd to him that thc hcad rcally had two laccs, a tcrriblc aspcct
and a silvcr bcard.
A scrvant was scnt to go through thc posscssions ol thc Tcmplc ol
Paris to look lor any hcads, cithcr ol mctal or ol wood. Altcr somc
scarching, hc camc back with thc hcad ol a woman, gildcd in silvcr.
!nsidc wcrc boncs lrom a skull, wrappcd in a lincn bag. Tcrc was a
tag on thc bag that said that this was hcad numbcr ltycight ol
clcvcn thousand. No othcr hcad was lound.
Tc historian is lclt with two choiccs. Tc rst is that somchow
thc Tcmplars managcd to nd out that thc inquisitors wcrc coming
and hid thc idol thcy normally worshippcd. Tc sccond is that Vil
liam madc up thc dcscription ol thc twolaccd idol undcr durcss and
that thc only hcad owncd by thc Tcmplars was thc rcliquary ol \irgin
Numbcr . ! think numbcr two is thc most likcly.
Tcrc was also supposcd to bc anothcr hcad bclonging to thc Tcm
plars, that ol Saint uphcmia ol Chalccdon, an carly Grcck martyr.
Tis was kcpt in thc Tcmplar hcadquartcrs in Cyprus. !t was among thc
propcrty that was givcn to thc Hospitallers altcr thc dissolution ol thc
ordcr. Tcy took it with thcm to Malta, whcrc it was probably capturcd
by Napolcon in .,. !l this is so, thcn Saint uphcmia wcnt down with
Napolcons ship, lOrient, o thc coast ol gypt.
vcn though wc dont havc thc hcad ol Saint uphcmia that thc
Tcmplars owncd, it was likcly much likc thc onc ol \irgin Numbcr .
!l thcrc had bccn anything odd or sacrilcgious about it, thc Hospi
tallcrs or a latcr scholar would havc said somcthing.
And, lor thosc who arc sorry that part ol a saint has gonc missing,
dont worry. uphcmias cntirc body is still kcpt at thc Church ol St.
Gcorgc in !stanbul. As with thosc who bought slivcrs ol thc Truc
Cross or thc lorcskin ol John thc 8aptist, it appcars that thc Tcmplars
wcrc takcn in by a shady rclic salcsman.
As lor 8aphomct thc idol, hc bclongs rmly in thc rcalm ol c
tion.
J Charlcs 8ishko, Peter the Venerable and Islam.
2 Aymeri de Narbonne, cd. Louis cmaison (Paris: Socit dcs Ancicns Tcxtcs Franais, .,)
pp. ...
3 La Chanson de Jrusalem, cd. Nigcl R. Torp (Alabama Univcrsity Prcss, .a) p. a6, linc
c..
4 Les Enfances Guillaume (Paris: Socit dcs Ancicns Tcxtcs Franais, .) p. ..,, linc a,.
5 Alain cmurgcr, Jacques de Molay: Le Crepuscule des Templiers (Paris: 8iographic Payot, acca)
p. 6.
6 Rogcr Svc and AnncMaric Chagny Svc, Le Procs des Templiers dAuvergne 13091311 (Paris,
.6) p. .a. Ncscit ncc audivit dici quod illud ydolum suc capud.
7 Julcs Michclct, Le Procs des Templiers Tomc ! (Paris, .,, rpt. ol .. cd.) pp. ..
8 Malcom 8arbcr, Te Trial of the Templars (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .,) p. 6a.
9 Michclct, vol. !, p. ca. \idit supcr altarc lrcqucntcr quoddom capud argcntcum, quod vidit
adorari a majoribus qui tcmcbant capitulum, ct audivit dici quod crat caup unius cx undccim
milibus virginum.
J0 Hclcn J. Nicholson, Tc Hcad ol St. uphcmia: Tcmplar cvotion to Fcmalc Saints, in Susan
8. dgington and Sarah Lambcrt, Gendering the Crusades (Cardi, acca) pp. ..a..
JJ Michclct, vol. !, p. ca, quia vidctur sibi quod habcrct duas lacics, ct quod cssct tcrribilis
aspcctu, ct quod habcrct barbam argcntcam.
J2 !bid., vol. !!!, p. a.. Tat must havc bccn a gold minc lor thc rclic scllcrs. As a mattcr ol lact,
in ..6, somc ncw holcs wcrc dug ncar Colognc that turncd up somc cxtra virgins to distributc.
!n Paul Guron, Vie des Saints \ol. X!! (Paris: 8ollandistcs, .c) p. ,.
J3 Nicholson, p. ....
J4 !bid., p. ..c.
CH A P T I R I OR T Y ONI
Te Cathars
T
hc Cathars havc scvcral things in common with thc Tcmplars.
Tcy wcrc cclibatc, thcy wcrc accuscd ol hcrcsy, thcy wcrc sup
poscd to havc a hiddcn trcasurc, and thcy wcrc wipcd out. And onc
thing morc: thcy arc pullcd into all sorts ol intcrcsting spcculations on
subjccts that thcy had nothing to do with, such as thc Grail.
Vho wcrc thc Cathars:
Tc rcligion containcd bclicls that had bccn oating around lor
ccnturics, pcrhaps millcnnia. Looking at thc cruclty and csscntial un
lairncss ol lilc, somc pcoplc havc dccidcd that a good god could not bc
rcsponsiblc lor such a mcss. !nstcad ol assuming that God was tcsting
pcoplc or punishing thcm lor thcir sins, thcsc pcoplc camc to thc con
clusion that God was not allpowcrlul. Somc lorms ol this bclicl as
sumcd that thcrc must bc two gods, onc good and onc cvil, in constant
battlc ovcr humanity. !n rcligions that assumcd onc allpowcrlul god,
this cvil lorcc, or thc dcvil, was still undcr thc control ol hcavcn. Tc
Cathars wcrc among thosc who gavc thc dcvil a morc dominant rolc in
human latc.
Tc bclicl that thc world is cvil lcd to thc bclicl that thc cvil god is
rcsponsiblc not just lor thc bad things in thc world but also lor thc
world itscll. Tc good god rulcs in hcavcn and wishcs to havc human
souls go (or rcturn) thcrc. !n that casc, cvcrything that has to do with
propcrty or procrcation is dctcstablc bccausc it just lcngthcns thc timc
spcnt away lrom hcavcn. Tis mcans that truly dcvout dualists cat
nothing that has bccn produccd through scx, not mcat, cggs, or milk
products. At lcast onc hcrctic huntcr said that onc way to spot thcm
was bccausc thcy wcrc so palc.
Tcrc wcrc many varictics ol this twogod bclicl. Somc scholars
havc tricd to tracc thc Cathars back to thc carly Gnostic Christians or
thc Manichians, a latc Roman rcligion that lascinatcd Saint Augus
tinc lor a timc. 8ut, whilc somc ol thc bclicls arc similar, its likcly
that thcy wcrc not dircctly conncctcd.
Tc rcligion that bccamc Catharism apparcntly dcvclopcd in what
is now 8osnia in thc mid tcnth ccntury and cstablishcd itscll in 8ul
garia. Tc rst known prcachcr ol a cohcrcnt thcology was a 8ulgar
ian pricst who namcd himscll 8ogomil, which mcans worthy ol thc
pity ol God. From a scrmon wc havc that was writtcn against thcm
by Cosmos, a tcnth ccntury pricst, it sccms thc 8ogomils wcrc onc ol
many groups that wantcd to rclorm thc Christian church rathcr than
scccdc lrom it. Tcy did not vcncratc thc cross, lor why glorily a mur
dcr wcapon: Tcy pointcd out thc hypocrisy ol many ol thc church
authoritics, somcthing that Cosmos was lorccd to agrcc with. 8ut hc
was shockcd that thcy rcjcctcd thc wholc ld Tcstamcnt and allowcd
only part ol thc Ncw Tcstamcnt.
Cosmos complaincd that thc 8ogomils wcrc lalscly rcligious,
that thcy wcrc humblc and lastcd just lor ccct. Tcy carricd thc
Gospcls with thcm but misintcrprctcd it. nc ol thc worst ol thcsc
mistakcs was that cvcrything cxists by thc will ol thc dcvil: thc sky,
sun, stars, air, carth, man, churchcs, crosscs: cvcrything which cma
natcs lrom God, thcy ascribc to thc dcvil. Finally, thcsc hcrctics
saw no nccd lor pricsts, conlcssing instcad to cach othcr and lorgiv
ing cach othcr.
Tcsc two bclicls wcrc what sct thc dualists apart lrom othcr
Christians and it was a dicrcncc that could not bc bridgcd.
!n thc mid twcllth ccntury, thcrc wcrc many rclorm movcmcnts.
Somc wcrc sanctioncd by thc Church and rcsultcd in ncw monastic
ordcrs, such as thc Cistcrcians and thc Franciscans. Somc wcrc dccmcd
hcrctical and lorbiddcn, likc thc Valdcnsians and thc Cathars. Tcrc
The Cathars 343
wcrc many in that timc who wcrc dissatiscd with what was happcn
ing in thcir livcs and in thc world. Tcy wcrc opcn to altcrnatc bclicls,
cspccially il thcsc wcrc prcachcd using thc storics about Jcsus that
thcy alrcady kncw and il thcy railcd against thc corruption ol thc
church administration.
Tc rcligion ol thc 8ogomils slowly workcd its way into wcstcrn
uropc, lollowing thc tradc routcs through !taly, thc Rhincland, and
southcrn Francc, whcrc it was only onc ol many that pcoplc wcrc bc
ing prcscntcd with.
For cxamplc, in thc carly twcllth ccntury a prcachcr namcd Hcnry
camc to thc town ol Lc Mans and askcd thc bishop, Hildcbcrt, lor a
liccnsc to prcach. Hildcbcrt grantcd it thcn lclt lor a trip to Romc.
Vhcn thc bishop rcturncd, hc discovcrcd that thc pcoplc had dccidcd
to rcjcct thc clcrgy. Hc was not allowcd back into his own town.
vcntually, Hildcbcrt rcgaincd control. Hcnry rccantcd his hcrcsics
and wcnt into a monastcry. 8ut hc was soon out again and o prcach
ing somcwhcrc clsc. Apart lrom a strong dislikc ol thc clcrgy, its not
ccrtain what Hcnry bclicvcd, but that may havc bccn cnough to makc
him popu lar.
Anothcr man who prcachcd lor ncarly twcnty ycars (c. ...6..6)
was Pctcr ol 8ruys. Hc spcnt most ol his timc in thc Rhonc \allcy, in
thc southcastcrn part ol Francc. Somc ol Pctcrs hcrcsics rcsurlaccd
as doctrinc in latcr Protcstant churchcs. His main points wcrc that
inlant baptism is pointlcss, lor onc must bc at thc agc ol rcason to ac
ccpt rcligion, that churchcs arc unncccssary, sincc God hcars as wcll
whcn invokcd in a tavcrn as in a church, that thc cross, as an instru
mcnt ol torturc, should not bc adorcd, that thc Mass is not a sacra
mcnt, and that praycrs and ocrings lor thc dcad arc usclcss, lor thc
dcad arc bcyond human hclp.
Hcnry ncvcr was punishcd. Pctcr tricd to burn a cross in thc town
ol St. Gillcs and was instcad tosscd on thc rc by thc cnragcd citizcns.
Pctcr and Hcnry wcrc only two ol many wandcring prcachcrs.
Somc ol thcm attractcd lollowcrs and lormcd communitics. Most ol
thcm didnt. Fcw cvcr got as lar as writing down thcir doctrincs. Tcy
wcrc not just in thc south ol Francc but all ovcr uropc.
Tc rst hint that thc Cathar scct ol thc 8ogomils had comc wcst
was in thc carly ..cs, whcn thc prior ol a monastcry ncar Colognc,
Gcrmany, wrotc to Bernard of Clairvaux, asking him to prcach
against a group ol hcrctics in thc arca. Tcsc had somc ol thc practiccs
ol thc Cathars, cspccially that ol baptism ol adults by thc laying on ol
hands, rathcr than with watcr, but wc dont know cnough about thcm
to bc surc.
!n .., 8crnard wcnt south to prcach against hcrctics. At thc
timc, hc was conccrncd with thc lollowcrs ol Pctcr and Hcnry but hc
also ran across somc pcoplc that his companion and biographcr, Gcol
lrcy ol Auxcrrc, callcd Arians. Hc didnt claboratc on thcm but thc
implication is that thcy had a bclicl about thc naturc ol Christ that
dicrcd lrom thc Churchs. Hc thought thcy wcrc mostly cloth work
crs and that thcrc wcrc many who lollowcd this hcrcsy, mostly in this
city |Toulousc|. 8ut, as yct, thc Cathars wcrc too small a group to
attract much attcntion.
vcr thc ncxt lorty ycars, howcvcr, thc Cathar movcmcnt cx
plodcd throughout ccitania. Tc rcasons lor this havc bccn puzzlcd
ovcr lor ccnturics, lor in othcr placcs thcy did dic out altcr having
somc initial succcss. !t sccms to havc bccn a combination ol a lack ol
lcadcrship in thc local church, thc appcal ol thc doctrinc, thc com
mcndablc bchavior ol thc bclicvcrs, and an ac ccptancc ol womcn on an
cqual looting with mcn. ! dont think its a coincidcncc that womcn
wcrc in thc majority among thc Cathars. Tcy wcrc allowcd to bc
comc pricsts, and !m surc that many thought it high timc.
Unlikc most ol thc hcrctical sccts, thc Cathars wcrc wcll orga
nizcd. 8y thc ..6cs thcy had thcir own pricsts and bishops. Tis
madc thcm lar morc visiblc and lar morc thrcatcning than othcr hc
rctical groups. !t also mcant that mcmbcrs wcrc not supporting thcir
local pricsts, cithcr morally or nancially.
Tc Cathars wcrc dividcd into two groups. Tc majority ol thcm
wcrc known as credentes, or bclicvcrs. Tcy tricd to livc a good lilc ac
cording to thc laith, but did not practicc thc cxtrcmc rcnunciation ol
thc csh that thc sccond group, thc perfecti, did. As thc namc implics,
The Cathars 345
thc perfecti hcld thcmsclvcs to a much highcr standard ol bchavior.
Tcir timc was spcnt in lasting, praycr, and prcaching. Tcy wcrc ccli
batc and atc no mcat, cggs, or chccsc.
At rst various ordcrs scnt prcachcrs to thc Cathars to try to con
vincc thcm ol thcir crrors. Much ol thc inlormation wc havc about
thcm comcs lrom argumcnts writtcn by thcsc prcachcrs, but it is pos
siblc to gurc out many ol thc Cathar bclicls lrom thc rcbuttals that
wcrc madc. For instancc, thcy |thc perfecti| lalscly claimcd that thcy
kcpt thcmsclvcs chastc, thcy sought to givc thc imprcssion ol ncvcr
tclling a lic, whcn thcy licd constantly, cspccially conccrning God,
and thcy hcld that onc should ncvcr lor any rcason takc an oath. . . . Tcy
lclt, in truth, morc sccurc and unbridlcd in thcir sinning bccausc thcy
bclicvcd that thcy would bc savcd, without rcstitution ol illgottcn
gains, without conlcssion and pcnancc, so long as thcy wcrc ablc in
thc last throcs ol dcath to rcpcat thc Lords Praycr and rcccivc thc
imposition ol hands by thcir o cials.
From this wc can assumc that thcy wcrc chastc, tricd not to lic,
didnt takc oaths, and didnt bclicvc in thc intcrccssion ol pricsts. Tcy
also had a kind ol baptism, callcd thc consolamentum, that onc could
takc only oncc. As with baptism in thc carly days ol Christianity,
many bclicvcrs waitcd until thcir dcathbcds to takc this. How many
pcoplc can bc ccrtain that thcy wont backslidc: Tats why thosc who
acccptcd thc consolamentum carly wcrc so honorcd as pcrlcct oncs.
Finally, it was considcrcd by thc popc, !nnoccnt !!!, and many
othcrs that thc situation was out ol control. vcn thc count ol Tou
lousc, Raymond \!, was considcrcd to bc, il not a Cathar, at lcast a
sympathizcr. !n .ac, Popc !nnoccnt cxcommunicatcd Raymond \!
and callcd lor a crusadc against thc Cathars.
Tc rcsulting war was long and tcrriblc. At thc cnd, thc Cathars
wcrc dccimatcd and most ol ccitania was undcr thc control ol thc
king ol Francc.
Tc last stand ol thc Cathars took placc at thc lortrcss ol Monts
gur on top ol a ruggcd mountain in southcrn Francc. A group ol
scvcral hundrcd had hcld out against thc Frcnch army lor ncarly two
ycars. Finally thcy rcalizcd thcy would havc to surrcndcr. n March
., .a, thc dclcndcrs ol thc lortrcss camc down thc stccp path and
calmly walkcd to thc pyrc that had bccn prcparcd lor thcm. vcr two
hundrcd mcn, womcn, and childrcn dicd in thc amcs, including thc
most important lcadcrs ol thc church.
A pcrsis tcnt and unsupportcd lcgcnd holds that on thc night bc
lorc thc Cathars surrcndcrcd and wcrc takcn to thc pyrc, a trcasurc
was lowcrcd down thc cli upon which thc Cathar castlc ol Monts
gur was pcrchcd. Sincc it is supposcd to bc a sccrct trcasurc important
cnough to dic lor, with no cvidcncc that it cvcr cxistcd, ol coursc somc
vcrsions ol thc lcgcnd say that it was cvcntually givcn to thc Tcm
plars.
Looking at thc lortrcss ol Montsgur, ! nd it hard to imaginc
how largc trcasurc chcsts could havc bccn lowcrcd down, by night,
with an cncmy army all around. ! do nd it casy to undcrstand how thc
Cathcrs and thcir supportcrs could havc hcld out thcrc lor so long.
So what was thc rclationship ol thc Tcmplars to thc Cathars:
Te fortress of Montsgur. (Sharan Newman)
The Cathars 347
A pop u lar but dccply awcd book positcd that somc ol thc Ca
thars wcrc sccrct Tcmplars and that onc ol thc Grand Masters, 8cr
trand ol 8lanclort (or 8lanchclort), was a Cathar, lrom a Cathar
lamily, and that thc Tcmplars providcd a rclugc lor thc Cathars. Tis
is lootnotcd(!), so ! wcnt to scc thc prools thc authors gavc.
Tc rst, that 8crtrand was a Cathar, is bascd on two Tcmplar
chartcrs lrom thc ..cs, tcn ycars bclorc thcrc is any mcntion ol Ca
thars in ccitania. Vcll, ! thought, trying to kccp an opcn mind,
maybc thc lamily convcrtcd carly. Howcvcr, whcn ! wcnt to look at
thc chartcrs, ! discovcrcd that 8crtrand ol 8lanclort was not in thcm.
!t was 8crnard dc 8lanchclort, an cntircly dicrcnt pcrson. Tcy may
havc bccn rclatcd, but thcrc is no indication ol that. Also, thc book
that thc authors uscd is a compilation ol Tcmplar chartcrs lrom many
archivcs. Tcsc partic u lar oncs comc lrom thc Cartulaircs dc ouzcns,
onc ol thc carlicst ol thc Tcmplar commandcrics in ccitania. So !
wcnt to chcck that.
Tc commandcry at ouzcns has scvcral morc chartcrs lrom
8crnard dc 8lanchclort. All ol thcm arc group donations, in which
8crnard is giving propcrty along with scvcral ol his ncighbors. Still, it
is cstablishcd that in thc ..cs thc lamily wcrc donating to thc Tcmplc.
As a mattcr ol lact, in ..,, 8crnards niccc gavc land to ouzcns.
ocs that mcan that thc lamily wcrc Tcmplar supportcrs: Probably, ol
coursc, thcy may havc just bccn going with thc group. ocs that mcan
that Grand Mastcr 8crtrand ol 8lanclort was a mcmbcr ol that lam
ily: No. Tcrc arc a numbcr ol 8lanclort/8lanchclorts in Francc. Vc
nccd morc cvidcncc.
Vc also nccd morc cvidcncc lor thc statcmcnt that thc lamily was
Cathar, whcthcr or not 8crtrand was a mcmbcr ol it. Most ol thc
pcoplc in ccitania wcrc not activc mcmbcrs ol thc Cathar church.
Vhat about thc chargc that thc Tcmplars ocrcd shcltcr to Ca
thars: Tc lootnotc lor that is A documcnt lound in thc archivcs ol
thc 8ruyrcs and Maulon lamily rcc ords how thc Tcmplars ol Com
pagnc and Albcdunc (lc 8zu) cstablishcd a housc ol rclugc lor Cathar
bonhommcs. Tis document and others disappeared during the war,
sometime in November, 1942 (cmphasis minc).
Vcll, darn!
Apart lrom lost documcnts that wcrc apparcntly ncvcr copicd,
thcrc is no cvidcncc that thc Tcmplars had anything to do with thc
Cathars. Tcy rcluscd to ght against thc hcrctics lor thc samc rcason
that thcy rcluscd to join thc crusadc against Constantinoplc or gct
involvcd in thc wars ol thc popcs. Tcir job was to ght Saraccns and
rcgain land lor Christianity.
Villiam ol Puylaurcns, a chroniclcr ol thc crusadcs against thc
Cathars, rarcly mcntions thc Tcmplars, but whcn hc docs, its always
on thc sidc ol thc Roman Church. Vhcn Cathar sympathizcr Count
Raymond ol Toulousc ordcrcd that his brothcr, 8aldwin, bc hangcd,
Tc brothcrs Tcmplar askcd lor and wcrc grantcd posscssion ol his
body, which thcy took down lrom thc gallowstrcc and buricd in thc
cloistcr at Lavillcdicu ncar to thc church.
!ts popu lar now to think ol thc crusadc against thc Cathars as
somcthing donc by outsidc lorccs, thc popc and thc king ol Francc.
8ut it was also a civil war. 8aldwin had takcn thc sidc ol thc Church
against his brothcr. Tc Tcmplars wcrc on his sidc.
Tc samc group ol Tcmplars also gavc shcltcr to thc bishop ol
Toulousc, who could not gct into thc city whilc thc Cathars hcld it.
!ts ccrtain that thc Tcmplars in ccitania kncw Cathars and wcrc
cvcn rclatcd to somc. vcryonc was. Tc schism dividcd many lami
lics. nc scholar who has tricd to nd contacts bctwccn thc Tcm
plars and thc Cathars only camc up with thc namcs ol thrcc mcn who
wcrc tricd lor hcrcsy, all altcr thcir dcaths. ach had donatcd or sold
land to thc Tcmplars ol Mas cu. Two wcrc lound innoccnt. Tc
third man, Picrrc dc Fcnouillct, had rcccivcd thc last ritcs and bccn
buricd at Mas cu in .aa. At thc trial, twcnty ycars latcr, it was said
that hc was a practicing Cathar and that thc Tcmplars had allowcd thc
perfecti to comc to thc commandcry and givc Picrrc thc consolamen
tum. Picrrc was convictcd, his boncs wcrc dug up and burncd.
id this rcally happcn: ! dont know. Tc !nquisition docsnt havc
a grcat rccord lor accuracy, but its possiblc. !l it is truc, docs it mcan
that thc Tcmplars ol Mas cu wcrc hcrctics: No. Tcrc arc lots ol
The Cathars 349
othcr rcasons why thcy might havc allowcd Picrrc to bc buricd in thcir
ccmctcry. !l Picrrc had bccn a rich patron or just a good lricnd, thcy
might havc lookcd thc othcr way. !ts hard to rclusc thc wish ol a dy
ing man, cspccially il hcs somconc you know and likc.
A lcw ycars bclorc thc dcath ol Picrrc dc Fcnouillct, thc com
mandcr ol Mas cu had bccn a witncss lor thc prosccution at thc trial
ol thc Cathars.
Tcrc is absolutcly no cvidcncc that thc Tcmplars wcrc Cathars or
Cathar sympathizcrs. Tc Hospitallcrs, on thc othcr hand, arc known
to havc takcn in and protcctcd Count Raymond \! whilc hc was un
dcr cxcommunication lor hcrcsy.
So why wcrcnt thc Hospitallcrs thc oncs who wcrc supposcd to
havc hclpcd thc Cathars savc thcir trcasurc: !t couldnt bc bccausc thc
Tcmplars had bccn accuscd ol hcrcsy and supprcsscd and thcrclorc
couldnt bc qucstioncd about it. l coursc not. !t is truc that the
charges against the Templars wcrc writtcn with thc intcntion ol rc
minding pcoplc ol thc Cathars, who rcally had bccn outsidc ol ortho
dox bclicl. 8ut thcrc arc no similaritics bctwccn rcal bclicl ol thc
Cathars and thosc ol thc Tcmplars. 8oth groups wcrc accuscd ol wor
shipping a black cat. 8oth wcrc accuscd ol homoscxuality, thc Cathars
bccausc thcy prcachcd against procrcation and thc Tcmplars bccausc
thcy wcrc a bunch ol young ghting mcn who had takcn vows ol chas
tity and wc all know what that lcads to, dont wc:
No scrious scholar has cvcr lound a conncction bctwccn thcm.
J Cosmos, Scrmon against 8ogomilism, ,c, in Heresy and Authority in Medieval Europe, cd.
dward Pctcrs (Univcrsity ol Pcnnsylvania Prcss, .c) p. .c.
2 Stcvcn Runciman, Te Medieval Manichee: A Study of the Christian Dualist Heresy (Cambridgc
Univcrsity Prcss, .,).
3 Pctcrs, !ntroduction to thc Cathars, in Heresy and Authority, p. .c.
4 Cosmos, pp. ..a..
5 !bid., pp. ....
6 Valtcr L. Vakccld and Austin P. vans cd. and tr., Heresies of the High Middle Ages (Columbia
Univcrsity Prcss, .6) pp. .c,..
7 Pctcr thc \cncrablc, abbot ol Cluny, Against thc Pctrobrusians, in Vakccld and vans,
pp. .aca..
8 8cvcrly Maync Kicnzlc, Cistercians, Heresy and Crusade in Occitania 11451229 (York Mcdicval
Prcss, 8oydcll, Voodbridgc, acc.) pp. a.
9 Gcorcy ol Auxcrrc, \ita 8crnardi, cx his vcro qui lavcbant hacrcsi illi plurimi crant ct
maximi civitatis illius. 8crnard ol Clairvaux, Omni Opera, \ol !\ p. aa,.
J0 lic Gric, LAventure Cathare 11401190 (Paris, .66) p. .
JJ Pctcr ol \auxdc Ccrnay, A cscription ol Cathazrs and Valdcnscs, in Vakccld and vans,
p. a.
J2 Joscph Straycr, The Albigensian Crusades (Michigan Univcrsity Prcss, .a, rpt. ol .,. cd.)
p. .
J3 Michacl Costcn, Te Cathars and the Albigensian Crusades (Manchcstcr Univcrsity Prcss, .,)
p. .ac.
J4 Michacl 8aigcnt, Richard Lcigh, and Hcnry Lincoln, Te Holy Blood and the Holy Grail (Ncw
York: Random Housc, .a) p. ,c. Tis book nccds an cntirc tcam ol scholars to cxplain all thc
mistakcs in it. ! would bc happy to voluntccr to bc onc ol thcm.
J5 Marquis dAlbon, Cartulaire Gnral de l Ordre du Temple 1119?1150 (Paris, ..) p. ., chartcr
no. ., and p. ..a, chartcr no. .6c.
J6 !bid., and Cartulaires des Templier de Douzens cd. Picrrc Grard and lisabcth Magnou (Paris,
.6) p. , chartcr no. A , and p. .6, chartcr no. A ..
J7 Douzens, pp. .c., chartcr A ac,.
J8 8aigcnt ct al., p. .. Tats why lootnotcs arc so important.
J9 V. A. Sibly and M. . Sibly tr., Te Chronicle of William of Puylaurens (8oydcll, Voodbridgc,
acc) p. c.
20 !bid., p. ,,.
2J For a start on lcarning about Cathars, scc Malcolm 8arbcr, Te Cathars: Dualist Heretics in
Languedoc in the High Middle Ages (London: Longman, accc), also Gric, Straycr, Vakccld
and vans, and Pctcrs, citcd abovc.
22 Robcrt \inas, LOrdre du Temple en Roussillon (Trabucairc, Carnct, acc.) p. ...
23 !bid., pp. ....
24 !bid., p. ...
25 ominic Scllwood, Knights of the Cloister: Templars and Hospitallers in Central-Southern Occita
nia 11001300 (8oydcll, Voodbridgc, .) p. ..c.
PART FOUR
Te Beginning of the Legends
CH A P T I R I OR T Y T WO
Templars in Fiction
C
onsidcring thc amount ol pop u lar ction about thcm today, it
may sccm odd that Tcmplars appcarcd vcry rarcly in thc cpic
and romancc litcraturc ol thc Middlc Agcs and ncvcr as thc main
charactcrs.
Tc carlicst rclcrcncc to thcm is in thc dark cpic Raoul de Cam
brai. Tc story, writtcn in thc last quartcr ol thc twcllth ccntury, is
sct in what is today northcrn Francc, supposcdly in thc tcnth ccn
tury. !t is a talc ol bctrayal, honor, murdcr, and rcdcmption. Tc
Tcmplars only gurc in thc last ol thcsc. At thc vcry cnd ol thc
story thc antihcro, 8crnicr, laccd with cxccution lor killing his
mothcrs murdcrcr, voluntccrs instcad to go to Acrc and bccomc a
Tcmplar as his pcnancc.
Tc Tcmplc is uscd as a placc ol pcnancc in othcr cpics, such as
La Chevalerie dOgier de Danemarche and Renaut de Montauban. !n
Ogier thc knight is willing to scrvc in thc Hospital or thc Tcmplc as
his pcnancc. Tis is an carly indication that thc ordcr ol thc Hospi
tallers and thc Tcmplars wcrc intcrchangcablc in thc minds ol many
pcoplc. Likc Raoul, thc knight in gicr, namcd Charlot, is joining
thc Tcmplc (or Hospital) as pcnancc lor thc murdcr ol anothcr knight.
!t is pointcd out, by thc way, that Charlot is dccply sorry lor this and
hc lcavcs all his propcrty to gicr, lathcr ol thc murdcrcd knight. !t
was wcll undcrstood that pcnancc without rcpcntancc was usclcss.
Joining thc Tcmplars with thc wrong attitudc carncd no points in
hcavcn.
Tcsc popu lar mcdicval works ol ction undcrlincd thc purposc
ol thc military ordcrs as rcligious houscs. Tcy wcrc sccn by thc au
thors as placcs whcrc a wcllborn ghting man could atonc lor his sins
ol violcncc by using that violcncc against thc cncmics ol Christ. Tis is
thc aspcct ol thc Tcmplars that was strcsscd in Bernard of Clairvauxs
cxhortation to thc knights. So in this casc, thc ctional knights arc
mirroring thc actions ol contcmporarics and, pcrhaps, cncouraging
othcrs to lollow thcir cxamplc.
!t is surprising that in thc many works which makc up thc cpic
storics ol thc crusadcs, thc Tcmplars only appcar in a supporting rolc.
!n thc Chanson des Chtifs (thc song ol thc miscrablc prisoncrs, somc
timcs translatcd as thc song ol thc bastards). Tc charactcr Harpin is
bascd on a rcal pcrson who was in captivity during thc First Crusadc.
Vhilc in prison thc rcal Harpin madc a vow that, il hc wcrc cvcr lrccd,
hc would cnd his lilc as a monk. Hc joincd thc monastcry ol Cluny in
..c. Howcvcr, that didnt makc good drama, so thc author ol Chtifs
has him join thc Tcmplars instcad.
Again, in thc story thc Tcmplars cxist, but wc ncvcr scc thcm
ghting or taking an activc part.
nc rolc that thc Tcmplars oltcn playcd in mcdicval ction was as
protcctors ol lovcrs. !n thc thirtccnth ccntury a numbcr ol romanccs
lcaturcd lovcrs who wcnt to thc Tcmplars sccking rclugc. !n Sone de
Nancy, thc Tcmplars hclp thc lovcrs cscapc lrom a quccn wishing to
havc Sonc lor hcrscll. ! wondcr il thcy wcrcnt assigncd this rolc in
litcraturc bccausc in rcality thcy and thc Hospitallcrs so oltcn madc
up thc cscorts lor royal bridcs on thcir way to thcir ncw homcs.
!n somc cpics Tcmplars also arc thosc who arrangc lor thc burial
ol doomcd lovcrs. Ncithcr ol thcsc rolcs is that important and, lor thc
most part, thc Tcmplars arc gcncric cxamplcs ol kind, pious, and chiv
alrous mcn.
Tc lact is, thc Tcmplars wcrc not that important in mcdicval lit
craturc. Unlikc Richard the Lionheart or Saladin, thcrc arc no rous
ing pocms cxtolling thcir cxploits. Vhy not: ! think its bccausc thc
355 Templars in Fiction
Tcmplars wcrc sccn as background. Tcy wcrc a nc group ol mcn
doing an important job but not thc rcal playcrs. Tcy wcrc oltcn mcn
tioncd in passing as cxamplcs ol sclcss knights, gcncrally to chastisc
thosc who ncglcctcd thcir duty. An cxamplc is thc crusadcr poct
Marcabru, who wrotc, !n Spain and hcrc, thc Marquis and thosc ol
thc Tcmplc ol Solomon sucr thc wcight and thc burdcn ol pagan
pridc. Marcabru thinks somconc should hclp.
!n modcrn ction thc Tcmplars arc associatcd with Arthur and
thc Knights ol thc Round Tablc but in mcdicval lorc thcir only con
ncction with Arthurian litcraturc is as thc guardians ol thc Grail in
Vollram von schcnbachs Parzival. Tc Tcmplars arc knights who
dwcll with thc Grail at Munsalvacschc. Always whcn thcy ridc out,
as thcy oltcn do, it is to scck advcnturc. Tcy do so lor thcir sins, thcsc
Tempeleisen, whcthcr thcir rcward is dclcat or victory. Tc Tcmplars
in Parzival arc a small part ol thc story, morc background than any
thing clsc, and thcy havc scvcral charactcristics that thc rcal Tcmplars
didnt sharc. For instancc, in Vollrams story thcrc wcrc lcmalc Tem
peleisen.
Apart lrom a lcw authors who drcw on Vollrams work, thc
Tcmplars arc not sccn in association with thc Grail or with thc vcry
popu lar talcs ol King Arthur and his court. !n thc world ol mcdicval
lantasy, thc Tcmplars had no placc. 8y thc cnd ol thc thirtccnth ccn
tury thcy wcrc considcrcd morc symbols ol dcbauchcry than guard
ians ol sccrct wisdom. Tc phrasc drunk as a Tcmplar bccamc
commonplacc in Francc. !n thc sixtccnth ccntury, Rabclais uscs it in
his work. ncc hc got togcthcr thrcc or lour good country lcllows
and sct thcm to drinking likc Tcmplars thc wholc night long. !n
Gcrmany, going to thc Tcmplc was a pop u lar cuphcmism lor visit
ing a brothcl.
For ovcr six hundrcd ycars, pop ular writcrs didnt considcr thc
Tcmplars worth thcir timc. Tis changcd at thc bcginning ol thc
ninctccnth ccntury, with Sir Valtcr Scotts two novcls Te Talisman
and Ivanhoe. Sct in thc timc ol thc crusadcs, thcsc works, a blcnd ol
history, lcgcnd, and imagination, rcintroduccd thc Tcmplars to a world
that, outsidc ol Freemasonry, had lorgottcn thcm.
Scotts villain is 8rian dc 8ois Guilbcrt, a Tcmplar who cmbodics
thc mcdicval complaints ol pridc and grccd. Addcd to thcsc charactcr
aws, 8ois Guilbcrt also plots against thc truc king and lusts altcr thc
Jcwish woman Rcbccca. Hc is thc consummatc cvil advcrsary in thc
ncomcdicval rcvival that bcgan in 8ritain in thc carly ninctccnth
ccntury.
Ivanhoe was rst publishcd in .ac. !t has bccn lmcd many timcs
and thc book is still in print. Gcncrations havc rcccivcd thcir rst,
somctimcs thcir only, imprcssion ol thc Tcmplars lrom Scotts rousing
ction.
!t is only at thc bcginning ol thc twcntyrst ccntury that thc
Tcmplars sccm to havc comc into thcir own in ction. Tc last part ol
thc twcnticth ccntury saw an cxplosion ol myths and thcorics about
thc Tcmplars, most ol which can bc catcgorizcd with 8igloot and
UFs. Tcsc unhistorical thcorics yicldcd a gold minc ol plot idcas
that arc still bcing rcncd into lun and cxciting storics.
Most rcccntly thcrc havc bccn at lcast thrcc novcls about thc Tcm
plars. Two, Te Last Templar by Raymond Khoury and Te Templar
Legacy by Stcvc 8crry, arc sct in thc modcrn world. Tcy both show
how thc lcgcnd ol thc Tcmplars can bc rclcvant to conccrns that wc
havc today. Tc third, Te Knights of the Black and White by Jack Vhitc,
is a historical novcl that uscs somc ol thc rcccnt lcgcnds, placing thcm
in thc timc ol thc rcal Tcmplars.
!t sccms a shamc that thc Tcmplars had to wait scvcn hundrcd
ycars to nally bc givcn a starring rolc in ction.
J Hclcn Nicholson, Love, War and the Grail: Templars, Hospitallers, and Teutonic Knights in Medieval
Epic and Romance 11501500 (8oston: 8rill, acc) p. .
2 !bid., p. .
3 JcanCharlcs Paycn, La Motif du Repentir de la Littrature Franaise Mdivale (Gcncva: roz,
.6) pp. a.a..
4 ! know that thc Tcmplars wcrcnt around thcn. Tat didnt bothcr mcdicval writcrs ol ction any
morc than it docs modcrn oncs.
5 Suzannc uparcQuioc, Le Cycle de la Croisade (Paris, .) p. . Au Tcmplc pourscrvir scst
Harpins adons.
6 Nicholson, p. .
7 !bid., p. .
357 Templars in Fiction
8 Marcabru, Pax in Nominc omini, ll. in Marcabru: A Critical Edition cd. Simon Gaunt,
Ruth Harvcy, and Linda Patcrson (Cambridgc, MA: . S. 8rcwcr, accc) p. c. n spaign
c sai lo Marqucs ct cill dcl tcmplc Salamo soron lopcs c l lais dcl orgoill painaor.
9 Vollrom von schcnbach, Parzival, tr. Hclcn M. Mustard and Charlcs . Passagc (Ncw York:
\intagc 8ooks, .6.) book , paragraph 6, p. a..
J0 Franois Rabclais, Gargantua and Pantagruel, tr. 8urton Racl (Norton, .c) p. ..
JJ Jcan Favicr, Philippe le Bel (Paris: Fayard, .) p. a.
CH A P T I R I OR T Y T HR I I
What Happened to
the Templars?
T
hc story ol thc Tcmplars only bcgins with thcir dissolution.
Tcir latc was so dramatic and sad that somc pcoplc still dont
want to lct thcm go. So cspccially ovcr thc past onc hundrcd ycars thc
Tcmplars havc bccn wovcn into all kinds ol thcorics that allow a largc
numbcr ol thcm to cscapc, almost always with a trcasurc.
A lot ol pcoplc think thcy know what happcncd to thc Tcmplars
altcr thc cnd ol thc ordcr. My lavoritc sccnario is that thcy all cithcr
wcnt chccrlully into monastcrics and livcd long dull livcs ol praycr and
gardcn duty or thcy wandcrcd around lor a whilc, mct thc right girl,
and scttlcd down to livc long, chaotic, but happy livcs.
Unlortunatcly, thcrc isnt morc than a shrcd ol prool lor cithcr ol
thcsc, cspccially thc chccrlul and happy parts.
!n Francc wc know that ltysix Tcmplars wcrc burncd at thc
stakc. Many morc dicd in prison bctwccn .c, and ..a, as a rcsult ol
torturc, dcprivation, and, possibly, outright murdcr. Tc rcmaining
Frcnch Tcmplars wcrc cithcr scnt to monastcrics or prisons and swal
lowcd up, as lar as history is conccrncd.
!n 8ritain only two Tcmplars dicd in prison, Villiam dc la
Morc, thc mastcr in 8ritain, and !mbart 8lanc, thc prcccptor lrom
359 What Happened to the Templars?
Auvcrgnc who happcncd to bc in London at thc timc ol thc arrcsts.
Tc rcst ol thcm conlcsscd in ordcr to bc absolvcd and wcrc scnt o
to monastcrics, whcrc thc Hospitallcrs paid lour pcncc a day lor
thcir upkccp.
!n Provcncc, which was not yct part ol Francc, twcntyonc Tcm
plars wcrc arrcstcd. Tc arrcsts took placc on January a, .c, two
months altcr Pope Clement V issucd thc ordcr. All twcntyonc wcrc
cvcntually imprisoncd in Aix. Tcrc is no rccord ol a trial cvcr taking
placc. !n othcr placcs outsidc thc control ol Philip IV thc Tcmplars
simply did as thcy did in ngland: conlcsscd to whatcvcr, wcrc ab
solvcd, and rctircd to a monastic lilc. 8ut wc dont know il that is what
happcncd to thosc twcntyonc mcn.
Tis worricd historian JoscphAntoinc urbcc, as it would anyonc
who had studicd thc Tcmplars long cnough to know thcm. nc day, in a
list ol mcmbcrs ol thc Hospitallcrs in Nicc in thc ycar ., hc lound two
lamiliar namcs lrom thc Tcmplars ol Provcncc: Guillaumc 8rcngcr and
Rostand Castcl. nc was lrom thc housc ol Grassc and thc othcr cithcr
lrom Ruou or Nicc. Vhat arc thc odds, urbcc considcrcd, that two
Tcmplars with thcsc namcs would bc thc samc mcn as two Hospitallcrs
with thc samc namcs thirty ycars latcr: Hc admits that it could bc just a
coincidcncc. Tcrc is no solid prool. 8ut hc wants to bclicvc that two
Tcmplars survivcd. 8ccausc il two did, thcn maybc othcrs did, as wcll.
Historians havc to bc hardhcadcd whcn thcy do rcscarch, but not
hardhcartcd.
!n Aragon thc trials ol thc Tcmplars didnt takc placc until altcr
thc dissolution ol thc ordcr. n Novcmbcr , ..a, thc Tcmplars wcrc
all judgcd to bc innoccnt. Tat was grcat lor thcm, ol coursc, but it
still lclt thcm out ol work.
Vhilc thcy had bccn kcpt undcr arrcst, thcir upkccp had bccn
providcd lor lrom Tcmplar propcrty. Now thc samc propcrty was uscd
to pcnsion thcm o. Unlikc thc latc ol Tcmplars in othcr countrics,
most ol thc brothcrs in Aragon wcrc not scnt to various monastcrics,
but back to thc oncs thcy had comc lrom. Somctimcs othcr pcoplc had
takcn ovcr thc housc, but thc Tcmplars wcrc still assigncd rooms in it.
Tcy wcrc also givcn moncy lor thcir support according to thcir status
in thc ordcr.
Tcsc tcrms wcrc good cnough that somc Tcmplars who had cs
capcd, rcturncd. nc, 8crnardo dc Fucntcs, had bccomc hcad ol thc
Christian militia in Tunis and rcturncd to Spain on a diplomatic mis
sion. Hc arrangcd lor his absolution and pcnsion and thcn rcturncd to
Tunis to complctc thc trcaty hc had bccn assigncd to arrangc.
Tc king ol Aragon, Jamcs !!, also workcd lor thc rclcasc ol Tcm
plars who had bccn takcn prisoncr in gypt. Vhat thcy must havc lclt
whcn thcy discovcrcd what had gonc on sincc thcir capturc is hard to
imaginc.
!n thcory, thc cxTcmplars wcrc supposcd to stay in thcir assigncd
houscs and livc o thcir pcnsions, which didnt always arrivc on timc.
!n practicc, many ol thc brothcrs, still in thcir twcntics and thirtics,
wcrcnt rcady lor rctircmcnt.
Tcy wcrc only traincd lor onc thing, ghting. So quitc a lcw ol
thcm signcd up as mcrccnarics in various sortics against thc Moors in
Spain or cvcn in Alrica. Somc ignorcd thc old vow not to ght against
Christians and cnlistcd to ght lor Aragoncsc noblcmcn. nc, Jaimc
dc Mas, turncd piratc and sccms to havc madc a good living at it.
Popc John XX!! hcard about thc unclcrical livcs many ol thc cx
Tcmplars wcrc lcading and scnt a lcttcr tclling thcm to stop living likc
laymcn: to gct rid ol thcir concubincs, bchavc morc likc monks, and
stop wcaring stripcd clothing.
Tis lcttcr and othcrs wcrc largcly ignorcd and thc Tcmplars in
Aragon continucd to livc in a varicty ol ways, according to agc and
tastc. Tc Hospitallcrs, oncc thcy had managcd to gct thc Tcmplar
propcrty, wcrc stuck paying thcir pcnsions. Tc last ycar onc was
rccordcd was to 8crcngucr dc Coll. !t was .c, thirtycight ycars altcr
thc Tcmplars had ocially ccascd to cxist.
!n Portugal a ncw ordcr was crcatcd lrom thc Tcmplar propcrty,
callcd thc rdcr ol Montcsa. Somc lormcr Tcmplars joincd this.
!n thc Gcrmanic countrics, thc Tcmplars had also all bccn acquit
tcd, so thc Hospitallcrs had to pay pcnsions to thcm as wcll. 8ccausc
What Happened to the Templars? 361
many ol thcm camc lrom inucntial local lamilics, thcir latc was
much mildcr than in othcr arcas. tto ol 8runswick both took thc
pcnsion and took ovcr thc Hospitallcr commandcry at Supplingcnbcrg.
Hc was commandcr thcrc until ., and, altcr hc dicd, thc Hospi
tallcrs had to pay ninc hundrcd marks to gct thc commandcry back.
!n Mainz, thc Tcmplar propcrty was kcpt by thc lamily ol two ol
thc Tcmplars. Tc Hospitallcrs had to buy it back lrom thcm.
So in many cascs, thc Tcmplars in Gcrmany just wcnt on bcing
Tcmplars. thcrs probably lollowcd likc pattcrns. Somc cntcrcd othcr
military or monastic ordcrs. thcrs may havc lclt that, without an
ordcr, thcir vows wcrc no longcr valid. So thcy lound work, got mar
ricd, and scttlcd down.
Tc truth is, thcrc isnt much inlormation on what happcncd to
many ol thc Tcmplars altcr thc ordcr cndcd. Most ol thcm wcrc not
noblcmcn and so not likcly to show up on donation chartcrs or in
chroniclcs. Tc oncs wc do know about wcrc thosc who did somcthing
unusual, likc turn piratc. thcrs got into lcss dramatic troublc with
thc law. 8ut, othcr than that, thcy just driltcd back into privatc lilc.
M~xv lccl that is just too dull an cnding lor thc Tcmplars. Tcrclorc,
a numbcr ol books, articlcs, tclcvision programs, and lms havc bccn
bascd on thc idca that thc Tcmplars got away. nc ol thc most pop u
lar thcorics is that thcy wcnt to Amcrica, somctimcs via Scotland,
somctimcs Portugal. And thcy took thcir trcasurc with thcm.
Vcll, somconc had to pavc all thc strccts with gold, right:
bviously, ction is ction, and novcls, tclcvision shows, and
movics can rcwritc history as much as thcy would likc. Tc conlusion,
howcvcr, in scparating lact lrom ction ariscs whcn this ction is
bascd on laulty thcorics put lorth in books publishcd as nonction.
!vc rcad thcsc books and lound rcading thcm tough going. Tc lacts
thcy givc rcmind mc ol why ! am inicting so many lootnotcs on my
paticnt rcadcrs. ! want you to know what sourccs my conclusions arc
bascd on. Many timcs ! would nd that thc inlormation ! lound lcast
bclicvablc in thcsc books had no lootnotcs. thcr timcs thcrc wcrc
lootnotcs but only to othcr books that givc unsubstantiatcd opinions.
!ll try to summarizc what ! think thc main crroncous Tcmplar
thcorics arc. !ts not casy. To do this propcrly onc must bc likc thc
Vhitc Quccn in Trough the Looking-Glass, who could bclicvc six im
possiblc things bclorc brcaklast.
1. Tc Tcmplars had somc sccrct knowlcdgc. Tcy may havc dug
it up undcr thc Temple in Jerusalem or lcarncd it lrom thc Arabs or
maybc alicns. !t varics.
2. Tcy kncw in advancc that thcy wcrc going to bc arrcstcd and
had timc to gct thcir trcasurc out lrom undcr thc nosc ol Philip the
Fair and to thcir cct in La Rochcllc in Normandy. Tc numbcr ol
ships rangcs lrom lour to cightccn. Tats a lot ol trcasurc to takc
along Frcnch backroads. Tcy couldnt havc takcn it down thc rivcr
bccausc thcrc wcrc tolls collcctcd all along thc rivcrs and somconc
would havc noticcd. And, ol coursc, no onc has provcd thcrc was a
trcasurc in thc rst placc. Ncvcrthclcss, wc should lorgc on.
3. Tc Tcmplars madc it to Scotland, whcrc thcy wcrc grcctcd
by thc Sinclair lamily, who arc dcsccndcd lrom \ikings and Jcsus.
Tc knights lought with Robcrt thc 8rucc at 8annockburn. Tats
actually not impossiblc. Fighting is what thcy wcrc traincd lor, al
tcr all. 8ut in Scotland, thc cxTcmplars arc also said to havc got
tcn into building and navigation, bccausc thcy wcrc training to bc
Freemasons. Part ol this conclusion sccms to bc bascd on thc idca
that Tcmplars built churchcs. Now, most ol us whcn wc say wcrc
building a housc dont mcan wcrc pouring ccmcnt and hanging
drywall, although ! havc lricnds who can and do. Tc Tcmplars
didnt. Tcy hircd pcoplc to build thcir churchcs, larm thcir lands,
wash thcir clothcs, and pick thcir grapcs. Tcy had to spcnd hall
thc day at praycrs and much ol thc rcst ol it taking carc ol thcir
horscs and gcar and practicing how to kill Saraccns without gct
ting killcd. Tcrc wasnt timc lclt ovcr to lcarn anothcr tradc.
363 What Happened to the Templars?
Tcrc is nothing in thc Rule about taking an hour to lay bricks or
study uclidian gcomctry.
4. Hcnry Sinclair, princc ol rkncy, was not only ol thc Holy
8loodlinc, supposcd dcsccndants ol Jcsus, but a sccrct Tcmplar, and
hc or onc ol his lamily took a band ol Tcmplar knights to Amcrica,
along with thc trcasurc. Tis trcasurc is now hiddcn on an island o
Novia Scotia.
5. Vhilc in Amcrica thcy wandcrcd as lar as Minncsota and
also built a towcr in Rhodc !sland. ! dont know who built this towcr
or whcn, but onc cxplanation says that it is Romancsquc and bascd
on thc round churchcs that thc Tcmplars introduccd to uropc and
thcy wcrc hclpcd by a party ol Cistcrcian monks, who wcrc wcll
known lor thcir cnginccring skills, which allowcd thcm to control
commcrcc. Vow. Romancsquc churchcs arc not round and thc stylc
bcgan ovcr a hundrcd ycars bclorc thc Tcmplar ordcr was loundcd.
Tcy did not introducc round churchcs to uropc. Cistcrcians did
invcnt somc practical machincry and wcrc good at divcrting watcr
lor irrigation and watcrwhccls. Tcy didnt build cathcdrals any morc
than ! built my own housc. And ! cant scc thcm travcling to Amcr
ica with a bunch ol Tcmplars. Tc Cistcrcians lrown on gadabout
monks.
And thats just lrom two paragraphs in onc book. Not dauntcd, !
shall concludc with . . .
6. Tc Tcmplar trcasurc was thcn buricd undcr Ncw York City
and thc Tcmplars battcncd down to wait lor thc lounding ol thc
Unitcd Statcs so that thcir bclicls could livc again.
! didnt makc any ol this up.
Tcrc arc no lootnotcs in thc last hall ol this chaptcr bccausc nonc
ol thc books ! consultcd uscd any. Tcir authors want thc rcadcr to
bclicvc all ol this on thcir word alonc.
!n thc Middlc Agcs, bclicl without prool was callcd Rcligion.
J Plcasc scc chaptcr c, Te Arrest and Trials of the Templars.
2 vclyn Lord, Te Knights Templar in Britain (London: Longman, acca) p. acc.
3 !bid., p. acc.
4 JoscphAntoinc urbcc, Templiers et Hospitalliers en Provence et dans les Alpes-Maritimes
(Grcnoblc, acc.) p. a6.
5 !bid., p. a6.
6 Alan Forcy, Te Fall of the Templars in the Crown of Aragon (Ashgatc, Aldcrshot, acc.) p. a.c.
7 !bid., p. a..
8 !bid., p. a.6.
9 !bid., p. aaa.
J0 !bid., p. aa6.
JJ !bid., p. ac.
J2 Malcom 8arbcr, Te Trial of the Templars (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, acc6) p. a,.
J3 Karl 8orchardt, Tc Tcmplars in Ccntral uropc, Te Crusades and the Military Orders: Ex
panding the Frontiers of Medieval Latin Christianity cd. Zsolt Hunyadi and Joscl Laszlovszky
(8udapcst: Ccntral Hungarian Univcrsity, acc.) p. a.
J4 !bid.
J5 Lynn Picknctt and Clivc Princc. Te Templar Revelation. (NY: Simon and Schustcr, .)
pp. ..c..
J6 Stcvcn Sora. The Lost Treasure of the Knights Templar (Rochcstcr \T: cstiny 8ooks, .)
p. .,,.
CH A P T I R I OR T Y I OU R
Te Holy Grail
I
n any discussion ol thc Holy Grail, onc thing must bc clcarly un
dcrstood:
TH GRA!L !S F!CT!N. !T SNT X!ST AN
N\R !.
! know that rcccntly somc imaginativc writcrs havc dccidcd that
Holy GrailSan Grealis simply a misprint lor Sang Real, Royal
8lood, and that mcdicval writcrs wcrc using it as a codc lor a hiddcn
sccrct. Tis is cutc but thcrc arc a numbcr ol problcms in thc thcory,
thc most important bcing that this only works in modcrn Spanish.
ld Frcnch, thc languagc ol thc rst Grail pocms, would writc it
Saint Graal, Grel, or cvcn Gresal. Spclling was an art lorm in thc
Middlc Agcs. Tc ld Frcnch word grail mcant grill, as in bar
bcquc. Malory, in thc ltccnth ccntury, callcd it thc Sankgreall. Tys
ys hc by whom thc Sankgrcall shall bc cnchcvcd. Tc Gcrman, uscd
by Vollram von schcnbach, is Helligen Grl. Tc 8asquc is azken
afarian Kristiok erabili, or Christs last mcal stirrcd liquid. (All
right, my 8asquc is minimal.)
At any ratc, in no othcr languagc ol thc Middlc Agcs can Holy
Grail bc twistcd to mcan Holy 8lood.
Arc wc all convinccd:
Now wc can look at thc history ol thc talc ol thc Grail and its con
ncction to thc Tcmplars.
Detail of Holy Grail, Roman de Tristan, second half of the ffeenth century.
(Giraudon/Art Resource, NY)
Tc rst story mcntioning thc Grail was writtcn by thc poct
Chrticn dc Troycs at thc cnd ol thc twcllth ccntury. !t conccrns a
young knight, Pcrccval, who stops lor thc night at a castlc. Tcrc hc
discovcrs a lord who is bcdriddcn. Tc lord grccts Pcrccval and invitcs
him to stay thc night. As thcy arc cating dinncr, a strangc pro ccssion
passcs through thc room. First comcs a man carrying a lancc. At thc
tip ol it is onc drop ol blood, which slidcs down thc lancc until it
rcachcs thc hand ol thc man carrying it. Hc is lollowcd by two othcr
scrvants, cach with a tray ol candlcs. Altcr thcm is a bcautilul girl who
holds in both hands a graal, or vcsscl ol gold covcrcd in prccious
gcms. Shc is lollowcd by anothcr girl carrying a silvcr plattcr.
Pcrccval is vcry curious about this but has bccn told that its rudc
367 The Holy Grail
to ask qucstions, so hc says nothing. Tc ncxt day hc lcavcs thc castlc.
Somc distancc away hc nds a young woman sitting undcr an oak
trcc, sobbing bccausc hcr lovcr has just had his hcad choppcd o. Shc
stops hcr lamcntation long cnough to tcll Pcrccval that hc has bccn at
thc castlc ol thc Fishcr King, who has bccn cripplcd in battlc. Shc
cant bclicvc that hc didnt ask why thc lancc blcd or whcrc thc girl was
going with thc graal. !l hc had, thc king would havc bccn curcd. Pcr
ccval gricvcs that hc has misscd thc opportunity to hcal thc king.
Tcn hc continucs on with othcr advcnturcs. Tc story movcs to
Gawain and ncvcr rcturns to Pcrccval or thc Grail.
Vc dont know whcrc Chrticn got thc matcrial lor thc talc ol
Pcrccval. !t was composcd lor Philip ol Alsacc, thc count ol Flandcrs,
who was thc cousin ol Hcnry !! ol ngland. Hcnry and his wilc, l
canor ol Aquitainc, wcrc lond ol thc Arthurian lcgcnds. lcanor was
cvcn at Glastonbury whcn thc supposcd bodics ol Arthur and Guinc
vcrc wcrc disintcrrcd in .... Philip was also thc grandson ol Fulk of
Anjou, king ol Jcrusalcm. 8oth his parcnts had bccn to Jcrusalcm
scvcral timcs and his mothcr, Sybilla, had joincd a convcnt thcrc,
whcrc shc dicd.
Tc idca lor thc Grail may havc comc lrom a 8rcton story or cvcn
Vclsh, sincc Pcrccval is said by Chrticn to bc lrom Valcs. !n thc
Vclsh saga, Te Mabinogian, thc story ol Culhwch and lwcn has a
passagc in it whcrc thc hcro must nd thc cup ol Llwyr, lor thcrc is
no vcsscl in thc world which can hold that strong drink, savc it. Ncxt
hc must gct thc lood bag ol Gwyddncu LongShank: il thc wholc
world should comc around it . . . thc mcat that cvcryonc wishcd lor hc
would nd thcrcin. Tcsc tasks arc part ol a long scrics ol sccmingly
impossiblc lcats that must bc donc il Culhwch is to win thc hand ol
lwcn. Tc magic cup and lood bag arc in thc samc tradition as thc
horn ol plcnty. !t isnt likcly that Chrticn rcad Vclsh, but various
scholars havc suggcstcd that thc thcmc lor Pcrccval camc lrom a tra
dition that would havc bccn lamiliar to his listcncrs.
Vhilc not cvcryonc agrccs with thc thcory that thc story grcw lrom
Ccltic myth, ! tcnd to think that parts ol his Grail lcgcnd arc an attcmpt
by Chrticn to makc scnsc ol a myth that hc docsnt rcally undcrstand.
nc cxamplc ol this is whcn thc woman undcr thc trcc cxplains to Pcr
ccval that thc lord is callcd thc Fishcr King bccausc hc likcs to go sh
ing. 8ut this may havc just bccn Chrticns scnsc ol humor.
Pcrhaps il Chrticn had told thc rcadcr what hc had in mind lor
thc Grail, it would not havc bccomc such an objcct ol mystcry and
spcculation. 8ut thc story caught thc imagination ol many and ovcr
thc ncxt lty ycars a numbcr ol Grail storics wcrc writtcn, usually as
part ol thc Arthurian lcgcnds.
Tc word graal was in common usc in Francc thcn. !t mcant a
vcsscl or a goblct. Howcvcr, in thc grail storics, it soon camc to mcan
a chalicc. !t was in thc thirtccnthccntury work by Robcrt dc 8aron
that thc word holy bcgan to bc uscd with it, as thc Grail bccamc
idcnticd with thc story ol Joscph ol Arimathca, who providcd thc
tomb lor Jcsus. !n Christian apocrypha Joscph was also supposcd to
havc uscd a dish to catch thc blood ol Jcsus as hc was dying on thc
cross. A much latcr lcgcnd had Joscph, likc Mary Magdalcnc and
Jamcs, thc patriarch ol Jcrusalcm, nding rclugc in uropc, in this
casc, ngland.
As lcgcnds tcnd to run togcthcr, it was a short stcp lrom this to
making thc Grail thc cup that caught thc blood and Joscph a part ol
thc Arthurian body ol talcs.
A thirtccnthccntury vcrsion ol thc Pcrccval story givcs Joscph ol
Arimathca a ncphcw, also namcd Joscph, who is a good knight,
chastc and a virgin in his body, strong and gcncrous ol hcart. Tis is
thc man who bccomcs thc Fishcr King and guards thc lancc with
which Jcsus was woundcd and thc cup with which thosc who bclicvcd
in Him . . . collcctcd thc blood that owcd lrom his wounds whilc hc
was bcing crucicd. 8ut many othcr authors gavc othcr namcs to
thc king and othcr cxplanations lor thc Grail. Sincc thc story had no
basis in lact, writcrs wcrc lrcc to imaginc anything thcy likcd.
!n thc latcr mcdicval Frcnch romanccs thc Grail was clcarly sccn
as a Christian rclic, somcthing associatcd with thc act ol transubstan
tiation in thc Mass. !n scvcral ol thcm, thc vision ol thc Grail includcs
that ol a child or ol Jcsus on thc cross.
369 The Holy Grail
!t is only in Vollram von schcnbachs Gcrman vcrsion that thc
Tcmplars arc conncctcd with thc Grail. Vollram makcs thc Grail a
stonc, lallcn lrom thc sky. !t has magical powcrs that givc hcalth and
ctcrnal youth. Tc powcr ol thc stonc, howcvcr, comcs lrom a small
whitc walcr brought by a dovc cvcry ycar on Good Friday. And lrom
that thc stonc dcrivcs what cvcr good lragranccs ol drink and lood
thcrc arc on carth, likc to thc pcrlcction ol Paradisc. . . . Tus, to thc
knightly brothcrhood, docs thc powcr ol thc Grail givc sustcnancc!
Tc knightly brothcrhood is, ol coursc, thc Tempeleisen, thc guardians
ol thc Grail. Tis was bascd looscly on thc Tcmplars. Howcvcr, unlikc
thc Tcmplars, thcrc arc womcn in thc Tempeleisen.
vcn though thcrc might bc a lolkloric basc lor somc ol thc plot,
thcrc is no doubt in any ol thc Grail storics that thc author is a
Christian. ! scc no problcm with Vollram making thc Tcmplars
guardians ol thc Grail. Vhcn hc was writing in thc carly thirtccnth
ccntury, thc Tcmplars wcrc still sccn as thosc who protcctcd thc way
lor pilgrims to Jcrusalcm. Tcy might wcll havc bccn addcd to thc
story to makc it morc immcdiatc, as thrillcr writcrs put known orga
nizations in thcir books to placc thcm rmly in thc currcnt timc.
Howcvcr, Vollram and thosc who drcw thcir storics lrom his wcrc
thc only oncs who uscd thc Tcmplars in thc Grail story. !t was not
part ol thc corc tradition.
!n an intcrcsting study, an art historian has pointcd out imagcs ol
thc \irgin Mary in scvcral twcllthccntury churchcs in thc north ol
Spain in which shc is holding a dish lrom which rays ol light radiatc.
Hc thinks that this might rcprcscnt thc gilts ol thc Holy Spirit and
could bc a basis lor thc Grail story. Tis is intriguing and nccds to bc
lollowcd up by scholars in othcr arcas ol Mcdicval Studics. Tc main
problcm is in connccting thc authors ol thc rst Grail storics to north
crn Spain. Tcrc is no cvidcncc to support this. A link in othcr art or
litcraturc would bc vcry cxciting.
Unlortunatcly, inlormation likc this is too oltcn takcn up by pco
plc without historical training. Tcy look at thc imagc and t it into
thcir own pct thcorics without doing thc background rcscarch, as wc
saw with thc tcrm San Greal carlicr.
Although thcrc is a ccrtain common thrcad, all thc mcdicval sto
rics about thc Grail havc a dicrcnt cmphasis. Tats bccausc thcy arc
ction and not intcndcd to bc historical accounts. Likc thc rcst ol thc
Arthurian storics, thosc about thc Grail rccct thc outlook ol thc au
thors and thc timcs in which thcy livcd. At thc cnd ol thc ltccnth
ccntury, whcn Tomas Malory madc his nglish vcrsion ol thc lcgcnd
ol Arthur, thc Grail storics wcrc about thc advcnturcs and dutics ol a
Christian knight. Most listcncrs undcrstood that thc magical qucsts
wcrc lantasy and thcy cnjoycd thcm as many pcoplc do scicncc ction
today.
Howcvcr, thc storics about King Arthur and thc Grail lost popu
larity soon altcr Malory wrotc. Tc mcssagc ol thc Grail was too lull
ol imagcry lrom thc Mass to bc acccptablc to thc ncwly lormcd Prot
cstant dcnominations. Along with this, tastc in litcraturc changcd.
Tc coming ol thc Rclormation was thc momcnt at which thc Grail
vanishcd lrom poctic imagination.
8ut two ccnturics latcr, it appcarcd again, in an cntircly ncw lorm.
!n thc cightccnth ccntury thc lashion arosc lor sccrct socictics. Pcr
haps it was in rcaction to thc cgalitarian bclicls that would producc
thc Amcrican and Frcnch rcvolutions. Pcrhaps all that rational thought
and cnlightcnmcnt was unlullling. ! dont rcally know. 8ut groups
such as thc Rosicrucians and Ireemasons borrowcd lrccly lrom arcanc
tcxts and mystical trcatiscs ol thc mcdicval and ancicnt world, taking
symbols lrom thcm and crcating ncw mcanings. Tc Grail was onc ol
thcsc symbols.
Tc conncction bctwccn thc Tcmplars and thc Grail sccms to
havc bccn rccstablishcd through thc corts ol an Austrian namcd Jo
scph von HammcrPurgstall. !n .. hc wrotc a book that condcmncd
thc Masons as a group ol hcrctics dircctly conncctcd to thc Tcmplars
and Gnostics. Tc conclusion ol his work is that a pagan rcligion
survivcd alongsidc Catholicism into thc Middlc Agcs, and in thc
guisc ol Frccmasonry, rcmaincd a thrcat to thc Church cvcn in thc
carly ninctccnth ccntury.
At thc samc timc that thc mystical aspccts ol thc Grail wcrc mu
tating, ninctccnth ccnturyromantic writcrs and artists wcrc crcating
371 The Holy Grail
thcir own vcrsions ol thc storics. Tcnnysons Idylls of the King was ar
guably thc most popu lar ol thcsc in nglish. !n Gcrmany, Vagncrs
opcras Parsival and Lohengrin combincd thc rcncwcd intcrcst in
national origins with his own imagc ol Christianity.
!t was thc twcnticth ccntury that took thc Grail to uncxplorcd
tcrritory. For thc most part, it was still cntwincd with thc story ol
Arthur, Guincvcrc, Lancclot, Pcrccval, and Galahad. 8ut thcsc la
miliar charactcrs appcarcd in totally dicrcnt lorms. Tc Grail could
bc a pagan vcsscl, as in Marian Zimmcr 8radlcys Te Mists of Avalon
or a madcup cxcusc to gct out ol thc housc, as in Mark Twains A
Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court. !n thc lm Monty Python
and the Holy Grail it was a pointlcss qucst. Nonc ol thcsc modcrn sto
rics mcntion thc Tcmplars in conncction to thc Grail.
A wholc gcncration has thc Grail and thc Tcmplars lorcvcr com
bincd thanks to Stcvcn Spiclbcrg and !ndiana Joncs. Howcvcr, thc
knight in thc lm is ncvcr callcd a Tcmplar. Hc is only thc most wor
thy ol thrcc brothcrs who lound thc Grail. !n this vcrsion, thc cup
ncvcr camc to uropc but staycd in a hiddcn placc that looks rcmark
ably likc thc ancicnt city ol Pctra.
Today thc Grail is still as much a mystcrious symbol to us as it was
to mcdicval listcncrs. As was truc thcn, thc Grail is somcthing dicr
cnt lor cach pcrson. No two pcoplc havc cvcr complctcly agrccd on
what thc Grail looks likc, ncvcr mind what it rcprcscnts. 8ut in cur
rcnt usagc today thc Holy Grail is cvcrywhcrc. Awards arc thc Holy
Grail ol 8cach \ollcyball lor instancc. Tc Holy Grail ol a collcctor
is that onc rarc piccc that has bccn rumorcd to cxist but ncvcr sccn. !ts
thc goal just out ol rcach.
an 8rown put it vcry wcll at thc cnd ol Te Da Vinci Code: thc
Holy Grail is simply a grand idca . . . a glorious unattainablc trcasurc
that somchow, cvcn in todays world ol chaos, inspircs us.
At thc cnd ol his cxccllcnt study ol thc Grail lcgcnd, Richard
8arbcr givcs a listing ol thc numbcr ol timcs thc tcrm thc Holy
Grail has bccn uscd in major Vcstcrn ncwspapcrs lrom ., to acca.
!n ., thcrc wcrc sixtccn uscs (ltccn in thc Washington Post). !n acca
alonc, thcrc wcrc .,ca.
Tc lact that rcccnt ction has attachcd thc Grail to thc Tcmplars
says morc about how wc scc thc Tcmplars now than what thcy wcrc in
rcality. Pcrhaps it says that wc prclcr our Tcmplars to bc ctional.
J Laroussc, Dictionnaire de l Ancien Francais (Paris, .a) p. a6. Also, Frcdric Godclroyc, Lex
ique de l Ancien Franais (Paris, .c) p. a6.. 8oth dictionarics givc thc rst mcaning as cup or
vasc.
2 Tomas Malory, Works cd. ugnc \inavcr (London, .,.) p. ..
3 Matthias Lcxcr, Mittel- hochdeutsches Taschen- wrterbuch p. ,.
4 Gorka Aulcsti and Linda Vhitc, Basque- En glish, En glish- Basque Dictionary (Rcno: Univcrsity
ol Ncvada Prcss, .a) p. .6.
5 Mabinogian, cd. and tr. Gwyn Joncs and Tomas Joncs (vcrymans Library, .) p. a.
6 !bid.
7 Richard 8arbcr, Te Holy Grail, Imagination and Belief (London: Putnam, acc) pp. ac.
8 Pcrccval lc Gallois ou lc Contc du Graal, tr. Lucicn Foulct, in anicllc Rgnicr8ohlcr, cd.,
La Lgende Arthurienne, le Graal et la Table Ronde (Paris: Robcrt Laont, .) p. ,.
9 Frdric Godclroy, Lexique de l Ancien Franais (Paris: Champion, .c) p. a6..
J0 Matthcw a,:,6c.
JJ Gospcl ol Nicodcmus.
J2 Christianc MarchclloNizia, Pcrlcsvaus, lc Haut Livrc du Graal, in Rgnicr8ohlcr, p. .a..
(n glish translation minc)
J3 !bid., p. .a. (nglish translation minc)
J4 8arbcr, p. ..a. ! nd it intcrcsting that thcsc lcgcnds wcrc at thcir most pop ular in thc rst hall
ol thc thirtccnth ccntury, whcn thc crusadc against thc Cathars was at its hcight (8arbcr mcn
tions this) and whcn antiScmitism was on thc risc, along with thc bcginning ol thc libcl that
Jcws stolc and dcsccratcd thc Host. 8ut that is anothcr subjcct altogcthcr and ! ll rclrain lrom
lollowing it hcrc.
J5 Vollram von schcnbach, Parzival tr. Hclcn M. Mustard and Charlcs . Passagc (Ncw York:
\intagc 8ooks, .6.) book , paragraph ,c, p. aa.
J6 !bid., book , paragraph ,..
J7 Joscph Gocring, Te Virgin and the Grail: Origins of a Legend (Ncw Havcn: Yalc Univcrsity
Prcss, acc).
J8 !bid., p. aa.
J9 !bid., pp. c.
20 Richard 8arbcr, p. .
2J !bid., p. c. ! hopc ! addcd it corrcctly, but thats thc rough amount.
CH A P T I R I OR T Y I I V I
Templars in Denmark:
Bornholm Island
T
hcrc arc no rcc ords ol any Tcmplar activity in cnmark.
! rcalizc that rcccntly a book, Te Templars Secret Island,
has madc a casc lor thc Tcmplars living in round churchcs on thc an
ish island ol 8ornhom, just o thc south coast ol Swcdcn. Tc authors
ol this book, lring Haagcnscn and Hcnry Lincoln, lurthcr statc that
thc Tcmplars uscd this island lor mystical astronomical study. Part ol
this book contains gcomctric studics ol possiblc rcsults thc Tcmplars
might havc comc up with on 8ornholm. 8ut rst thcy givc historical
background to provc that thc scholars arc complctcly wrong in thcir
bclicl that thc Tcmplars ncvcr scttlcd in thc arca. Tc troublc is thc his
tory is bascd on a lcw picccs ol data and scvcral assumptions that rcly
on inaccuratc inlormation.
First, lcts look at thc historical narrativc as givcn in this book
and how it docsnt match known inlormation.
! havc alrcady givcn a short cssay on Bernard of Clairvaux and his
conncction to thc Tcmplars. Tc story ol his lilc in Te Templars Secret
Island, docsnt cxactly agrcc with thc inlormation ! lound. !n lact, it
somctimcs dircctly contradicts it.
Tc biography bcgins with thc standard inlormation about 8crnards
birth and cntry into thc monastcry ol Citcaux. Tc lootnotc lor this is
thc Catholic Encyclopedia, ... Tis is thc samc vcrsion that is in thc
onlinc Catholic Encyclopedia ol ..,, which is onlinc bccausc it has bccn
rcplaccd in print by an updatcd vcrsion. 8ut its csscntially thc samc
inlormation conccrning 8crnard. So lar, so good.
Tc authors continuc to say, as is also wcll cstablishcd, that
udcs !, thc dukc ol 8urgundy, had donatcd thc lunds to kccp thc
monastcry going in thc carly days. Tc ncxt lincs arc: Tc 8urgun
dian nobility sccmcd unqucstionably to bc dccply involvcd in thc
rdcrs crcation. Tc Abbot ol Citcaux was ex ocio Primc Counscl
lor ol thc 8urgundian Parliamcnt with thc right to sit at thc asscm
bly ol thc Statcs Gcncral ol thc Kingdom, as wcll as thc Provincc ol
8urgundy.
Tcrc is no lootnotc lor this piccc ol ncws and ! am vcry disap
pointcd bccausc, as lar as wc know, thcrc was no 8urgundian Parlia
mcnt in .... Tc rst onc was in . at 8caunc. Tc statcsGcncral
ol Francc bcgan as a mandatory mccting attcndcd by mcmbcrs ol thc
nobility, bourgcois, and clcrgy at thc ordcr ol thc king. Tis happcncd
now and thcn in thc thirtccnth ccntury, but didnt gct going again
until thc lourtccnth ccntury. And, ol coursc thc 8urgundian Parlia
mcnt, cvcn il it had cxistcd, wouldnt havc mattcrcd to thc statcs
Gcncral bccausc 8urgundy didnt bccomc a part ol Francc until ..6.
8clorc that it was part ol thc Holy Roman mpirc.
! think that il thc authors havc rcally discovcrcd that thcsc insti
tutions cxistcd two hundrcd ycars bclorc any rcc ords havc bccn lound
lor thcm, thcy should sharc thcir sourccs. Graduatc studcnts thc world
ovcr arc hungry lor thcsis topics.
Now, having cstablishcd in thc mind ol thc rcadcr that thc Cistcr
cians wcrc movcrs and shakcrs at thc court ol 8urgundy, thc authors
thcn go ovcr thc history ol thc loundation ol thc Tcmplars and 8crnards
part in it (a subjcct ! discusscd in thc scction on 8crnard). Tcn thcy
takc thc conncction anothcr stcp lurthcr, linking 8crnard and thc Cis
tcrcians to thc cstablishmcnt ol thc crusadcr kingdoms.
nc statcmcnt thcy makc is that Godlrcy ol 8ouillon and
8audwin |8aldwin, rst Latin king ol Jcrusalcm| wcrc ol thc nobil
ity ol Lowcr Lorrainc, thc dukcdom adjaccnt to 8urgundy and ol
375 Templars in Denmark: Bornholm Island
coursc, Clairvaux |thc monastcry loundcd by 8crnard|. Tc au
thors apparcntly ncvcr bothcrcd to look at a map, odd sincc so much
ol thc book is bascd on gcographic conncctions. !n thc clcvcnth ccn
tury, Lorrainc was just north ol Champagnc and a liatcd with thc
county ol Flandcrs. Vhilc bordcrs havc changcd, thc land hasnt
movcd. 8urgundy is, and was, much larthcr south. Clairvaux, just
north ol ijon, was not in cxistcncc whcn thc First Crusadc took
placc.
From this and othcr cqually inaccuratc or unconncctcd statc
mcnts, thc authors comc to thc conclusion that 8crnard ol Clairvaux
was thc rcalil covcrtGrand Mastcr ol thc Tcmplars. !ts truc
that 8crnard was an carly and cnthusiastic supportcr ol thc Tcmplars
but !d nccd morc prool to bclicvc that hc dircctcd thcir actions, cspc
cially bascd on an inaccuratc assumption ol thc sccular powcr ol thc
Cistcrcians along with a conclusion that rclics on mistakcs in chronol
ogy and gcography.
Lcts movc on to thc anish conncction.
skil, archbishop ol Lund (in Swcdcn) lrom .., to ..,,, was a
big lan ol 8crnard ol Clairvaux. skil was a progrcssivc bishop in
many ways. Hc has bccn callcd thc rst uro pc an lrom thc North.
Hc camc lrom a rich lamily in what is now Swcdcn and was cducatcd
in thc cathcdral schools ol Gcrmany. His unclc Asscr was arch
bishop ol Lund and it is rcasonablc to think that thc lamily cxpcctcd
skil to lollow him. skil was dctcrmincd to drag cnmark into thc
modcrn world ol thc twcllth ccntury. Tis was shown by his cnthusi
asm lor thc ncw rcligious ordcrs. !n thc rst hall ol thc twcllth ccn
tury, thc Cistcrcians wcrc thc latcst thing. 8crnard ol Clairvaux was
arguably thc most lamous monk in uropc at that timc. !n ..,
skil askcd to havc a group ol Cistcrcian monks comc to cnmark to
cstablish a monastcry thcrc and to show anish monks thc customs
ol thc ordcr.
Just thc ycar bclorc, at thc rcqucst ol thc king and quccn ol Swc
dcn, thc Cistcrcians had scnt monks to start two monastcrics in that
country. Tcy wcrc happy to scnd monks lrom Citcaux to cnmark
to start thc monastcry ol Hcrrisvad, as wcll.
skils main goal lor his archbishopric was to makc it truly Scan
dinavian, lrcc ol its dcpcndcncc on thc archbishopric ol Hamburg
8rcmcn. skils unclc Asscr had convinccd thc papal lcgatc undcr
Popc Paschal !! (.c...) to crcatc thc archbishopric ol Lundin
Swcdcn, but Hamburg continucd to lobby lor its rcturn to Gcrman
dominancc. Tis strugglc lor primacy was vcry important to thc
bishops and archbishops ol uropc. A grcat numbcr ol thc church
councils ol thc twcllth ccntury spcnt a largc part ol thcir timc in thc
vcry bittcr wrangling ovcr who answcrcd to whom.
skil was also hampcrcd by thc problcms within thc anish royal
succcssion. Tis, in turn, was ticd to thc strugglc lor thc control ol thc
Scandinavian church. !n thc latc ..cs skil supportcd Knut Magnus
scn lor thc thronc. Knuts rival was Swcin, who was supportcd by thc
Gcrman cmpcror, Frcdcrick 8arbarossa. Frcdcricks rclativc by mar
riagc was Hartwig, archbishop ol 8rcmcn, who wantcd to rcturn thc
archbishopric ol Lund to submission to Hambcrg8rcmcn. Now, Popc
Hadrian !\ (....) was in conict with mpcror Frcdcrick about
a numbcr ol othcr things. So skil was a strong supportcr ol Popc
Hadrian, who rcturncd thc support by making skil a papal lcgatc.
(!l you want to takc out a notcbook and start making diagrams ol
thc conncctions, ! wouldnt blamc you. Usc dicrcnt colorcd pcns, it
hclps.)
skil had mct thc popc whcn hc was still callcd Nicholas 8rcak
spcar. Tc luturc Hadrian !\ was lcadcr ol thc dclcgation scnt by
Popc ugcnius !!! to sct about dividing thc Scandinavian archbishop
ric into two ncw oncs, Swcdcn and Norway. Tc popc also wantcd to
scc that thc custom ol collccting Pctcrs pcncc, a tax to support thc
papacy, was cstablishcd in thc north. Vhcn thc dclcgation arrivcd in
..a, skil was at Clairvaux, mccting with 8crnard and collccting
morc monks lor a ncw anish monastcry. Hc rcturncd in timc to
convincc Nicholas not to dividc his archbishopric at this timc.
Nicholas was clcctcd popc shortly altcr his rcturn to Romc in
... !n ..6 or .., skil madc thc journcy to Romc, at which timc hc
was madc pcrmancnt papal lcgatc in Scandinavia. Howcvcr, on thc
way homc, whilc going through 8urgundy (a part ol thc Holy Roman
mpirc, scc abovc) hc was kidnappcd, pcrhaps by supportcrs ol
mpcror Frcdcrick. Popc Hadrian wrotc a lcttcr ol rcbukc to thc
cmpcror that was rcad at an impcrial dict hcld at 8csanon in cto
bcr ..,. uc to a mistranslation ol thc lcttcr lrom Latin into Gcr
man, thc cmpcror took ocnsc and, in thc cnsuing luss, skil sccms
to havc bccn lorgottcn. Hc was rclcascd at somc point bclorc Hadri
ans dcath on Scptcmbcr ., ...
Tc disputc that lollowcd skils imprisonmcnt, which had littlc to
do with him, cscalatcd altcr thc dcath ol Hadrian. Tc strugglc, which
lastcd lor ccnturics bctwccn thc papacy and thc Holy Roman mpcrors,
causcd two popcs to bc clcctcd at thc samc timc. Tc rst, supportcd by
skil, was Alcxandcr !!!. Tc othcr, supportcd by thc cmpcror and
cnmarks ncw king, \aldcmar, was namcd \ictor !\. skil didnt
want to havc to choosc bctwccn King \aldcmar and thc popcs, and so
hc kcpt away lrom cnmark. Hc wandcrcd about uropc and madc a
pilgrimagc to Jcrusalcm at somc point bctwccn ..6. and ..6,. Tcrc hc
could havc mct thc Grand Mastcr ol thc Tcmplars, 8crtrand ol 8lanc
lort, but wc havc no rccord ol such a mccting. !ts quitc possiblc that
8crtrand was not cvcn in Jcrusalcm at thc timc ol skils visit.
!n ..,,, skil rcsigncd his bishopric and rctircd to bccomc a monk
at Clairvaux. Hc spcnt his last lour ycars as a simplc monk and oltcn
rcgalcd thc youngcr brothcrs with storics ol his lricndship with thcir
lound cr, 8crnard. Hc dicd thcrc in ....
Vhilc hc admircd 8crnard grcatly and chosc to cnd his lilc at thc
monastcry hc loundcd, skil was lricnds with othcr monastic lcadcrs,
notably Pctcr, abbot ol Ccllc in Champagnc. Hc wrotc to both ol thc
abbots in lricndship, asking lor advicc and sharing his problcms and
lrustrations. Tcy wrotc him lcttcrs ol support.
So what has this to do with proving that thcrc wcrc Tcmplars in
cnmark: Nothing that ! can scc. 8ccausc skil and 8crnard wcrc
lricnds, and 8crnard was a supportcr ol thc Tcmplars, thcrc was no
rcason lor skil to cstablish thc Tcmplars in cnmark. Nor is thcrc
any indication that hc did so.
As ! havc alrcady said, thcrc is no sign at all ol thc Tcmplars cvcr
having had a commandcry in cnmark. Tc Hospitallcrs had a
Scandinavian provincc that was madc up ol cnmark and Norway but
that ordcr sccms to havc conccntratcd its corts in thc rcgion on thc
hospital sidc rathcr than thc military.
Vcll, it may havc bccn that thcrc wcrc Tcmplars in cnmark but
that all thc documcnts havc bccn lost. So, lcts look at thc physical
cvidcncc as prcscntcd by thc bclicvcrs.
Tc churchcs on thc island ol 8ornholm arc indccd round. Tat is
indisputablc. Vc can scc thcm, touch thcm, and walk around thcm.
Howcvcr, onc cant assumc that bccausc a church is round, it was built
by Tcmplars. For a timc altcr thc First Crusadc thcrc was a voguc lor
thcm all ovcr uropc.
Tc idca ol building a church in thc lorm ol thc Church ol thc
Holy Scpulchcr in Jcrusalcm wasnt ncw. A hundrcd ycars bclorc thc
Tcmplar ordcr was loundcd, thc 8cncdictinc church at Saint8cnignc
at ijon was built with a round navc in imitation ol thc Holy Scpul
chcr, as wcrc thc churchcs at Lanlc, Saint8onnctlaRivirc, Ricux
Mincrvois, and Montmorillon, all in dicrcnt parts ol Francc. !n
most ol thcsc churchcs, thcrc arc lour or cight columns insidc. How
cvcr, thc churchcs on 8ornholm havc onc ccntral column. Tcy arc
simply a dicrcnt typc.
vcn thc Hospitallcrs built round churchcs. !l thc churchcs on
8ornholm arc conncctcd to any military ordcr, it would makc morc
scnsc that it would bc thc Hospitallcrs, whom wc know wcrc in
cnmark, or cvcn thc Tcutonic Knights. 8ut that would ruin thc hy
pothcsis. For somc rcason, it has to bc Tcmplars or nothing.
nc shouldnt try to build a vcry complicatcd thcory bascd on thc
idca that Tcmplars wcrc in cnmark, bccausc thc basic prcmisc is too
shaky to support much ol anything. !t is bascd on a lack ol undcr
standing ol historical data and many lcaps in which thc logic is not
supportcd. ! wouldnt want to risk standing on it.
nc positivc thing that has comc out ol this imaginativc and un
historical thcory ol Tcmplars in cnmark is that it has madc scrious
historians stop and say, Vc know thcrc is no cvidcncc lor Tcmplars
hcrc, but why wcrcnt thcy in cnmark: Vhat was dicrcnt about
cnmark (and all ol Scandinavia) that this didnt happcn: Sincc it
takcs much morc timc to do scrious rcscarch than to build a castlc in
thc air, lcw papcrs havc comc out on thc subjcct yct, but ! look lorward
to thcm.
! wish ! could bclicvc that my cxplanations would clcar up thc
conlusion surrounding thcsc vcry badly rcscarchcd idcas about thc
Tcmplars. 8ut ! dont hold out much hopc. Vhat chancc do plodding
historians havc against Mr. Haagcnscn and Mr. Lincoln, a lmmakcr
and a journalist, ncithcr ol whom sccm to lccl compcllcd to wastc
thcir timc combing through dusty archivcs lor prool:
J \ivian tting, Crusadc and Pilgrimagc: icrcnt Vays to thc City ol God, in Medieval His
tory Writing and Crusading Ideology, cd. Tuomas M. S. Lchtoncn and Kurt \illads Jcnscn
(Hclsinki: Finnish Litcrary Socicty, acc) p. .,. Howcvcr thc |Hospitallcr| rdcr had no
military lunctions in cnmark and thc compcting rdcr ol thc Knights Tcmplars |sic| was
ncvcr cstablishcd in Scandinavia.
2 lring Haagcnscn and Hcnry Lincoln, Te Templars Secret Island (8arncs and Noblc, acca).
3 !bid., p. a.
4 http://www.ncwadvcnt.org/cathcn/cad.htm
5 Haagcnscn and Lincoln, p. a.
6 Fcrdinand Lot and Robcrt Fawticr, Histoire de Institutions Franaises au Moyen Age, Tome II,
Institutions Royales (Paris: Prcsscs Univcrsitaircs dc Francc, .) p. 6.
7 Achillc Luchairc, Institutions Franaise (Paris, .a) pp. ac.a.
8 Gcorgcs uby, France in the Middle Ages 9871460, tr. Julict \alc (xlord: 8lackwcll, ..)
p. a.
9 Haagcnscn and Lincoln, p... At lcast Mr. Lincoln now knows that Godlrcy ol 8ouillon was
not king ol Francc, as was statcd in onc ol his carlicr books (Te Holy Blood and the Holy Grail ).
8ravo!
J0 Clairvaux was loundcd in .... Scc Louis J. Lckai, Te Cistercians: Ideas and Reality (Kcnt Statc
Univcrsity Prcss, .,,) p. ..
JJ Haagcnscn and Lincoln, p. c.
J2 8rian Patrick McGuirc, Te Di cult Saint (Kalamazoo, M!: Cistcrcian Publications, ..)
p. .a6, quoting Lauritz Vcibull.
J3 !bid., p. .c. For morc on thc cathcdral schools, scc C. Stcphcn Jacgcr, Te Envy of Angels: Ca
thedral Schools and Social Ideals in Medieval Europe 9501200 (Univcrsity ol Pcnnsylvania Prcss,
.).
J4 !bid., p. ..c.
J5 8rian Patrick McGuirc, Te Cistercians in Denmark (Kalamazoo, M!: Cistcrcian Publications,
.a) p. c.
J6 McGuirc, Saint, p. ..c.
J7 Andcrs 8crgquist, Tc Papal Lcgatc: Nicholas 8rcakspcars Scandinavian Mission, in Adrian
IV: Te English Pope (11541159), cd. 8rcnda 8olton and Annc J. uggan (Ashgatc, Aldcrshot,
acc) p. ..
J8 Tcrc arc many cxamplcs, but thc onc ! know bcst is thc .. Council ol Rhcims, during which
thc archbishop ol Tours dcmandcd primacy ovcr thc bishopric ol ol. 8ut thats a subjcct lor
anothcr book and probably not onc that would intcrcst anyonc but dichard studcnts ol ccclcsi
astical govcrnmcnt.
J9 !. S. Robinson, Te Papacy 10731198 (Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .c) p. 6,.
20 8crgquist, p. a.
2J McGuirc, Saint, p. ..c.
22 Johanis Mabillon cd., Sancti Bernardi Opera Omnia \ol. ! (Paris, .) col. . skilum non
modo archicpiscopum Lundcnscm in anis, scd ct primatcm Succiac ct dccrctoAdriani !\
papac luissc lcgo.
23 Robinson, pp. 66,c, 8crgquist, p. ,.
24 Plcasc scc chaptcr ., Grand Masters 11361189, lor morc about 8crtrand.
25 McGuirc, Saint, p. ....
26 Gcorcy ol Auxcrrc, 8crnardi Abbatis \ita !, in Mabillon, \ol. !\, cols. aaac.
27 Mabillon, \ol. ., col. .
28 Hclcn Nicholson, Te Knights Hospitaller (Voodbridgc, UK: 8oydcll and 8rcwcr, acc.).
29 Hcnry dc Curzon, La Maison du Temple de Paris (Paris, .) p. ,.
30 Prol. Kurt \illads Jcnscn, privatc corrcspondcncc, ctobcr .c, acc6.
3J Nicholson, p. ,.
CH A P T I R I OR T Y S I X
Te Templars and the
Shroud of Turin
A
s lar as ! can tcll, thc Tcmplars bccamc attachcd to thc story ol
thc Shroud ol Turin through a coincidcncc. Sincc thc shroud has
bccomc part ol thc lorc ol thc Tcmplars wcll nccd to go ovcr thc history
ol it, as lar as is known. ! havc no intcntion ol cxploring what thc shroud
is or how, whcn, and whcrc it was madc, only thc way thc Tcmplars
wcrc brought into its orbit.
!n thc thirtccnth ccntury, thc Church ol St. Maric dc 8lakcrnc in
Constantinoplc claimcd to havc thc burial shroud ol Jcsus. ! havcnt
bccn ablc to nd out how thcy got it or whcn but it was thcrc in .ac
whcn thc Fourth Crusadc dccidcd to bypass thc Holy Land and con
qucr Constantinoplc instcad. According to Robcrt dc Clari, a chroni
clcr and participant in thc crusadc, Tcrc is anothcr church that is
callcd Madam Saint Mary ol 8lakcrnc, whcrc thc sydoine which ur
Lord was wrappcd in was. vcry Friday it would raisc itscll upright so
that onc could scc wcll thc gurc ol ur Lord, but thcrc is no onc, not
Grcck or Frcnch, who knows whcrc thc sydoine wcnt whcn thc city
was takcn.
! must admit that this is thc sort ol inlormation that makcs a
novclists cycs light up. A missing rclic, stolcn in thc midst ol war:
whcrc could it havc gonc: Tc possibilitics arc cndlcss.
Robcrt dc Clari also mcntions thc vcil ol \cronica, on which Jcsus
is supposcd to havc wipcd his lacc on thc way to Calvary, and a holy
loincloth that a tilcmakcr loancd to Jcsus lor thc samc purposc. Tc im
agc on thc loincloth had miraculously translcrrcd itscll to onc ol thc
tilcs, which was also kcpt. Along with thcsc rclics lrom Constantioplc
wcrc thc hcad ol John thc 8aptist, somc picccs ol thc Truc Cross, thc
Crown ol Torns, thc tunic Jcsus worc whilc carrying thc cross, two ol
thc nails, and a vial ol his blood. Somc ol thcsc would latcr appcar in
Francc in thc posscssion ol King Louis !X. Hc built thc Church ol Stc.
Chapcllc to housc thcm. 8ut thc holy shroud and thc holy loincloth and
tilc sccm to havc vanishcd.
Tcrc docsnt sccm to bc any mcntion ol thc shroud again until
thc middlc ol thc lourtccnth ccntury, whcn a knight namcd Gcorcy
dc Charny may havc owncd it. Hc was an important gurc in thc carly
battlcs ol what would turn out to bc thc Hundrcd Ycars Var. Hc also
joincd a crusadc to Smyrna in Turkcy in ., an cxpcricncc hc did not
cnjoy. Latcr hc bccamc a chartcr mcmbcr ol thc shortlivcd Company
ol thc Star, a group ol knights closc to thc king ol Francc, John !!.
Charny was killcd at thc 8attlc ol Poiticrs on Scptcmbcr ., .6. !n
bctwccn his military cxploits, hc managcd to writc thrcc trcatiscs on
chivalry. Hc also had a chapcl built on his land at Lircy lor thc pur
posc ol cclcbrating masscs lor thc souls ol his lamily and as a lamily
ccmctcry.
Now, in all his pctitions to havc his church built and in his own
writings, Gcorcy dc Charny ncvcr mcntioncd that hc had a holy
shroud. 8ut, as soon as hc had dicd, his son, also namcd Gcorcy,
bcgan to show thc shroud to lricnds, ncighbors, and paying gucsts as
an objcct ol vcncration, always taking carc not to say that it was thc
actual burial cloth ol Jcsus. Tc local bishop tricd to gct him to stop
doing this, ccrtain that thc shroud was a lakc. vcntually, hc suc
cccdcd.
No onc mcntioncd thc Tcmplars. Tcrc was no rcason to. Tc
Tcmplars did not takc part in thc Fourth Crusadc. Tcy did not bc
licvc in ghting othcr Christiansat lcast, that was what thcy told
thc organizcrs ol thc crusadc, and ! think thcy probably mcant it. Tcy
383 The Templars and the Shroud of Turin
wcrc lar too busy at thc timc ghting thc hcirs ol Saladin and must
havc bccn irkcd that thc crusadcrs wcrc looting thc Grcck mpirc
instcad ol hclping thcm.
!ts possiblc that Gcorcy dc Charny bought thc shroud as a sou
vcnir whcn hc was in Turkcy, not bclicving that it was gcnuinc, but
rathcr a lullbody icon. Vhcthcr his son kncw this or not is impossiblc
to say.
So why arc thc Tcmplars conncctcd to thc shroud: !t all has to do
with thc coincidcncc that thc Tcmplar \isitor ol Normandy, Gcorcy
ol Charncy, who was burncd at thc stakc just altcr ]acques de Molay,
has thc samc namc as thc rst owncr ol thc shroud. Tc two Gcorcys
may havc bccn rclatcd but thcrc is no cvidcncc lor this.
Tat didnt stop a twcnticthccntury author, !an Vilson, lrom
dcciding that, not only wcrc thc two mcn conncctcd but that thc
shroud also originally bclongcd to thc Tcmplars. Tis is an cxamplc
ol taking onc lact, that thc two mcn havc thc samc namc, and thcn
crcating an cntirc sccnario bascd on no cvidcncc whatsocvcr.
Tcrc arc scvcral problcms with Vilsons thcory.
!vc alrcady pointcd out that thc Tcmplars wcrcnt in on thc loot
ing ol Constantinoplc. Tats thc rst problcm. Howcvcr, il somchow
thcy did gct somcthing that thcy thought was thc sydoine thcrc is no
way thcy would havc kcpt it a sccrct. As ! havc pointcd out, thc
Tcmplars wcrc constantly short ol cash and rclics wcrc big busincss.
Tc rclics thcy did havc wcrc displaycd, such as thc hcad ol \irgin
Numbcr at thc Paris commandcry or thc cross madc lrom a tub that
Jcsus had oncc bathcd in.
Vilson says that thc shroud and thc vcil ol \cronica wcrc con
luscd and thcy wcrc thc samc thing. Tcn hc says that thc shroud, or
maybc imagcs ol it, wcrc what thc Tcmplars wcrc accuscd ol worship
ping at thcir trial. Considcring thc numbcr ol imaginativc dcscrip
tions madc by thc Tcmplars ol thc hcad thcy wcrc supposcd to worship,
that docsnt work. 8ut also, il thcy had a gcnuinc rclic ol thc Rcsurrcc
tion, docsnt it stand to rcason that thcy would say so: Tc idca that
this would bc a sccrct makcs no scnsc in thc lramcwork ol thc mcdicval
world, or thc modcrn onc lor that mattcr.
nc ol thc morc surprising thcorics that has grown out ol con
nccting thc shroud to thc Tcmplars suggcsts that thc imagc on thc
cloth is actually ]acques de Molay. Tis was madc, not surprisingly,
by two Masons, ncithcr ol whom is a historian.
Tcy basc this conclusion on a scrics ol suppositions.
Tc rst assumption is that Jacqucs was torturcd by thc inquisitors
in an imitation ol Christs passion. Altcrward, thc blccding Grand
Mastcr was placcd on a shroud bccausc, likc thc Jcrusalcm Church
bclorc thcm and Frccmasonry altcr thcm, thc Tcmplars kcpt a lincn
shroud to wrap thc candidatcs lor sc nior mcmbcrship.
Tcy did: ! cant nd anything about this in thc Rule or in thc
various rcc ords ol thc intcrrogations. !d lovc to know whcrc it says
this but, unlortunatcly, thc authors dont citc thcir sourcc.
Tc book prcscnts a grucsomc sccnario, complctc with illustra
tions, on how Molay must havc bccn torturcd. ddly, this imagincd
torturc corrcsponds cxactly to thc wounds on thc imagc on thc shroud.
Howcvcr, thcrc is a problcm with this, too. (Actually, thcrc arc a lot ol
problcms but !ll go with thc most obvious.) First ol all, thcrc is no
rccord anywhcrc ol a pcrson bcing torturcd by thc !nquisition in imi
tation ol Christ. Tis would not only bc blasphcmy but it would also
clcvatc thc status ol thc accuscd, making his sucring sccm cqual to
that ol Jcsus. Morc importantly, thc authors statc that Jacqucs dc
Molay showcd thc marks ol torturc whcn hc camc bclorc thc mastcrs
ol thc Univcrsity ol Paris. Jacqucs dc Molay did not takc o his shirt
to show how hc had bccn torturcd, as thc book says, nor did hc makc
thc spccch thc authors quotc. Tcy quotc it, by thc way, not lrom thc
rcc ords ol thc trial, but lrom a translation madc in a book callcd Secret
Societies of the Middle Ages. Tc author is that wcllknown gurc Anon
ymous.
According to thc rcc ords, Jacqucs ncvcr said that hc was torturcd.
Hc said hc had bccn starvcd and thrcatcncd with torturc. Vhcn hc
rollcd up his slccvc bclorc thc mastcrs ol Paris, it was to show thcm
how thin hc had bccomc.
Tat lcads mc to thc most compclling rcason to think that, what
cvcr thc shroud is, its not a portrait ol Jacqucs dc Molay. Tc imagc on
385 The Templars and the Shroud of Turin
thc Shroud ol Turin is ol a tall and lairly robust young man with long
hair and a bcard. Now, altcr somc timc in prison, Jacqucs could havc lct
himscll go a bit, not trimming his bcard or cutting his hair. 8ut Jacqucs
dc Molay was in his latc sixtics, il not oldcr. Hc had bccn starvcd.
Looking at thc imagc on thc shroud, cvcn with thc bcst intcntions, !
cant scc that thc man thcrc is an cmaciatcd scvcntyycarold.
Finally, anothcr thcory on thc Shroud ol Turin that has rcccivcd
somc noticc is that ol Lynn Picknctt and Clivc Princc. At rst it
sccms salcly lrcc ol thc Tcmplars. Tcy think that thc shroud was
paintcd by Lconardo da \inci.
8ut you know, thcy just couldnt kccp thc Tcmplars out ol it, cvcn
though Lconardo livcd ovcr a ccntury altcr thc dissolution ol thc or
dcr. Tcy basc thc Tcmplar conncction not on primary rcscarch but
on anothcr popu lar book, Te Holy Blood and Te Holy Grail. Tis
book is bascd on, among othcr things, a hoax and lorgcd documcnts.
! havc sccn thcsc documcnts and thcy arc riddlcd with inaccuracics
and mistakcs.
Again thc authors add thc Tcmplars to thc mix by continuing thc
assumption that thc Gcorcys ol Charncy and Charny arc conncctcd
and adding thcm to thc lamily trcc ol thc rulcrs ol thc Latin king
doms and thcncc to thc Tcmplars again. Tcrc is no documcntation
lor this and it docsnt agrcc with known gcncalogics ol thc lamilics.
! dont rcally carc what thc Shroud ol Turin is. ! just think that its
timc wc lclt thc Tcmplars out ol thc argumcnts. Tc poor guys havc
had cnough.
J Robcrt dc Clari, La Conquct dc Constantinoplc, in Historiens et Chroniquers du Moyen Age
cd. Albcrt Pauphilct (Paris: Gallimard, .a) p. ,, un autrc dcs mousticrs, quc on apcloit
madamc Saintc Maric dc 8lakcrnc, o li sydoincs la o Nostrc Sirc lu cnvclops, y cstoit, qui
chascun vcndrcdi sc drcssoit tous drois, si quc on y povoit bicn voir las gurc Nostrc Sci
gncur, nc nc scut on onqucs, nc Gricu nc Franois, quc cist sydoincs dcvint quant la villc lu
prisc.
2 !bid., p. 6,.
3 Richard V. Kacupcr and lspcth Kcnncdy, Te Book of Chivalry of Georoi de Charney: Text,
Context and Translation (Univcrsity ol Pcnnsylvania Prcss, .6) p. .
4 !bid., p. ,.
5 !bid., pp. ...
6 !bid., p. .,.
7 !bid., p. .
8 !an Vilson, Te Shroud of Turin (Ncw York: oublcday, .66).
9 Malcolm 8arbcr, Tc Tcmplars and thc Turin Shroud.
J0 Vilson, pp. ..
JJ !bid., pp. .66.
J2 Christophcr Knight and Robcrt Lomas, Te Second Messiah (8oston: lcmcnt 8ooks, .,)
pp. .6a6.
J3 !bid., p. .6.
J4 !bid., p. .,..
J5 Michclct
J6 Alain cmurgcr, Jacques de Molay: Le Crepuscule des Templiers (Paris: Payot, acca).
J7 Lynn Picknctt and Clivc Princc, Te Turin Shroud: In Whose Image? Te Truth Behind the
Centuries-Long Conspiracy of Silence (Ncw York: Harpcr Collins, .).
J8 For a morc complctc discussion ol thc thcorics in this book, plcasc scc my prcvious book, Te
Real History Behind the Da Vinci Code (Ncw York: 8crklcy, acc).
CH A P T I R I OR T Y S I V I N
Templars in Scotland:
Rosslyn Chapel
R
osslyn Chapcl, morc propcrly callcd Rosslyn Collcgiatc Church,
lics in Lothian by thc rivcr sk, cight milcs south ol dinburgh
on thc cdgc ol thc villagc ol Roslin.
Tc namc Rosslyn is lrom thc Gaclic ross, mcaning a rocky
promontory, and lynn, mcaning a watcrlall. Tc church is built on
such a point, with a good vicw ol Rosslyn Glcn bclow.
Tc church was bcgun about .c by Villiam Sinclair, carl ol
rkncy. !t was apparcntly intcndcd to bc much largcr but only what
would havc bccn thc choir was nishcd. Vhilc thc church is similar to
othcr collcgiatc churchcs bcing built at thc timc, thc dcgrcc ol orna
mcntation is cxtrcmcly unusual. My rst imprcssion on cntcring was
that it was bascd on Spanish churchcs ! had bccn in, but apparcntly art
historians dont think this is thc casc. Tc naturc ol thc dcsigns has
not bccn commcntcd on by art historians so much as thc abundancc ol
thcm. Tc ccct ol thc myriad carvings is stunning and whimsical,
rathcr likc mccting somconc who has dccidcd to wcar all hcr jcwclry
at oncc. Tc arcadc archcs, capitals, string courscs and window rcar
archcs arc all dccoratcd with loliagc carving, and thcrc arc corbcls and
canopics lor imagcs bctwccn thc windows. lscwhcrc, thc samc
author commcnts, as so oltcn at Roslin, |sic| thc dcsirc lor richncss ol
Pillar at Roslin, showing ornamentation and Green Man.
(Sharan Newman, with thanks to the Rosslyn Church Trust)
389 Templars in Scotland: Rosslyn Chapel
ccct has pcrhaps bccn takcn lurthcr than might havc bccn cx
pcctcd.
Tc plans lor Rosslyn, writtcn on woodcn boards, wcrc lost dur
ing thc Rclormation. Tcrc arc no documcnts at all to cxplain why
arl Villiam dccidcd to covcr almost cvcry inch ol his church with
ornamcntation. Tc only rcmnant ol a planning dcsign is on thc wall
ol thc crypt, probably thc rst scction built. nc can still scc scratch
ings on thc wall ol an arch, a pcntaclc, a part ol thc vaulting lor thc
cciling, and two circlcs. !ts likcly that thcsc survivcd bccausc thcy
wcrc plastcrcd ovcr shortly altcr thc church was built.
Now, a lack ol documcntation is a disastcr lor historians, but grcat lor
novclists, who arc thcn lrcc to makc up what cvcr thcy likc. ! supposc
thats onc rcason !m both. ! can spcculatc in ction in a way that would
bc inappropriatc in acadcmic work. Tc highly wrought carvings at Ross
lyn havc inspircd a numbcr ol lcgcnds. 8clorc ! discuss thcm, lcts look
rst at what is known about Villiam Sinclair, to scc il it givcs any clucs as
to why hc ordcrcd thc church built and why it was ncvcr complctcd.
Villiam was thc lourth Sinclair to bc carl ol rkncy. At thc timc
thcsc islands, north ol 8ritain, bclongcd to thc kings ol cnmark. As
thc rkncy carls also wcrc lords ol Roslin and owncd othcr lands in
Scotland, this dividcd allcgiancc madc politics di cult lor thc Sin
clairs. Howcvcr, thc rcvcnucs lrom rkncy wcrc substantial and madc
it worth thc troublc.
At this timc it was unusual lor thc nobility ol Scotland to dic a
natural dcath, or to kccp hold ol thcir lands lor morc than a gcncra
tion. Tc rst Stcwart king ol Scotland, Jamcs, had bccn murdcrcd in
.,, lcaving his sixycarold son, Jamcs !!, at thc mcrcy ol thc various
lactions vying lor powcr. Tc ouglas lamily was thc most lormida
blc cncmy ol thc king and Villiam Sinclair had marricd lizabcth
ouglas. Howcvcr, lizabcth dicd just bclorc Jamcs !! camc ol agc in
.. and Villiam dccidcd to cast his lot with thc king. !t was about
this timc that hc bcgan work on thc church.
!t sccms to havc bccn a status symbol among thc Scottish carls to
havc oncs own collcgiatc churcha church that was administcrcd by
pricsts, callcd canons, whosc solc job was to say masscs, prcsumably
390 The Real Story Behind the Knights of the Templar
lor thc souls ol thc noblcs and thcir lamilics. Collcgiatc churchcs wcrc
built by Lord unbar in . and Lord Crichton in .. Ncithcr is
as claboratc as Rosslyn.
For a whilc Villiams alliancc with King Jamcs !! appcarcd to bring
him cvcn morc wcalth and powcr. Hc bccamc chanccllor ol Scotland
lrom . to .6 and was ablc to rcgain thc carldom ol Caithncss, lost
to his lamily a hundrcd ycars bclorc.
Howcvcr, thc king ol Scotland had his cyc on thc protablc carl
dom ol rkncy. Jamcs cntcrcd into ncgotiations with King Christian
ol cnmark to gain rkncy lor himscll. Tis would havc lclt Villiam
Sinclair out an important sourcc ol incomc and thcrc wcrc rumors that
hc tricd to sabotagc thc mccting. Ccrtainly, hc lcll out ol lavor with thc
king. Villiam . . . must havc hcavcd a sigh ol rclicl whcn hc hcard ol
thc suddcn dcmisc ol thc young king at Roxburgh whilc thcsc ncgotia
tions wcrc undcr way.
8ut thc ncxt king, Jamcs !!!, continucd his lathcrs qucst lor
rkncy and in .,c, Villiam was lorccd to givc up his rights in lavor
ol thc Scottish crown.
Tis may bc thc rcason why Rosslyn Church was ncvcr complctcd.
Not only was Villiams incomc rcduccd but his cldcst son, Villiam
thc Vastcr, was so irrcsponsiblc that thc carl disinhcritcd him, lcav
ing Rosslyn to his sccond son, livcr. !t was livcr who sccms to havc
brought thc building to a closc.
Tis is what wc know about Villiam Sinclair, lourth and last carl
ol rkncy. Tc original chartcrs lor thc church wcrc lost, thc plans
dcstroycd. nly thc lantastic building rcmains, thc choir with a trun
catcd wall ol thc proposcd navc jutting out on cithcr sidc.
The Legends Begin
Tc latc ol thc chapcl ol Rosslyn was ticd to thc Sinclair lamily and thcy
had a bad spcll ol closc to two hundrcd ycars. Tc Sinclairs chosc thc
losing sidc in thc powcr strugglcs in Scotland and thcn rcmaincd Cath
olic whcn thc country bccamc Protcstant. Tc chapcl was rst ncglcctcd
and thcn, altcr long rcsis tancc lrom thc lord, anothcr Villiam Sinclair,
thc altars wcrc dcmolishcd.
Tc conncction ol thc Sinclair lamily to thc guild ol masons and
thcn to thc ordcr ol Ireemasons bcgan in thc carly scvcntccnth ccntury.
Tc guild ol masons was undcr thc dircction ol a mastcr ol works, who
was usually lrom a good lamily rathcr than a working mason. !n . thc
titlc wcnt to Villiam Schaw, lrom thc lamily ol thc lairds ol Sauchic.
Tc Schaw lamily was Catholic in Protcstant Scotland but that didnt
stop Villiam lrom making a good carccr lor himscll at court. Hc was a
diplomat and scrvcd thc crown ovcrscas, dcspitc bcing listcd as a pos
siblc Jcsuit by thc Scottish cquivalcnt ol thc sccrct policc.
Vhcn hc bccamc mastcr, Schaw sct about organizing thc guild ol
masons, sctting up statutcs lor thcm. !n about .6cc, hc dccidcd that
thc masons nccdcd a lordprotcctor. !t is not known why thc currcnt
Villiam Sinclair, lord ol Rosslyn, was choscn. Pcrhaps bccausc hc was
also Catholic, pcrhaps bccausc ol Sinclairs attcmpt to prcscrvc thc
imagcs and uthcr monumcnts ol idolatric ol thc chapcl. As a pa
tron, Sinclair was not an obvious choicc. Hc had bccn haulcd up
bclorc thc local magistratcs on chargcs ol lornication and cvcntually
movcd to !rcland with his mistrcss, a millcrs daughtcr, lcaving thc
lordship to his son, also namcd Villiam Sinclair.
Tc ncxt Villiam was a modcl citizcn and, although Schaw had
dicd in thc intcrim, a chartcr was drawn up making Sinclair an o cial
patron ol thc masons. A copy ol this is on display in thc muscum
abovc thc gilt shop at Rosslyn.
Tis had nothing to do with what would latcr bccomc Frccma
sonry. !t was an agrccmcnt bctwccn thc lord ol Rosslyn and thc guild
ol masons.
Ncvcrthclcss, thc lords ol Rosslyn wcrc among thc rst ol thc
Scottish Frccmasons and in .6, wcrc obligcd to rcccivc thc Mason
Vord.
!t is lrom about this timc that thc lcgcnds surrounding Rosslyn
bcgan to grow.
Tc story ol thc two pillars, thc mastcr and apprcnticc, is onc
that can bc lound in othcr churchcs in Scotland. Tcrc is a likc pair ol
Apprentice pillar (Sharan Newman, with thanks to the Rosslyn Church Trust)
Master pillar (Sharan Newman, with thanks to the Rosslyn Church Trust)
pillars at twcllthccntury unlcrmlinc Abbcy, although thc morc
claboratc ol thc two is considcrcd thc work ol thc mastcr.
Tc story ol thc pillars is that thc mastcr mason nishcd thc rst
pillar and thcn wcnt on a journcy. Vhcn hc rcturncd, hc discovcrcd
that his apprcnticc had carvcd a sccond pillar that lar surpasscd his. !n
a ragc, thc mastcr killcd thc apprcnticc. At Rosslyn, thc laccs ol thc
mastcr and thc apprcnticc arc supposcd to bc among thc hcads carvcd
into thc corncrs ol thc cciling in thc chapcl. Howcvcr, thcrc arc six
hcads, not two. nc is lcmalc and anothcr a dcmon ol somc sort.
Tis story ol thc homicidal mastcr mason is rst rccordcd in .6,,, by
an nglish tourist, Tomas Kirk.
Tc association ol thc Tcmplars with Rosslyn may havc startcd
with Sir Valtcr Scott, who mcntions thc lords ol Rosslyn in Te Lay of
the Last Minstral. Scott is bcst known lor his novcl Ivanhoe, which
lcaturcs a Tcmplar as thc villain.
Tc storics about Tcmplars in Scotland, and spccically at Ross
lyn, sccm to havc startcd at thc samc timc as thc socicty ol Frccmasons
did. Tc story in its most rcccnt lorm is that a group ol Tcmplars cc
ing thc !nquisition arrivcd in Scotland and wcrc givcn rclugc by thc
Sinclair lamily at Rosslyn Castlc. vcr thc ycars thc Tcmplars in
Scotland arc said to havc lought lor Robcrt thc 8rucc, gonc to Amcr
ica with thc \ikings, and kcpt a guard on thcir trcasurc and/or thc
Holy Grail.
At thc timc ol thc supprcssion ol thc ordcr, somc Tcmplars may
havc lound rclugc in Scotland, but again, thcrc is no rccord ol this and
ccrtainly no rclcrcncc to Rosslyn. ! havc lound no Tcmplar or Grail
rclcrcnccs in conncction to Rosslyn that arc carlicr than thc ninc
tccnth ccntury. Nonc ol thcsc storics cvcr bothcrs to say how thc
Tcmplars kcpt thcir numbcrs up ovcr thc ccnturics. id thcy marry
and raisc littlc Tcmplars: id thcy rccruit subvcrsivcly in thc ncigh
borhood: nquiring minds want to know. And that, ! supposc, is why
wc havc to invcnt answcrs.
How do lcgcnds bcgin: Vith a chancc mccting, a visit to a rc
markablc chapcl, thc noticc ol an odd carving that rcminds thc vicwcr
ol anothcr that is conncctcd to yct anothcr by thc imagination. Tc art
ol Rosslyn Chapcl is an cnigma. Vhy thc rst Villiam Sinclair had it
built and what thc dcsigns mcant to him will probably ncvcr bc known.
Tcy arc lantastic, opulcnt, and cvocativc. !ts no wondcr that thc cha
pcl was brought in to sharc in thc prccmincnt myths ol Vcstcrn civi
lization.
J Tc arl ol Rosslyn, Rosslyn Chapel (Roslyn Chapcl Trust, .,) p. .
2 8arbara . Crawlord, Lord Villiam Sinclair and thc 8uilding ol Roslin Collcgiatc Church,
in John Higgitt, Medieval Art and Architecture in the Diocese of St Andrews (8ritish Archacologi
cal Association, .) p. .
3 Richard Fawcctt, Scottish Medieval Churches (Glouccstcrshirc: Tcmpus, acca) p. .6.
4 !bid., p. .c.
5 R. Andcrson, Noticc ol working drawings scratchcd on thc walls ol thc crypt at Roslin Cha
pcl, in Proceedings of the Society of Antiquities of Scotland \ol. .c, .,a,, pp. 66.
6 Crawlord, p. .cc.
7 Stcwart Ross, Monarchs of Scotland (Ncw York: Facts on Filc, .c) pp. ..
8 Crawlord, p. .c..
9 Fawcctt, p. .
J0 Crawlord, p. .c.
JJ !bid., p. .c6.
J2 Rosslyn, p. a
J3 avid Stcvcnson, Te Origins of Freemasonry: Scotlands Century 15901710 (Cambridgc Univcr
sity Prcss, .) pp. a6a.
J4 Scc chaptcr , Te Freemasons.
J5 Stcvcnson, p. .
J6 !bid., p. 6.
J7 !bid., p. 6c.
J8 Fawcctt, p. .6.
J9 ! chcckcd this out carclully whcn ! visitcd Rosslyn.
20 Karcn Ralls, Te Templars and the Grail (Vhcaton, !L: Qucst 8ooks, acc) p. ..
2J !bid., p. ..
CH A P T I R I OR T Y I I GHT
Te Freemasons and
the Templars
T
oday thcrc arc thousands ol Frccmason lodgcs all ovcr thc
world. ach country has its own customs and rituals and
within thcm arc variations and ritcs partic u lar to cach lodgc. Tcrc
arc many storics about thc bcginnings ol thc socicty ol Frccmasons
and its placc in history. nc rcason lor this is thc myth thc cightccnth
ccntury masons crcatcd conccrning thc antiquity ol thcir group and
its traditions. Most ol thcsc arc now considcrcd to bc nothing but
invcntion.
Tc rcason lor both thc myths thc Masons crcatcd lor thcmsclvcs
and thc storics told about thcm is thc samc: it is a group that jcalously
guards its sccrcts, cspccially thosc ol initiation. A ninctccnth ccntury
Mason wrotc ol this, Among sccrct socictics . . . a particu lar knowl
cdgc has bccn supposcd always to bc communicatcd to thc initiatc. . . . Tc
placc ol Masonry among sccrct associations is notablc in comparison
with thcsc cxotics ol hiddcn lilc and activity.
Tc conncction bctwccn thc Frccmasons ol today and thc ancicnt
tradc ol stoncmasons is still not wcll undcrstood. Tc custom ol work
crs in a partic u lar cralt lorming groups lor mutual bcnct cxistcd as
lar back as thc latc Roman mpirc. Tcsc groups had dicrcnt namcs,
but thc most common was collegium. Tcsc collegia had both social
397 The Freemasons and the Templars
and cconomic lunctions. Tc mcrchants collcgc ncgotiatcd monopo
lics with thc govcrnmcnt, lor instancc. Collcgcs ol tradcs vital to thc
statc, such as whcat mcrchants, wcrc givcn cxcmptions lrom somc
taxcs and dutics. Tc collcgcs also hcld group lcasts on thc days that
honorcd thcir patron dcity.
Tcsc collcgcs had mcmbcrs who wcrc not workcrs but important
citizcns, patrons ol thc tradc who lcnt thcir inucncc in thc statc to
thc collcgcs in cxchangc lor thc social prcstigc ol thc titlc ol patron.
Tis may givc a cluc as to thc latcr dcvclopmcnt ol Masonic lodgcs in
which no onc was a working mason.
8y thc timc ol Constantinc thc Grcat mcmbcrship in many ol thc
collcgcs, particularly that ol thc bakcrs, was hcrcditary and manda
tory. Tcy wcrc no longcr indcpcndcnt corporations but controllcd by
thc statc. Any bcncts thcy might havc rcccivcd wcrc cancclcd out by
thc scrviccs thcy had to supply to thc govcrnmcnt.
Tcrc is vcry littlc inlormation as to whcthcr thc Roman collcgcs
survivcd thc timc ol thc invasions by thc Gothic and Gcrmanic tribcs.
Most ol thc major citics ol thc cmpirc wcrc dcpopulatcd lrom thc
sixth through thc ninth ccnturics and thcrc wcrc probably not cnough
workcrs in any community to lorm a tradc orga nization. 8y thc timc
thcy rcsurlaccd, thcsc groups now wcrc callcd by a Gcrmanic namc,
guild, probably lrom thc samc root as gelt, mcaning moncy.
!n thc Middlc Agcs, guilds wcrc startcd by workcrs in thc samc
occupation originally as burial socictics. Vcavcrs, coopcrs, lcathcr
workcrs, cvcn prostitutcs wantcd to assurc that thcy not only rcccivcd
a Christian burial, but that praycrs and Masscs would bc ocrcd lor
thc good ol thcir souls. Tcy grcw into socictics that also rcgulatcd thc
initiation into thc cralt. Stagcs ol compctcnccapprcnticc, journcy
man, and mastcrwcrc crcatcd.
ach guild had its own patron saint and hcld a banquct on that
saints lcast day. Tc patron ol thc masons was Saint John thc vangc
list, whosc lcast is cccmbcr a,.
Upon cntry into a guild, thc ncw apprcnticc sworc an oath to
guard thc sccrcts ol thc cralt. Tc masons may havc addcd somc lorm
ol sccrct codc so that mcmbcrs ol thc guild could bc known to cach
Masons geometry, Villeard de Honnecourt (c. 12251250).
(Foto Marburg/Art Resource, NY)
othcr. Tis is bccausc thc masons movcd lrom placc to placc, working
on thc grcat cathcdrals and castlcs. Tc mastcr ol works lor cach proj
cct didnt want to hirc somconc not traincd in thc cralt. A sccrct pass
word could prcvcnt that. Vhilc thcrc is no rccord ol this happcning
bclorc thc latc sixtccnth ccntury, it sccms probablc that thc password
was crcatcd long bclorc.
The Beginning of Modern Freemasonry:
Highly Speculative
Modcrn Frccmasonry sccms to havc borrowcd a grcat dcal lrom thc
rituals ol thc Scottish guilds ol masons. Tcy, likc othcr masons, had
lormcd groups in thc towns but thcy also lormcd a tight unit in thc
tcmporary homcs or lodgcs that wcrc built lor thcm to inhabit whilc
thcy workcd on a projcct. Tcsc lodgcs may havc cncouragcd a closcr
bond than in othcr guilds in which thc mcmbcrs spcnt only part ol
thcir timc with lcllow workcrs and thc rcst with lamily and lricnds
lrom othcr occupations.
uring thc Middlc Agcs thc noblc lamilics ol uropc constructcd
mythical gcncalogics lor thcmsclvcs. Tcy traccd thcir bcginnings to
Troy, or King Arthur, a patron saint, or cvcn a dcmon. Tc guild ol
masons in Scotland sccms to havc donc thc samc. Tcy callcd this
story thc ld Chargcs, a history ol thc cralt built lrom talcs in thc
8iblc, apocryphal books, and lolk lcgcnd.
According to a Scottish vcrsion ol thc ld Chargcs, masonry,
which gocs hand in hand with gcomctry, was loundcd by thc sons ol
Lamcch, who wrotc thcir cralt sccrcts on stonc pillars. Altcr thc ood
ol Noah onc ol his grcatgrandsons, Hcrmarius, lound thc sccrcts ol
masonry/gcomctry and thc othcr scicnccs on thc pillars. Hc taught it
to thc buildcrs ol thc towcr ol 8abcl. Tcn Abraham, living in gypt,
taught thc gcomctry to a studcnt namcd uclid, who prcsumably took
thc knowlcdgc to Grcccc. vcntually, thc masons camc to Jcrusalcm,
whcrc thcy built Solomons Tcmplc. Altcr that was nishcd, thc ma
sons scattcrcd to thc nations ol thc world. nc camc to Francc, whcrc
hc was hircd by Charlcs Martcl, thc grandlathcr ol Charlcmagnc.
Anothcr, Saint Alban, brought thc cralt to 8ritain. vcntually thc
masons wcrc sponsorcd by a Princc dwin, thc othcrwisc unknown
son ol thc AngloSaxon king, Athclstan. dwin was so cnamorcd ol
thc cralt that hc was madc a Mason. !t was also dwin who causcd
thc ld Chargcs to bc writtcn down.
A Masonic lcgcnd about thc buildcrs ol Solomons Tcmplc is that
ol Hiram ol Tyrc, mastcr buildcr. According to thc apocryphal book
Te Wisdom of Solomon, Hiram supcrviscd thc construction ol thc
Tcmplc and pcrsonally madc two brass pillars, callcd Jachim and
8oaz. Hiram was supposcdly murdcrcd by othcr masons who wantcd
him to rcvcal thc sccrcts ol thc Mason Vord. As latc as .., a manual
lor Frccmasons statcs that both Solomon and Hiram, now a King ol
Tyrc, wcrc thc originators ol thc socicty.
Tcsc lcgcnds wcrc all part ol what is callcd opcrativc masonry,
that is, guilds ol thosc who actually had thc skill to work in stonc.
Many ol thcsc lcgcnds bccamc part ol thc traditions and symbols ol
spcculativc masonry, or lodgcs madc up ol pcoplc lrom othcr walks
ol lilc.
8ut how did it happcn that a traditional tradc guild bccamc thc
basc lor an organization that has includcd many artists, composcrs,
noblcmcn, hcads ol corporations, and hcads ol statc:
Scotland, William Schaw,
and the Lords of Roslin
Latc sixtccnthccntury Scotland was rulcd by Jamcs \!, thc son ol
Mary, Quccn ol Scots, who would soon bccomc Jamcs ! ol ngland.
nc ol thc posts in his govcrnmcnt was that ol mastcr ol works, hcld
by a wcllborn man who ovcrsaw thc nanccs and administration ol
all building projccts. !n . thc post wcnt to onc Villiam Schaw.
Schaw was a Catholic in a ncwly Protcstant country but hc sccms
to havc bccn ablc to kccp his bclicls lrom thrcatcning anyonc at court.
!t was Schaw who, in ., rst wrotc down a sct ol statutcs to bc
lollowcd by all mastcr masons ol thc rcalm. Tcsc statutcs, mostly
rcgarding admission ol apprcnticcs and thc chain ol authority within
thc lodgcs, wcrc agrccd to by thc mastcr masons. Somc ol thc indi
vidual mason marks wcrc rccordcd and thc rst mcntion is madc ol
thc Mason Vord, thc systcm by which onc mason might rccognizc
anothcr.
Tc lollowing ycar Schaw cxpandcd thc statutcs to includc thc
dutics ol thc mastcr masons in training apprcnticcs not only in thc
cralt but in thc art ol mcmory and thc scicncc thcrcol. Tis indi
catcs not only a rotc lcsson to bc lcarncd but a systcm ol rcmcmbcring
to mastcr.
Tc rcason lor Schaws insistcncc on thcsc unilorm statutcs is not
clcar. Hc sccms to havc lclt strongly that thc indcpcndcnt lodgcs
nccdcd orga nization. Hc also lclt that thcy nccdcd a patron, much as
thc Roman guilds had had. For this position, hc sclcctcd Villiam
Sinclair, thc lord ol Roslin. Again, this is puzzling. Villiam was dc
sccndcd lrom thc carl who had built Rosslyn Chapel and thcrc might
havc bccn a rcsidual londncss lor thc man who had givcn thc masons
such an claboratc commission. 8ut this Villiam was a dissolutc Cath
olic who couldnt tcll thc local Protcstant authoritics il his latcst bas
tard had bccn baptizcd but had had at lcast onc christcncd a Catholic.
Hc also staunchly rcsistcd attcmpts by thc local authoritics to dcstroy
thc artwork in thc chapcl. Vhilc hc had cmploycd masons to build his
homc, hc docsnt sccm a good advocatc lor thc lodgcs at court. How
cvcr, in .6c., a chartcr was drawn up making Villiam Sinclair patron
ol thc masons.
A copy ol this chartcr is prcscrvcd at Rosslyn Chapcl, which is
whcrc ! rcad it. !t is clcar that thc masons arc not lollowing an cstab
lishcd tradition ol patronagc lrom Rosslyn but asking lor a totally ncw
arrangcmcnt. Tcrc is no implication in thc documcnt that it is any
thing othcr than a normal rcqucst lor a noblcman to advocatc lor a
group that docsnt havc much political powcr.
!t docsnt appcar that this Villiam Sinclair was ol much usc to thc
masons. Howcvcr, his son, also namcd Villiam, took thc chargc morc
scriously. Hc issucd anothcr chartcr, giving himscll lcgal jurisdiction
ovcr thc masons. 8y .6,, thc lords ol Roslin wcrc allowcd to bc taught
thc Mason Vord.
Tcrc is still a lcap that must bc madc lrom lodgcs ol opcrativc
masons to ritualizcd mcctings ol nlightcnmcnt intcllcctuals.
Tc crcation ol Frccmasonry lrom guilds ol masons sccms to havc
comc about through a numbcr ol social and political lorccs that hap
pcncd to convcrgc. !n Scotland throughout thc scvcntccnth ccntury
uppcrclass mcn had bccn asking to join thc mason lodgcs and bccn
acccptcd. Pcrhaps thcy wcrc allowcd in bccausc thcy could aord a
good initiation banquct or bccausc somc ol thc masons wcrc plcascd to
bc ablc to rub shouldcrs with thc nobility.
!t sccms to havc bccn a lad lor a timc, but most ol thcsc mcn soon
droppcd out. Historian avid Stcvcnson suggcsts that thcy might
havc joincd thinking that thcy wcrc going to lcarn somc csotcric,
magical lorc and wcrc disappointcd.
Tcrc havc always bccn thosc who wcrc obscsscd with thc uncov
cring ol ancicnt sccrcts. !t is a thrcad that runs through all socictics.
8ut thc pcriod lrom about .c to .,c sccms to havc had a largcr
numbcr ol scckcrs than usual. !t was a timc ol intcllcctual inquiry
both in thc mattcr ol rcligious truth and about thc natural world. Tc
Rclormation and CountcrRclormation had lclt many pcoplc in doubt
about thc truth ol any onc rcligion. Tc incrcascd bclicl in thc malcv
olcncc ol witchcralt had a ip sidc in thosc who wishcd to scck cn
lightcnmcnt lrom divinc sourccs, not ncccssarily Christian. !l onc
could obtain powcr lrom Satan thcn thcrc must bc othcr ways to rc
vcal thc mystcrics ol thc univcrsc without going so lar as to scll oncs
soul.
Tis was also thc timc that thc Rosicrucian books wcrc circulat
ing and pcoplc likc !saac Ncwton and Robcrt 8oylc wcrc cxpcrimcnt
ing with both chcmistry and alchcmy and making littlc distinction
bctwccn thc two. vcn thc Royal Socicty in ngland bcgan with a
group ol lricnds mccting lor clandcstinc discussions on alchcmical
subjccts.
!t was in this atmosphcrc that thc rst nglish lodgcs arosc at thc
bcginning ol thc cightccnth ccntury. Vhilc using many ol thc symbols
and thc basic myth ol thc origin ol thc masons guild, thc nglish soon
addcd rituals bascd on thcir rcscarch into alchcmy, Ncoplatonism, and
Hcrmctic tcaching. 8y .,ac Frccmasonry had sprcad to Francc and
thcn to Gcrmany and thc rcst ol uropc. Rathcr than saying that
Frccmasonry was born out ol thc Guild ol Masons, it might bc morc
hclplul to say that lcarncd mcn who wishcd to work togcthcr and cx
changc idcas adoptcd thc symbolism and structurcs uscd by working
masons.
Enter the Templars
Tc rcadcr may havc noticcd that ! havcnt yct madc a conncction bc
twccn thc Masons and thc Tcmplars. !m tcmptcd to say that its bc
causc thcrc isnt any but that wouldnt bc lair. Actually, thc usc ol thc
Tcmplars as an cxamplc lor thc Masons can only bc traccd back to
.,c, whcn 8aron Karl von Hund invcntcd thc Tcmplar Strict bscr
vancc. !n ordcr to lcgitimizc his crcation, hc claimcd that it was by
way ol unintcrruptcd transmission, thc succcssor ol thc Knight Tcm
plars |sic|, whosc cxistcncc had bccn carricd on sccrctly up to that
datc.
\on Hund dcrivcd his idcas lrom thc Scottish conncction, al
though its not known whcrc hc got his inlormation. !t is claimcd
that bclorc his cxccution, thc last Grand Mastcr ol thc Tcmplars,
]acques de Molay, assigncd Hugo von Salm, a canon, thc mission ol
smuggling important Tcmplar documcnts into Scotland. Now,
Hugo von Salm sccms to havc bccn a knight who camc to thc dclcnsc
ol thc Tcmplars in Poland. Tcrc is no indication that hc was cvcr in
Francc and ccrtainly not at thc timc ol thc dissolution bccausc hc was
dclcnding Tcmplars in Poland thcn. Tcrc is cvcn lcss cvidcncc that hc
cvcr wcnt to Scotland.
Now thc Tcmplars wcrc rcgaining popularity in ncwly Protcstant
cightccnth ccntury uropc. !nstcad ol bcing sccn as grccdy bastards
who may or may not havc bccn hcrctics but good riddancc all thc
samc, thcy wcrc sccn as thc pcrsccutcd kccpcrs ol lost csotcric
inlormation. Altcr all, il thc popc hatcd thcm, thcy must bc okay. Tc
idca caught on.
My lccling is that thc imagc ol thc Knights ol thc Tcmplc t in
wcll with thc mystical sccrct socictics that dcvclopcd during thc (scll
namcd) nlightcnmcnt. Tc bcst part ol it was that so many ol thc
Tcmplar rccords had bccn lost or dcstroycd that thcrc wasnt any prob
lcm with hard lacts gctting in thc way ol thc myth. !t was rathcr likc
thc sccrct socictics that bascd thcir philosophy on thcir intcrprctation
ol hicroglyphics. Vhcn thc Rosctta stonc was discovcrcd in gypt and
thc hicroglyphics nally dcciphcrcd, it was a tcrriblc sctback lor thcm.
Today no rcputablc historian ol thc Frccmasons bclicvcs that thc
group was loundcd by Tcmplars or by Solomons mastcr mason. Fur
thcrmorc, most Masonic lodgcs cncouragc scrious inquiry into
Masonic history. Tc rcsults may upsct somc masons, but it would bc
unthinkablc lor a Mason to bc suspcndcd or droppcd lrom mcmbcr
ship lor invcstigating Masonic dcgrccs and bclicving that thcy had
rclativcly modcrn origins.
Tc problcm is that thcrc a largc numbcr ol nonMasons who
dont know this. And thcy arc busy writing pseudohistory.
Masonic Symbols
Tc most univcrsal symbol ol thc Frccmasons is thc compass and
squarc, uscd by opcrativc masons cvcrywhcrc. Anothcr, lound in cvcry
lodgc ol Spcculativc Masons, is thc pillars ol thc Tcmplc. Tc namcs
givcn to thcsc two pillars arc 8oaz and Jachim, thought to havc bccn
thc original Masons Vord. !n thc Amcrican York Ritc thcsc pillars
arc thought to bc hollow to hidc archivcs and othcr documcnts.
Anothcr symbol that sccms to bc common to all Spcculativc
Masonic lodgcs is thrcc pillars, signilying wisdom, strcngth, and
bcauty. Tc masons apron and glovcs arc also univcrsal.
Many plants havc symbolic mcaning in Masonic lorc, thc acacia,
rosc, lily, and olivc trcc among thcm. Tc star and thc pcntanglc arc
both uscd lrcqucntly. !ndccd, it would bc hard to nd anything that
couldnt bc rcad as a symbol by Masons. Tc rst dcgrcc initiation
ritual, that ol ntcrcd Apprcnticc, statcs: Hcrc, all is symbol.
n thc othcr hand, thc Tcmplars had lcw symbols. Tc only onc !
am ccrtain ol is thc imagc ol two ridcrs on onc horsc. Somc ol thc
Tcmplars scals showcd thc domc ol thc Holy Scpulchcr. vcn thc
ordcrs banncr was simply onc whitc and onc black squarc. Tcy rcally
wcrcnt symbolmindcd. Tcy just got on with thcir work.
Modern Masonry
Today Masons can bc ol almost any rcligion, including Catholic,
dcspitc thc Catholic Churchs cightccnth ccntury ban on joining, or
no rcligion at all. Tcrc arc lodgcs that includc both mcn and womcn
and somc that arc singlc scx. Tc Frcnch, by thc way, wcrc thc rst to
admit womcn into an auxiliary orga nization, callcd adoptivc masonry,
around .,c.
Listing lamous Masons would bc a book in itscll. !t would includc
most Amcrican prcsidcnts, kings ol ngland, Swcdcn, and othcr
countrics, and Vinston Churchill, Toms Garriguc Masaryk, \ol
tairc, Gocthc, Kipling, Mark Twain, avy Crockctt, ukc llington,
and Houdini, to namc a lcw. Mozarts opcra Te Magic Flute is lull
ol Masonic rclcrcnccs.
Likc thc Tcmplars, thc Frccmasons havc bccn accuscd ol subvcr
sivc activitics, including trying to control clcctions and cxcrting prcs
surc to ruin pcrsonal cncmics. !n somc timcs and placcs this may havc
bccn truc. !n rcgon in .aa, thc Scottish Ritc Masons joincd in with
thc Ku Klux Klan to sponsor a bill to abolish privatc schools and insist
that all childrcn attcnd public schools. Tc targct ol thc bill was thc
Catholic school systcm, whcrc many immigrant childrcn lrom Catho
lic countrics wcrc bcing cducatcd. Tc govcrnor, Valtcr Picrcc, had
agrccd to support thc bill in rcturn lor thc support ol thc Masons and
thc Klan, who had many mcmbcrs in common.
Tc law passcd, but was challcngcd and wcnt to thc Suprcmc
Court, whcrc it was rulcd unconstitutional.
!n this casc Masons who wcrc also Klansmcn spokc lor thc cntirc
group and did indccd inucncc an clcction. Today, most Masons
would bc horricd at thc association with thc KKK. Tcy would point
out that this was not typical Masonic bchavior. Tcy might cvcn dcny
that such a thing cvcr happcncd.
!ts di cult to conrm or dcny such allcgations bccausc ol thc
naturc ol thc orga nization. Groups with privatc initiation ritcs and a
cultivatcd aura ol sccrccy sccm to bring out thc worst suspicions in
outsidcrs. Tc Frccmasons arc cntitlcd to havc sccrct ritual and ritcs,
but instcad ol maintaining that thcy comc lrom ancicnt Tcmplar
knowlcdgc, thcy might pay morc attcntion to what thc Tcmplars
sccrccy about thcir initiation ccrcmonics lcd to.
J Arthur dward Vaitc, A New Encyclopedia of Freemasonry (Ncw York: Vings 8ooks, .6)
p. .
2 Stcvcn A. pstcin, Wage Labor and Guilds in Medieval Europe (Chapcl Hill: Univcrsity ol North
Carolina Prcss, ..) p. ...
3 !bid., p. .,.
4 !bid., p. ..
5 !bid., p. .
6 avid Stcvcnson, Te Origins of Freemasonry: Scotlands Century 15901710. (Cambridgc
Univcrsity Prcss, .) p. .
7 !bid., p. .
8 Loc. cit.
9 !bid., pp. .a..
J0 Vaitc, p. 6,.
JJ K. J. Stcwart, Freemasons Manual (Philadclphia: . H. 8utlcr, A.L. . A.. ..) p. ..
J2 Vaitc, p. ...
J3 Stcvcnson, p. a6. Unlcss othcrwisc statcd, thc lollowing is a summcry ol Stcvcnsons work.
J4 !bid., p. .
J5 !bid., p. .
J6 Although its doubtlul that Schaw was awarc ol thc Roman custom.
J7 !bid., p. 6c.
J8 !bid., pp. ,,.
J9 Ncwton.
20 anicl 8rcsniak, Symbols of Freemasonry, tr. !an Monk (8arncs & Noblc, acc) p. .6.
2J Antoinc Faivrc, Tc Notions ol Conccalmcnt and Sccrccy in Modcrn sotcric Currcnts sincc
thc Rcnais sancc (A Mcthodological Approach), in Rending the Veil: Concealment and Secrecy in
the History of Religion, cd. lliot R. Vollson (Ncw York: Scvcn 8ridgcs Prcss, .) p. .6a.
22 Glcnn Alcxandcr Magcc, Hegel and the Hermetic Tradition (!thaca: Corncll Univcrsity Prcss,
acc.) p. .
23 http://www.tcmplariuszc.org/artykuly.php:id-a, Moguncji zrobi to osobiscic prcccptor z
Grumbach, Hugo von Salm wraz z dwudzicstoma uzbrojonymi ryccrzami. kay, my Polish is
rough. Hc might havc bccn thc prcccptor ol Grumbach, but ! think it says that Moguncji was
prcccptor. For morc scc chaptcr , Te Trials outside of France.
24 Paul Rich and avid Mcrchant, Rcligion, Policy and Sccrccy: Tc Lattcray Saints and
Masons, in Policy Studies Journal \ol. ., No. (acc).
25 Stcvcnson, p. ..
26 Robcrt Macoy, A Dictionary of Freemasonry (Ncw York: Gramcrcy 8ooks,) pp. c, ,, 6c,
Vaitc, lor Rosc, pp. 6,., 8rcsniak, pp. ,, ,c.
27 8rcsniak, p. .
28 Vaitc, p. ,.
29 8rcsniak, p. ...
30 Paula Abrahams, Tc Littlc Rcd Schoolhousc: Picrcc, Statc Monopoly ol ducation and thc
Politics ol !ntolcrancc, in Constitutional Commentary \ol. ac, No. . (acc) p. 6.,.
3J Abrahams, p. 6a. Shc adds, Many Masons actually cndcd up opposing thc bill.
Epilogue
O
nc ol thc many things ! lcarncd about thc Tcmplars as ! rc
scarchcd this book is that, lar lrom bcing scparatc lrom thc
world thcy livcd in, thcy wcrc morc than part ol it. Tc Tcmplars and
Hospitallcrs wcrc thc bridgc bctwccn wcstcrn uropc and thc City ol
God. Unlikc many othcr monks, thcy spcnt thcir carly livcs in thc
midst ol thc constant warlarc that cxistcd among thc lords ol uropc.
Vhatcvcr thcir rcasons lor joining thc military ordcrs thcy bccamc
cxamplcs to thc rcst ol thcir class. Tcy bclicvcd in thc usc ol might
lor rights sakc. vcn though thcy still lought and killcd, it was not lor
pcrsonal gain but to protcct thc wcak and prcscrvc thc carthly king
dom ol God.
Tis was thc idcal. !l thcy didnt always mca surc up to it, thcy still
camc closc. Tosc who lought nally had a way to usc thcir skills in
battlc and still achicvc salvation.
vcr thc two hundrcd ycars ol thc Tcmplars cxistcncc, uropc
changcd dramatically. !n thc carly twcllth ccntury, socicty was gov
crncd by lamilics and lamily conncctions. Tc adviscrs and supportcrs
ol a rulcr wcrc his cousins and inlaws and brothcrs. His cncmics wcrc
somctimcs thc samc, but it was still all a mattcr ol rclations. A mar
riagc, a birth, or a dcath could changc thc bordcrs ol a country. 8y thc
bcginning ol thc lourtccnth ccntury, govcrnmcnts, cspccially in north
crn uropc, wcrc bccoming morc ccntralizcd and burcaucratizcd. Tc
Epilogue 409
kings counsclors wcrc morc likcly to bc nonnoblcmcn who owcd
thcir positions to thcir usclulncss rathcr than lamily tics.
Tc Tcmplars and thcir lcllow knights ol thc military ordcrs wcrc
part ol a lronticr socicty. Tcrc wcrc likc thc cavalry, coming to savc
thc day, or thc small band ol rangcrs who protcctcd Amcrican pionccr
scttlcrs lrom !ndians and cvil land barons. vcntually, thc Vcst was
scttlcd, thc !ndians wcrc dclcatcd, thc land barons bccamc statc gov
crnors. Tc samc sort ol thing happcncd in uropc, only thc lronticr
was lost and its dclcndcrs lclt without a purposc.
vcn though in .c, no onc kncw that thc Holy Land was lost to
thc crusadcrs lorcvcr, thcrc was still a lccling that thc day ol thc Tcm
plars was cnding. Tc small band ol bravc knights would bc rcplaccd
by paid armics. Chivalry would bccomc a social gamc rathcr than a
way ol lilc.
Tc Knights Tcmplar wcrc not mystics or magicians. Tcy wcrc
not a sccrct socicty, nor did thcy havc arcanc wisdom dug up lrom
hiddcn trcasurcs. Tosc who say that thcy wcrc arc dcnying thc rcal
story ol thcsc mcn. Tcy wcrcnt supcrhumans but pious, hardworking,
awcd human bcings who, in thcir own way, wcrc trying to makc thc
world bcttcr and savc thcir own souls.
Tc thirtccnthccntury Arab chroniclcr !bn Vasil may havc writ
tcn thc tributc that thc Knights Tcmplar would havc likcd most. !n
thc ghting against thc Frcnch army ol Louis !X, thc Mamluks ol al
Malik alSalih wcrc thc bravcst, crccst warriors. Tcy lought luri
ously, hc writcs. !t was thcy who ung thcmsclvcs into thc pursuit ol
thc cncmy: thcy wcrc !slams Tcmplars!
J !bo Vasil, in Te Arab Historians of the Crusades, cd. and tr. Franccsco Gabricli (orsct: Ncw
York, .,) p. a.
How to Tell if You Are
Reading Pseudohistory
!n thc past lcw ycars many books havc bccn publishcd about thc Tcm
plars. Tc ordcr has bccn thc basis lor cntcrtaining works ol ction,
lrom Ivanhoe through various works about thc crusadcs to thc thrillcrs
ol thc prcscnt that arc bascd on Tcmplar lcgcnds and myths. Likc thc
mcdicval romanccs, thcsc arc not mcant to bc takcn as rcal history.
8ut thcrc arc also a numbcr ol books that arc mcant to bc nonc
tion. Somc ol thcm arc scrious studics by traincd scholars who havc
spcnt ycars studying thc original documcnts. thcrs contain thcorics
that may sccm lascinating and also wcll rcscarchcd, but arc actually
bascd on littlc primary rcscarch and a lot ol illogical conclusions. ! call
thcsc books pscudohistorics.
!n this book ! havc tricd to givc thc history ol thc Tcmplars as it is
known by historians who havc lcarncd dcad languagcs and worn out
thcir cycs rcading handwrittcn manuscripts in ordcr to nd out what
rcally happcncd. ! havc also tricd to addrcss somc ol thc most pop ular
ol thc myths writtcn about thc ordcr. Tis has bccn di cult. vcry
timc ! think !vc hcard thcm all, ncw Tcmplar storics pop up likc
dandclions on a lawn.
412 How to Tell if You Are Reading Pseudohistory
Many ol thc pscudohistorics arc vcry wcll writtcn and sound
authoritativc. So how can thc rcadcr tcll il thc book can bc trustcd:
Hcrc gocs.
1. !s thc book publishcd by a univcrsity prcss: !l ycs, thcn its bccn
chcckcd by othcr historians and, whilc thcrc may still bc crrors, its
likcly to bc as accuratc as possiblc.
!l no, thcn . . .
2. o most ol thc lootnotcs list primary sourccs that any scholar
can nd: !l ycs, thcn you may bc okay, and, il you doubt somcthing,
you can go look it up.
nc mark ol pscudohistory is that most ol thc lootnotcs list othcr
pscudohistorics or sccrct books (scc numbcr ) and its impossiblc to
tracc down thc original inlormation to chcck it.
!l no, thcn . . .
3. ocs thc author usc phascs likc cvcrybody knows and histo
rians agrcc: !l ycs, thcn dont bothcr rcading lurthcr. Tcrc is noth
ing that cvcrybody knows. Tats just a quick way ol saying, !
havcnt donc my rcscarch and want to makc you lccl too ignorant to
call mc on it.
Historians do agrcc on things likc, Tcrc was a 8attlc ol Hastings
and Villiam ol Normandy won, or Machu Picchu is an amazing lcat
ol cnginccring. 8cyond that, cvcryonc has a dicrcnt way ol cvaluating
thc availablc data. nc othcr thing historians agrcc on is that a pcrson
who prcscnts work thats not bascd on inlormation that othcrs can chcck
isnt going to last long in thc rough andtumblc acadcmic world.
4. ocs thc author insist that thc thcory cant bc provcd with
availablc data bccausc thcrc was an immcnsc covcrup or that thc
knowlcdgc is guardcd by a sclcct sccrct socicty: !l ycs, thcn how did
thc author nd thc inlormation: How was it authcnticatcd:
An altcrnatc to this is that thc author has a sccrct sourcc, a lost
book or a documcnt that rcvcals all. Tis was uscd oltcn in thc Middlc
Agcs. Tc most lamous is lrom Gcorcy ol Monmouth, who wrotc
somc ol thc carlicst King Arthur storics. Hc lound thc inlormation in
a book in thc 8ritish tongucthat is, 8rcton or Vclsh. Sincc no onc
clsc had thc book and Gcorcy wouldnt show it to anyonc, only hc
could transmit thc truth. ! must admit, hc did wcll with it.
Finally . . .
5. ocs thc author pilc onc supposition upon anothcr, assuming
thcy arc all truc: For instancc, a book may bcgin with a known lact,
such as Tc Tcmplars had thcir hcadquartcrs at thc alAqsa mosquc,
and thcn continuc with somcthing likc, As is wcllknown, thc arca in
lront ol thc mosquc is largc cnough to land a hclicop tcr in. Tcn thc
author might continuc by wondcring why thc spacc was thcrc bclorc
hclicoptcrs had bccn invcntcd. Pcrhaps hc has lound, by chancc, a
manuscript illustration that rcscmblcs a hclicoptcr about to land. vcn
though thc manuscript was madc in, say, !rcland, thc author ol a pscu
dohistory will imaginc a prcviously unknown !rish monk coming to
Jcrusalcm in timc to scc thc Tcmplars sccrct hclicoptcr landings.
vcrybody knows thc !rish wcrc grcat pilgrims.
From this, thc author will claim to havc cstablishcd that thcrc
wcrc hclicoptcrs own by Tcmplars and that it is provcd by thc picturc
madc by thc phantom pilgrim monk. l coursc, thc only way this
could bc is il thc Tcmplars wcrc rcally timctravcling soldicrs ol lor
tunc dctcrmincd to grab all thc artilacts thcy could, including mysti
cal talking hcads (rcally a twcntylourthccntury communication
dcvicc) that would givc thcm thc sccrct ol thc univcrsc. Tis makcs
pcrlcct scnsc bccausc cvcryonc knows that this is thc sitc ol Solomons
Tcmplc and Solomon, as you must havc hcard, was a grcat magician
who hid advanccd tcchnology in thc bascmcnt ol thc Tcmplc to kccp
Anothcr intcrcsting trait ol pscudohistorians is that thc author wont havc bothcrcd to
nd out that thc Tcmplars llcd in thc courtyard with buildings, including a largc
church, and that it was only whcn Saladin took thc city ol Jcrusalcm and clcarcd thcm
out that thcrc was room to land a hc li cop tcr.
ignorant and supcrstitious pcoplc lrom gaining knowlcdgc that thcir
primitivc minds couldnt handlc.
Tc author is surc that now is thc timc whcn all should bc rc
vcalcd.
You hcard it hcrc rst.
Templar Time Line
1099: Tc conqucst ol Jcrusalcm by thc lcadcrs ol thc First
Crusadc
1119: Founding ol thc Poor Knights ol thc Tcmplc ol Solo
mon in Jcrusalcm by Hugh dc Payns and Godlrcy ol
St. mcr
1129: Council ol Troycs
1139: Tc papal bull Omne Datum Optimum makcs thc
Tcmplars ocially answcrablc only to thc popc
1144: Tc papal bull Milites Templi; Zcngi, rulcr ol Mosul,
capturcs dcssa
1145: Tc papal bull Militia Dei
11481149: Tc Sccond Crusadc
11491150: Tc Tcmplars arc givcn thc town ol Gaza
416 Templar Time Line
1153: Tc Latin kingdoms conqucr thc city ol Ascalon
1154: Zcngis son, Nur adin, takcs amascus
1169: Saladin bccomcs vizicr ol gypt
1173: An Assassin cnvoy is murdcrcd by somc Tcmplars.
King Almaric imprisons thc murdcrcr and Grand
Mastcr do ol St. Amand protcsts that only thc popc
can judgc a Tcmplar.
1174: Nur adin dics, Saladin takcs ovcr amascus
1187: 8attlc ol HattinSaladin takcs Jcrusalcm
11891192: Tird Crusadc, lcd by Richard thc Lionhcart, king ol
ngland, and Philip Augustus, king ol Francc
1191: Tcmplars and Hospitallcrs sct up hcadquartcrs at Acrc
11911192: Tcmplars occupy Cyprus, which Richard had con
qucrcd
11971198: Gcrman Crusadc lails to takc Jcrusalcm, but wins back
somc towns
12011204: Fourth Crusadcthc crusadcrs arc pcrsuadcd to
conqucr Constantinoplc instcad ol Jcrusalcm. Tc
Tcmplars havc littlc to do with this, as thcy didnt
bclicvc in invading Christian lands
12171221: 8uilding ol Atlit (Castlc Pilgrim)
12181221: Filth Crusadca group ol noblcmcn takc and thcn
losc thc gyptian town ol amictta
12281229: Crusadc ol thc Holy Roman mpcror, Frcdcrick !!
Jcrusalcm is rcgaincd through ncgotiation. Tis is
hard on thc popc, lor Frcdcrick is cxcommunicatcd at
thc timc
12391240: Crusadc ol Tibaud ol Champagnc and Navarrc,
Tcmplars arc criticizcd
12401241: Crusadc ol Richard ol Cornwall, morc land gaincd
through ncgotiation
1244: 8attlc ol La ForbicJcrusalcm lost pcrmancntly to
Moslcms
12481254: First Crusadc ol Louis !Xthc Tcmplars ght with
him and hundrcds arc killcd
1250: 8attlc ol MansourahLouis is capturcd along with his
brothcrs and most ol his army. Hc is ransomcd lor
cc,ccc livrcs, somc ol which is takcn lrom thc
Tcmplars
1260: Grand Mastcr Tomas 8rard scnds an urgcnt mcssagc
to thc rulcrs ol uropc lor hclp against thc invading
Mongols. Lord Julian ol Sidon sclls part ol thc town to
thc Tcmplars
1266: Tc Mamluks, undcr 8aibars, takc thc Tcmplar lortrcss
ol Salad
1268: Calalan Rulc ol thc Tcmplars is writtcn, 8aibars takcs
Tcmplar 8caulort
1270: Sccond Crusadc ol Louis !X and his dcath in Tunis
12711272: Crusadc ol dward ! ol ngland, 8aibars takcs
Tcmplar Sata
1274: Council ol Lyonthc mcrging ol Tcmplars and
Hospitallcrs is discusscd
1277: n thc advicc ol thc Tcmplars, Maria ol Antioch sclls hcr
claim to thc Kingdom ol Jcrusalcm to Charlcs ol Anjou
and Sicily
1285: Philip !\ bccomcs king ol Francc
1291: Acrc is takcn by thc Mamluk alAshral Khalil, sultan
ol gypt. Grand Mastcr Villiam ol 8caujcu dics
dclcnding thc city. Tcmplars lcavc Atlit and Tortosa lor
Ruad and Cyprus
1297: King Louis !X is canonizcd by Popc 8onilacc \!!!
1302: Tcmplars losc Ruad. Most arc killcd
1303: Scptcmbcr, Guillaumc dc Nogarct, adviscr to Philip thc
Fair, and thc Colonna brothcrs attack Popc 8onilacc
\!!! at Anagni
ctobcr .., 8onilacc \!!! dics
1305: Novcmbcr ., coronation ol Popc Clcmcnt \
1306: JuncScptcmbcr, thc dcvalucd moncy in Francc is
rcturncd to good moncy
July, Jcws cxpcllcd lrom Francc, thcir propcrty scizcd
1307: Scptcmbcr ., Philip !\ scnds sccrct mcssagcs to his
ocials tclling thcm to arrcst thc Tcmplars
Friday, October 13, arrest of Templars in France
1308: Clcmcnt \ scttlcs into thc papal city ol Avignon, just
outsidc thc southcrn bordcr ol Francc
1310: Filtylour Tcmplars arc burncd as rclapscd hcrctics
13111312: Council ol \icnnc
1312: Papal bull Vox in excelso dissolvcs thc ordcr. Tc bull Ad
providam translcrs all ol its propcrty to thc Hospi
tallcrs. !t will takc many ycars lor thc Hospitallcrs to
rcccivc a portion ol thc propcrty
1314: Jacqucs dc Molay and Gcorcy ol Charncy burncd
April ., Guillaumc dc Nogarct dics
April ac, Popc Clcmcnt \ dics
Novcmbcr a, King Philip !\ dics
1574: Tc Tcmplar rcc ords in Cyprus arc dcstroycd by thc
ttoman Turks in thcir conqucst ol thc island
1798: Napolcon takcs thc island ol Rhodcs lrom thc Hospi
tallcrs. Hc puts Tcmplar artilacts on his ship, which
sinks o thc coast ol gypt. Tis allows lor morc than
two hundrcd ycars ol spcculation on what might havc
bccn lost in thc shipmcnt, and what it might havc
mcant
Recommended Reading
On the Templars
8arbcr, Malcolm. Te New Knighthood: A History of the Order of the Temple. Cambridgc,
ng.: Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss, .. Tc most accuratc and comprchcnsivc
ol thc historics.
8ramato, Fulvio. Storia dell Ordine dei Templari in Italia (a volumcs). Romc: Atan,
..
Nicholson, Hclcn. Te Knights Templar: A New History. Sutton, acc.. Full ol lasci
nating inlormation and bcautilully illustratcd.
Partncr, Pctcr. Te Knights Templar and Teir Myth. Rochcstcr \T: cstiny 8ooks,
.c.
On the Trials
8arbcr, Malcolm. Te Trial of the Templars. Cambridgc, ng.: Cambridgc Univcr
sity Prcss, acc6.
RilcySmith, Jonathan. Vcrc thc Tcmplars Guilty: The Medieval Crusade.
Susan J. Ridyard, cd. Voodbridgc: 8oydcll. acc. Scc cspccially pp.
.c,a.
422 Recommended Reading
On the Crusades
dbury, Pctcr, and Jonathan Philips, cds. Te Experience of Crusading: 2: Dening
the Crusader Kingdom. Cambridgc, ng.: Cambridgc Univcrsity Prcss,
acc.
Maycr, Hans bcrhard. Te Crusades. xlord Univcrsity Prcss, .,a.
RilcySmith, Jonathan. Te Crusades. Ncw Havcn: Yalc Univcrsity Prcss, acc.
Original Sources
Rcccntly thcrc has bccn a scrious attcmpt to havc many ol thc most important
chroniclcs ol thc crusadcs translatcd into modcrn languagcs. ! havc bccn happy to
usc thcsc vcry good translations and am gratclul to havc thcm. 8ut in somc cascs,
! can only suggcst that thc rcadcr consult thc originals.
Archives de l Orient Latin, (a volumcs). Paris, ..
Te Chronicle of the Tird Crusade: Te Itinerarium Peregrinorum et Gesta Regis Ri
cardi. Hclcn Nicholson, tr. Aldcrshot: Ashgatc, .,.
Te Conquest of Jerusalem and the Tird Crusade. Pctcr dbury, tr. Aldcrshot: Ash
gatc, .6.
Crusader Syria in the Tirteenth Century: Te Rothelin Continuation of the History of
William of Tyre, with part of the Eracles or Acre Text. Janct Shirlcy, tr. Aldcr
shot: Ashgatc, ..
Te History of the Holy War: Ambroises Estoire de la Guerre Sainte (a volumcs). Mari
annc Ailcs, tr., and Malcolm 8arbcr, notcs. Voodbridgc: 8oydcll, acc. ld
Frcnch tcxt and nglish translation.
Joinvillc, Jcan dc. Vie de Saint Louis. Tcrc arc a numbcr ol translations lor this.
livcr ol Padcrborn. Te Capture of Damietta. John J. Gavigan, tr. Univcrsity ol
Pcnnsylvania Prcss, ..
Te Rare and Excellent History of Saladin or al- Nawadir as- Sultaniyya we l-Mahasin
al-Yusuyya, by Baha al-Din ibn Shaddad. . S. Richards, tr. Aldcrshot:
Ashgatc, acca.
Te Templar of Tyre. Paul Crawlord, tr. Aldcrshot: Ashgatc, acc.
Te Templars: Selected Sources. Manchcstcr Univcrsity Prcss, acca. Malcolm 8arbcr
and Kcith 8atc, cds. and tr. A good sclcction ol matcrial covcring thc cntirc
cxistcncc ol thc ordcr.
\itry, Jacqucs dc. Histoire Orientale. Maric Gcnvivc Grosscl, tr. and notcs. Paris:
Honor Champion, Paris acc.
423 Recommended Reading
Templar Charters
Marquis dAlbon, Cartulaire Gnral de l Ordre du Temple 1119?1150. Paris, ...
Cartulaires des Templiers de Douzens. Picrrc Grard and lisabcth Magnou, cds.
Paris, .6.
Le Cartulaire de La Selve: La Terre, Les Hommes et le Pouvoir en Rouergue au IIXe
sicle. Paul urliac and AnncMaric Magnou, cds. Paris: CNRS, ..
Index
Abclard, Pctcr, a
Acrc. See also rdcr ol St. Lazarus in Acrc,
rdcr ol St. Tomas at Acrc
blamc lor, aa
capturc ol, .a, aac
dclcnsc ol, 221
lall ol, a.,a, aa
Adoptivc masonry, c
Aimcry ol \illicrs lcuc, a6.6a
Alchcmy, c
Alcxandcr !!!, .6,, ,,
Allonso !, ,, 6, .,, .6
Almaric, ..6.,, .a, .
Andrcw !!, a6
Andrcw ol Montbard, .cc
Antioch, , ac, ,, 87
ruling ol, 666,
Tcmplars in,
alAqsa mosquc, ,c, 71
Archbishop ol Cantcrbury, .
Armand ol Prigord, .6,.
Armcnia, aa, a.
Arnold ol 8cdocio,
Arnold ol Torroja, .c6,
Arrcsts
ol 8onilacc \!!!, aa
ol Tcmplars, ac, a,6, a,, aa, .
Arthurian lcgcnds, 6,, ,c,., .
Ascolon, ...6
Assassins, ,, 6,, .c, .a, .
amascus and, .a
dispcrsion ol, .
lanati cism ol, .
lounding ol, .
Nizari as, ..
Tcmplars and, ..
Villiam ol Tyrc and, ..
Assise sur la liege, ..,
Atlit, a6
Aycclin, Gillcs, a6, a6c, a,
Aymcric,
Aymeri de Narbonne, ,
8aldwin !, ,c
8aldwin !!, 6, .., 12, .,aa, 6, 6, ,c, , .a,
..
dcath ol, a.
as Jcrusalcms king, ..
8aldwin !!!, , c, ..
8aldwin !\, .., 119
8anking, .aca
8aphomct, a6, c, ,c
8arbcr, Richard, ,.
dc 8aron, Robcrt, 6
dc 8arrcs, vcrard, , a6, 6,, .cc, .,
aca.
8attlc ol Crcsson Springs, .c
8attlc ol Hattin, 110, ...
8cguincs, ..
8cncdictincs, c
8cnjamin ol Tudcla, .
8crcngaria, .6
8rcngcr, Guillaumc,
8crnard ol Clairvaux, a, , , a, , cc,
, , ,,
canonization ol,
as charismatic, a
as monk, a
pcrsuasion ol, a
as Tcmplars supportcr, c.
426
8crnard ol Trcmclay, ,, ,, .., .
8crry, Stcvc, 6
8crtrand ol 8lanclort, .cc.c., ,
8lanc, !mbart, a, a6, c, .c
8lasphcmics, a, a
8oaz, c
8ogomils, a
8onilacc \!!!, a., a,
arrcst ol, aa
dc Nogarcts chargcs against, a,
Philip thc Fair and, ac, ac.
8ornholm !sland, ,c
8osnia, a
8oylc, Robcrt, ca
8radlcy, Marian Zimmcr, ,.
8ritish !slcs, ,. See also ngland, Scotland
8rown, an, xiii, ,.
Calatravans
donations to, a
lormation ol, a,a
hospitals ol, aa
military activitics ol, aa
Castcl, Rostand,
Castlcs,
Cathar Hcrcsy, xiv, a.
Cathars, a, c, .c
bclicls ol, .
consolamentum ol,
crcdcntcs,
dccimation ol,
growth ol,
orga nization ol,
pcrlccti,
Tcmplars and, 6
Cclcstinc !!, ,6,,, .
Cclcstinc !!!, .66
Chanson des Chtifs,
Chansons de geste, ,
Charlcmagnc, cc
Charlcs !!, a
dc Charny, Gcorcy, a
dc Charutc, Pctcr,
dc Chatillon, Rcynald, .a
La Chevalerie dOgier de Danemarche,
Chivalry, c
Churchcs, ,. See also Rosslyn Chapcl
Church ol thc Asccnsion, ,c
Church ol thc Holy Scpulchcr, a., ., 66
omc ol thc Rock, ,c,., 71
ol Hospitallcrs, a..
St. Pauls Cathcdral, a
Tcmplc Church, 212, 215
Churchill, Vinston, c
Church ol thc Asccnsion, ,c
Church ol thc Holy Scpulchcr, a., ., 66
Cistcrcians, , , a., c, a, a, 6,
,,
dc Clari, Robcrt, .a
Clcmcnt !!!, .
Index
Clcmcnt \, .6c, a.a, a,, ac., a, a, a.,
a, .,
bribcs and, a6
Council ol \icnnc and, a,,
dcath ol, a
Tcmplars invcstigatcd by, a6
wcakncss ol, c.
Collegium, 6
Company ol thc Star, a
Compass, c
Conlcssions
ol dc Molay, a, ac., a6, a,., ac, a,
c,
ol Tcmplars, ac, a6, a., a
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court
(Twain), ,.
Conrad !!!, a, 87, ,
Constantinc thc Grcat, ,
Constantinoplc, a,, , .
looting ol,
rclics lrom, a
Cornclly, Vido, ac
Corrodians, .
Cosmos, a
Council ol Troycs, , ., ., ., , ., 6, ,,
Council ol \icnnc, ., .6c, a6, a,c, a., a,

.
Clcmcnt \ and, a,,
dccrccs ol, a
cnd ol, a
opcning ol, a,
Tcmplars and, a,,
CountcrRclormation, ca
dc Courtcnay, Robcrt, a,
Croatia,
Crockctt, avy, c
Crown ol Torns, a
Crusadcr statcs, 6c6.
Crusadcs, .,. See also Filth Crusadc, First
Crusadc, Fourth Crusadc, Sccond Crusadc,
Tird Crusadc
ncw, a,
purposc ol, a., ,c
tradition ol, .
Cyprus, a,
almas, John, c, .c
amascus, .
Assassins and, .a
Saladin in, .c.
antc, a,
dAucrac, Pctcr,
Tc aughtcr ol thc Count ol Ponticu, .6
da \inci, Lconardo,
Te Da Vinci Code (8rown), xiii, ,.
cmurgcr, Alain, aa, c.c
cnial ol Christ, c.c,
cnmark,
Tcmplars in, ,c
Divine Comedy (antc), a,
ivinc cc, c, .,
omc ol thc Rock, ,c,., 71
ominicans, aac, aaa, a., a, c
onations
to Calatravans, a
ol Fulk ol Anjou, 6
to Tcmplars, .., a., ., .6
ubois, Picrrc, a
urbcc, JoscphAntoinc,
dward !!, a.a., aa
gypt
Saladin as vizicr, .c
Tcmplars in, a6
lcanor ol Aquitainc, 6,, .
llington, ukc, c
Enfances Guillaume,
ngland, aa6, c
nlightcnmcnt, aa, c
skil, ,,,
ugcnius !!!, ,, .a, ,6
uphcmia ol Chalccdon,
uropc, c
xcommunication, , ,,
xccutions
by Philip thc Fair, a,6
by Richard thc Lionhcart, .a
Fcnnc, Villiam dc la, a
dc Fcnouillct, Picrrc,
Fiction
Holy Grail as, 6
Tcmplars in, ,
Filth Crusadc, .6, a6
First Crusadc, ,c, .,
Fishcr King, 6,6
dc Floyran, squin, aa, a
dc Folliaco, Jcan, a6
Fortrcss ol Montsgur, 6, 346
Fourth Crusadc, .a
Franciscans, a., a, c, a
Francis ol Assisi, ..
Frcdcrick 8arbarossa, ., a, ,6
Frcdcrick !!, .66, a6
Frcdcrick ol Alvcnslcbcn, a6
Frcdcrick ol Salm, a,
Frccmasonry,
bcginnings ol,
sprcad ol, c
Frccmasons, xiv, 6a, ,c. See also Masons
bcginnings ol, 6
ordcr ol, .
rituals/ritcs ol, c6
Tcmplars and, 6c,
Frcnch army,
Friday thc thirtccnth, a,6
dc Fucntcs, 8crnardo, 6c
Fulk ol Anjou, a., ., .a, c, 6,
dcath ol, 6
Index 427
donations ol, 6
lamily ol, 6
as Jcrusalcms king, 66
Mclisandc and, , 66
Tcmplars rst cncountcrcd by, 6
Garmund, ,
Gcnghis Khan, .,
Gcorcy ol Monmouth, .
Gcorcy ol Rancon,
Gcrard ol Ridclort, .c,
Gcrmany, a6,
Gilbcrt rail, .666,
Gnostics, ,c
Godlrcy ol St. mcr, 12,
Gocthc, Johann, Vollgang von, c
Grand Mastcrs, ,
Andrcw ol Montbard (....6), .cc
Armand ol Prigord (.a..a), .6,.
Arnold ol Torroja (.....), .c6,
dc 8arrcs, vcrard (....a), , a6,
6,, .cc, ., aca.
8crnard ol Trcmclay (..), ,, ,, .., .
8crtrand ol 8lanclort (..,..6), .cc.c.,
,
Gcrard ol Ridclort (.....), .c,
Gilbcrt rail (...acc), .666,
dc Molay, Jacqucs (.aa..), .6c, .,,,,
ac, aa, aa,, a,, a., a, a,,
a6, a,, a,., ac, a, a,, c,,
do ol St. Amand (..,...,), .c6
Pctcr ol Montaigu (.a..a.), .66
Philip ol Nabulus (..6..,.), 6., .c.
Philip ol Plcssis (.ac..ac), .6,
Rcnaud ol \ichicrs (.ac.a6), .,a,
Robcrt ol Sabl (...../), .666
Robcrt thc 8urgundian (dc Craon) (..6..),
, 6,, 6
Tibaud Gaudin (.a..aa/), .,,,
Tomas 8rard (.a6.a,), .,,
Villiam ol 8caujcu (.a,.a.), ., .,,,,
a.ac, 221
Villiam ol Chartrcs (.a.c.a.), .6,
Villiam ol Sonnac (.a,.ac), .,a, ..
Grcgory X\!, .6a
Guilds, ,
Guillaumc dc Nangis, .
Haagcnscn, lring, ,,
Hadrian !\, ,6,,
von HammcrPurgstall Joscph, ,c
Hcnry !!, ., a.
Hcnry !!!, acc, ac,
Hcnry \!, .
Hcnry \!!!,
Hcrcsy, , a.a, a, .., ... See also Cathar
Hcrcsy, Cathars
Hcrmctic tcaching, c
Hildcbcrt,
Hiram ol Tyrc, cc
428
Holy Grail, xiv, , 6,a, 366
as ction, 6
lcgcnd ol, 666
Tcmplars and, 6, ,c,a
Holy Land, 6, , ac. See also Crusadcs
dclcnding, 6
loss ol, a.,a
Holy Roman mpirc,
Holy Scpulchcr, c
Horsc brccding, 6
Hospitallcrs, , ., ., a, ,, 6, .c, .c, ..,
.a, .66, ac, a., a,, a6, a., a,, .,
, ,
as charitablc group, .6, .6a
churchcs ol, a..
as military ordcr, .,
papal privilcgcs ol, ,,
papal protcction ol, ,6
sca powcr ol, .6c6.
as Tcmplars brothcrs, .,
Tcmplars propcrty to, aa, c.
as Tcmplars rivals, .
today, .6a
Houdini, Harry, c
Hubcrt Valtcr, a
Hugh, count ol Champagnc, .a, aa,, a, ,
as rst Tcmplar, aa, a6

marriagcs ol, a
dc Payns as supportcr ol, a
pligrimagcs ol, a
Hugh ol Argcntcn, 6
Hugh ol 8oubouton, aaa
Hugh ol Salm, a,
Humbart ol 8caujcu, acaa
Hund, Karl von, xiv
Hundrcd Ycars Var, a, a
Hungary,
Te Idylls of the King (Tcnnyson), ,.
!ncomc, .6
!nnoccnt !!, ,, ,6, 6, .6,
!nnoccnt !!!, ,
!ntcrdict, ,,
!ntcrrogation, a66
!slam, .
!sma ili, .c
!taly, acc
Ivanhoe (Scott), 6, , ..
Jamcs !!, ac, aa, aa, 6c, c
Jamcs !!!, c
Jcrusalcm,
8aldwin !! as king, ..
lall ol, ...
Fulk ol Anjou as king, 66
loss ol, ,
Mclisandc as quccn, 66
Saladins capturc ol, .ac, .
Tcmplars in,
Index
Tcmplc ol Solomon in, ,c,, .a
thronc ol, a.,.
Jcws, ., ..a, ac.
Philip thc Fair and, a
Joachim, c
John !!, a
John ol Salisbury, c
John thc 8aptist, .6, , a
John thc vangclist, ,
John XX!!, a, 6c
dc Joinvillc, Jcan, ., .a, ., .
Jordan, Alphonsc,
dc Jotro, lias,
Khoury, Raymond, 6
Kipling, Rudyard, c
Kissing, c
Knights. See also Calatravans, Hospitallcrs,
Tcmplars
Knights ol Malta, .6.
rdcr ol Alcntara, a
rdcr ol Avis, a
rdcr ol obrin, a,
rdcr ol Montcsa, 6c
rdcr ol Santiago, a
rdcr ol St. Julin dcl Pcrciro, a
rdcr ol St. Lazarus, aa
rdcr ol St. Lazarus in Acrc, .
rdcr ol St. Tomas at Acrc, a
Tcutonic Knights, a, a6, a,
Knights ol Malta, .6.. See also Hospitallcrs
Knights Tcmplar. See Tcmplars
Te Knights of the Black and White (Vhitc), 6
Ku Klux Klan, c6
Te Last Templar (Khoury), 6
Latin Rulc, , .aa. See also Rulc
Te Lay of the Last Minstral (Scott),
Lazarus, ac
dc Lcnda, Jimcno, ac
Lincoln, Hcnry, ,,
Lion hunting,
Loincloth, a
Lord, vclyn, ,
Lords ol Roslin, ccc
Lords Praycr,
Louis !X, ., .,a,, 184, ac,, aa, a, a6,
.c, a, c
as Crusadcr, .., .6,
dcath ol, .,
ransom ol, .6
Tcmplars and, .c
Louis \!!, ., , 87, , .., .
Louis \!!!, ac,
Louis X, ac
Louis X\!, a
dc Lucca, Ptolomy, a,
Te Mabinogian, 6,
Magic, aa
Index 429
Te Magic Flute, c
Magnusscn, Knut, ,6
Mallory, Tomas, ,c
Mamluks, ., c
Map, Valtcr, , 6, , .
dc Marigny, ngucrrand, ac
Martcl, Alan, .6
Martcl, Charlcs, cc
Masaryk, Toms Garriguc, c
Masons, ,c, ,. See also Adoptivc masonry,
Frccmasonry, Frccmasons, Scottish Ritc
Masons, Spcculativc Masons
lamous, c
gcomctry ol, 398,
lodgcs, ca
modcrn, c6
Schaw and, c.
in Scotland, ca
statutcs lor, c.
symbols ol, c
Tcmplars and, c6
Mason Vord, cc, ca
Mass, c, .,, ,c
Mastcr ol works, .,
Matins, .,
Mclisandc, a., 6, , .c., ., c
dcath ol, 6c
Fulk ol Anjou and, , 66
as Jcrusalcm quccn, 66
psaltcr ol, 6., 62, 6
Villiam ol Tyrc on, 6c
Ministeriales, a
Te Mirror of Simple Souls (Porctc), ..
Te Mists of Avalon (8radlcy), ,.
dc Molay, Jacqucs, .6c, .,,,, ac, aa, a,, a,
a, a,, a,, a,, , c
conlcssion ol, a, ac., a6, a,., ac, a,
c,
dcath ol, a6,
as Grand Mastcr, aa,
imprisonmcnt ol, a
Monastic houscs, a
Moncy, ac, a. See also onations, !ncomc,
Trcasurc
Tcmplars and, .ac, a6
Mongols, .,, ..
Monks. See also Hospitallcrs
8cncdictincs, c
8crnard ol Clairvaux as, a
Cistcrcians, , , a., c, a, a, 6,
,,
ominicans, aac, aaa, a., a, c
Franciscans, a., a, c, a
Tcmplars as, 6, .6.,
warrior, ..
dc Montc Crocc, Ricoldo, aaca
Moors, aa, 6c
Morc, Villiam dc la, a, a6
Moslcms, ., ., ,
Mozart, Vollgang Amadcus, c
Muhammad, .
Mulahid, .
Nablus council, ,
dc Nangis, Guillaumc, a6
Ncoplatonism, c
Ncw Tcstamcnt, a
Ncwton, !saac, ca
Nicholas !\, aa
Nizari
as Assassins, ..
lormation ol, .c
dc Nogarct, Guillaumc, a, aa, a,
a,a,6
8onilacc \!!! accuscd by, a,
dcath ol, a,
as doctor ol law, a,
Tcmplars condcmncd by, a,a, a,,
Numbcr symbolism,
Nur adin, .aa6, .a
bsccnc kiss, c,
ccitania, a
do ol cuil, , 6, c, .
do ol Montlaucon, 6
do ol St. Amand, .c6
ld Chargcs,
ld Tcstamcnt, a
On the New Knighthood, c.
rdcr ol Alcntara, a
rdcr ol Avis, a
rdcr ol obrin, a,
rdcr ol Knights ol St. John. See Hospitallcrs
rdcr ol Montcsa, 6c
rdcr ol Santiago, a
rdcr ol St. Julin dcl Pcrciro, a
rdcr ol St. Lazarus, aa
cnd ol, a
lcpcrs in, ac
military aspcct ol, .
privilcgcs ol, .
rdcr ol St. Lazarus in Acrc, .
rdcr ol St. Tomas at Acrc
lounding ol, a
as military ordcr,
purposc ol,
rdcr ol thc Tcmplc. See Tcmplars
tto ol 8runswick, 6.
Papacy, ,. See also specic popes
Hospitallcrs protcctcd by, ,6
privilcgcs lrom, ,c
Tcmplars approvcd by, ., , ,
tyranny ol, xiv
Papal bulls, ,
Ad providam, a,
Celricos Laicos, a.
Milites Templi, ,6,,
Militia Dei, ,
Omni Datum Optimum, ,, 6
430 Index
Papal bulls (cont.)
privilcgcs in, ,,6
Vox in excelso, a,
Papal statcs, ccc.
dc Paris, Guillaumc, a, .
Paris, Matthcw, ., .6
Parzival (von schcnbach),
Pawnbrokcrs, .c
dc Payns, Hugh, , 6, ...,, 12, ., a, , ,
dcath ol, .
lamily ol, .
as Hugh, count ol Champagnc, supportcr, a
in Jcrusalcm, ..
rccruitmcnt by, ,, .a, a..
as Tcmplars loundcr, , ..
Pctcr ol 8ologna, a6c, a6a
Pctcr ol 8ruys,
Pctcr ol Montaigu, .66
Philip Augustus, .. See Also Philip !!
Philip !!, ac,
Philip !!!, .,
Philip !\, ac, a, . See also Philip thc Fair
Philip ol Nablus, 6., .c.
Philip ol Plcssis, .6,
Philippc ol Alsacc, 6,
Philip thc Fair, , .6c, .,, ., ac, a6, a,,
261, a,,, aa, ., a
8onilacc \!!! and, ac, ac.
dcath ol, a6
lamily ol, ac, 240
Jcws and, a
as king, a
last ycars ol, a6
lcgacy ol, a
Tcmplar cxccutions and, a,6
Tcmplars and, a6
Picknctt, Lynn,
Picrcc, Valtcr, c
Pilgrimagcs, ., a, .6
Pilgrims, 6
Piracy, .6.
Ponsard ol Gizy, a
Pons ol Guisans, a,c
Pons thc Gascon,
Porctc, Margucritc, ..
Portugal, ,
Praycr, , c6,
Princc, Clivc,
Pscudohistory, c
cvaluating, ...
traits ol, .
alQalanisi, !bn,
Rabclais,
Ralph ol iccto, a
Raoul de Cambrai,
Raymond 8crnard,
Raymondo, a
Raymond ol Toulousc,
Raymond \!,
Reconquista, a
Rcd Cistcrn, .6
Rclormation, , ca
Rcnaud ol \ichicrs, .,a,
Renaut de Montauban,
Richard thc Lionhcart, , ..., .., ., .,,
142, ., .66, aac, a,
coronation ol, .c
dcath ol, .
diplomatic skill ol, .
cxccutions by, .a
as homoscxual, .
lcgcnd ol, .
ransom ol, .
at Tird Crusadc, ..
Rigaud, Hugh, .,
Robcrt ol Arbrisscl, ..
Robcrt ol Artois, .
Robcrt ol Sabl, .666
Robcrt thc 8rucc, 6a
Robcrt thc 8urgundian (dc Craon), , 6,,
6
dc Rocabcrti, Guillcrmo, ac
dcs Rochcs, Pctcr,
Rosctta stonc, c
Rosicrucians, ,c, ca
Rosslyn Chapcl, ,, c.. See also Lords ol
Roslin
apprcnticc pillar in, ., 392,
as incomplctc, c
lcgcnd ol, c
mastcr pillar in, ., 393,
pillar ol, 388
plans ol,
Rulc, c, c, ., , ., ., a6, 6,
daily lilc in, .6.,
inlractions ol, a
languagc ol, .
sccrct ritc ol initiation in, c
wagcrs in, .
Sabbah, Hasani, .
Saissct, 8crnard, a.a
Saladin, ,a, .c, .c6, ..c.., .., .a,, 132, .6,,
a,,
in amascus, .c.
dcath ol, .
dcsccndants ol, .6
as gypts vizicr, .c
Jcrusalcm capturcd by, .ac, .
lcgcnd ol, .6
Saladin, ,
Saladin tithc, ., .c
Sancho !!!, a
Saraccns, ., ., c, 66, ,, .aaa,, ac, aa, ,,
dcncd, .aa
Nur adin, .aa6, .a
Index 431
Tcmplars and, .a Tcmplars
Zcngi, .aa in Antioch,
Schaw, Villiam, . arrcsts ol, ac, a,6, a,, aa, .
Lords ol Roslin and, ccc Assassins and, ..
Masons and, c. in battlc,
Scotland bcginnings ol, .c
mason lodgcs in, ca 8crnard ol Clairvaux supporting, c, .
Tcmplars in, , blasphcmics by, a, a
Scottish Ritc Masons, c in 8ritish !slcs, ,
Scott, Valtcr, 6, , .. burning ol, a6c, 261, .,
Sccond Crusadc, a, 6, , 87, .cc, ., castlcs ol,
., ac6, . Cathars and, 6
lailurc ol, c. chargcs against, aa, a6,.,
prccipitation ol, .a Clcmcnt \s invcstigation ol, a6
Tcmplars and, .. clothing ol, a
winncr ol, ... conlcssions ol, ac, a6, a., a
Sccrct ritc ol initiation, a6, c.a Council ol \icnnc and, a,,
dcnial ol Christ and, c.c, in Croatia,
dissuasion during, c6 in Cyprus, a,
myths about, c,.c in cnmark, ,c
oath ol, c6, dissolution ol, a.a.
obsccnc kiss and, c, donations to, .., a., ., .6
praycrs during, c6, carly cxpansion ol, .
privacy ol, c, in gypt, a6
in thc Rulc, c in ngland, aa6
Secret Societies of the Middle Ages, cquipmcnt ol, a, .6,
Scx, , ,, . cxccutions/Philip thc Fair and, a,6
Shabbat ba- Gadol, .. cxpcnscs ol, .6
Shi itcs, . latc ol, 6
Shroud ol Turin in ction, ,
Tcmplars and, .6 as ghting unit,
as vcil ol \cronica, Frccmasons and, 6c,
Sinclair, Hcnry, 6 Frcnch army and,
Sinclair, Villiam, ,, ., , c. lronticr socicty ol, c
Sodomy, Fulk ol Anjou rst cncountcring, 6
Sone de Nancy, gambling and, .
Sorccry, aa in Gcrmany, a6,
Spain, ,, aa historians and, ..
Spcculativc Masons, c Holy Grail and, 6, ,c,a
Spics, aa horscs ol, .
Squarc, c as Hospitallcrs brothcrs, .,
dc Stacy, Sylvcstcr, .. as Hospitallcrs rivals, .
Stcphcn ol Saissy, ., in Hungary,
Stcphcn ol Salcrno, . idcalizcd, 318
Stcvcnson, avid, ca illitcracy ol, a6a
Stcvcn thc Ccllcrcr, c incomc ol, .6
St. Pauls Cathcdral, a innoccncc ol, a6
Sunni, .c in !taly, acc
Swcdcn, c in Jcrusalcm,
Swordbrcthrcn, a, as kings bankcrs, .aca
Sydoine, ., land ol, .
Symbols lcgcnds ol, xiiixiv,
ol Masons, c Louis !X and, .c
numbcrs as, Masons and, c6
ol Tcmplars, c moncy and, .ac, a6
Syrians, . as monks, 6, .6.,
myths ol, ..
Te Talisman (Scott), dc Nogarcts condcmnation ol, a,a, a,,
Tempeleisen, 6 in ccitania, a
Tcmplar lortrcss ol Monzn, 292 papacy approving, ., , ,
432
Tcmplars (cont.)
papal privilcgcs ol, ,c, .
in papal statcs, ccc.
as pawnbrokcrs, .c
dc Payns as loundcr ol, , ..
dc Payns rccruiting lor, ,, .a, a..
Philip thc Fair and, a6
as pilgrims,
in Portugal, ,
prcaching by, ,6
privilcgcs abuscd by, ,,
probationary pcriod lor,
prolc ol, .6a
propcrty to Hospitallcrs, aa, c.
rcspcct lor, 6
lor rctiring nobility, 6.
Saraccns and, .a
in Scotland, ,
scals ol, c
Sccond Crusadc and, ..
Shroud ol Turin and, .6
in Spain, ,, aa
standard ol, 53,
symbols ol, c
in Tcmplc ol Solomon, ,.
thcorics about, 6a6
timclinc lor, a, ..
torturc ol, a, a, a., a, acc
trcasurc ol, aca, a.c, 6., 6, c
trials ol, , ,, a.a, ac, a, a,6, aa,
a, .
trials ol, outsidc Francc, ac, ac
warlarc and, c
Villiam ol Tyrc on,
Te Templars Secret Island (Haagcnscn/Lincoln),
,,
Tcmplar Strict bscrvancc, c
Te Templar Legacy (8crry), 6
Tcmplc Church, 212, 215
Tcmplc in Jcrusalcm, .a, 6a
Tcmplc in London, .., a.c.6. See also Tcmplc
Church
c gics in, a., 214
rcstoration ol, a., a.
Tcmplc in Paris, a, ac.c, 206, 209, a,
invasion ol, a
royal documcnts in, ac,
Tcmplc ol Solomon, .,, ac, cc
inncr chambcrs ol, ,a
in Jcrusalcm, ,c,, .a
Tcmplars in, ,.
Tcnnyson, Allrcd, ,.
c Tcus, Garlccrand, acc
Tcutonic Knights
lounding ol, a
as Housc ol Hapsburg cxtcnsion, a,
military activitics ol, a6
Index
trials ol, a,
vows ol, a6
dc Trincs, Jacqucs, ac
Tibaud Gaudin, .,,,
Tird Crusadc, .., .c, aa, a,
chroniclcs ol, ..ac
Moslcm victors ol, .
Richard thc Lionhcart at, ..
Tird Latcran Council, .
Tomas 8rard, .,,
Tomas ol Ludham, a
Torturc, a, a, a., a, acc
Trcasurc, aca, a.c, 6., 6, c
Trials
ol Tcmplars, , ,, a.a, ac, a, a,6, aa, .
ol Tcmplars, outsidc Francc, ac, ac
ol Tcutonic Knights, a,
timclinc ol, lor Tcmplars, a
Tripoli, a.,
dc Troycs, Chrticn, 666
Truc Cross, 110, .., a
Turcopolcs, .,
Twain, Mark, ,., c
Twclvcrs, .c
Urban !\, .
Ursula,
dc \alois, Charlcs, a,
\cil ol \cronica, a,
\ictor !\, ,,
dc \itry, Jacqucs, ,c
\oltairc, c
von schcnbach, Vollram, , 6
von Hund, Karl, c
von Salm, Hugo, c
Vagncr, Richard, ,.
Valdcnsians, a
Vasil, !bn, c
Vhitc, Jack, 6
Villiam ol Arrcblay,
Villiam ol 8caujcu, ., .,,,, a.ac, 221
Villiam ol Chartrcs, .6,
Villiam ol Puylaurcns,
Villiam ol Sonnac, .,a, ..
Villiam ol Tyrc, .a, , ,, 119
Assassins and, ..
on 8crnard ol Trcmclay, ,, .
on Mclisandc, 6c
on numbcr symbolism,
on Tcmplars bcginnings,
Vilson, !an,
Yalla,
Zcngi, .aa
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Council ol \icnnc, ., .6c, a6, a,c, a., a,

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