The secret symbol of the Templars. Symbolism of the Templars: there is no shortage in the explanations

An old legend tells that in the tomb of the Templars every year, on the night of the destruction of their order, a ghost in a white robe with a red cross appears and asks who will fight for the liberation of the Holy Sepulcher. And then, from behind the vaults, he clearly hears the answer: "Nobody! Nobody! Because the Temple is destroyed."

On March 18, 1314, Jacques de Molay, Grand Master of the Order of the Temple (Templars), was burned at a slow fire. Together with the Templars, the era of chivalry, crusades, and spiritual searches actually disappears from the historical scene.

Almost 200 years before this event, called by historians the most terrible crime of the Middle Ages, in 1119 the knights Hugues (Hugo) de Payen and Geoffroy de Saint-Omer with seven comrades on the ruins of Solomon's temple at the Holy Sepulcher took an oath to protect the roads to Jerusalem, so that pilgrims without any fear could travel on them. The name of the order comes from French word"temple" - temple. The knights, who, in addition to the "protective", three monastic vows (obedience, abstinence, poverty), opened a completely different kind of activity. To their desire to fight the enemies of Christianity, consonant with the spirit of the times, is added - religious enthusiasm.

The charter of the order was mainly based on the charter of the very severe order of the Cistercians (the Templars borrowed uniforms from them - a white cloak with a red cross): warrior monks were prescribed cedomudry; wishing to join the brotherhood became a servant and slave of the order, he was entitled to bread, water and simple clothes. The charter was developed by the Cisterian abbot Bernard of Clairvaux in 1128. Pope Innocent at the cathedral in Troyes, in the same year approved it, and Pope Eugene III (1145-1154) - a red eight-pointed cross and the standard of the Order of the "Poor Knights of the Temple of Solomon", known as the black and white "Bosean", on which was inscribed : "Non nobis Domine" ("Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but give glory to Your name..."). The residence of the Templars in Paris is the fortress and the Temple quarter. The main cash Order.

The order gradually became a "state within a state". From top to bottom, his life was a system of obedience worked out to automatism. The Grand Master, relying on the chapter, led the community of monks with a firm hand; the general chapter (from 100 to 300 knights) chose the Grand Master. The elite of the order were "whites" - aristocratic nobles who owned power and property, and, to some extent, priests who were with the masters or served in churches. They composed in different time from 10 to 25% of the composition. Brothers "sergeants", or "brown", in the conditions of war served as squires and were infantrymen, and in Peaceful time ran the household. At the very bottom of this hierarchical "ladder" were dependent peasants and slaves taken out of Palestine. One indispensable condition bound the Tapliers - no one could leave the Order.

Thousands of knights of the most noble bloodlines wanted to become members of the brotherhood. The Templars were involved in numerous military campaigns in the Middle East. Their role in the crusades is difficult to overestimate. Until the fall in 1291, the Templars and the knightly order of the Hospitallers (Johnites) were the main striking force in the fight against the Muslims.

To understand the following, it is important to note that the Order did not recognize any secular authority (except for the papal, often nominal) and had the right to be extorial. His possessions were scattered throughout Europe - in France, England, Spain, Germany, Italy, Greece and Cyprus.

The Templars were given an important privilege by the popes of Rome: they independently operated huge sums of money sent through various channels for the conduct of the crusades. In their hands were many of the routes along which the crusaders and pilgrims went to the Holy Land.

By the end of the 12th century, trade (weapons, food, horses were brought from Europe to the Middle East; in the opposite direction - wine, fabrics, spices and sugar, carpets, silk, perfumes) became an indispensable, and the closer to the tragedy, and the main component of politics Order. In Europe, the Templars became the main usurers and the largest contractors in the construction of churches.

Large feudal lords, wishing to enlist the support of a powerful Order, gave them lands and castles. Despite the passion of the Templars for trading operations, not one Crusade, starting with the Second, was not complete without their participation. More than 20 thousand members of the Order died in the Holy Land, including six Grand Masters out of 23. So in the famous battle in the mountains of Laodicea, now southern Turkey (1148), during the Second Crusade, 200 knights (mostly Templars ), who made up the retinue of King Louis VII, managed to contain the violent attacks of 20,000 Muslims. Like the Hospitallers, they defended a large stronghold of Christians to the last drop of blood -. With his fall, the Order seemed to have lost ground under its feet.

The historical rise of the Templars, spiritual warriors, was a direct challenge to secular authority. But sooner or later, the "alliance" with the popes could give a serious crack. With the actual subordination of the papal throne to the French king Philip IV the Handsome, the position of the Templars in France became more and more dangerous.

coat of arms of the Knights Templar

Historians often exaggerate the wealth of the Templars. The Hospitallers - their constant rivals (but in battles with the Muslims - allies), were no less powerful. It was in France that the most significant estates of the Templars were located. Philip IV the Handsome, whom the knights constantly lent money, owed them his life (during the riot of the mob in 1306, the king took refuge in Temple Castle), at some point he felt the burden of "gratitude".

With such a powerful, completely unaccountable organization at hand, one could hardly consider himself an absolute ruler. Laying a hand on the property of the Order, but arranging the matter so that it looked in the eyes of everyone, as a struggle against sinfulness, this was the task that the king of France wanted to solve, deeply wounded by the refusal of the chapter to be admitted to the "honorary knights".

And he handled it brilliantly. After the fall of Acre, the Order moves to Cyprus. The struggle for the Holy Land took too much strength from the templars; the chapter decides to gradually transfer its affairs to France. In 1306, Jacques de Molay, accompanied by 60 of the most respected knights, set off for the banks of the Seine. The Grand Master took with him the order treasury (150 thousand gold coins and dozens of bales of silver). At an unkind hour, the Templars returned - the king finally subjugated the popes of Rome to his power. In 1309, already during the trial of the Templars, they moved their residence to Avignon, a fortified city surrounded by the French crown. After the death of the Order, the papacy no longer claimed world domination.

On September 14, 1307, letters signed by the king were sent to officials throughout France with the order: October 13, Friday, to open the envelope. Philip IV ordered the arrest of all the Templars and the confiscation of their property. Deciding to take such a step, which would inevitably shock public opinion, it was necessary to substantiate it as soon as possible with the help of squeezed out ... testimonies. And for the sake of their obtaining everything was suitable: promises, threats, violence - there would be a result.

On October 19, 1307, the Inquisition machine was launched: the process was led by the keeper of the seal and the chancellor of the kingdom, Guillaume de Nogaret. His numerous assistants were engaged in fixing the confessions of 138 prisoners held in the Temple. As early as October 16, appeals were sent to all the rulers of the Christian world, which spoke of the involvement of the Templars in heresy; urged kings and counts to follow the example of the French king.

Only four Templars, not broken by torture, refused to admit their guilt. In Paris alone, 36 knights died under torture. The process lasted intermittently for almost seven years. On March 18, 1314, at a special council, the cardinals heard Jacques de Molay, Hugues de Peyrot, Geoffroy de Gonneville and Geoffroy de Charnay. Pope Clement V finally betrayed the Templars, signing a life sentence to the elite Templars in particularly harsh conditions. One of the council members described it this way:

"... When the cardinals had already considered the case closed, quite unexpectedly two of the convicts, namely the Grand Master (J. de Mollet) and the Prior of Normandy (J. de Charnay), made a stunning self-defense, turning words to the cardinal, which only that he read a sermon, and to the Archbishop of Sansk, and renounced their testimony made earlier, as well as everything that they previously confessed to. (E. Zharinov. "Jacques de Mollet")

The Grand Master, addressing the council, noted the enormous role played by the Templars in the fight against the Saracens:

“They, and not you, suffered from hunger, disease and from the scorching sun ... But you forgot that your court is not the only one. And therefore I declare that the King of France Philip the Handsome and Pope Clement V will appear with me at another Court. And the Lord will call them to him within 12 months, which will expire from the day of our execution."

Executed as unrepentant heretics on the same evening, March 18, 1314, de Molay and de Charnay took many secrets with them to the grave. The archives of the Order have mysteriously disappeared, as have almost all the gold and silver... The mystery of the knights' connections with the American continent, where the ships with the treasures of the Templars allegedly went from the port-fortress of La Rochelle, has not been solved either.

In the novel "The Iron King", the writer M. Druon, who used serious historical documents, cites the last words of the Grand Master spoken at the stake:

"... Pope Clement... knight Guillaume de Nogaret, King Philip... not even a year will pass before I call you to the judgment of God and you will be given a just punishment! Curse! Curse on your family up to the thirteenth generation!... "

Philip

The prophecy came true with magical accuracy. Pope Clement V died on April 20, 1314. Philip IV the Beautiful, at the age of 46, on November 29, 1314, died of a very mysterious illness. His sons, who successively ascended the throne, Louis X the Grumpy, Philip V the Long and Charles IV the Handsome, seemed to be under the "sight" of the Order. In 1328, i.e. 15 years later, the Capetian dynasty came to an end. It was this fact that led to the devastating, disastrous for both France and England, the Hundred Years War (1337-1454). From a terrible poisoning, even before the death of his overlord, Guillaume de Nogaret died. And after a little less than five centuries, the gloomy Temple building will become the last refuge of the Bourbon branch of the Capetians - King Louis XVI and his family...

History of the Medieval Knights Templar

On March 18, 1314, an unusual bustle reigned in Paris, opposite the royal palace. Carpenters hastily built a fire. In the evening, Grand Master Jacques de Molay and Prior of Normandy Geoffroy de Charnay were brought here. Exhausted by many years of imprisonment, the old men voluntarily took off their clothes, prayed and climbed onto the woodpile. The King of France, Philip the Handsome, watched from the palace gallery.

The Templars were to be painfully burned on a slow fire without prior strangulation. The fire burned for a long time. At the last moment, when the flame was already engulfing the body of the master, he loudly shouted: “Pope Clement! King Philip! Guillaume de Nogaret! In less than a year, I will call you to the Judgment of God! A curse on your family up to the 13th generation!”.

Headquarters of the Order Militia Templi (Siena).

Soon, Pope Clement V had a stomach ache. Doctors ordered him to drink crushed emeralds, and on April 20 of the same year, the vicegerent of God on earth died in terrible convulsions from bloody diarrhea. Guillaume de Nogaret, the keeper of the royal seal, was next to die under mysterious circumstances. On November 29, 1314, Philip fell off his horse while hunting. The paralyzed king was brought to the castle, where he died suddenly. Over the next 14 years, all of Philip's sons died. The Capetian dynasty, which had ruled the country since 987, was interrupted.

After graduation early medieval Relative peace reigned in Europe. The warriors who tamed the Vikings and Hungarians simply had nothing to do. At the same time, there were constant skirmishes with Muslims on the southern borders. The harvest years, the economic rise of Europe, the capture of Jerusalem by the Saracens and the defeat of the peasant crowds who went to “liberate the Holy Land” - all this made it possible for the knights to switch from robbing the peasants to massacring the Arabs.

On July 14, 1099, the crusaders killed the entire population of Jerusalem, created a new Christian kingdom, and returned home with a sense of accomplishment. Pilgrims flocked to the holy places, which caused an unexpected problem - they had to be guarded by someone. The city was under the control of King Baldwin II, but robbers of all stripes and nationalities rampaged in the vicinity. The unfortunate pilgrims were slaughtered on an industrial scale, and no one cared about it.

Everyone except 9 God-fearing French knights - veterans of the First Crusade. History has preserved their names: Hugh de Payne, Godefroy de Saint-Omer, Payne de Montdidier, Andre de Montbar, Hugo de Champagne, Gundomard, Gofred Bisol, Geoffroy Bizot and Archambaud de Saint-Aman. In 1119 (historians are not sure about the exact date), the first two came to the court of King Baldwin II and offered their services to guard pilgrims on the way from Jaffa to Jerusalem. The king had no objection to free military assistance and gave the knights the southern wing of his palace (the Al-Aqsa Mosque).

Al-Aqsa Mosque, former headquarters of the Knights Templar

From a historical point of view, the place was great. Somewhere here supposedly stood the legendary Temple of Solomon. That is why the knights began to be called “templars” (“temple” in French “Temple”, hence the Templars), or rather, “mendicant knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon”. The emblem of the Templars emphasized their poverty and depicted two warriors riding one horse.

However, the templars failed to beg in full force. The Jerusalem chroniclers left very little mention of the early years of the Templars. Some suggest that the knights did not accept anyone into their ranks for about 9 years and guarded the roads from robbers (hundreds of kilometers with a dozen people). According to another, more plausible version, as soon as the templars received a luxurious headquarters from the king, they immediately went to Europe to look for sponsors.

By 1127, the ranks of the templars expanded, Hugh de Paynes made several diplomatic tours and enlisted the support of the most authoritative theologian Bernard of Clairvaux (Uncle Andre de Montbard), canonized. This card was played by the Templars very competently: Bernard took up the “ideological” work and began to agitate the clergy to assist the “knight brothers”. As a result, Pope Honorius II convened a council in Troyes (1129), where the Catholic Church officially recognized the Knights Templar, approved its Charter and appointed Hugh de Paynes Grand Master.
The Templar charter had 72 articles. The first seven impose various religious duties on the templars: they determine how many (from 13 to 100) times and under what circumstances the “Our Father” should be read, and in the event of the death of one of the brothers they are obliged to feed the poor in his place for seven days.

The remaining chapters define the daily life of the knights. Eating should be silent, while listening to the reading of the Holy Scriptures. Meat - twice a week. A tenth of the bread should be given to the poor. After evening, one should also be silent (except in cases of military operations). Women are not accepted into the Order. Kissing with "vessels of sin", including mothers, sisters and daughters, is prohibited. After the death of a templar, his widow receives a pension.

The clothes of the “chevaliers”, who have taken a vow of celibacy, are white. The clothes of the “sergeants” are black. No fur trim other than sheepskin is allowed. Gold or silver items of equipment are prohibited (it was allowed to use gilded armor if it was pre-painted). Horses - no more than three. Beards and mustaches cannot be cut. Shoes - without laces and sharp toes. The bed is a straw mattress. All night long, a fire should burn in the common bedchamber.

It was forbidden to have bags or chests with locks. All personal correspondence is read in the presence of the master. All gifts are transferred to the ownership of the Order. You can’t hunt - an exception is made only in relation to lions, because they “walk in circles and look for someone to devour.”

One of the flags of the Knights Templar

In 1139, Pope Innocent II took the Templars under his personal protection, issuing the bull Omne Datum Optimum, according to which the templars could keep all the spoils of war, were exempt from all taxes, and received autonomy from secular authorities and courts. Bull Milites Templi (1144) omitted the sins of all who donated to the order, in connection with which the number of people willing to part with money increased significantly, and the bull Militia Dei (1145) allowed the Templars to build their own churches (parishioners also meant additional income) and bury the dead knights in their own cemeteries.

The monarchs of Europe granted the Templars no less generous privileges. The mendicant knights began to receive fabulous profits. They owned hundreds of castles and huge land plots (by the end of the 13th century - about a million hectares). They bought the right to collect taxes from the kings, gave money in loans at 10% per year (Jews - at 40%) and organized a system of traveler's checks: now pilgrims going to the Holy Land paid a certain amount to the Templars at their place of residence and received a check, which could be cashed from the Templars in Jerusalem.

For a hundred years, the templars built over 150 of their own churches. In addition, they actively built roads and did not charge travelers fees (unlike the feudal lords, who often demanded money even for crossing bridges). Wealth allowed the Templars to carry out unprecedented charitable actions: their numerous commanderies fed an entire army of beggars, and in famine years the knights supplied thousands of poor people with grain, preventing the extinction of large regions.

By the end of the 13th century, the Templars had all of Europe in debt - from kings to peasants. The mendicant knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon have become the largest transnational corporation on the planet. At the same time, the Order of the Temple was not the richest (other monastic orders had comparable resources) and the most influential in the political arena. It was a unique religious-military-financial organization - rapidly rising and well-armed.

By the beginning of the 14th century, the number of knights reached 20,000 people, but only a few of them made up the “army wing” of this organization. At the very beginning of the existence of the Order, the templars were a formidable military force.

Knights, according to contemporaries, were proud, arrogant, warlike, brave and, more importantly, disciplined. In major military operations, they formed the vanguard of the armies, sweeping away the enemy with the very first onslaught of the cavalry. The “white” Templars were ahead, followed by the “blacks”. IN best years the existence of the Order, its fighters were something like medieval special forces. The battle of Montgisard testifies to the skill and reckless courage of the knights.

On November 25, 1177, the leper King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, with an army of 500 knights, 80 Templars led by the Grand Master, and several thousand foot soldiers, suddenly attacked Saladin's army, numbering 26,000 people. The knights killed almost all the Arabs, including the legendary Mamluks. Saladin escaped only because he sat on a thoroughbred "racing" camel and galloped away from the battlefield. It is not surprising that Muslims fiercely hated the Templars and considered them the main enemies of Islam.

The habit of rushing at the many times superior enemy forces more than once went sideways to the Templars. At the Battle of Kishon, 600 men attacked an army of 7,000 Saracens. God's miracle did not happen - the Arabs, who had a big grudge against the Templars, not only killed their army, but also abused the bodies of the fallen. In the ensuing Battle of Hattin (1187), Saladin captured many Christians, including the King of Jerusalem. He spared them all - except for 230 Templars, who were tortured and executed.

The Templars should not be idealized. They were no better than their contemporaries. The knights deliberately violated agreements, refused to return cash deposits, robbed caravans, participated in feudal civil strife and were extremely reluctant to part with their wealth. Jerusalem fell after the Battle of Hattin. Saladin offered the Templars to ransom its inhabitants, but the order, created specifically to protect the city, refused to do this, and 16,000 Christians fell into slavery.

The subsequent crusades had no significant success - Jerusalem fell into the hands of the Europeans for only a few months. Moreover, the Templars thwarted the cunning diplomatic policy of Richard, the brother of the English king, who managed to set the Muslims against each other: the knights attacked the Egyptians, violating the peace treaty and causing a series of wars during which the Christians lost the East forever.

In 1291, the Arabs took Acre, the new headquarters of the Order of the Temple. There were about 900 Templars in the city, most of whom (including the Grand Master Guillaume de Beaujou) died defending a breach in the wall. The remaining templars managed to lock themselves in the tower, deceive 300 Muslims there and kill them. The enraged Sultan ordered a mine to be brought under the tower; it collapsed and buried the knights under the rubble.

After the end of the crusades, the existence of military orders lost all meaning. The Templars undertook several “military PR actions”, trying to show their power, but things did not go beyond short-term seizures of land. In just a few years, the templars turned into mercenaries and robbers. Under the command of the Grand Master Jacques de Molay there were about 15,000 people - a very serious force by the standards of that time, which could not be ignored. In addition, the Templars enjoyed the patronage of the Pope, who considered them his "militants" (although the templars obeyed him no more than any European monarch).

The wealth of the Order haunted the French king Philip the Handsome, who had a large debt to the knights. Having come to power, Philip assembled a government "team" of humble but very talented scoundrels. The right hand of the king was the keeper of the seal Guillaume Nogaret.
Philip tried to become a member of the Order with the prospect of leading it (unsuccessfully), and then invited Jacques de Molay to move the residence of the Templars to Paris - ostensibly to further unite with the Order of the Hospitallers and organize a new crusade. The next step of the king is secret negotiations with the puppet Pope, who "surrendered" the Templars, promising ideological support in their destruction.

How to defeat an organization with thousands of thugs? Philip conducted a police operation on a scale unprecedented even in modern times: on September 22, 1307, packages were sent to royal officials, commanders of military detachments and inquisitors with instructions to open them on Friday, October 13. The arrest took place at the same time, the knights did not resist.
The king was in for a terrible disappointment - the legendary treasury of the Templars was empty. Money disappeared, and no one wanted to say where. It is reliably known that when moving to Paris, the templars equipped a long convoy with gold. Probably, the master foresaw the “special operation” of the king or, despite the precautions, learned about it from informants, and hid the money in one of the numerous castles of the Order.

Very colorful accusations were made against the knights: they spit on the crucifix, kissed each other on the ass, practiced homosexuality, distorted the words of prayers, worshiped a black idol with red eyes and smeared it with the fat of burned Christian babies. The Templars, subjected to torture, at first unanimously confessed to all sins (their testimony was not much different from each other and was supposedly written as a carbon copy), and subsequently, no less unanimously refused to testify.

After some procedural confusion with the jurisdiction of the accused, the knights went to the stake (mainly in France), were imprisoned, deprived of their ranks, expelled, but sometimes justified. In England and Germany, the Pope's order to arrest the Templars was actually put on the brakes - the Templars were subject to minimal sanctions.

The property of the Templars - numerous castles in France, churches in England (for example, Temple Church and Rosslyn Chapel, glorified by the "Da Vinci Code") - has survived to this day. However, until recently, only historians and luxury real estate dealers were interested in it. Fantastic legends about the Order of the Temple appeared only in the 19th century - in the wake of the craze for “fashionable” Freemasonry.

The greatest amount of fog writers-fictionists let in around the Jerusalem Temple. Like, the knights made excavations in the basement of the Temple, stumbled upon an ancient system of tunnels and found there: a) the Ark of the Covenant; b) Holy Grail; c) manuscripts testifying to the cohabitation of Christ with Magdalene. They hid these riches in one of their temples, where the relics are to this day.

The only shrine that the Templars really had was a piece of wood from the True Cross on which Jesus was crucified. According to the custom of those years, the instruments of execution were buried at the place of execution. In 326, Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, authorized excavations at Golgotha. The True Cross was discovered, the touch of which healed the sick and raised the dead. As in the case of the relics of saints, the particles of this relic have spread all over the world. Skeptics point out that if you put them together, then the tree will be enough to build a warship.

Other legends about the Templars are as plausible as the accusations leveled against them. Rumor has it that the surviving Templars "went underground" and continued to secretly influence the history of mankind. That it was they who discovered America, because there were red crosses on the sails of Columbus' caravels (the surviving templars really founded the Order of the Knights of the Cross in Spain).

The Templars swept through history like a comet - suddenly, brightly and very quickly. They burned down, making a lot of noise. Contemporaries and current researchers unanimously consider the accusations against them to be false. But even if they had not been subjected to legalized robbery, the fate of the Templars was already sealed. With the extinction of the crusades, the order lost its “ideological base”. Reprofiling, crushing and grinding awaited him - as happened with the Hospitallers or the Teutons. Someone believes that after the fall of the Templars, the decline of European chivalry began, completed by the spread firearms. If we agree with this approach, then the decline of chivalry began much earlier - when the Templars began to serve not God, but the golden calf.

The history of the birth, rise and fall of the Knights Templar, or "Knights Templar", is perhaps one of the most romantic legends of the world in which we live.

No matter how much time passes, no matter how many centuries the bas-reliefs on the graves of the martyrs of the Order are covered with gray dust, no matter how many books are read and no matter how many times history buffs pronounce the name of the great Jacques de Molay - all the same, as before, romantics and dreamers, scientists and hoaxers different countries ah, everyone still collects backpacks to go on a hike for the “gold of the Templars”. Someone seriously studies maps of mines and mines, searches the ruins of castles and traces the path of the Templars in Europe, someone is looking for their "treasure" on the pages of bestsellers, trying to find it through literary fame.

And none of us - neither dreamers nor scientists, can find out "how it was" - in fact. We are left with only historical chronicles and memoirs of contemporaries, documents of the Inquisition, and to this day sometimes pop-up letters and old scrolls from the personal archives of the noble families of Europe.

Someone gives the history of the Templars a religious coloring, someone secular. We will try to discover the truth for ourselves - as much as possible through the thick of centuries.

Francois Marius Granier. "Pope Honorius II granting official recognition to the Knights Templar".

"Knights of the Temple"

Soon after the successful outcome of the First Crusade and the establishment of the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem on the land of Palestine, the first military state inhabited mainly by European knights, a stream of pilgrims poured into the Holy Land, attracted by the utopian idea of ​​a safe life among Christian shrines. The hordes of people wandering “in the land of Jesus” naturally attracted not only the attention of Muslims who were angry with the seizure of their original territories and cities, but also their revenge - terrible and uncompromising. The area along which the pilgrims' routes passed was flooded with robbers and murderers. The road to the Holy City became deadly for the pilgrims.

The European monarchs were pleased with the outcome of the Crusade - the mission was completed, the Holy Land was practically cleared. They considered the remaining Muslim settlements to be just an annoying hindrance to the bright Christian world, and hoped that the knights, who were promised generous land allotments, would gradually eliminate this hindrance. In the meantime, the Kingdom of Jerusalem began to slowly empty - the knights rushed home, to their families and family nests, and no awards could stop most of them. How to be in this case with the pilgrims, who are daily subjected to violence, looting, murders? .. They needed protection.

The first, in the history of the Knights Templar, Grand Master - Hugh de Payen Here is what Bishop William of Tyre, who for some time headed the Church of the Jerusalem State, writes about this in 1119: “Some noble people of knightly origin, devoted to God, religious and God-fearing, declared their desire to spend his whole life in chastity, obedience and without property, giving himself up to the Patriarch to serve, following the example of regular canons. Several knights of high birth, having asked for the blessings of the King and the Church, volunteered to take care of the protection of the pilgrims and all the Christians who moved in large numbers in the Holy Land. For this, they founded the spiritual and knightly order of the "Poor Knights", the secular basis of which was equalized and harmonized with the foundations of the church. That is, the templar brothers, entering the order, did not take on the monastic rank, but spiritually and physically, in fact, they became them.

The Order was headed by one of its founders, the noble champagne knight Hugh de Payens, who became the first Grand Master in the history of the Order. And so, before the King and the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Hugh and his eight devoted commanders - Gottfried de Saint-Omer, André de Montbard, Gundomard, Godfron, Roral, Geoffroy Bitol, Nivar de Mondesir, and Archambaud de Saint-Aignan swore an oath to protect Christians, wandering or in need of help, to the last drop of blood, and also brought three monastic vows.

For the sake of absolute historical justice, the author of the article would like to note that, in fact, the foundation of such an order became an absolutely unprecedented phenomenon, which was ahead of its time for many centuries. In this case, this association of knights was not another monastic order, it was not some kind of spiritual organization - in fact, they organized the first of the “non-governmental non-profit organizations” we know today, in order to promote the idea and raise funds. Propaganda of the idea - the need for the existence of such an order - consisted in the already ongoing successful protection of pilgrims, and fundraising - and how could it be without it? .. After all, the Templars themselves were unusually poor - to the point that two knights had one horse. Subsequently, when the influence of the templars spread very widely, they created a seal, in memory of the old days of the Order - this seal depicts two riders on one horse.

For a long ten years, the templars led a completely beggarly existence, observing the charter of the Order of St. Augustine of the Blessed, for lack of their own. This would have continued if the King of Jerusalem Baldwin II "The Leper", to some extent, personally offended by such a disastrous state of affairs of the order under his ward, would not have sent Hugues de Payens to Pope Honorius II with a demand to initiate the Second Crusade, motivating its need with impudence Muslim soldiers who continued to make sorties into the territory of the newly formed state.

Baldwin was generally very sympathetic to the order of the "poor knights" - he even provided them, who did not have any property of their own, with a church in his palace south of the ruins of Solomon's Temple so that they could gather there for prayer. It was this fact that served as the starting point for the formation of the order that is familiar to us from the descriptions today: “Temple” (fr.temple), gave people a reason to call the knights “those at the Temple”, “templars”. The official name - "Poor Knights" no one ever remembered again.

De Payen, accompanied by a small number of comrades, traveled almost all of Europe, not only persuading the sovereigns to raise troops for the Crusade, but also collecting few and reluctant donations along the way. The culmination of this trip was the presence of Hugh de Payens and the Knights Templar at the Great Church Council in the French city of Troyes - and this presence was due to the personal request of the Pope.

It was useful, and De Payen, as the head of the Order, understood the importance of speaking at the Council - good performance could provide the support of the Church, and the support of the Church - the support of the heads of different countries. De Payen spoke long and eloquently, mesmerizing this spoiled and blinkered church audience with pictures of the beautiful new, Christendom, which will take its source from the throne of Jerusalem. The fathers of the Council, subdued by his speech, turned to Bernard of Clairvaux, who was also present there, who did not hide his obvious sympathies for the Templars, with a request to write a Charter for the new order, with which everyone would be satisfied. The Fathers of the Church also gave the knights a great honor, ordering them to always wear white and black clothes, decorated with a red cross. At the same time, the prototype of the first battle banner of the Templars, called Bossean, was created.
The abbot of Clairvaux, who belonged to the Cistercian order, introduced this warlike spirit into the Rite of the Templars, later called Latin. Bernard wrote: “The soldiers of Christ are not in the least afraid of committing a sin by killing their enemies, nor of the danger that threatens their own lives. For to kill someone for the sake of Christ, or to wish to die for His sake, is not only completely free from sin, but also highly commendable and worthy.”

In 1139, Pope Innocent II issued a bull, according to which the Templars, by that time already turned into a rather numerous, non-poor order, were given significant privileges, such as the establishment of the post of chaplain, exemption from paying tithes and permission to build chapels and have their own cemeteries. But most importantly, wanting to have his own defenders, the Pope subordinated the Order to a single person, himself, entrusting the master and his chapter full responsibility for the politics and administration of the order. This meant absolute freedom for the Templars. A absolute freedom brings absolute power.

This event opened up all the paths of the world for the Pauper Knights and became a new chapter in their history - the chapter of unprecedented prosperity.

Golden Age of the Order

Manashe clothes of the Order of the TemplarsInitially, all the brethren of the Order, according to the Charter, were divided into two categories: "knights" - or "brothers-chevalier", and "servants" - or "brothers-sergeants". These titles themselves indicate that only knights of noble birth were accepted into the first category, while any man of non-noble birth could enter the second category, without any hope of becoming a “brother chevalier” over time. The Grand Master, who was not an elected figure - each Master during his lifetime had to choose his successor - had almost unlimited power to manage the Order, which was bestowed by the Pope. Initially, the Templars were categorically against joining the ranks of the brothers of the priests, but, nevertheless, after a certain number of decades, from the moment of its formation, even a certain special class of brothers-monks appeared in the ranks of the templars, which was very convenient and even expedient: the monks did not they could shed blood, moreover, they sent services in their own churches of the Order.

Since women were not allowed to be members of the Order, married knights were also reluctantly accepted into the Order, limiting their choice of colors for clothes. So, for example, married knights were deprived of the right to wear white clothes, as a symbol of physical purity and "sinlessness".

The family of married Templars, after the entry of its head into the Order, was waiting for an unenviable fate along the line of inheritance. In the event that a married brother departed for another world, all his property, according to the "Agreement on Entry", came into the common possession of the order, and the wife had to leave the estate in a short time so as not to tempt the knights and novices of the Order with her appearance. But since the Templars were famous benefactors, the widow and close family members of the deceased always received full financial support from the treasurers of the Order (usually secular, "hired" figures) until the end of their lives.

Thanks to this membership policy, soon the Knights Templar already had huge possessions not only in the Holy Land, but also in European countries: France, England, Scotland, Flanders, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Germany, Hungary.

Reference: The medieval Temple Castle (Tour du Temple) has survived to our time only on the pages of historical documents, on old paintings and engravings. The Paris "temple" of the knightly order was destroyed by decree of Napoleon I in 1810.

The Catholic order of the Poor Knights of Christ in 1119 was founded in the Holy Land of Palestine. After the capture of Jerusalem by the Egyptians, the religious members of the order left Palestine. By that time they possessed great wealth and vast lands in Europe. A significant part of the monk-knights came from French noble families.

In 1222, the Temple of Paris was built. The castle, surrounded by a deep moat, was considered impregnable. Inside the fortress walls rose seven towers, stood gothic church with two apses and lancet openings. Along the walls of the spacious cloister were barracks and stables.

In the spring of 1306, the Grand Master of the Templars arrived in Paris - Jacques de Molay, whitened with gray hair. He was accompanied by sixty knights of the Order. The procession entered the capital on horses and mules. The priests carried the ashes of the master-predecessor of Molay - Guillaume de Gode. Was transported to Paris and the treasury of the Templars.

The residence of the Master of the Order was the Main Tower of the Temple. This powerful structure could only be reached by a drawbridge from the roof of the barracks. The bridge was set in motion by complex mechanisms. In a matter of moments, it rose, heavy gates fell, forged gratings fell, and the Main Tower became inaccessible from the ground. The Grand Master lived in the tower, accountable only to the Chapter.

The chapter of the Knights Templar met in the castle church. In the middle of the main corridor of the temple was installed a spiral staircase leading to the crypt. The stone slabs of the crypt hid the tomb of the Masters; on one of the levels of the secret dungeon, the treasury of the Order was kept.

Also, it is the Templars who are considered to be the founders of banking - it is the treasurers of the Order who came up with the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bordinary and "traveler" checks. The most interesting thing is that such a scheme is still, one might say, a “classic” of modern banking. Appreciate its beauty, simplicity and practicality: the presence of such checks saved travelers from having to carry gold and precious stones with them, constantly fearing an attack by robbers and death. Instead, the owner of the valuables could come to any "komturiya" of the Order and deposit all these things into its treasury, receiving a check in return, signed by the Chief Treasurer (!!!) and a fingerprint ... of his own finger (!!!), so that after that with peace of mind to go on a journey with a small piece of skin. Also, for operations with a check, the Order took a small tax - when cashing the valuables indicated in the check!.. Think for a minute, does this remind you of modern banking operations?.. in money, the Order gave him those, on account of subsequent repayment. There was also a highly developed system of what today we would call "accounting": twice a year, all checks were sent to the main office of the Order, where they were counted in detail, summed up the treasury balance and archived. The knights did not disdain usury, or, if you like, "bank lending" - any wealthy person could get a loan at ten percent, while Jewish usurers or state cash desks gave at forty percent.

Having such a developed banking structure, in speed, the Templars became necessary for the Court as well. So, for example, for twenty-five years, two treasurers of the Order - Gaimard and de Milly - oversaw the treasury of the French monarchy, while performing, at the request of Philip II Augustus, the functions of the Minister of Finance, that is, practically governing the country. When Saint Louis IX ascended the throne, the French treasury was completely transferred to the Temple, remaining there also under his successor.

Thus, the "poor knights" in a relatively a short time acquired the status of the largest financiers in Europe and the East. Absolutely all segments of the population went among their debtors - from ordinary citizens to the most august persons and the fathers of the Church.
Charity

Rationalization and charitable activities also occupy a special place in the Order's to-do list.

Since the Templars were not only the richest of all existing orders, but also the most attractive to new brothers in terms of opportunities, many outstanding minds and talents of their time worked under his patronage.

The Templars, without stint, spent huge sums on the development of sciences and arts, on patronage support for artists, musicians, and poets. But still, soldiers remain soldiers, and the main area of ​​interest for the templars was the development of such areas as geodesy, cartography, mathematics, physical sciences, building sciences, and navigation. By that time, the Order had long had its own shipyards, ports not controlled by the kings, its own modern and over-equipped fleet - it is enough to mention that all its ships had magnetic (!!!) compasses. The "Sea Templars" were actively engaged in commercial cargo and passenger transportation, transporting pilgrims from Europe to the Kingdom of Jerusalem. For this they received generous remuneration and church support.

No less active, the Templars were engaged in the construction of roads and churches. The quality of travel in the Middle Ages could be described as “complete robbery multiplied by the lack of roads” - if you are a pilgrim, be sure that you will be robbed not only by robbers, but also by state tax collectors who have a post at each bridge, on each road. And the Templars, to the displeasure of the authorities, solved this problem - they took up the active construction of excellent roads and strong bridges, which were guarded by their own detachments. One “financial phenomenon” is also connected with this construction, which, according to the Middle Ages, is completely nonsense - the knights did not levy taxes for travel, not a single coin! .. Also, in less than a hundred years, the Order throughout Europe at least 80 large cathedrals and at least 70 churches were built, while the monks who inhabited these churches and cathedrals were completely supported by the Templars.

The common people were not just disposed towards the templars - people deeply appreciated the nobility of these warriors. In the most difficult times, when there was famine and the price of a measure of wheat was a gigantic sum of thirty-three sous, the Templars fed up to a thousand people in one place alone, not counting the daily meals for the needy.

Molay, Jacques de. Last Grand Master of the Order

Beginning of the End

The scene of the crusade of the knights of the Knights TemplarAnd yet, the main vocation of the Templars was still chivalry, especially the wars with Muslims that continued in the Holy Land. The main funds and resources of the Order were spent on these wars. In these wars, the templars succeeded - it is known that Muslim warriors were so afraid of the Templars and Hospitallers that Sultan Sallah ad Din even took an oath to "Cleanse your land from these filthy orders."

The French monarch Louis VII, who led the Second Crusade with his army, later wrote in his notes that the Templars gave him great support, and he cannot even imagine what would have been waiting for his troops if there were no templars with them.

However, not all European monarchs had such a high opinion of the reliability and loyalty of the Templars. So, for example, many royal persons insisted that peace should be concluded with the Saracens, and so, in 1228, Frederick II Barbarossa concluded this agreement.

The Templars were furious - according to this agreement, the Saracens were obliged to transfer Jerusalem to the Christians. The Grand Master of the Order considered this a huge strategic mistake - after all, Jerusalem was practically in blockade, surrounded by Muslim territories. But Frederick, who did not like the Templars - for many reasons, and the wealth of the Order was not the least of them - chose to go into open conflict, accusing the knights of treason. The Templars answered him with threats, after which Frederick was so frightened that in the near future he turned his troops and left the Holy Land. But the departure of Barbarossa did not cancel the concluded treaty, and the situation changed from bad to disastrous.

It can be said that the Seventh Campaign, led by the inexperienced in tactical and political matters, the King of France, Louis the Saint, drove the last nail into the coffin of the Christian Kingdom. Louis, who had no experience in the Eastern regulations, for his part, terminated the agreement, which was concluded with difficulty by the Grand Master of the Templars with the Sultan of Damascus, the main stronghold of the Saracens. The consequences of this thoughtless step immediately became very tangible - the Muslim army, not held back by anything, won one victory after another, and the losses among the Jerusalem knights were enormous. Christians lost city after city, and were even forced to surrender Jerusalem in disgrace - after a long siege and a fierce battle.

In the spring of 1291, the Saracen sultan Kilavun with his troops laid siege to the city of Agra, which at that time was the last stronghold of chivalry in Palestine. According to the memoirs of contemporaries, the battle was truly terrible, and numerical superiority was on the side of the Muslims. The Saracens swept away the defense and broke into the city, carrying out a brutal massacre in which the Grand Master of the Templars died.

The surviving Templars and Hospitallers hid in the tower of their residence, where they managed to resist the enemy for some time, but the Muslims, who could not "get" them out of there, came up with a way to solve everything at once. They began simultaneously digging and dismantling the tower, which led to its collapse. She fell, burying both the knights and the Saracens under her.

All these events at one moment closed this chapter in the history of Christian chivalry, putting an end to the story of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Philip IV the Handsome (King of France)

Fall of the Order

With the fall of the Holy Kingdom, the position of the Templars became unenviable. Possessing all the same power - both numerical and financial, they lost the main goal, which was the essence of its existence: the protection and defense of Jerusalem.

The European monks and the Church, for whom the need for the Order was no longer urgent, held them responsible for the fall of the Christian kingdom - and this despite the fact that it was thanks to the Templars that he managed to survive for such a long time. The templars began to be accused of heresy and betrayal, that they personally gave the Holy Sepulcher to the Saracens and renounced God, and could not preserve the main value of the Christian world - the land on which Jesus' feet trod.

Especially the position of the Order did not suit the French monarch Philip IV the Handsome, who ruled the country as an absolute tyrant and did not intend to tolerate anyone's interference in the affairs of the crown. In addition, Philip was saddled with a huge amount of debt to the Order. At the same time, Philip was smart, and was well aware that the Templars were the most powerful, wealthy military organization, not accountable to anyone except the Pope.

Then Philip decided to act not by force, but by cunning. On his own behalf, he wrote a petition to the Grand Master Jacques de Mola, in which he asked to be accepted as an honorary knight. De Mola, considered one of the wisest politicians and strategists of his time, rejected this request, realizing that Philip was striving to eventually take the post of Grand Master in order to make the treasury of the Order his own.

Philip was enraged by the refusal, swore by any means to end the existence of the Order, since he could not win it. And the opportunity soon presented itself to him.

The last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, Jacques de Mola.

The former Templar, "Brother Chevalier", expelled by the Templars for the murder of his own brother, while in state prison for other crimes, counting on leniency, confessed to sins against faith, which he allegedly committed while in the Order, along with other brothers.

The king immediately launched an investigation against the Order, exerting as aggressive pressure as possible on the Pope, demanding that the Templars be denied all privileges. He issued an independent decree, sent to all the provinces, instructing "the Templars to grab all, put them under arrest and take away their property for the treasury."

On October 13, 1307, almost all members of the Order, who did not have time to hide or were burdened with families, were caught by Philip's troops and arrested, their property was confiscated.

According to the interrogation protocols of the Inquisition available today, the Templars were accused of renouncing the Lord, insulting the Cross, heresy, sodomy, worshiping a certain “Bearded Head”, which is one of the incarnations of the demon Baphomet. Subjected to terrible torture, many knights confessed to almost everything, and now, the Pope issued a bull stating that all European monarchs should start arresting Templars in all countries, as well as seize property for the benefit of the treasury and the Church - both their own and the property of the Order , as well as lands. This bull laid the foundation for lawsuits in Germany, Italy, England, the Iberian Peninsula and Cyprus, where the residence of the Grand Master, the second largest after Paris, was located.
After a long, all-European investigation, torture and humiliation, in 1310, near the monastery of St. Anthony near Paris, 54 knights went to the stake, who found the strength to retract the testimony they had given under torture. Philip the Handsome celebrated the victory - by a papal bull of April 5, 1312, the Order of the Temple was officially abolished and ceased to exist.

The verdict on the Grand Master of the Order, Jacques de Molay, was passed only in 1314 - Philip wanted to fully enjoy the humiliation of a man who was once so powerful that he could safely ignore his wishes. Before the trial, the Grand Master, as well as the Prior of Normandy, Geoffroy de Charnay, the visitor of France, Hugo de Peyrot, and the Prior of Aquitaine, Godefroy de Gonville, fully admitted the charges and repented of the atrocities committed, as a result, the church court, at the initiative of the Pope, replaced the death penalty for them with imprisonment. Historians believe that this was a political move on the part of the Master - the trial of the Templars was held in public. After hearing the verdict, de Molay and de Charnay publicly recanted their previous confessions extracted under torture. Grand Master Jacques de Molay declared that he would prefer death to imprisonment that humiliates his dignity and the pride of a warrior. That same evening, the fire consumed them too.

And so, in bonfires and torture, humiliation and slander, ended the unique story of the great Order of the Poor Knights of Christ - the elephant defeated by the mouse. Thus fell a giant who could not be broken by wars and defeats, but was broken by greed.

Church of the Knights Templar (Temple), London, UK

INSIGNIA OF THE KNIGHTS TEMPLERS

In 1099, the crusaders occupied Jerusalem, and many pilgrims immediately poured into Palestine, rushing to bow to the holy places. Twenty years later, in 1119, a small group of knights, led by Hugh de Payens, made a vow to devote themselves to their protection, which required the creation of a religious organization. The knights took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience to the Jerusalem Patriarch Gormond de Piquini and joined the monks of the Holy Sepulcher, who lived according to the rule of St. Augustine. The King of Jerusalem Baldwin II gave them a place to live, not far from which, according to legend, was the Temple of Solomon. The knights called it the Temple of the Lord - in Latin "Tamplum Domini", hence the second name of the knights-templars - the Templars. The full name of the Order is "Poor Knights of Christ and Solomon's Temple."

In the first years of its existence, the Order consisted of only nine knights, therefore it did not attract attention either in the East or in the West. The Templars really lived in poverty, as evidenced by one of the very first seals of the Order, which depicts two knights riding the same horse. The brotherhood of the Knights Templar was originally created to guard the road along which the pilgrimage from Jaffa to Jerusalem was made, and until the 1130s the Templars did not take part in a single battle, no matter how formidable the danger. Thus, unlike the Knights Hospitallers, who were in charge of shelters and hospitals in the Holy Land, the "Poor Knights of Christ and Solomon's Temple" devoted themselves exclusively to the protection of pilgrims. The protection of the conquered lands was not an easy task, there were not enough soldiers to repulse the Muslims, what could we say about the protection of the pilgrims arriving in mass numbers. Moreover, for 9 years from the date of the founding of the Order, no new members were accepted into it.

At first, the Knights Templar resembled a kind of private circle, united around the Count of Champagne, since all nine knights were his vassals. In order for their brotherhood to be recognized in Europe, the knights sent a mission there. King Baldwin II sent a letter to the abbe Bernard of Clairvaux to beg the Pope Honorius II to approve the charter for the life and work of the Knights Templar. To consider the request of the Order to grant them their own charter, the pope chose Troyes - main city Champagne. At the Council of Troyes on January 13, 1129, many Fathers of the Holy Church were present, among whom were the papal legate Mathieu, Bishop of the Order of St. Benedict, many archbishops, bishops and abbots.

Abbe Bernard of Clairvaux was unable to attend the cathedral at Troyes, but he wrote a charter for the Knights Templar based on the charter of the Cistercian order, which in turn repeated the charter provisions of the Benedictines. In honor of the Knights Templar, Abbot Bernard also wrote a treatise "Praise to the New Chivalry", in which he welcomed "monks in spirit, warriors in arms." He extolled the virtues of the Templars to the skies, declared the goals of the Order to be the ideal and the embodiment of all Christian values.

The Order of the Templars was created as a purely monastic, and not a knightly organization, since monasticism was considered closer to God. But Abbé Bernard managed to justify the activities of knightly orders by reconciling military affairs with the service of God. He stated that the knights are God's army, which is different from worldly chivalry. God's warriors need three qualities, speed, keen eyesight so that they are not attacked by surprise, and readiness for battle.

According to the charter, a knight of the Knights Templar is a man who is able to carry weapons, own them and rid the earth of the enemies of Christ. They should have their beard and hair cut short so that they can look back and forth freely. The Templars dressed in white robes, which were worn over knightly armor, and in a white robe with a hood. Such cloaks, if possible, were provided to all brother knights in winter and summer, so that they could be recognized by all who spent their lives in darkness, since their duty is to devote their souls to the Creator, leading a bright and clean life. And no one who did not belong to the aforementioned knights of Christ was not allowed to have a white cloak. Only the one who left the world of darkness will be reconciled with the Creator with the sign of white clothes, which means purity and perfect chastity - chastity of the heart and health of the body.

Since 1145, the left side of the cloak of the knights began to be decorated with a red eight-pointed cross - the cross of martyrdom and the symbol of the fighters for the church. This cross, as a distinction, was granted to the Knights Templar by Pope Eugene III with exclusive rights to its heraldry. In accordance with the vow of poverty, the knights did not wear any decorations, and their military equipment was very modest. The only permitted item to complement their attire was sheepskin, which at the same time served as a bedding for rest and a raincoat in bad weather.

After the Council of Troyes, the Templars dispersed throughout Europe to recruit new knights into the Order and establish commanderies on the continent. Abbot Bernard became an ardent champion and propagandist of the Templars, called on all influential persons to give them lands, valuables and money, to send young people from good families to tear young men away from a sinful life for the sake of the cloak and cross of the Templars. The trip of the Knights Templars across Europe was a resounding success: the brothers began to receive lands and estates, gold and silver were donated to the needs of the Order, and the number of Christ's soldiers grew rapidly.

By the end of 1130, the brotherhood was finally formed as a military-monastic organization with a clear hierarchy system. All members of the Order were divided into three categories: brothers-knights, brothers-chaplains and brothers-sergeants (squires); the latter wore a cloak of black or brown. There were also servants and artisans, and each category of brothers had its own rights and obligations. At the head of the Order of the Templars was the Grand Master, whose rights were partially limited by the Chapter of the Order. In the absence of the Master, he was replaced by the Seneschal - the second official of the Order. He was followed by a marshal who was in charge of all the military affairs of the brotherhood, etc. The hierarchical ladder of the Knights Templar consisted of up to 30 steps.

To be knighted, one had to be of noble birth, not have debts, not be married, etc. The Templar ministry combined strict monastic obedience with a constant risk of injury or death in the battle in the Holy Land and for the Holy Land, which redeemed any earthly sin. Every Knight Templar was required to be unquestioningly obedient to his elders; the charter strictly regulated the duties of a knight and listed punishments for various kinds of offenses and deviations from the ascetic way of life. And since the Order began to obey only the Pope, it had its own punishments for misconduct, up to the death penalty. The knights could not hunt and play gambling, during leisure hours they had to mend their own clothes and pray every free minute.

A knight without permission was not to move farther from the camp than the sound of a voice or a bell was heard. When it came to battle, the head of the Order took the banner and allocated 5-10 knights who surrounded him to guard the standard. These knights had to fight with the enemy around the banner and did not have the right to leave it for a minute. The commander had a spare banner wrapped around a spear, which he unfolded if something happened to the main banner. Therefore, he could not use a lance with a spare standard, even if it was necessary for him to protect himself. While the banner was flying, the knight could not leave the battlefield under the threat of shameful expulsion from the Order.

The banner of the Templars was a panel, the upper part of which was black, and the lower part was white. The black part of the banner symbolized the sinful, and the white - the immaculate part of life. It was called "bo san", which was also the battle cry of the Templars. The Old French Dictionary defines the meaning of the word "beausant" as "a horse of dark color with white apples". The meaning of the word “beau” today usually comes down to the concepts of “beautiful”, “beauty”, but in the Middle Ages its meaning was much wider than “nobility” and even “greatness”. Therefore, the battle cry of the Templars meant “To greatness! To glory!

Sometimes the order motto “Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed Nomini Tuo da gloriam” (“Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to Your name!”) Was embroidered on the banner. There were also Templar banners in the form of a military standard, divided vertically into nine white and black stripes. Presumably in 1148, at the Battle of Damascus, a standard with a red order cross in the center was first deployed.

Following a vow of poverty, Hugues de Payen transferred all the property and wealth he had given to the Order, and all other brotherhoods followed his example. If a novice newly entering the Order did not have any property, he was still supposed to bring a "dowry", even if it was very symbolic. The Templar could not own any money or any other property, not even books; the trophies obtained were also at the disposal of the Order. The order charter stated that knights should be modest both at home and on the battlefield, and obedience is highly valued by them. They come and go at the sign of the master, they put on the clothes that he gives them, and they do not accept clothes or food from anyone else. They avoid excess in both, and care only about satisfying a modest need. The vow of poverty was observed very strictly, and if the Templar after death still found money or anything else, he was expelled from the Order and forbidden to be buried according to Christian custom.

However, a century after the creation of the Order, the wealth of the templars amazed the imagination of contemporaries. They owned lands, houses in cities, fortified castles and estates, various movable property and incalculable amounts of gold. But while the Templars were accumulating wealth and buying up lands in Europe, the affairs of the crusaders in Palestine went from bad to worse, and after the capture of Jerusalem by Sultan Salah ad-Din, they had to leave here. The templars took this loss quite calmly, because their land holdings in Europe were huge, and their wealth was great. The positions of the Templars were especially strong in France, since a significant part of the knights came from the environment of the French nobility. In addition, by this time they were already so experienced in financial matters that they often headed the treasuries in states.

In France, it would seem that nothing threatened the well-being of the Order, but the time has come for the reign of King Philip IV the Handsome, who devoted his whole life to creating a single and powerful state. And in his plans there was no place at all for the Order of the Templars, in whose possessions neither royal nor general church laws were in force. Philip the Handsome initiated an inquisitorial investigation against the Templars, and 10 months after the start of the arrests in Paris, the “confessions” of the accused knights were collected and sent to Pope Clement V. The Pope appointed 15 meetings of the Ecumenical Council, which was to be held in Vienna to resolve a number of general issues, discussing plans for a new crusade and determining further fate Knights Templar.

However, the participants in the council showed indecision, and Pope Clement V himself spoke out with such reluctance that even five months later the question of the fate of the templars was not resolved. The final solution to this issue could lean towards both condemnation and justification of the Templars, and Philip the Handsome certainly could not allow this.

Many historians believe that the pope was completely subdued to the will of the French king, but a study of the materials of the Council shows that the pope could have insisted on his own - to merge the Knights Templar and the Knights of St. John into a new Order. Therefore, Clement V did not want the dissolved Knights Templar to be completely branded as heretical. In early April 1312, the pope issued another bull, which dismissed the Knights Templar without mentioning the charges against him.

Released from prison, the Templars could join the Order of St. John, but there were very few such cases. For more than 6 years, the persecution of the Templars in France continued. In England and Scotland, the knights were warned in time, and in the countries of the Iberian Peninsula they were completely justified.

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The Knights Templar and their activities are still not fully understood and even a mysterious chapter of history. Dozens of historical works are devoted to them, the Templars somehow appear in fiction.

Speaking of the mysterious knights, they certainly remember their symbol - the red Templar cross. Let's look at the meaning of the "Templar cross" symbol, the history of its appearance and how it is used by the modern generation.

The Order of the Templars is a mysterious society that formed at the beginning of the 12th century and existed for about 200 years. This union of knights was founded after the first crusade, and they originally called themselves the Order of the Poor Knights of Christ. Subsequently, they had many names:

• order of the Templars;
• order of the poor brothers of the Jerusalem Temple;
• order of the Temple;
• Order of the Knights of Jesus from the Temple of Solomon.

The original purpose of the Templars was to protect the pilgrims who were on their way to the holy land of Jerusalem.

Like any other order, the Knights of the Temple were supposed to have distinctive signs: a coat of arms, a flag, and also a motto. This is how the banner of the Templars appeared in the form of a red cross on a white background. The cross was not chosen by chance, because the members of the order were crusaders.

Why "poor knights"? There are several explanations for this. Firstly, poverty in Christianity is considered a great virtue, and the crusaders who fought for their faith on holy land thus emphasized their “holiness”.

According to some reports, the first knights of the order were indeed poor. So much so that not every one of them could afford to buy a horse. One way or another, but after some time the order became incredibly rich and acquired vast lands. And for the right goal and deeds in the name of the Lord, the Pope awarded all members of the union with special privileges.

The original purpose of the Templars was to protect the pilgrims who were on their way to the holy land of Jerusalem. After some time, the order began to take part in the military campaigns of the states, on the territories of which separate parts of the brotherhood were located.

By the end of their existence, the knights were carried away by trade, because this activity brought good profit. They are also credited with the creation of one of the first banks: merchants, travelers or pilgrims could give valuables in one representative office of the order, and receive them in another country, presenting an appropriate receipt document.

The desire to get rich did not cause delight among the rulers of different countries. Therefore, knights began to be expelled from the territories of states, and then arrested and executed. Needless to say, the wealth of the order was confiscated in favor of the state. Pope Clement V in the 20s of the XIII century declared the Knights Templar illegal, and his followers - heretics.

History of the Templar Cross

There is one legend about the appearance of the classic image of the coat of arms of the medieval movement: when the Pope of Rome blessed the knights on the first campaign, during prayer, he tore his scarlet mantle into pieces and distributed it to each warrior. And they, in turn, sewed these pieces on their white clothes.

Later, the patch began to be made in the form of an equilateral cross, but the colors remained the same - red and white. In this case, the red color symbolizes the blood that the Knights Templar are willing to voluntarily shed for the liberation of the sacred lands from the infidels. Warriors wore the sign on their armor and military paraphernalia.

Why the order chose the cross as its own distinctive symbol is not known for certain. There are several versions of how the main symbols of the Templars appeared:

1. The equilateral cross is taken from the culture of the Celts. Because of the bifurcation of the rays, it is also called the "Clawed Cross". In Celtic culture, the sign was enclosed in a circle and today is known as.
2. It was the type of Templar sign known today that was invented specifically for this movement. The basis for the creation was pagan symbols. In paganism, the sign meant boundless love and reverence for the creator god.
3. The symbol is something between the signs of paganism and the Christian Orthodox cross. Some historians argue that the sign was invented as a transitional sign to facilitate the people getting used to the new faith.

In any case, the Templar cross is still used not only in magic and the occult sciences, but also by ordinary people.

The meaning of the Templar cross

Many centuries ago, the Indo-Europeans used the sign of two crossed lines as a symbol of life, heaven and eternity. Modern scholars interpret the meaning of the Templar symbol as the union and interaction of opposites: feminine and masculine, good and evil, light and darkness. It is believed that no extreme can exist on its own.

The Templar cross will protect its owner from the negative energy of ill-wishers and envious people.

The main task of the Templar banner is to protect its owner from evil. Today the symbol is known as the transformer negative energy into the positive. For this reason, ordinary people turn to the Templar cross amulet for:

• protection from the evil eye and ill-wishers, envious people;
• removal of spoilage;
• removal of gossip and bad rumors;
• transforming the negative directed at the owner into a positive force and joining it to one's own energy.

The shape of the cross has not only the ability to capture the negative and turn it into a positive. Good energy does not go into space without a trace, the talisman directs it to replenish the natural energy resource of its owner. Due to this ability, the sign is often used by magicians in rituals that require high energy costs.

The symbol must be worn so that it is not seen by strangers. At first, it is better to wear the amulet under clothing so that it is in close contact with the human body - this is how the amulet establishes a connection with the owner.

Types of crosses

In historical books, in paintings depicting the Templars and other works of art related to the history of this order, a wide variety of symbols are found. Interestingly, the cross on them is not always painted in red - sometimes it was black, and some adherents of the Templar movement still claim that the true combination was black and white.

On the signs preserved to this day, the rays were bifurcated, on others additional symbols were applied. The location of the patch on the clothing of the Templars also changed during the time that the order existed. So there were several different types of coat of arms of the Templars:

1. Lorraine Cross. Has two horizontal bars. According to legend, it was created from the fragments of a wooden crucifix on which Jesus Christ was executed.
2. Celtic cross. Sign in the form of a cross enclosed in a circle.
3. Cross of the eight beatitudes. This symbol is very unusual shape, it was rarely used - 4 arrows were connected to the center.

Today the Templar sign has the following appearance: an equilateral cross enclosed in a circle:

• the cross is the unity of the four elements;
• the circle is the meaning of the Sun.

For its owner, it carries the meaning of spiritual strength, abstinence from sinful temptations, prudence, a sense of justice and the possession of Christian virtues.

Templar cross with a five-pointed star.

The modern Templar symbol can often be seen in combination with a pentagram - two triangles crossed, forming a five-pointed star. The pentagram is the strongest talisman against obstacles on the path of life. Connoisseurs of ancient symbols claim that the pentagram contributes to the achievement of life goals, protecting a person from those difficulties that may interfere with him.

How the medieval symbol is used today

To date, in many countries of the world, small movements of followers of an unusual medieval order have appeared, the history of which is shrouded in secrets.

Those who wish to receive the protection of the medieval knightly sign put the Templar cross on the amulets. They can take different forms:

• embossed medallion;
• signet;
• elegant pendant.

Sometimes ancient symbol used as an element of a complex tattoo or applied to the skin as an independent pattern. The amulet is used for their own spiritual and physical protection, as well as strengthening faith.

In the Middle Ages, the Templar cross was embroidered on clothing and applied to household items, but today such use is very rare. Sometimes it is applied to the surface of the threshold at the front door - it will give residents protection from ill-wishers, and the housing itself will protect against fire and robbery.

To enhance the action of the medieval magic sign Templars, you can use other symbols that were used by the order: a seal with a special sign of the Templars (crescent, rider, lotus, holy grail or chalice), additional Celtic symbols on reverse side amulet.

The amulet with the Templar cross is used for spiritual and physical protection, as well as strengthening faith.

Before you decide to purchase an amulet, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the general rules for its use:

1. A charm purchased for personal use should be worn constantly at first - about two weeks. Then it can be removed, but not for long, so that the connection between the sacred sign and the energy of a person does not weaken.
2. The talisman is recommended to be worn on the chest: the knights of the order wore a patch on the chest and back for protection and patronage of higher powers.
3. It is better to choose an amulet from alloys of high-quality wear-resistant metals. Most often, amulets decorated in a medieval style are used.
4. The talisman is best purchased for personal use.
5. The Templar Cross can be worn by both women and men. But children do not need such an amulet - the immature energy of the child will not cope with the effect of the knightly sign.

If you decide to get a tattoo, apply it on the chest, forearm or upper back. It is worth noting that the Templar cross in the form of a pattern on the skin is activated immediately after application, giving its owner the strongest protection for the rest of his life. Some owners of such a tattoo note that after applying it, they began to feel more confident, became more successful in their career advancement and were less likely to get sick.

The Templar Cross is the symbol of the Order of the Poor Knights of Christ or the Temple. Its better known name is the Order of the Knights Templar. He was famous for his struggle for Christian values ​​and the destruction of those who did not want to accept this faith. The Order at one time received the blessing of the Pope for the release of the Holy Sepulcher. The knights who belonged to him became known for their Crusades and brutal reprisals against people of other faiths. Until now, this Order has a large number of followers.

The cross of the Knights Templar is considered one of the most mysterious symbols. Despite the fact that it was used as a symbol by the knights of Christ, its roots go far back to pagan times. Today, the Templar Cross is used mainly as a talisman. In this article we will talk about the history of its occurrence, the meaning and rules of use.

It is still not known for certain how this cross arose. However, many historians claim that its roots stretch back to the Celts. The fact is that this symbol represents four identical rays, which are enclosed in a circle. Thanks to these rays, he acquired another of his names - this is the Palmed Cross. It was this symbolism that was inherent in the Celts.

The opinion of other historians is that this symbol arose during the time of the pagans, when the Christian faith had not even been born yet.

One version says that it was taken as an alternative to the pagan symbols and the traditional Christian cross. It was believed that in this way people would more easily accept the new faith and refuse to worship the old gods.

Another version says that the cross was borrowed from the pagans as a symbol of boundless faith in God, reverence and admiration for him.

In our time, Templar symbolism is not always associated with the Christian faith. The cross of this order is used as an amulet even by atheists. The fact is that this symbol has acquired other meanings, and which ones, we will talk about this later.

The meaning of the Templar cross

It is believed that the main meaning of the Templar Cross is protection from evil forces. The fact is that such a symbol is able to attract negative energy, transform it into positive energy, and only then release it. Therefore, it is often used to protect against the evil eye, damage, bad rumors and gossip. Also, this amulet protects the owner from people with evil intentions.

In addition, the Templar Cross, due to its shape, is able to share positive energy with its owner. It gives the owner vitality, which is especially true for older people. In addition, a person wearing this symbol increases his working capacity, and he becomes more active.

The Templar cross is used for various ceremonies and rituals. The fact is that it contains a pentagram, which is endowed with magical properties. It is she who allows the use of the cross for these purposes.

The Templar cross attracts good luck, luck and happiness. It is also believed that with its help you can increase your well-being. In addition, it helps a person to choose the right path in life and not deviate from the right path.

How to wear an amulet

The Templar cross, like any similar symbol, must be worn in such a way that others cannot see it. At first, it should be worn so that it is in contact with the body. This will help the energy of the amulet to merge with the energy of the owner. It is not recommended to remove the amulet for the first two weeks. This will activate his magical properties, and he will begin to "work" in full force. After that, it will be possible to part with him, but not for too long, otherwise the connection that has arisen will disappear.

In addition, the image of this cross can be hung on the walls of housing or above the front door. Then he will grant protection to each member of the family. In addition, he will "take away the eyes" of people with evil intentions. It will also protect the house from fire and robbery.

You can get a tattoo with the image of the Templar Cross. Then its owner will receive a strong talisman that will protect him for the rest of his life. The energy of the tattoo immediately merges with the energy of a person, therefore, the amulet immediately begins to “work”. Most often, the image is applied to the forearms or chest, but you can get a tattoo on the back. It is not recommended to perform it on your feet, as this will be considered disrespectful, which is shown to given symbol. Therefore, such a tattoo will not "work" as a talisman.

The Templar Cross is one of the most powerful amulets that give a person reliable protection from evil forces and any evil witchcraft. It can be worn by both men and women. It is not recommended for children to use it, because the amulet has too powerful energy, which the children's body cannot accept.