Knights Templar

Quick Facts: Who was Knights Templar?

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Knights Templar

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A powerful medieval Catholic military order renowned for its role in the Crusades and finance.

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Origins & Early Life

The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a military order of the Catholic faith, and one of the most important military orders in Western Christianity. They were founded in 1118 to defend pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem, with their headquarters located there on the Temple Mount, and existed for nearly two centuries during the Middle Ages. Officially endorsed by the Catholic Church by such decrees as the papal bull Omne datum optimum of Innocent II, the Templars became a favoured charity throughout Christendom and grew rapidly in membership and power. The Templar knights, in their distinctive white mantles with a red cross, were among the most skilled fighting units of the Crusades. They were prominent in Christian finance; non-combatant members of the order, who made up as much as 90% of their members, managed a large economic infrastructure throughout Christendom.

Career & Major Achievements

They developed innovative financial techniques that were an early form of banking, building a network of nearly 1,000 commanderies and fortifications across Europe and the Holy Land. The Templars were closely tied to the Crusades. As they became unable to secure their holdings in the Holy Land, support for the order faded. In 1307, King Philip IV of France had many of the order's members in France arrested, tortured into giving false confessions, and then burned at the stake. Under pressure from Philip, Pope Clement V disbanded the order in 1312.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In spite of its dissolution, however, between 1317 and 1319, a number of Templar knights, properties and other assets were absorbed within the Portuguese Order of Christ, and the Spanish Order of Montesa; the abrupt disappearance of this major medieval European institution in its original incarnation gave rise to speculation and legends, which have currently kept the "Templar" name alive in self-styled orders and popular culture. The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Latin: Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Salomonici and French: Pauvres Chevaliers du Christ et du Temple de Salomon) are also known as the Order of Solomon's Temple, and mainly the Knights Templar (French: Les Chevaliers Templiers), or simply the Templars (French: Les Templiers). The Temple Mount where they had their headquarters had a mystique because it was above what was believed to be the ruins of the Temple of Solomon. After the Franks in the First Crusade captured Jerusalem from the Fatimid Caliphate in 1099, many Christians made pilgrimages to various sacred sites in the Holy Land. Although the city of Jerusalem was relatively secure under Christian control, the rest of Outremer was not.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1099: 1099 Milestone — After the Franks in the First Crusade captured Jerusalem from the Fatimid Caliphate in 1099, many Christians made pilgrimages to various sacred sites in the Holy Land.
2. 1118: 1118 Milestone — They were founded in 1118 to defend pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem, with their headquarters located there on the Temple Mount, and existed for nearly two centuries during the Middle Ages.
3. 1307: 1307 Milestone — In 1307, King Philip IV of France had many of the order's members in France arrested, tortured into giving false confessions, and then burned at the stake.
4. 1312: 1312 Milestone — Under pressure from Philip, Pope Clement V disbanded the order in 1312.
5. 1317: 1317 Milestone — In spite of its dissolution, however, between 1317 and 1319, a number of Templar knights, properties and other assets were absorbed within the Portuguese Order of Christ, and the Spanish Order of Montesa; the abrupt disappearance of this major medieval European institution in its original incarnation gave rise to speculation and legends, which have currently kept the "Templar" name alive in self-styled orders and popular culture.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Knights Templar

True or False: “The Knights Templar were solely focused on purely religious missionary work, never engaging in secular financial activities.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While their mission was religious, the order developed sophisticated financial techniques, including issuing letters of credit, which constituted an early form of banking.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alexios I Komnenos — Historical peer (Died in 1118) (1118): Byzantine Emperor who initiated the Komnenian restoration and sparked the First Crusade.
• Baldwin I of Jerusalem — Historical peer (Died in 1118) (1118): Founder of the County of Edessa and King of Jerusalem during the First Crusade.
• Edward I — Historical peer (Died in 1307) (1307): King of England, known for military prowess and extensive continental rule.
• Temür Khan — Historical peer (Died in 1307) (1307): Second Emperor of Yuan China and sixth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire.
• Edward III — Historical peer (Born in 1312) (1312): King of England, whose reign saw England become a major European military power.
• Emperor Fushimi — Historical peer (Died in 1317) (1317): The 92nd Emperor of Japan, whose reign spanned the turbulent late 13th century.
• Madhvacharya — Historical peer (Died in 1317) (1317): Founder of the Dvaita Vedanta school, a major dualistic tradition in Hinduism.
• Duccio — Historical peer (Died in 1319) (1319): Master painter of Siena, credited with the Trecento Gothic style.
• Guan Daosheng — Historical peer (Died in 1319) (1319): Prominent female painter, calligrapher, and poet of the early Yuan Dynasty.
• El Cid — Historical peer (Died in 1099) (1099): Iconic Castilian warlord and Prince of Valencia, celebrated medieval Spanish hero.

Frequently Asked Questions about Knights Templar