THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR

By PATIENCE MACY

Embark on a captivating journey through the annals of history to uncover the truth behind the legendary Knights Templar. From their humble beginnings as medieval warrior monks to their rise as one of the most powerful and enigmatic organizations of the Middle Ages, this book unravels the mysteries surrounding this iconic order.

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• Language: English
• Publisher: PATIENCE MACY
• Release date: Mar 4, 2024
• ISBN: 9783689440251

PATIENCE MACY

Patience Macy is a historian and author based in London, England, specializing in medieval history and secret societies. With a passion for unraveling historical mysteries, Macy has dedicated her career to researching and writing about enigmatic subjects, offering readers unique insights into the past.

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Patience Macy

THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR

Copyright © 2023 by Patience Macy

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

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Contents

1. Introduction

2. The Brutality of the Initial Crusade

3. Establishment

4. The Decline

5. Relics

6. The Curse of De Molay

7. The Freemasons

8. Legacy

9. Conclusion

1

Introduction

The Knights Templar, an organization that existed officially for less than two centuries, was initially established to safeguard pilgrims journeying through the Holy Lands. Their ascent to prominence was rapid, transforming them into some of the most dreaded warriors in the region. With a divine mandate, they pioneered what could be considered the world’s inaugural genuine banking system, defending Christianity’s most sacred territories against those attempting to wrest control from the Catholic Church. Within their brief existence, they swiftly evolved into one of Europe’s, if not the world’s, most influential societies.

However, their rapid rise was mirrored by an equally swift fall from grace. Emerging amidst the crucible of Middle Eastern conflicts, their power soon became both resented and feared. Before they could consolidate their dominance, the mightiest nations in Europe and the Church turned against them. The once-potent Templars were pursued, apprehended, tortured, and ultimately executed by burning at the stake. According to their accusers, they constituted a clandestine society devoted to devil worship, desecrating the cross, and conspiring against the Pope. They were officially disbanded, and their members were treated with intense disdain and bias.

That is the official account, at least. In this book, we will not only explore the established history of the Knights Templar but also delve into the various ways their influence and doctrines have permeated the modern world. A group of such magnitude does not vanish overnight. Instead, their legacy has been intertwined with the Freemasons, malevolent curses, the brutality of the Crusades, and even Christian artifacts like the Holy Grail. For many individuals, the Templars did not fade away, nor did they release their firm grasp on the power structures of medieval Europe. Instead, they went clandestine. Keep reading to uncover the obscure and convoluted secret history of the Knights Templar.

2

The Brutality of the Initial Crusade

Understanding the origins of the Knights Templar necessitates grasping the intricate backdrop against which they emerged. Their establishment was far from a simple gathering of knights uniting under a single flag. Instead, their order was born amid the turbulence, violence, and religious unrest characterizing the medieval Holy Land. Much like our contemporary world, the Near East during the early stages of the first millennium was anything but tranquil. For centuries, it had been the epicenter of the world’s major religions. The three major Abrahamic faiths – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – all originated in this region. Remarkably, they shared numerous fundamental principles, historical figures, and even religious texts. This shared geographical origin, however, fueled relentless conflict as these religions vied for dominance.

To Western audiences, this strife is most recognizable through the lens of the Crusades. From a Christian viewpoint, the Crusades constituted a series of military campaigns waged in the Near East, divinely sanctioned by the Catholic Church. At that time, Islam held sway over much of the region, and Christian pilgrims found it immensely challenging to secure safe passage to the revered holy sites they longed to visit. Christianity faced a significant rift, exacerbated by the collapse of the Roman Empire, leading to divisions between the Western head of the Church in the Vatican in Rome and his Eastern counterpart in Byzantium (later known as Constantinople and eventually Istanbul). Historian Paul Everett Pierson notes that Pope Urban II perceived the initial campaign not only as an opportunity to safeguard Christians in the Holy Land but also as a means to reunite the fragmented branches of the Church under his authoritative control.

Safeguarding Pilgrims

The inception of the first Crusade was ignited by a plea sent from Byzantine Emperor Alexios I in 1095. Aware that the Church’s leadership might be capable of marshaling an army to safeguard travelers from around the globe on their pilgrimage to holy destinations, particularly Jerusalem, Alexios beseeched the Pope for assistance. Pilgrims often encountered difficulties during