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After the taking of Jerusalem by crusaders in the year of grace 1099, pilgrims
started to travel to Palestine in ever greater numbers to worship at the tomb
of Christ, the Holy Sepulchre. It was to ensure their protection that in 1119-1120,
a knight from Champagne, Hugh de Payns, founded an order which was
going to become extremely famous, the "Templars". Yet, who, today, still
recalls that, originally, the "Poor Knights of Christ and of the Temple of
Solomon" could be counted on the fingers of one hand?
After the Council of Troyes in 1129, the Order of the Temple experienced huge
growth, creating hundreds of commanderies in the West and playing a key
role in the defence of the Crusader States. Enjoying the unfailing support of
the papacy, in the 13th century, it became such an economic and financial
force that it soon generated jealousy among temporal powers and, in particular,
the King of France, Philip IV of France.
From glory to tragedy, this was the fate of the brothers of the Temple, who
were accused of all forms of evil in 1305 and who were all arrested on the
same day, the "fateful" Friday 13 October 1307. As was their Grand Master,
Jacques de Molay, most of them were burnt at the stake after being unfairly
tried.
Removed from the esotericism of which, all too often, they are the subject,
this work offers to take a clear look at the incredible history of these soldier
monks, the Knights Templar.
