in the history of mankind, there are many mysteries that concern the hearts of lovers of old and adventurers.Among these secrets, dusty centuries, there is one clue that probably will not find one.No one knows who the Templars, photos, or more precisely, the image of which can be found in our article.Formally, their story is familiar with the school paper.But too many white spots that provide food fantasies.
Getting started
Before you deal with the question: "The Templars - who is this?", You must plunge into the past and explore the world situation of those years.Only the end of the first crusade, organized by the Western world.Religious young people who responded to the call of Pope Urban II, decides to create his order.The first participants were nine of his noble knights, who had set a noble goal: to protect pilgrims going to the Holy Land.Head was elected Hugh de Payne.
So the Knights Templar - are members of the community, the Knights religious bias.The date of its foundation is considered to be 1119, and their first charter emerged only nine years later, in 1128-m.But it is likely that the mysterious Order originated much earlier, in 1099.Then Godefroy Boulogne sent into a rich Jerusalem nine elected people, who were given special instructions.They founded a community we know as the Order of the Temple.And then began a massive recruitment of everyone, but decent people.Mystery
first
And here lies the first puzzle that left the Templars.Who are these valiant knights?Fanatics, soldiers or hoaxer?It can be argued that their order was originated in 1099, as the date coincides with the crusade.But how could nine people to provide protection for the pilgrims?Of course not, especially since they have remained in Jerusalem, where he engaged in some cases.And that's what makes Templars twenty years before the official appearance of the statute - nobody knows.And why they kept quiet about its existence?
scion of the Merovingian dynasty
person who is an organizer of the Order, was named Godefroid Boulogne.It belongs to the Merovingian dynasty, the ancient royal family.He could be any secrets, lost in history, as well as its interest in Jerusalem, where his ancestors came.It is likely that he had his claim to the throne, as a representative of the lineage of David.Thus, the Templars - people who Godefroy trust, and who helped achieve his secret purpose.He died a year after the capture of the main city of the Holy Land.Interestingly, he was elected King of Jerusalem, but was not crowned, but, in principle, not like this.The first ruler of the city is considered to be his brother.Buried Godefroy, Defender of the Holy Sepulchre, as he called himself in the temple, where members of the community liked to sit.
Other founders
Besides Godefroy of Boulogne, to establish a community could Hugh de Payne and Saint-Omer.On the second virtually nothing is known, except the name.The first part in the crusade and personally knew Godefroy.And they are closely communicated at the time, were comrades-in-arms.In the Holy Land, Hugh came with the nickname of trash (Pagan).But the family Godefroy loved him, and the next king of Jerusalem (Baldwin the First and Second) assisted him.The Order entered and the Count of Champagne, sir Payne, indicating that Hugo was an outstanding personality.Otherwise, honorable gentleman would obey his vassal?
name and logo
features have been from the beginning the Templars.Who are these poor knights?Conventional protectors of the Holy Sepulchre or organization with its covert objectives?Perhaps the truth is somewhere in the middle.They got their name after the tradition of holding meetings in the Al-Aqsa Mosque.Thus arose the Order of the Temple.A emblem appeared much later, after the adoption of the Charter, somewhere in 1147-1148, respectively.The red cross sewn on signature white clothes that distinguished brethren from the other knights.
fabulous wealth of the Order
So, it is clear that the Templars - it is the Crusaders who remained in Jerusalem with his purpose.The Order, which initially consisted of only nine people became very revered in the West.Every royal court was a representative of the brothers, they have the lands, castles, and were successful in financial transactions.Even kings have lent them money for their needs!The wealth of the Templars grew by leaps and bounds, which attracted many people.And brothers forgives all offenses and sins committed by them earlier.The power of the Knights growing along with incomes.They buy the island of Cyprus, where they create their own residence.Therefore, it is reasonable to ask: Templars - who the poor knights of the Rothschilds or real?
It could not not like European monarchs, who often had poluporozhnyuyu treasury.French King Philip the Fair, together with the Pope, accused the Order of all mortal sins, ordered to arrest the brothers and selected their property in their favor.Last Master Jacques de Molay cursed, and the monarch, and the apostate Pope who blessed the massacre, the thirteenth tribe.All participants in the destruction of the Temple have sunk into oblivion, dying a shameful death in the year after the event.The Curse of the Knights Templar - is another mystery of the Order.Although revenge for the burning of the master and the other brothers could stay knights.
reasons for the destruction of the Order
Why the Templars were destroyed?Who are they - we have already partially understood, but we give below the reasons why the Order brought to justice.First - this untold wealth that many never dreamed of - not to kings or clerics.Of course, many would like to share these treasures with them.However, as time has shown, at the time of liquidation of community Knights have lost all their possessions: their treasury was empty.Maybe they all had to hide?This is the main mystery of the Knights, which is haunted by the lovers of easy money.
second reason - the influence and power of the brothers, who were a serious threat to the authority of any Christian country.Third - this is what the Templars were exempt from the tithe, that is not to pay tribute to the Pope.This, too, could not be like the pontiff.
Masonic Lodge
can safely say that the Templars - it Masons.Before his death, the Grand Master had yet to appoint a successor, who continued to conduct their activities, although in the strictest confidence.He managed to organize four Masonic lodges - in Paris, Edinburgh, Stockholm and Naples, that is, to the east, north, west and south.It is also likely that the remaining knights found refuge with the Masons, who acted long before the founding of the Order of Templars.These closed organizations still exist.
is worth noting that after the fall of Acre in 1291 the Knights moved to Cyprus, then to Paris, the French capital by its headquarters.Here they built his residence and the temple, which reminded the Jerusalem shrine, massive walls.But most of the buildings have not been preserved: they were either destroyed or became part of other churches.But the creation of the Order as a Masonic lodges and works today.In Paris, the brothers settled in a quiet street Cadet, 16. It employs headquarters, museum and several other institutions.The interiors are decorated with appropriate symbols and regalia.Even the floor in the rooms are lined by red-and-white squares.Who are the Knights Templar and the Masons in fact - still have to figure out.
Assassins and Templars
to talk about the connection between these two legendary community, one must know who the assassins and the Templars.Templars - a knightly order, which took only Christians who want to devote themselves to a good cause - to protect the pilgrims and the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.Assassins - is the brainchild of "Elder Mountain" Hassan al-Sabah, to practice Islam.Community members were willing to die because they are waiting for the award - the Garden of Eden with virgins.And there was talk that the head used intoxicating herbs such as hashish, and hypnosis.
The two organizations have common features: the iron discipline, deep faith in God, even to fanaticism, unquestioning execution of the will of a master, the strength and influence on the world wealth.Even the image of their members are very similar.However, they professed different religions, who fought for supremacy on the planet.Therefore, answering the question "who are the assassins and the Templars", it can be argued that it is the opponents rather than allies.
Other Teutonic Order
reader already knows who the Templars.The Hospitallers, the Teutons - it is other organizations that appeared during the Crusades.There were a lot in common, but there are also differences.Often brothers belonging to various orders, fought with each other.After all, Christian knights were allowed to participate in the war against the infidels, and shed blood in the name of Christ.Accusing each other of heresy, they were fighting for influence.But if the Templars eliminated and banned, the Teutons and the Hospitallers had a chance to exist and continue their work.However, such successes as the Templars, they were not even dreamed of.
Hospitaller Order
The origins of the Order is taking in 1070, when a merchant - Mauro of Amalfi - founded a home for wanderers and pilgrims, the so-called hospital.There were people who cared for the wounded and sick, to keep order in the monastery.By 1113 the society has grown and strengthened so that the Pope granted him the title of the spiritual and the Knights.
Hospitallers took a vow of obedience, chastity and poverty.They became a symbol of a white cross with eight ends, which is applied to the black dress on the left side.Mantle had narrow sleeves, who spoke about the absence of freedom of the brothers.Later, knights dressed up in red clothes and sewed the cross on his chest.Members were divided into three categories - chaplains actually knights and servants.Important decisions were made by the Grand Master and the General Chapter.
Hospitaller Order from the very beginning set a goal - to help the wounded and sick, the poor pilgrims and abandoned children.But then the Knights began to actively take part in wars and crusades.At the beginning of the fourteenth century, they settled on the island of Rhodes and lived there until the mid-sixteenth century.Then they settled in Malta, where they continued to fight the infidels.Then Napoleon conquered Malta and drove the brothers.So Hospitallers were in Russia.
The Order can join free men and nobles, kings and even women (the Templars also took only men).But the Grand Master became only the aristocrats.Attributes of the brotherhood was the crown, sword and seal.Since the mid-nineteenth century, the Order of the Hospitallers (Ioanity, Knights of Malta) is considered the spiritual and charitable corporation with headquarters in Rome.
Teutonic Order
Jerusalem in the twelfth century German-speaking pilgrims have organized a hospice.This can be considered the beginning of the Teutonic Knights, who first was a formal part of the Hospital.In 1199 it was approved a charter and elected Grand Master.But only in 1221-m Teutons got privileges relying Knights.The brothers took three vows - obedience, chastity and poverty.And joined the Order of the only representatives of the German-speaking population.The symbols of the community is usually a black cross on a white coat applied.
very soon ceased to perform the duties of the Knights Hospitaller, totally going to war against the infidels.But they did not have such an impact in his homeland, which had the Templars in England or in France.Germany is not experiencing the best of times, has been fragmented and poor.Teutons left Sepulchre other knights, to focus efforts on capturing the eastern lands, which became their property.Then they turned their eyes to the northern territories (the Baltic States), where it was founded after the conquest of Riga, and possession of Prussia.In 1237 Teutons merged with another German Order - the Livonian, with whom he went to Russia, but lost.
Order actively fought with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.And in 1511 Master Albert of Hohenzollern declared himself ruler of Prussia and Brandenburg, and deprived the organization of all privileges.Teutons have not been able to recover from the last strike, languish.It was only in the twentieth century, the Nazis exalted past achievements of knights and used the cross as the supreme award.Order exists to this day.Instead of an epilogue
So who are the Knights Templar?History can not yet give an exact answer to this question too much forgotten, or silenced.Therefore, the white spots are filled with all sorts of fantasies and original interpretations, like that of Dan Brown and his colleagues.But this only becomes Templar Order attractive for lovers of antiquity.
