emergence of military order refers to the times of the Crusades, who organized the Catholic church from the ninth century.The goal was the good: the liberation of Palestine and the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, but passing the problem of circumvention is not cheap: the supreme and Roman Catholics, and the Crusaders themselves in need of new lands and riches coveted eastern cities.
Education military order
When the fortress of Jerusalem surrendered unconditionally in 1099, the Pope blessed the creation of new institutions to protect and preserve both Christian possessions and themselves pilgrims from the local Islamists.The base had already created - various spiritual brotherhood, of which formed the spiritual and knightly orders of the Hospitallers, the Templars and others.
It is difficult to reconcile the two opposing, according to the Scriptures, incarnation - God's service and military service, where they had to kill their own kind.But by the twelfth century the history of the spiritual and the Knights has grown and its own ideology, justifies not only the creation, but also a way of life crusaders.
holy vows
Knight, the incoming order, became a monk, brought vows of poverty, obedience, chastity, and intransigence to incorrect performance of duty of hospitality.Commoner, who joined the Order, became a military monk.However, commoners and devoted circle always kept her separate group.Some orders took into their ranks even women.
army discipline was all obeyed the head - the Grand Master, Grandmaster, which could keep the report only to the Pope.Rulers, which was located on the land military order (of the Templars or any other), if you do not come into its ranks, no voting rights, the more - the command, did not have.
hierarchy
history spiritual and knightly order was written on special tables.From religious and from each other knightly orders different clothes and their own charter, which shall be signed by the Pope.But, unlike the monks, the ranks of warrior monks to grow very, very quickly, as demanded by constant war.
Knights not only robbed the eastern towns, they broke the commandments of Christ are many: to lend money at interest, exploited the locals were engaged in the slave trade.And steadily immensely rich in.Knight Crusader ninth century was different from its counterpart in the thirteenth as heaven from earth.It must be admitted that, richer, many orders poured money into science.
Each member of the Order was a certain position.Over time, it could recognize on clothes (only the initiated, of course).Templars - in a white cloak with a red cross, the Hospitallers - in black, knights of the Teutonic Order - in white with a black cross.
history spiritual and knightly order shows that special cross sewn on clothes papal bull permitted only in 1146, and not all at once, but only the most noble blood knights.Over time, as the Crusades greatly enriched the treasury not only orders, but also of individual knights, even in the luxury clothes do not make them wait.
three major orders
Prior to the fifteenth century, the history of spiritual order of knights during the Crusades describes little more than twenty awards, three of them - the most wealthy, powerful and strong.They had such great fortune, they were jealous of the King.Here is a wonderful triple:
- Order of Hospitallers (Knights of St. John).
- Order of the Knights Templar (Templar).
- Teutonic (German) Order.
history spiritual and knightly order was written not only in the Holy Land.Crusaders participated in wars in all areas of the Christian world.In Spain first started fighting the Knights Templar and Hospitaller Order, and Teutons tamed the whole of Central and Northern Europe.In Eastern Europe, their military reputation, however, and ended (remember Lake Chud and Alexander Nevsky).
history spiritual and Knights Templar
Colossal condition allowed orders to buy the best land throughout Europe.As proof of the power of the Templars, for example, minted their own money freely walked the whole of Europe.The coins were made of silver and gold, and there was so many of them that the Templars ascribed alchemical discoveries, such as the extraction of gold from lead ...
This organization was able to survive for a long time.Back in 1118 nine French knights led by Hugues de Payena and Geoffroy de Saint-Ome were defending the road to Jerusalem from the Mediterranean Sea after the First Crusade.First of all, Christian pilgrims from robbers and burglars.From King Baldwin of Jerusalem, they have received the residence, the name of which later came to be called - Castle Temple, built on the site of the ancient temple of Solomon.This Order several names:
- Order of the Poor Knights (or brothers) of the Jerusalem Temple (or the Temple of Solomon).
- Order of the Templars.
- Order of the Knights Templar.
Charter
wishes to join the Order of the Knights certainly had to become monks - humble, poor and unmarried.It was, nevertheless, a very successful project.History spiritual Knights says that his mouth was one of the most demanding and rigorous, and has developed its own St. Bernard, approved the same - Pope Eugenius III in 1128, that is, after ten years of informal existence.
the Order of the Knights Templar had to forget all worldly things, including relatives, to eat only bread and water and dress in the most simple and rough clothes.He could not have any property.If his things after his death found gold or silver, in the consecrated ground of the cemetery he had no place.
However, all this did not prevent the Templars become very greedy mining, entertainment, and even alcoholism.Artistic works written about that time, for example, the novel "Ivanhoe" by Sir Walter Scott, preserve the historical truth, which was found in historical chronicles.
division into classes and decals
Estates from the Templars were.This, of course, on the specific project.The history of the spiritual and the Knights kept us three divisions: the actual knights, priests and so-called sergeants, which include all the lower ranks: the pages, squires, soldiers, servants, guards and so on.
must admit that with all this categorical division of vows took everything and tired all the same had to perform flawlessly.However, exceptions to the rule was enough.
For all the Knights Templar necessarily a white cloak, like a mantle, with the Maltese eight-pointed scarlet cross.Sergeants also dressed in brown, the cross was the same.Learn Templar on the road could be in combat shouts "Bosean!", And the flag - black with a white flag and motto in Latin - "Not to us, O Lord" (first words of the ninth verse of the psalm one hundred and thirteenth).
coat of arms of the Knights Templar was a symbol of poverty: on it depicted two knights on one horse.If the knight was going on a crusade, he carried the cross on his chest, and back - on the back.Style, style, size and material of clothing, as well as the location of the cross usually chose himself.
national and class accessory
The Knights Templar first could devote only a Frenchman of noble birth.A little later, the opportunity to receive and Englishmen.Nevertheless, the Knights became Spaniards, Italians and Flemings.Knights could only assume leadership positions - from the great master's and master's possessions to the Castellan, kapitulera, drapiera.
sergeant became more affluent citizens who occupied good positions keepers, squires, lords and storekeepers.Those that are poorer, went to the servants, soldiers or guards.
Bishops of the Church of Rome and the Pope himself could not control the priests of the Order.Military order of the Knights Templar required his priests departure spiritual needs, despite the fact that all the knights were entitled to the confessor.Confession and Communion at the members of the Order could only send the Order priest, because a lot of secrets and protected by the Roman Catholic Church.
Despite the strict statutes and camp life, the Order of the Templars quickly became popular.A few years later joined by nine more three hundred knights, among whom were many royals.The number of sergeants, of course, also increased.
From firewood?
Belonging to the Order gave both personal safety and augmentation of state.Offend a member of the Order was not."One for all" - the motto, born far from the first Musketeers.
proclaimed miserable Order rapidly grew rich.And not only because the rulers often bequeathed him untold riches.Entire villages, towns, churches, castles, monasteries, over time, to belong to the Order.They humbly gave him the taxes and duties.The fact that the military order of the Templars was engaged in usury.
It is not the Jews and the Order of the Knights Templar created a banking system in Europe.In the Middle Ages the Jews were the only street money changers, and the Templars already had a system of credit, promissory notes, their own money.Operated they are not only gold but also securities.
departed from Cross
Templars were noted as the biggest traitor of the case carriers Cross of Christ.Such was in October 1240 when the Muslims of Damascus and Egypt quarreled, the Crusaders took the side of Egypt, a deal agreement, and get it not only Jerusalem, but almost all of Palestine.Bloodless!The Templars also, by agreement with Damascus, attacked the Egyptians along with the Teutonic Knights and the Hospitallers.And it was more cruel than the Muslims with the Jews.Blood reaches the horses to his knees, as the history of the spiritual knight of the Order of the Knights Templar.Even fellow crusaders were not allowed to bury their dead.In 1243 Muslims are repaid in full and the Templars took Jerusalem back, firing live only three Teutons, twenty-six and thirty-three Hospitaller Templar.
further Crusades were however numerous, and so successful.In 1298, the last Grand Master of the Order became Jacques de Molay.The idea of the Crusades went out, meaning the existence of military monks became unclear.In the Teutonic Knights still had a bit of work - a century and a half.But the Templars was uncomfortable to sit on the wealth that never dreamed of, and kings.The first Temple was for the Muslim world, and the military order of the Templars placed residence in Cyprus - where the shelter is based Christians who were able to leave Palestine, but that was not expected in Europe.
Robbers
Charles of Valois, brother of King Philip the Fair, started a war with Byzantium.Christianity with the Greek war was not easier than with Muslims.Templars instead of fighting with Andronicus, go along the coast from Fesaloniki to Thrace and Moravia, where already reigned in Catholicism.
mining the Templars was rich.But European monarchs rebelled.Who cares have effect next fifteen thousand of these soldiers, well armed and battle-hardened, to the same aggressive, willfully and cleverly managed?And, of course, greed played a role: the Templars were fabulous, incredibly rich.
In 1307 Philip the Fair issued a decree for the arrest of all the Knights Templar in the country.Prisoners were severely tortured, burned at the stake.Treasury France significantly replenished.History spiritual knight of the Order of the Knights Templar came to an end.
