The Order of the Knights Templar traced their lineage back to the First Crusade. The history and fascination about who they were and their military prowess, wealth and ultimate demise has been a never-ending source legend in both books and film.

After the initial Crusade to take the city of Jerusalem back from the Muslims in 1099, this caused many religious pilgrims from Europe to visit the Holy Land and the religious sites set down in the Bible. But to get thru to Jerusalem, these Europeans had to cross thru Muslim held lands and many of them were robbed and murdered.

A French knight, Hugues de Payens created an order that consisted of himself and eight other knights which became known as the Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici – the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon. This eventually became shortened to the Knights Templar. These knights were related to Payens either by blood or marriage and their mission was to protect the pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land.

They approached King Baldwin II in Jerusalem and he allowed them to set up their headquarters in Temple Mount. The Dome of the Rock became a Christian Church and the al Aqsa Mosque located atop of what was believed to be Solomon’s Temple, is where the Templars were located. ……  After the Templar banks denied Philip another loan he moved against them. On the morning of Friday, October 13, 1307, Philip had scores of the Templars arrested in France…

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