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Knights Templar Research Paper

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The Knights Templar Although the Knights Templar eventually became one of the most powerful organizations in Medieval Europe, it came from humble beginnings where its first Grand Master had to share a horse with another founder. The Knights Templar, a military order devoted to protecting the Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land, was one shrouded by power and mystery. Originally known as the Poor Knights of the Temple of King Solomon, it was initially a group dedicated to the protection of Christians traveling into the Holy Lands after Jerusalem was captured by the Christians. A French knight named Hugues de Payens was the founder of the Knights Templar order in 1118 A.D, but it was not until the order received the endorsement of the Pope …show more content…

At the height of their power, the Templars had established substantial financial networks and acquired large amounts of land across all of Europe and the Middle East, built a plethora of stone cathedrals and castles, had their own personal fleet of ships, and even managed to own the entire island of Cyprus, which served as the Templar headquarters. A case can be made that the power the Templars acquired actually led to their downfall. As the tide began to turn in the Crusades, so did the tide begin to turn on the Templar Order. On Friday October 13th, 1307, King Philip IV ordered the arrest of Templar Grand Master Jacques de Molay, in addition to many other French Templars. The reasons behind the arrest were that Templars were participating in sacrilegious acts in addition to financial corruption, fraud, and secrecy. These prisoners were then tortured until they confessed under duress leading to a scandal that rippled throughout Paris. Soon after in November of 1307, Pope Clement instructed all Christian Monarchs to arrest and seize all Templar assets. The Templar Order was soon after disbanded and its leader, de Molay, burned at the

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