Knights Templar

The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Latin: Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici), popularly known as the Knights Templar or the Order of the Temple, were among the most famous of the Christian military orders. The organization existed for about two centuries in the Middle Ages, created in the aftermath of the First Crusade of 1096 to ensure the safety of the large numbers of European pilgrims who flowed toward Jerusalem after its conquest.

The Templars were an unusual order in that they were both monks and soldiers. Members of the Order played a key part in many battles of the Crusades, and the Order's infrastructure innovated many financial techniques that could be considered the foundation of modern banking.

The order's Knights were also famous and easily recognized, with a white surcoat with distinct red cross emblazoned above the heart or on the chest, as seen in many portrayals of crusaders.

After being officially recognized and sanctioned by the church in 1128, the Order became a favored charity across Europe, and grew rapidly in membership and power. At its peak it was comprised of thousands of knights, who made up one of the best equipped, trained, and disciplined fighting units of the Crusades. The Order also used its resources to construct numerous fortifications throughout Europe and the Holy Land.

However, the tide eventually turned in the Crusades, and the Templars began suffering crushing defeats. Further conflict arose at home, as royals who were in financial debt to the Order grumbled at the organization's tax-free status. Things came to a head in 1307, when King Philip IV of France (Philip the Fair) caused many of the order's members in France to be arrested, tortured into "confessions" and burned at the stake. A few years later Pope Clement V, under further pressure from King Philip, forcibly disbanded the entire order. The sudden disappearance of a major part of the European infrastructure spawned a plethora of speculation and legends, which continue to keep the name "Templar" alive in modern fiction.
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