Knights Templar: Origins, History and Fall of the Order
The Order of the Temple is one of the most famous religious and military orders of the Middle Ages. Founded in the early 12th century in the Kingdom of Jerusalem, it experienced a spectacular rise in less than two hundred years before disappearing in the early 14th century.
The Templars were at once religious men subject to a rule, combatants engaged in the defense of the Latin East, and members of an organization with numerous possessions in Europe.
Their history, therefore, is neither reduced to knights wearing a red cross, nor to the legends of treasure and secret societies that appeared much later.
When was the Order of the Temple created? Who was Hugues de Payns? Why did the Templars become so powerful? Why did Philip the Fair have them arrested in 1307 and how did the Order disappear in 1312?
To understand the history of the Templars, one must go back to Jerusalem, in the aftermath of the First Crusade.
What is the Order of the Temple?
The Order of the Temple is a Christian military religious order that appeared in the Holy Land in the early 12th century.
Its best-known members are the knight brothers, but the organization was not limited to them. It also included sergeant brothers, chaplains, and various personnel necessary for the operation of its houses.
This particular structure combines two dimensions that may seem contradictory:
- a religious life founded on obedience, prayer, and community discipline;
- a military function linked to the Christian presence in the Holy Land.
It is this combination of religion and chivalry that explains the historical originality of the Templars.
When was the Order of the Temple founded?
The capture of Jerusalem by the crusaders took place on July 15, 1099, at the end of the First Crusade.
A new set of Latin states then developed in the Near East, including the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The travel of pilgrims and the defense of these territories became important issues.
According to the chronology adopted by the National Archives, the Order of the Temple was founded on January 23, 1120, at the Council of Nablus. Hugues de Payns was then chosen as the master of this new community.
The beginnings of the Order remained modest. It did not yet possess the European network or the considerable resources that would characterize the following decades.
Who was Hugues de Payns?
Hugues de Payns is the central figure of the early days of the Temple.
Originally from Champagne, he became the first master of the Order and played an essential role in its recognition. With his companions, he participated in the creation of a community of knights engaged in a new form of religious and military life.
The modern image of a Hugues de Payns immediately founding an immense organization must, however, be avoided. The Temple began as a small community before gradually receiving support, donations, and ecclesiastical recognition.
Why are they called the Templars?
The name "Templars" comes from their settlement in Jerusalem.
King Baldwin II made available to the community buildings located in the enclosure associated by medieval Christians with the ancient Temple of Solomon.
The community was thus designated in texts in a form evoking the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon.
The term "Temple" gradually became inseparable from the Order's identity.
This explains why its members are known today by the name Templars, even if their mission obviously did not consist of rebuilding the ancient Temple.
What was the initial mission of the Templars?
Historical tradition associates the early years of the Order with the protection of Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land.
The routes taken to reach the main holy sites could expose travelers to various dangers. A community of knights capable of ensuring an armed presence therefore met a concrete need in the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
With the development of the Order, this mission expanded considerably.
The Templars gradually participated:
- in the defense of the Latin East;
- in military campaigns;
- in guarding fortifications;
- in the organization of strategic places;
- and in the general operation of the Christian territories of the East.
The Council of Troyes: when was the Order of the Temple recognized?
The 1120s were a decisive period.
Hugues de Payns traveled to the West in order to seek support and obtain more solid recognition for the new community.
On January 13, 1129, the Council of Troyes examined and approved the Rule of the Temple. Many religious authorities were present, among whom was Bernard of Clairvaux.
This step gave the Temple a much stronger institutional foundation.
Did Saint Bernard create the Rule of the Templars?
It is common to read that Bernard of Clairvaux personally wrote the entire Rule of the Temple. This statement is overly simplistic.
Bernard played a major role in supporting the new order and in its intellectual and religious legitimization. He is also the author of the famous In Praise of the New Knighthood.
But the regulatory corpus of the Temple is the result of a more complex evolution: a primitive core was approved at Troyes, then various prescriptions, statutes, and customs complemented the rule throughout the history of the Order.
To discover in concrete terms the meals, clothing, prayers, sanctions, and obligations of the brothers, consult our article: Rule of the Templars: how did the knights of the Temple live? .
How did the Templars live?
Joining the Order of the Temple meant accepting a highly regulated life.
A brother could not act as an independent knight seeking personal glory. His daily life was subject to a hierarchy and to rules concerning in particular:
- prayers;
- meals;
- clothing;
- travel;
- personal possessions;
- horses and equipment;
- discipline;
- and relationships between members of the community.
This collective organization constituted one of the great differences between the brother of the Temple and the secular knight.
How was the Order of the Temple organized?
The Order relied on a structured hierarchy.
At its head was the master of the Order, often referred to today as "grand master." Around him were various dignitaries and officials in charge of military operations, houses, resources, and administration.
Not all brothers were knights.
A distinction was made in particular between:
- the knight brothers;
- the sergeant brothers;
- the chaplains;
- as well as various personnel linked to the activities of the commanderies.
What role did the commanderies play?
In the West, the houses and commanderies of the Temple fulfilled an essential function.
They administered the lands, revenues, animals, buildings, and other goods allowing, in particular, the support of the Order's activities.
The Temple thus gradually developed a vast network linking its European possessions to the needs of its operations in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Why did the Templars become so powerful?
The power of the Temple resulted from several factors.
Donations
Over time, the Order received lands, buildings, rights, and resources offered by sovereigns, nobles, and individuals.
These donations gradually strengthened its establishment in Europe.
An international network
The houses of the Temple formed a network capable of managing resources over great distances. This organization constituted a considerable advantage in a society where communications were slow and travel could take several weeks.
Strong religious autonomy
Another essential step occurred on March 29, 1139.
By the bull Omne datum optimum, Pope Innocent II granted the Temple important privileges and placed it directly under papal authority, notably exempting it from the ordinary authority of bishops.
This privileged relationship with the papacy contributed to the autonomy of the Order.
Did the Templars invent banking?
The Templars carried out financial operations and ensured the safekeeping or transfer of funds for various actors.
It would, however, be excessive to say that they alone "invented modern banking."
Their financial importance must be placed within the context of all medieval economic practices, but their international network and their organization effectively allowed them to play an important role in the circulation and management of resources.
What role did the Templars play during the Crusades?
As the Order developed, the Templars became important military actors in the Latin East.
They participated in various campaigns, held fortifications, and took part in the defense of territories exposed to the offensives of neighboring Muslim powers.
1187: Hattin and the loss of Jerusalem
The year 1187 was a major turning point.
After the heavy defeat of the Christian forces at the Battle of Hattin, Saladin reconquered Jerusalem on October 2, 1187.
The loss of the city did not immediately cause the disappearance of the Templars. The Order continued its activities from other positions on the Mediterranean coast.
1191: Acre becomes a new center
In July 1191, the forces of the Third Crusade recaptured Acre.
The city subsequently became one of the main centers of the Latin Kingdom and played an essential role until the end of the 13th century.
Why did the fall of Acre in 1291 change the future of the Templars?
Between May 18 and 28, 1291, Acre fell to the Mamluk forces.
This event marked the end of the main Latin states of the East. The Templars also evacuated Château Pèlerin in August.
Deprived of its main bases in the Holy Land, the Order had to rethink its mission. It retreated towards Cyprus in particular.
It was in this context that Jacques de Molay became master of the Order at the end of 1291.
Why did Philip the Fair have the Templars arrested in 1307?
At the beginning of the 14th century, the situation of the Temple was profoundly different from that of its origins.
The Holy Land had been lost and the future justification of the great military orders was a subject of discussion. In the Kingdom of France, relations between the monarchy of Philip IV the Fair and the Temple became particularly strained.
The king and his advisors circulated serious accusations against the Templars, notably of heresy and practices contrary to the Christian religion.
On September 14, 1307, Philip the Fair had the order secretly sent to arrest the members of the Temple in his kingdom.
The operation was launched on October 13, 1307.
The arrested brothers were interrogated in a context where torture was used. The National Archives keep in particular an exceptional scroll relating the interrogation of 138 Templars by the inquisitor of the Kingdom of France.
The brutal fall of the Order has also fueled another enigma: what became of the Templars' wealth after the arrests of 1307? Between documented assets, royal seizures, and tales of lost fortune, the question gave rise to one of the most famous legends linked to the Temple.
Templar Treasure: myth, legends, and historical reality
Were the accusations against the Templars true?
The trial of the Templars remains one of the most complex episodes of their history.
The confessions obtained during the interrogations cannot be read without taking into account the methods used, the pressures exerted, and the political and religious conflict surrounding the case.
Some brothers, moreover, recanted their statements.
Therefore, two opposing simplifications must be avoided:
- presenting all accusations as historically established facts;
- or transforming the whole trial into a perfectly simple story where all events would be explained by a single motivation.
Historians study the trial based on a large mass of judicial, papal, and royal documents.
Why did the Order of the Temple disappear in 1312?
The affair quickly went beyond the Kingdom of France alone and directly involved Pope Clement V.
The Council of Vienne opened in October 1311.
On March 22, 1312, the papal bull Vox in excelso suppressed the Order of the Temple.
It is important to note that the Order was suppressed by papal decision in the context of the affair, rather than condemned at the end of a simple and definitive demonstration of all the accusations made against all its members.
On May 2, 1312, the bull Ad providam assigned the majority of the Temple's goods to the Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem.
Jacques de Molay and the end of the Templars
Jacques de Molay was the last master of the Order of the Temple.
After several years of proceedings, his fate was sealed in Paris in 1314.
The National Archives place his execution, with Geoffroy de Charnay, in March 1314. Both men were burned after being declared relapsed heretics.
Molay's death quickly became one of the most famous episodes in Templar history. It subsequently fueled several accounts, including the famous legend of the "curse" pronounced against the king and the pope.
To delve deeper into this story: Jacques de Molay: history of the last Grand Master of the Templars .
The major dates of the Order of the Temple
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1099 | Capture of Jerusalem during the First Crusade. |
| 1120 | Founding of the Order of the Temple at the Council of Nablus and election of Hugues de Payns. |
| 1129 | Council of Troyes and approval of the Rule of the Temple. |
| 1139 | Bull Omne datum optimum and strengthening of the Order's autonomy. |
| 1187 | Defeat of Hattin and loss of Jerusalem. |
| 1191 | Recapture of Acre during the Third Crusade. |
| 1291 | Fall of Acre and end of the main Latin states of the East. |
What symbols were associated with the Templars?
Several signs are associated with the Order of the Temple today, but not all of them have the exact same historical value.
The red cross
The red cross worn on clothing became one of the most recognizable signs of the Order.
Its precise shape is not uniform across all medieval representations. It should therefore not be claimed that one particular modern shape of cross was the sole "official cross" of the Templars throughout their history.
The pattée cross is particularly linked to the Templar imaginary today, but this form also exists in other medieval contexts.
The seal of the two knights
One of the most famous seals linked to the Temple shows two knights on a single horse.
This representation has received several interpretations over time. It is notably associated with the beginnings of the Order, with brotherhood, or with its communal ideal, but one should avoid presenting a single interpretation as indisputable.
Find our complete file: Templar symbols: meaning of the crosses, seals, and mottos .
Was the Jerusalem Cross a symbol of the Templars?
The Jerusalem Cross belongs to the same historical context as the Templars, but it should not be presented as the official emblem specific to the Order of the Temple.
It is primarily associated with the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem and the history of the Crusades. The Templars naturally operated in this environment, which explains the proximity of these symbols in the modern imagination.
To understand this distinction: Jerusalem Cross: meaning, origin, and history of the symbol .
Templar treasure: reality or legend?
The brutal disappearance of the Order fueled the birth of numerous stories surrounding a supposed Templar treasure.
It is certain that the Order possessed significant land, income, objects, archives, and resources.
However, the existence of a mysterious secret treasure that vanished just before the arrests of 1307 is not established by any historical evidence that would make it a confirmed fact.
This distinction between real heritage and legendary treasure is essential.
Did the Templars discover the Grail?
No solid medieval source allows us to claim that the Templars discovered or kept the Holy Grail.
The connection between the Templars and the Grail belongs primarily to literary traditions, modern interpretations, and popular culture.
This does not diminish the interest in these legends, but they should not be confused with the documented history of the Order.
Are there still Templars today?
The medieval Order of the Temple was suppressed in 1312.
Modern organizations today use the name, symbols, or legacy of the Templars. They may pursue religious, cultural, fraternal, or charitable goals.
However, they do not constitute a direct and uninterrupted institutional continuation of the medieval Order as it existed before 1312.
Why do the Templars still fascinate us today?
Few medieval organizations have had such a spectacular trajectory.
In less than two centuries, the Templars went:
- from a small community based in Jerusalem;
- to a wealthy and influential international order;
- and finally to an organization that was accused, arrested, and ultimately suppressed.
This trajectory brings together particularly powerful themes: crusades, religion, chivalry, wealth, power, trials, and brutal disappearance.
It explains why the Order of the Temple continues to appear in novels, films, games, documentaries, and objects inspired by the Middle Ages.
The legacy of the Order of the Temple in contemporary jewelry
Current so-called "Templar" jewelry should obviously not be presented as automatic reproductions of jewelry historically worn by the brothers of the Temple.
They are primarily inspired by the symbols, crosses, seals, and chivalric references associated with this universe.
A ring might feature a cross or a coat of arms, a necklace might highlight a seal or a motto, while a bracelet might adopt an aesthetic inspired by the medieval world.
Their interest today is therefore primarily historical, symbolic, and aesthetic.
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Explore our jewelry inspired by the Order of the Temple, its symbols, and the medieval chivalric universe.
Frequently asked questions about the Order of the Temple
When was the Order of the Temple created?
The National Archives place the foundation of the Order of the Temple on January 23, 1120, during the Council of Nablus, with the election of Hugues de Payns as master.
Who founded the Templars?
Hugues de Payns is the main figure associated with the founding of the Order, along with a group of fellow knights. He became the first Grand Master of the Temple.
Why are they called Templars?
Their name comes from their establishment in Jerusalem in an area then associated with Solomon's Temple. This settlement gradually gave the community its name: the Order of the Temple.
What was the mission of the Templars?
The initial mission is traditionally associated with the protection of pilgrims in the Holy Land. With the development of the Order, its members participated more broadly in the military defense of the Latin East.
Why were the Templars rich?
The Order received numerous donations and developed a significant network of lands, houses, and commanderies. This organization made it possible to manage resources in Europe and support its activities in the East.
Why did Philip the Fair have the Templars arrested?
Philip IV the Fair had the Templars arrested in France in 1307 in a complex context combining accusations of heresy, political stakes, power relations with the papacy, and the uncertain situation of the Order after the loss of the Holy Land.
When did the Order of the Temple disappear?
Pope Clement V suppressed the Order of the Temple on March 22, 1312, with the bull Vox in excelso.
When did Jacques de Molay die?
The last Grand Master of the Temple was executed in Paris in March 1314, along with Geoffroy de Charnay.
Are there any real Templars today?
The medieval Order of the Temple has not existed since 1312. Contemporary organizations use the name and certain Templar symbols, but they do not constitute the direct institutional continuation of the medieval Order.
From Jerusalem to the disappearance of the Order
The history of the Order of the Temple cannot be reduced to a few knights in white mantles or to the legends that appeared after their disappearance.
Founded in 1120, recognized and structured during the 12th century, the Temple became a religious, military, and economic organization present throughout much of Europe and the Latin Near East.
However, the gradual loss of Christian territories in the East, followed by the fall of Acre in 1291, opened a new period of uncertainty.
The arrests of 1307, the suppression of the Order in 1312, and the death of Jacques de Molay in 1314 brought an end to this medieval institution.
This exceptional destiny explains why the Order of the Temple continues to generate so much interest today. But its actual history, documented by the archives, is already remarkable enough that it does not need to be confused with the legends that have developed around it.
Historical sources and further reading
- National Archives – The Templars: documents, archives, and chronology of the Order of the Temple
- National Archives – The trial of the Templars in 1307: the interrogation scroll
- National Library of France – The Order of the Temple: the founding texts
- Henri de Curzon – The Rule of the Temple, French History Society, 1886
The legacy of the Temple
Discover jewelry and symbols inspired by the history of the Order of the Temple and the medieval chivalric universe.