The Knights Templar

[Gregrios]

I too have been doing a bit of research on them for awhile, most of it was the same general info, up until they were disbanded. Other then the leader and a couple hundered more executed, and their fleet dissapearing, not much is known about what happened afterwards. Some theories point to them helping the Swiss come into power, others, some going to Scotland.

As for before being disbanded, it started out as a small group of knightly-monks that would safe-guard the pilgrims. But some evidence has been found at the Temple of Solomon (their namesake place), suggesting that they found something, what though, has never been found out. They also went on to make the standard banking system (at least it's predessor). And that is a short summary of what I know of them.

I really don't know anything about them but when you mentioned they had found something at the Temple of Solomon. I would almost put money on the possiblity that the discovery was the hearth of ancient times. The hearth being the place where the devil himself will rise up from. It says in the Bible that keepers of the hearth would listen for a voice. This type of hearth would most likely be persued by both religous and non-religous groups. So, I really don't know where the Knights Templer would stand in ways of motivation.

[comic boy]

I too have been doing a bit of research on them for awhile, most of it was the same general info, up until they were disbanded. Other then the leader and a couple hundered more executed, and their fleet dissapearing, not much is known about what happened afterwards. Some theories point to them helping the Swiss come into power, others, some going to Scotland.

As for before being disbanded, it started out as a small group of knightly-monks that would safe-guard the pilgrims. But some evidence has been found at the Temple of Solomon (their namesake place), suggesting that they found something, what though, has never been found out. They also went on to make the standard banking system (at least it's predessor). And that is a short summary of what I know of them.

I really don't know anything about them but when you mentioned they had found something at the Temple of Solomon. I would almost put money on the possiblity that the discovery was the hearth of ancient times. The hearth being the place where the devil himself will rise up from. It says in the Bible that keepers of the hearth would listen for a voice. This type of hearth would most likely be persued by both religous and non-religous groups. So, I really don't know where the Knights Templer would stand in ways of motivation.

I very much doubt that they found something that did not exist

[Guiscard]

I too have been doing a bit of research on them for awhile, most of it was the same general info, up until they were disbanded. Other then the leader and a couple hundered more executed, and their fleet dissapearing, not much is known about what happened afterwards. Some theories point to them helping the Swiss come into power, others, some going to Scotland.

As for before being disbanded, it started out as a small group of knightly-monks that would safe-guard the pilgrims. But some evidence has been found at the Temple of Solomon (their namesake place), suggesting that they found something, what though, has never been found out. They also went on to make the standard banking system (at least it's predessor). And that is a short summary of what I know of them.

I really don't know anything about them but when you mentioned they had found something at the Temple of Solomon. I would almost put money on the possiblity that the discovery was the hearth of ancient times. The hearth being the place where the devil himself will rise up from. It says in the Bible that keepers of the hearth would listen for a voice. This type of hearth would most likely be persued by both religous and non-religous groups. So, I really don't know where the Knights Templer would stand in ways of motivation.

Believe me, if they had found anything remotely religious we would have known about it. The crusades were full of relics. The third crusade discovered two remnants of the true cross (to go alongside the bits Saladin had captured) conveniently when morale was weakest.

As for the Templars... They, like the other orders, relied on money to exist. Despite dedications to poverty, they held extensive estates, acted as money lenders and bankers to the rich and powerfull... What would ahve brought them more money than anything would be the trade associated with pilgrims coming to visit something as important as a relic from the Temple of Solomon. No offence, but you'd lose your bet. I really don't know what makes you so sure when there is absolutely nothing whatsoever in any documentary or archaeological form to indicate anything even slightly to that effect. We would know if they had because it would have been exploited for monetary gain, just as churches and cathedrals all over Christendom raised money through the pilgrims visiting whatever bit of a Saint they had above the altar.

[Minister Masket]

I don't know much about them, but I do know that I have to kill a whole lot o' them in Assassin's Creed.

[Guiscard]

I don't know much about them, but I do know that I have to kill a whole lot o' them in Assassin's Creed.

Just found out my brother has purchased a 32 inch HD telly and Xbox 360... Can't wait to put my years of medieval academia to the test when I go back home for Christmas...

[Guiscard]

Guiscard, I forget the book, or who wrote it. I'm at work, and would have to scour my library at home to see the author and title. As you say, it appears that the Templars were just what you say, a military order. If that is true, then my interest grows even more. You are right. Factual history gives us much better stories than any fiction could.

If anyone has any suggested reading, I would appreciate it. I'm planning on devoting a lot of my free time to this.

I've spoken to a friend who has doen more reading on the subject than myself, and he recommended you start with these if you're interested in the Templars and the general mythology/truth of their activites:

The Templars : selected sources / translated and annotated by Malcolm Barber and Keith Bate

The Knights Templar : a new history / Helen Nicholson

The murdered magicians : the Templars and their myth / Peter Partner

The new knighthood : a history of the Order of the Temple / Malcolm Barber

And if you want a good one volume history of the Crusades as a whole I'd still recommend H. E. Mayer's 'The Crsaudes'. Its outdated on a few points but still a great single volume text unsurpassed in a lot of areas.

[FiveThreeEight]

Guiscard, I forget the book, or who wrote it. I'm at work, and would have to scour my library at home to see the author and title. As you say, it appears that the Templars were just what you say, a military order. If that is true, then my interest grows even more. You are right. Factual history gives us much better stories than any fiction could.

If anyone has any suggested reading, I would appreciate it. I'm planning on devoting a lot of my free time to this.

I've spoken to a friend who has doen more reading on the subject than myself, and he recommended you start with these if you're interested in the Templars and the general mythology/truth of their activites:

The Templars : selected sources / translated and annotated by Malcolm Barber and Keith Bate

The Knights Templar : a new history / Helen Nicholson

The murdered magicians : the Templars and their myth / Peter Partner

The new knighthood : a history of the Order of the Temple / Malcolm Barber

And if you want a good one volume history of the Crusades as a whole I'd still recommend H. E. Mayer's 'The Crsaudes'. Its outdated on a few points but still a great single volume text unsurpassed in a lot of areas.

Thanks. I'll look into those.

[Guiscard]

Guiscard, I forget the book, or who wrote it. I'm at work, and would have to scour my library at home to see the author and title. As you say, it appears that the Templars were just what you say, a military order. If that is true, then my interest grows even more. You are right. Factual history gives us much better stories than any fiction could.

If anyone has any suggested reading, I would appreciate it. I'm planning on devoting a lot of my free time to this.

I've spoken to a friend who has doen more reading on the subject than myself, and he recommended you start with these if you're interested in the Templars and the general mythology/truth of their activites:

The Templars : selected sources / translated and annotated by Malcolm Barber and Keith Bate

The Knights Templar : a new history / Helen Nicholson

The murdered magicians : the Templars and their myth / Peter Partner

The new knighthood : a history of the Order of the Temple / Malcolm Barber

And if you want a good one volume history of the Crusades as a whole I'd still recommend H. E. Mayer's 'The Crsaudes'. Its outdated on a few points but still a great single volume text unsurpassed in a lot of areas.

Thanks. I'll look into those.

No problem. Anything else by Barber or Nicholson will most likely be good, and if you need any journal articles which you'd usually have to pay for in PDF give me a PM because I get free academic access to the vast vast majority.