Image by Enrique Meseguer from Pixabay

As I heard the French words I could feel my world shifting. From my earliest childhood I loved the Egyptian culture and kneeling there many of my experiences took on new meaning.  There was a rhythm in my life, that until that moment I had never felt. More than Seventeen years ago, I was a communications officer in the Diplomatic Corps, serving at the American Embassy in Cairo. Almost daily I wandered around the city… In the souk, ruins and museums, I came to love the culture.  I reveled in the color, rush and vibrancy of traditions more than a world away.  I felt at home. Strangely, climbing the pyramids and watching the sun rise slowly over the city was more familiar than I ever expected and to find myself in this strange church in Nashville, Tennessee somehow completed this journey.

The 1^st Presbyterian Church in downtown Nashville was constructed in 1850 (actual photo in column banner). Built by architect William Strickland and influenced by the Egyptian Revival style this “Temple” was and is impressive for its time. The color, perspective and architecture illuminate the wisdom of antiquity. Eight years ago, I knelt before its alter and accepted my vows. I became a Knight of the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem, the Knights Templers.  I accepted my vows in French, the language of its founders and as the blade of the sword crossed my shoulders a “Grand Cross,” one of the most senior officers within the order tapped a spur on my heel, turned and proclaimed my elevation to knighthood to my new family.

Personal Photo 1 Chevalier with permission

Rising and turning away from the Alter, I noticed the Sergeant at Arms, standing guard at the back of the church near the huge doors with a claymore at his side. For more than a thousand years this ceremony has repeated itself on almost every continent in the known world. In that first step I embraced the history of Knights Templar and turned to face the perils of a world in chaos.

Like its founding, today the Knights Templar live in a world of great upheaval. As cultures collided in the near East at the turn of the tenth century, the world today stands on the same brink of destruction. To know the Templar’s future, you must understand their heritage. Journey with me as we travel back across the mountains of time to discover nine poor French Knights struggling eastward toward Jerusalem. Their story is one of triumph, glory, betrayal and finally a new renaissance. I promise you it is a journey beyond the horizon, deep into the hearts and passions of men.

 
At the end of the tenth century nine French Knights banded together. Because these knights were not the first born of their families law and culture denied them their birthright (land and other holdings). These pious Knights decided to travel eastward toward Jerusalem and on the journey they witnessed the dangers of travel common in their day. During their trip the need for protection on the way to Jerusalem became obvious. Tired, hungry and almost penniless they arrived in the city they had only read about. For more than nine years these Knights struggled to find their way in Jerusalem a city that three religions claimed as their own. During their work in Jerusalem, they found favor with the King there, and were given quarters on the Temple Mount. It is said that their housing was situated over the royal stables of Solomon.

Through these nine years they began to formulate the precepts of the order, and they guarded the roads and protected the travelers from thieves and raiders on the routes toward Jerusalem. The reputation of these Knights grew dramatically. Their courage, honor and ferocity in battle earned them a reputation as warriors without equals. Later, warring tribal leaders would execute Templar rather than keep them as prisoners or release them. Plainly, they were feared. In the midst of battle, Templar would not retire from the field even if out numbered ten to one. With their reputation, the order grew dramatically. With the influx of men, money and material the Templar became one of the most powerful organizations in the world.

 
With the rise of the Templar, these knights worked to create the formal order that we know today as the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem. With the help of Bernard of Clairvaux, one of the most respected theologians of his time, the church recognized the order. Formally, the Templar became an extension of the Catholic Church. These warrior monks vowed poverty, chastity and obedience. If you look at the badge of the order it reveals two knights riding on a piebald horse – symbolizing their poverty.

 
Because the Templar were under the direct control of the Pope, no sovereign or ruler could tax or control the order within his or her boarders. This was a friction the Pope overlooked since they brought such power and riches into the church. Later it would be the seeds of their destruction.

 
Over the next three hundred years, The Templar grew into the world’s first multi-national corporation. They are credited with creating the first “traveler’s check,” international banking operation and ultimately became the carriers of culture, knowledge and wisdom from the near East. The Templar shared advances in mathematics, astronomy, medicine and the arts. They became vertically integrated as an organization – completely self-sufficient. With the donations of money, land and material the Templar became the financiers of kings. The treasuries of the Templar financed much of the lifestyle, war and construction of sovereigns around the world. By today’s standard, imagine Wal-Mart, Microsoft, Exxon and GE being owned by one organization. You begin to understand the power and influence that the Templar exerted around the globe. In almost every country in the known world a Templar Commandery or Priory existed.

 
 
The Templar controlled only by the Pope of Rome enjoyed a level of absolute power unheard of in that time. And as you would suspect, absolute power corrupts absolutely. The Templar’s reputation became one of arrogance, extravagance and indulgences that even by today’s standard would seems extreme. Simultaneously, the King of France Phillip the Fair plotted to destroy the order.

Phillip, King of France was heavily in debt to the Templar. Financing his wars, the crusades and his lifestyle Phillip had mortgaged his kingdom.  The King of France set his sites on the treasury of the Templar, often rumored to be the largest fortune of its time – so the intrigue began. Phillip knew that a direct assault on the Templar would be disastrous. He needed a “legal” way to usurp the power and riches of the order. Although not proven, the current Pope was thought to refuse to relinquish control of the order. Shortly afterwards, he died under mysterious circumstances. Then Phillip managed to position his candidate to ascend the Papal throne. France now allied with the throne of Peter began a campaign to destroy the Templar. The vehicle the Phillip chose was to have the Templar declared heretics and seize the order’s property and fortunes.

 
At the direction of the Pope, a Papal Bull (a papal decree carrying the rule of law within the Catholic Church) was issued in secret. Today, we celebrate that event. On Friday April 13^th, 1307 the Papal Bull issued in secret was opened throughout the Christian kingdom. The Bull decreed all Templar be arrested and all assets seized. The Knights Templar would be tried and convicted as heretics. In France, the Templar fleet was anchored in the Mediterranean on Friday April 12^th. By the morning of the 13^th, the fleet was gone. Although Phillip seized the assets of the Templar in France, he did not find the fortunes he expected and although he captured the Leader of the Templar, most of the Knights in France had disappeared.

 
Friday thirteenth, celebrated today as one of the unluckiest days of the year was based on the experiences of the Knights Templar. Thus began one of the darkest chapters in Templar History.  The next installment begins the Templar march from the darkness into the light. I hope you will join me in discovering the “new” power and influence of the Templar.

 Part 2

 Today is a new day… the government has outlawed and seized all banking, shipping, trading and information companies. They have declared them all illegal and a threat to Christianity. Wal-Mart, GE, Chase Manhattan, IBM, Microsoft, Exxon and BP Along with all the others have been confiscated. That is the day the world woke up to in the beginning of the 14^th century with the suppression of the Templar. Sadly no real wealth except land, fortifications and a few bobbles were ever found. The Financial empire and resources that were built over the last 300 years has evaporated into thin air. The pope, the king of France and many other monarchs were left trying to understand exactly what was the Templar Empire and where was its wealth.

After the suppression of the Templar, many of the international enterprises of the Templar disappeared or were renamed in quick order. Without an international banking system, trade companies and even visiting scholars program, Europe fell into a black chapter of her history, the Dark Ages. These ages brought the inquisitions, the suppression of anything not from the state or the church, the destruction of all knowledge not endorsed by the Church and the finally the control of the spirit of man. Because of the lust for the Templar treasure, most of western Christendom suffered for the next one hundred years… In many ways we are still trying to recover from that loss today. Imagine the wealth, knowledge and power that could have shaped a new world… I believe it was another two hundred to three hundred years before we began to emerge from this darkness.

In the end, no Templar documents, no historical records, no treasure has ever been found, so in the end, the suppression wasn’t successful. The treasure to this day remains hidden. Make no mistake about it, even as it was bound to fail the suppression was brutal and swift. In retribution of this calamity (no treasure), the Templar were tortured mercilessly. Every known method of torture was authorized if not endorsed by the Church. In almost every case no information regarding the Templar Treasure was ever discovered, this included the treasure documents, records or gold. You see the Templar were one of the first organizations to realize the value of compartmentalization. Today, every intelligence service in the world employs this technique to protect their secrets. Very few individuals except the senior leadership ever knew the “whole story.”

 
Because the papal bull was published throughout Christendom, the Templar fate rested in the hands of the Sovereigns around the globe of those nations where they lived. In many cases, Templar were brought to trial, found not guilty and quickly disappeared into the landscape. Large contingents of knights found their way to Spain and Portugal and renamed themselves the “Knights of Christ.” Others moved to present day Switzerland. Still more, legend has it, found sanctuary in Scotland as the guests of Clan Sinclair. In Scotland during the years that followed it is fabled that many of William Wallace’s (Braveheart) famous victories were insured by the heavy horse of the ex-Knights Templar. Over the next 700 years, the secrets of the Templar and their treasure remained a mystery. But much of the Grail legend grew through the legend of the Templar.  

Today, the Templar are involved in Christian benevolent work around the globe. They support charities in the Holy Lands and as the order grows into every corner of the globe, The Knights Templar are reclaiming their heritage. More recently, The Templar sponsored, supported and delivered huge plane-loads of educational supplies to the children of Afghanistan. With the assistance and negotiation of the ex- Afghan royal family, much of the tribal and governmental bureaucracy was dispensed with and enough school supplies to run most of the schools in that country were delivered without incident. The Templar continue to find opportunities to serve the greater good around the world. Although embraced by the Orthodox Christian Church, the Roman Catholic Church has never admitted its duplicity in their actions. Overtures have been made to the Vatican without success. Most Templar hold little hope for the atonement; the Church would have to first admit its motives and methods – something the Roman Catholic Church rarely, if ever does.

Many of the Templar of today are the best and brightest of their generation. Generals, diplomats, Industrialists, professionals from every walk of life are Templar. Today the Templar act as negotiators and intermediaries for many organizations around the globe. Even now The Knights Templar are seeking official observer status at the United Nations. Although they are not the secret organization of the past they continue to place themselves in the center of ideas and cultures bridging the gap between trust and fear.