There are a few stories among the Hermetic Templars that have become legend over the years. One of them is the story of the hanged Templar and his Witch bride.

In the early 1200's a Hermitic Templar married a Witch in the Cult of Isis. Their names were never known. She had coven sisters within the Cult, that attended the wedding of the two. They were married for 2 months when the Catholic Church called on the Templar to go to the Crusades in the Israel. During the 2 months they were together the Witch conceived a child, which the Templar didn't know about at the time of his leaving.

There was a rumor around at the time that the women in the Cult of Isis were prostitutes that had left the profession. A rumor which was not discouraged by the church. One of the Catholic priests took a liking to the Witch, and wanted to use what he believed were her skills from her past life. She apparently wasn't a past prostitute, but then such things didn't matter to the catholic clergy at the time. When the Witch told him he wasn't getting anything from her, as she preferred to wait for her husband's return, the priest became vindictive. The Witch became one of the first to come under the inquistion. She was stoned for being a Witch. The church had no concern for her unborn child. A child of a Witch would be born as evil to them. When it was over, her sisters in the Cult buried her under the shade of a tree.

When the Templar returned he found his home abandoned. Thinking his wife had gone to stay with her sisters in the Cult, he went to them to ask if she was there. It was at this time that he learned what had happened. The High Priestess of the Cult told him that he might also find his unborn child in the grave as well. When they showed him the grave, he dug it up, intending to try to rescue the child. When he reached his wife's body, he found that in death she had somehow managed to cross her right leg over her left leg. The child appeared to be in the process of coming out of the womb. The child's head was resting on the Witch's right leg, which was making a type of pillow for the child. Both were already skeletons.

The Templar, enraged, rode into the city and went on a killing rampage of all catholic clergy that were responsible. He was eventually caught and sentenced to hang for the killings. The Witches' sisters were present for the hanging. As the Templar fell, and the rope snapped tight, the crowd saw him trying, as a final act, to cross his right leg over his left. The Witches ran forward and pushed the right leg up so he could do it. This is how he died. He was buried beside his wife.

There are 3 additional stories that sprung from this legend.

1) As a tribute to the Templar for bringing Justice for their sisteer....the Witches brought "The Hanged Man" of the Major Arcana in the Tarot into existence.
2) Years later, when some Hermetic Templars started to become pirates they returned the honor to the Witches by making  the "Skull and Crossbones" flag which now represents priracy.
3) In the 1600's an unknown Irish poet wrote the poem titled "Táim sínte ar do thuama". Its rumored the author wrote it in honor of the Templar and the Witch. In the 1960's this poem was translated into the english language by another Irish poet named Frank O'Connor. In 1979, a musician named Phillip King put the poem to music. The song "I Am Stretched On Your Grave" has become the most recorded song among Pagan and Occult bands, with the most famous version being done by Sinead O'Connor.

I hope you've enjoyed this small read into one of the legends of the Hermetic Templars.