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If you turn the tide of time by thousand years, you will find long and dangerous pilgrims’ routes from western Europe to the holy land and the City of Jerusalem. The place was feared by pilgrims who would travel to Jerusalem for the visit of their holy lands. A Russian monk in 1106 described the place as “dreadful and dangerous” and stated that “pagans” and ”Saracens” lives there ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"qtUUAtHj","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Martin)","plainCitation":"(Martin)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":68,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/KfR9yuY2/items/PS4X365A"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/KfR9yuY2/items/PS4X365A"],"itemData":{"id":68,"type":"book","title":"The Knights Templar: The history and myths of the legendary military order","publisher":"Basic Books","ISBN":"1-56025-645-1","author":[{"family":"Martin","given":"Sean"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2004"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Martin). During this time of the early crusades, a devote French group of knights appeared in Jerusalem willing to dedicate their lives to Christ. They were referred to as Templars refer to religious men who had power and based on this, they showed a religious lifestyle. Their belief was to domain the Christians from non-Christians and for this, they were assigned specific duties and responsibilities in society. The Church and the States of Europe allowed the use and establishment of Templars. These were regarded as the multinational corporation that has leading positions during all fights. Their role in early society was started in the wake of the First battle when the city of Jerusalem was taken by warriors from Western Europe. This catching of Christ's empty tomb infuriated these Templars to assemble fighters. Thus, to protect the Holy Sepulcher from Muslim Bandits, a military religious association was formed. This further got Church official approval in the early twelfth century and its members were formally known as Templars.
With time, their duties got broaden and they started defending the borders of the new crusader also. They were also responsible for getting information from the East and encourage Western Europe Christians to assist their fellow religionists. However, with the passage of time they got enormous prosperity and inspiration. In the early fourteenth century, King Philip IV of France blamed them for deviation from Church. These charges were not verified but Order's reputation was severely scratched. Considering all these elements, King of France and Pope conjointly prohibited the use of Templars in the early 14th century ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"wvooOsU3","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Nix)","plainCitation":"(Nix)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":"TG8PZt8K/Jx4hbcRw","uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/jpfyfVgo/items/GTI6UWII"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/jpfyfVgo/items/GTI6UWII"],"itemData":{"id":193,"type":"webpage","title":"Who were the Knights Templar?","container-title":"HISTORY","abstract":"After Christian fighters captured Jerusalem during the First Crusade, groups of pilgrims from across Western Europe began visiting the Holy Land. Around 1118, a","URL":"https://www.history.com/news/who-were-the-knights-templar","language":"en","author":[{"family":"Nix","given":"Elizabeth"}],"accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",10,4]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Nix). In reality, many historians still believe that the order went underground and are still effective because in the 18th century some organizations revived the medieval knights’ traditions and their fighting and cultural symbols ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"L8bfPCIN","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Nix)","plainCitation":"(Nix)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":"TG8PZt8K/Jx4hbcRw","uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/jpfyfVgo/items/GTI6UWII"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/jpfyfVgo/items/GTI6UWII"],"itemData":{"id":193,"type":"webpage","title":"Who were the Knights Templar?","container-title":"HISTORY","abstract":"After Christian fighters captured Jerusalem during the First Crusade, groups of pilgrims from across Western Europe began visiting the Holy Land. Around 1118, a","URL":"https://www.history.com/news/who-were-the-knights-templar","language":"en","author":[{"family":"Nix","given":"Elizabeth"}],"accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",10,4]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Nix). Upon receiving their formal authorization from the Catholic Church many donations were provided and recruits were hired. They became known for their specific clothing and severe code of conduct. They develop a reputation of fierce warriors and started gaining a lot of financial help through their network of banking. At the height of their power, they owned an entire island, boasted a large fleet of ships and continued to lend to European kings and emperors.
Initial Motives
Initially, the knights provided health support and shelter to the traveling pilgrims in Jerusalem nearby the church of Holy Sepulcher. The motive was to safeguard the escort of pilgrims and facilitate their traveling difficulties. Due to intense heat in the region, their duties were to ensure the supplies of water and food for the travelers. Initially, the purpose included "to protect pilgrims along the perilous pilgrimage routes of middle east" they even named themselves as "Poor Fellow-soldiers of the Christ and the Temple of Solomon" ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"ecLaSnVZ","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(O\\uc0\\u8217{}Gorman and Beveridge)","plainCitation":"(O’Gorman and Beveridge)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":69,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/KfR9yuY2/items/SPJ9NE74"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/KfR9yuY2/items/SPJ9NE74"],"itemData":{"id":69,"type":"article-journal","title":"The Crusades, the Knights Templar and hospitaller: a combination of religion, war, pilgrimage and tourism enablers","container-title":"Tourism and War: A Complex Relationship.(Contemporary Geographies of Leisure, Tourism and Mobility). London","author":[{"family":"O’Gorman","given":"Kevin D."},{"family":"Beveridge","given":"Euan"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2012"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (O’Gorman and Beveridge). They presented themselves as religious, dedicated to God and noblemen. Their main duty was to maintain peace in the areas and roads of pilgrimage travelers against Muslim bandits. The Templars saw this as an opportunity of a direct entry to heaven through offering their lives in defense of others. The Templars were vastly regarded as an honest and disciplined group, due to which people would place their trust in them. The trust in their administrative skills allows people to fund them, as they considered it a noble cause. This funding would, later on, help to develop the current banking system in Europe. Banking and defending people's wealth and possessions started to become a complement for their activities in the Holy land of Jerusalem. One of their main achievements was also the development of a connection between European states and the transfer of people and information started from medieval times have resulted in current interconnected modern sovereign states. The money they received was mostly spent on building castles, routes to the holy land and was also distributed in the poor people. The rules through which they spent their lives are very similar but not so strict as what people would find in the monastery. They were not allowed to own any valuables and were supposed to carry a very small amount of money. The worldly pleasure was not permitted, flashy clothing, hunting and hawking were prohibited. These restrictions made them the most powerful and fearsome warriors of the crusade.
Peak of Powers
Their powers increased several times around 1140 when Pope Innocent the 2nd issued a Papal Bull that gave them some additional advantages and protections ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"07UK69ap","properties":{"formattedCitation":"({\\i{}BBC - Travel - The Secret Seat of the Knights Templar})","plainCitation":"(BBC - Travel - The Secret Seat of the Knights Templar)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":70,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/KfR9yuY2/items/TRTDD7JK"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/KfR9yuY2/items/TRTDD7JK"],"itemData":{"id":70,"type":"webpage","title":"BBC - Travel - The secret seat of the Knights Templar","URL":"http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20190724-the-knights-templars-mightiest-stronghold","accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",10,5]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (BBC - Travel - The Secret Seat of the Knights Templar). They were relieved from taxes and gifts they received. This was the time where their powers spread beyond the areas of Jerusalem. The Knight Templars have consisted of different nationalities from all over the world, but initially, it was founded by a French man also almost all the leaders o the order were mostly French which makes France the hub of Templer's development in Europe. At that same time King Louis, the 7th donated a whole state to the Templers. One of the main reasons for their success was their banking system. Even at that time, Templers permitted people to deposit money in one place and then with certain assurances and letters withdraw it from another place. Their banking system was what people today called it as current account, where people would pay in regular deposits and then the Templers would pay it off to anyone nominated by the account holder. The success and their trustworthiness can be determined by the fact that by the end of the 13th century the kings and monarchs of France would place their treasures and valuable things with the Templers ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"fi4B0OaS","properties":{"formattedCitation":"({\\i{}Knights Templar - Ancient History Encyclopedia})","plainCitation":"(Knights Templar - Ancient History Encyclopedia)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":72,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/KfR9yuY2/items/QIUP2DN5"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/KfR9yuY2/items/QIUP2DN5"],"itemData":{"id":72,"type":"webpage","title":"Knights Templar - Ancient History Encyclopedia","URL":"https://www.ancient.eu/Knights_Templar/","accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",10,5]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Knights Templar - Ancient History Encyclopedia). The Templars became an important central figure in the economy of Medieval Europe. They had a proper organizational structure at that time and the order was led by a Grandmaster who stood at the top of the power. To create harmony and unity between distant branches usually, two knights were assigned with a single horse. They were involved in many battles which resulted in success. Some of the major victories include the siege of Acre in 1189-91 CE, Damietta in 1218-19 CE, and Constantinople in 1204 CE ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"ERXK60eX","properties":{"formattedCitation":"({\\i{}Knights Templar - Ancient History Encyclopedia})","plainCitation":"(Knights Templar - Ancient History Encyclopedia)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":72,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/KfR9yuY2/items/QIUP2DN5"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/KfR9yuY2/items/QIUP2DN5"],"itemData":{"id":72,"type":"webpage","title":"Knights Templar - Ancient History Encyclopedia","URL":"https://www.ancient.eu/Knights_Templar/","accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",10,5]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Knights Templar - Ancient History Encyclopedia). However, there are numerous defeats that came along the way as well. These battles resulted in the beheading and killing of several hundred Templers with the battles against Saladin. A huge amount of Templers died in the Crusades with Muslim armies.
Decline, Criticism, and Abolition
The shift of tide occurs slowly in the 12th century. With the concerns among Christians regarding the Holy land and the unity of Muslims under the leadership of Saladin. Conflicts arose on matters with other Christian military orders and they struggled monetarily. This, in general, weakened the position of Christians and Jerusalem was captured back by Muslims under the leadership of Saladin. This meant that Templers were made obligatory to shift their forces and centers, to other cities. With key losses, they moved their headquarters from present-day Israel to Present-day Cyprus. In 1302 the Templers now lost the island to Mamluk Sultanate from Egypt ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"3rB78Deh","properties":{"formattedCitation":"({\\i{}Knights Templar - Ancient History Encyclopedia})","plainCitation":"(Knights Templar - Ancient History Encyclopedia)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":72,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/KfR9yuY2/items/QIUP2DN5"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/KfR9yuY2/items/QIUP2DN5"],"itemData":{"id":72,"type":"webpage","title":"Knights Templar - Ancient History Encyclopedia","URL":"https://www.ancient.eu/Knights_Templar/","accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",10,5]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Knights Templar - Ancient History Encyclopedia). When western countries started to gain huge reserves of land and wealth, they started becoming vary in different military orders. Like many different military orders, the knights were also accused of misuse of their power and facilities provided to them. One of the main criticisms on them was that critics believed that Templers waste too much money and spend very little of it. They argue that this money can be spent on other better works. Even if the money is available for spending it should be spent on the troops of other holy wars. The Templars used to convert people from other religions to Christianity but one accusation on them was that they were simply eliminating many Muslims rather than converting them to Christianity. Later in the early 14th century, the acquisitions became stronger and Templers faced some blames that they deny Christ as a God and they are involved in trampling and spitting on the crucifix. They were accused of committing idolatry and worshiping other things than Christ.
There then came a time when king Philip the fourth ordered to arrest all the Templers. Though to this day, his true motives remain unclear but some historians suggest that lust for the acquisition of wealth, their military force and the political threat they faced to him. Moreover, the desire to get a political reputation and prestige of the critics on Templers may as well be another reason for the king to order their arrest. A trial was later conducted in 1310 CE in France after that dozens of Templers were either were burned to their bones ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"dxD7ZJPb","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Martin)","plainCitation":"(Martin)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":68,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/KfR9yuY2/items/PS4X365A"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/KfR9yuY2/items/PS4X365A"],"itemData":{"id":68,"type":"book","title":"The Knights Templar: The history and myths of the legendary military order","publisher":"Basic Books","ISBN":"1-56025-645-1","author":[{"family":"Martin","given":"Sean"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2004"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Martin). The Grand Master of the order, who was still protesting his lack of knowledge about any political activity while he was taken for his funeral. While during the trial many confessed to some of the crimes but none of them were in any regard any serious one.
Most former Templar knights were forcefully prevented from joining any other military order. Some of the lands and duties were passed on to other groups but most of the wealth and money ended up with different landlords. Some of the kings of the neighboring countries provided proper protection and insurances of safety to Templers. They settled there and changed their name accordingly from Knights Templar to the Order of Christ.
Conclusion:
The original plan of its formation was to protect and safeguard pilgrims of Jerusalem. They devoted themselves to the wellbeing and safety of pilgrims in the Holy land. Their duties evolved with time by caring for the sick and homeless people. The money and funding they would get were spent on the building road networks toward the Holy land. However, with time the organization became more powerful and influential. It has helped in developing a number of tourism traditions. Not only that but Templar knights were the ones behind the formation and governance of the first European banking system. Their financial stability and power to protect that money was their main trustworthy abilities for people to believe in them. However, they didn't evolve with time and in the end, got used by the monarchs and Kings for their purposes.
Work Cited
ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY BBC - Travel - The Secret Seat of the Knights Templar. http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20190724-the-knights-templars-mightiest-stronghold. Accessed 5 Oct. 2019.
Knights Templar - Ancient History Encyclopedia. https://www.ancient.eu/Knights_Templar/. Accessed 5 Oct. 2019.
Martin, Sean. The Knights Templar: The History and Myths of the Legendary Military Order. Basic Books, 2004.
Nix, Elizabeth. “Who Were the Knights Templar?” HISTORY, https://www.history.com/news/who-were-the-knights-templar. Accessed 4 Oct. 2019.
O'Gorman, Kevin D., and Euan Beveridge. "The Crusades, the Knights Templar, and Hospitaller: A Combination of Religion, War, Pilgrimage and Tourism Enablers." Tourism and War: A Complex Relationship. (Contemporary Geographies of Leisure, Tourism, and Mobility). London, 2012.
