What were the Knights Templar?

Under pressure from King Philip, Pope Clement V reluctantly dissolved the Knights Templar in 1312. The group's property and monetary assets were given to a rival order, the Knights Hospitallers. However, it's thought that King Philip and King Edward II of England seized most of the Knights Templar's wealth. read more

After Christian armies in 1099 captured Jerusalem from Muslim control during the Crusades, groups of pilgrims from across Western Europe started visiting the Holy Land. Many of them, however, were robbed and killed as they crossed through Muslim-controlled territories during their journey. read more

The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Latin: Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Salomonici), also known as the Order of Solomon's Temple, the Knights Templar or simply as Templars, were a Catholic military order recognised in 1139 by papal bull Omne Datum Optimum of the Holy See. read more

The Crusades and the Knights Templar. The Knights Templar were the elite fighting force of their day, highly trained, well-equipped and highly motivated; one of the tenets of their religious order was that they were forbidden from retreating in battle, unless outnumbered three to one, and even then only by order of their commander, or if the Templar flag went down. read more