The «Templars» T-shirt

The Knights Templar were a powerful and mysterious medieval Christian military order founded in 1119 AD.

Who Were They?

• Full name: Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon

• Founded by Hugues de Payens and eight knights after the First Crusade.

• Their original mission was to protect Christian pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land.

What Did They Do?

• Became elite warriors in the Crusades.

• Developed a vast financial network and were among the earliest forms of bankers in medieval Europe.

• Amassed land, wealth, and political power across Europe and the Holy Land.

Symbol:

• White mantles with a red cross, representing martyrdom and service to Christ.

Power and Wealth:

• Ran fortified castles, farms, and businesses.

• Created a system allowing pilgrims to deposit money in Europe and withdraw it in the Holy Land—a precursor to modern banking.

Fall and Suppression:

• Friday, October 13, 1307: King Philip IV of France, deeply in debt to the Templars, ordered mass arrests.

• Accused of heresy, blasphemy, and other crimes (mostly fabricated).

• 1312: Pope Clement V officially dissolved the order.

• Grand Master Jacques de Molay was burned at the stake in 1314.

Myths:

• Connected to legends like the Holy Grail, Freemasonry, and secret knowledge.