Taking the Templar Habit

By the bloody fall of Acre in 1291, the Knights Templar had amassed a fortune rivaling the kings of Europe. Their castles, wealth, and military prowess were in notorious contrast to their humble origins. On Friday, October 13th, 1307, Philip had all of the Templars arrested in one surprising blow throughout all the domains of France. Lamenting "a thing terrible to contemplate, horrible to hear," Phillip charged the Templars with heinous heresy, blasphemy, and homosexuality. After years of imprisonment and severe torture, many of the French Templars confessed to these crimes. Because their reputation was irrevocably damaged, Clement disbanded them and gave their property to their rivals, the Knights Hospitaller. To help understand the "guilt" of the Templars, it is necessary to look beyond the absolutes of guilt and innocence and find solace in a lovely shade of grey. By examining the heritage and tradition of Templar monasticism, the initiation ritual, and the charges made at the time of Philip's suppression, it is possible to come to a better understanding of Templar initiation rite and open new discussion on the Templar's guilt. Templar initiation rites did exist. By studying them, it is possible to see how real rituals and symbols might have been pejoratively interpreted by hostile outsiders. The resulting propaganda would lead to the destruction of one of the most powerful institutions in medieval history.