Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Brief History Of The Religious And Military Order Of The Knights Templars Of St. John Of Jerusalem.
Palestine , yet jealousies and mistrusts breaking out among them , autosome cf the leading men returning into Europe , it was found expedient to settle a truce , which , according to the superstition of the times , was agreed on for the space of three years , three months , three weeks , three days , and three hours . The hopes of the Eastern Christians began to revive on the death
of Saladine in 1193 . He was succeeded by his brother Safadine . No sooner was this event known at Rome than the Pope proclaimed a new Crusade , without any respect to the truce which had been mutuall y agreed on by the Christians and the Infidels . Safadine , enraged at the perfidy of the Christians , levied . his urmy , took Jaffa by storm , and put all that he found in it to the sword . HeHvouId
soon have made his enemies repent their treacherous conduct , by depriving them of every possession in Palestine , had not domestic disturbances necessitated him to enter into a fresh truce , which was settled for six years . During this respite from the fatigues and the expences of war , the Military Orders increased in riches , luxuries , and mutual animosity . The Templars , who appear to have possessed the most martial spirit , seized upon a castle which the Hospitallers had let out to a private person . This brought 011 a civil war , and nothing but the
ecclesiastical power could prevent it from spreading to such a degree as to ruin the Christian cause in Palestine . By the interference of the Qlergy the point in dispute was referred to the Pope , who settled it in an amicable manner , and peace seemed to be restored , though the venom of enmity still rankled in the bosom of ' each . The Templars conduct , at this period , has not- illuminated the dark chronicle of the age with any thing more to their credit than mere
valour . Other meritorious qualifications they appear to have been destitute of . . They were proud , avaricious , tyrannical , and revengeful . These ill qualities rendered them so odious in Cyprus , that they were under the necessity of resigning their authority in that island " ; and Amattry , brother to Guy de Ltisignan , was crowned king . Nor were the other branch ; of the Order of St . Johntbe Hospitallers
, , possessed of superior virtue to the Templars . They were not so fierce , indeed , but they ' were wore cunning , and even more avaricious- ; add to which ,, they submitted more implicitly to be the tools of the Court of Rome . In consequence , it is not to be wondered at that their wealth should far exceed that enjoyed by the Knights of the Temple . Matthew Paris assertsthat while the possessions of the
, Templars in Christendom were no more than nine thousand manors of land , the Hospitallers had at least nineteen thousand ; the jealousy , therefore , that subsisted between the two Orders is thus easily ac * counted for .
After a Jong space of quietness , during which the affairs of the Eastern Christians went worse and worse , Honorius III . called a general council for the express purpose of endeavouring to procure a new and powerful Crusade , to regain the kingdom of Jerusalem . This was in _ zi $ ; and the consultation had such , an effect ,. that a ge-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Brief History Of The Religious And Military Order Of The Knights Templars Of St. John Of Jerusalem.
Palestine , yet jealousies and mistrusts breaking out among them , autosome cf the leading men returning into Europe , it was found expedient to settle a truce , which , according to the superstition of the times , was agreed on for the space of three years , three months , three weeks , three days , and three hours . The hopes of the Eastern Christians began to revive on the death
of Saladine in 1193 . He was succeeded by his brother Safadine . No sooner was this event known at Rome than the Pope proclaimed a new Crusade , without any respect to the truce which had been mutuall y agreed on by the Christians and the Infidels . Safadine , enraged at the perfidy of the Christians , levied . his urmy , took Jaffa by storm , and put all that he found in it to the sword . HeHvouId
soon have made his enemies repent their treacherous conduct , by depriving them of every possession in Palestine , had not domestic disturbances necessitated him to enter into a fresh truce , which was settled for six years . During this respite from the fatigues and the expences of war , the Military Orders increased in riches , luxuries , and mutual animosity . The Templars , who appear to have possessed the most martial spirit , seized upon a castle which the Hospitallers had let out to a private person . This brought 011 a civil war , and nothing but the
ecclesiastical power could prevent it from spreading to such a degree as to ruin the Christian cause in Palestine . By the interference of the Qlergy the point in dispute was referred to the Pope , who settled it in an amicable manner , and peace seemed to be restored , though the venom of enmity still rankled in the bosom of ' each . The Templars conduct , at this period , has not- illuminated the dark chronicle of the age with any thing more to their credit than mere
valour . Other meritorious qualifications they appear to have been destitute of . . They were proud , avaricious , tyrannical , and revengeful . These ill qualities rendered them so odious in Cyprus , that they were under the necessity of resigning their authority in that island " ; and Amattry , brother to Guy de Ltisignan , was crowned king . Nor were the other branch ; of the Order of St . Johntbe Hospitallers
, , possessed of superior virtue to the Templars . They were not so fierce , indeed , but they ' were wore cunning , and even more avaricious- ; add to which ,, they submitted more implicitly to be the tools of the Court of Rome . In consequence , it is not to be wondered at that their wealth should far exceed that enjoyed by the Knights of the Temple . Matthew Paris assertsthat while the possessions of the
, Templars in Christendom were no more than nine thousand manors of land , the Hospitallers had at least nineteen thousand ; the jealousy , therefore , that subsisted between the two Orders is thus easily ac * counted for .
After a Jong space of quietness , during which the affairs of the Eastern Christians went worse and worse , Honorius III . called a general council for the express purpose of endeavouring to procure a new and powerful Crusade , to regain the kingdom of Jerusalem . This was in _ zi $ ; and the consultation had such , an effect ,. that a ge-