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Article THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS . ← Page 2 of 5 Article THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS . Page 2 of 5 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Knights Templars .
Pope read the depositions , which only confirmed his belief in the innoceuce of the Knights ; but he could see no means of saving them , in the centre , as he was , of the king's dominions , and surrounded by his myrmidons , who at a sign from
Philip would visit upon him the fate of Boniface or of Benedict . He found that , however repugnant to his feelings , his vow must be fulfilled , and the Order destroyed . All he could do was to proceed in the affair with , the gravity aud
circumspection required to save appearances . One more effort , however he made to save the Order . The idea of uniting the two orders of the Temple arid the Hesptel into one body had been a favourite project of several Popes . The
hostility which existed between them had been a great scandal to the Church , as well as a serious hindrance to the success of the Christians in the
Holy Land . Pope Gregory X . and St . Louis had proposed it at the Council of Lyons , but it was rejected by both Orders . Pope Boniface had also been anxious to bring it about ; and Clement hoped , by effecting it , to save the individuals ;
while the Order would be nominally extinguished and thus , in the letter , save himself from breaking his vow . Philip readily agreed to . both Grand Masters being invited to France , as it was his intention to involve the Hospitallers , against
whom he entertained a hostile feeling , in the fate of the Templars , to destroy this formidable bulwark of the Papacy , and possess himself of its wealth also . The Hospitallers had long been looked upon by the French monarchs with suspicion , and , in 1238 , similar charges to those made
against the Templars were brought against them , but without effect . The Order was too powerful and the sovereign to weak . Perhaps the recollection of this , and the unscrupulous character of Philip , in some measure determined the Grand
Master to decline the Pope ' s invitation to France , as after-mentioned . The Pope ' s proposition facilitated Philip ' s object of destroying the one Order as well as the other . On the 6 th June , 1306 , the Pope wrote iu the smoothest terms of religious
adulation to the two Grand Masters that the kings of Armenia and Cyprus were calling upon him for aid , and he therefore wished to confer with them , who knew the Holy Laud so well , aud were so much interested in it , as to what were best to be clone . * " We desire you , " he added , " to come
The Knights Templars .
to us without delay , with as much secrecy as possible , aud with a small retinue , since you will find on this side the sea a sufficient number of your Knights to attend yon . '" William de . Villaret , the Grand Master of the Hospitallers , was
at this time busily engaged in attacking Rhodes , which he subsequently captured , and made the head-quarters of his Order . He could not , therefore , go to Paris , but left the arrangements for a new Crusade in the hands of the Pope and the
Grand Master of the Templars . Jacques de Molai , the Grand Master of the Templars , was a younger son of a noble family of Besaucon , in Frauche Gomte . His eldest brother possessed great wealth and much land in that province , and was considered one of its most powerful nobles . De Molai entered the Order in 1266 , when but a
young man , and speedily acquired a celebrity seldom equalled among the Templars . He was brave , full of a noble spirit , yet mild and moderate , his morals were severe , and his character without reproach . In 1293 , he was
appointed Grand Prior of England , and , in 1297 , raised to the chief command of the Order . Philip appears to have held him in great estimation and he was always received with distinction at the Court of France . Upon his elevation to the
Master's throne , the King appointed him godfather to Monsieur Robert , his fourth son . De Molai , after his election , made an attempt to acquire a footing in Asia , but without success , and finding the Holy Land lost for ever to the Christians , returned to Cyprus . Upon the receipt of the Pope's letter , aud after corresponding with
the Grand Master of the Hospitallers , he made the requisite preparations to meet the Pope ' s wishes , confided Limisso and the charge of the Order in Cyprus to the Grand Marshal , and embarked , with sixty of his most distinguished Knights , for
France . Omens were not wanted to portend the disastrous end of their journey . A storm arose as the Knights weighed anchor , which detained them several days in harbour ; the cross on the top of their house was struck to the ground by
lightning , and smashed into a thousand pieces , while the people of Cyprus , who were much attached to the Templars , when they finally set sail , stood on the shore weeping bitterly , and repeating the prayers for the dying . De Molai carried with
him likewise the treasure of the Order , consisting of 150 , 000 golden florins , and so much silver that it formed lading for twelve horses . Among
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Knights Templars .
Pope read the depositions , which only confirmed his belief in the innoceuce of the Knights ; but he could see no means of saving them , in the centre , as he was , of the king's dominions , and surrounded by his myrmidons , who at a sign from
Philip would visit upon him the fate of Boniface or of Benedict . He found that , however repugnant to his feelings , his vow must be fulfilled , and the Order destroyed . All he could do was to proceed in the affair with , the gravity aud
circumspection required to save appearances . One more effort , however he made to save the Order . The idea of uniting the two orders of the Temple arid the Hesptel into one body had been a favourite project of several Popes . The
hostility which existed between them had been a great scandal to the Church , as well as a serious hindrance to the success of the Christians in the
Holy Land . Pope Gregory X . and St . Louis had proposed it at the Council of Lyons , but it was rejected by both Orders . Pope Boniface had also been anxious to bring it about ; and Clement hoped , by effecting it , to save the individuals ;
while the Order would be nominally extinguished and thus , in the letter , save himself from breaking his vow . Philip readily agreed to . both Grand Masters being invited to France , as it was his intention to involve the Hospitallers , against
whom he entertained a hostile feeling , in the fate of the Templars , to destroy this formidable bulwark of the Papacy , and possess himself of its wealth also . The Hospitallers had long been looked upon by the French monarchs with suspicion , and , in 1238 , similar charges to those made
against the Templars were brought against them , but without effect . The Order was too powerful and the sovereign to weak . Perhaps the recollection of this , and the unscrupulous character of Philip , in some measure determined the Grand
Master to decline the Pope ' s invitation to France , as after-mentioned . The Pope ' s proposition facilitated Philip ' s object of destroying the one Order as well as the other . On the 6 th June , 1306 , the Pope wrote iu the smoothest terms of religious
adulation to the two Grand Masters that the kings of Armenia and Cyprus were calling upon him for aid , and he therefore wished to confer with them , who knew the Holy Laud so well , aud were so much interested in it , as to what were best to be clone . * " We desire you , " he added , " to come
The Knights Templars .
to us without delay , with as much secrecy as possible , aud with a small retinue , since you will find on this side the sea a sufficient number of your Knights to attend yon . '" William de . Villaret , the Grand Master of the Hospitallers , was
at this time busily engaged in attacking Rhodes , which he subsequently captured , and made the head-quarters of his Order . He could not , therefore , go to Paris , but left the arrangements for a new Crusade in the hands of the Pope and the
Grand Master of the Templars . Jacques de Molai , the Grand Master of the Templars , was a younger son of a noble family of Besaucon , in Frauche Gomte . His eldest brother possessed great wealth and much land in that province , and was considered one of its most powerful nobles . De Molai entered the Order in 1266 , when but a
young man , and speedily acquired a celebrity seldom equalled among the Templars . He was brave , full of a noble spirit , yet mild and moderate , his morals were severe , and his character without reproach . In 1293 , he was
appointed Grand Prior of England , and , in 1297 , raised to the chief command of the Order . Philip appears to have held him in great estimation and he was always received with distinction at the Court of France . Upon his elevation to the
Master's throne , the King appointed him godfather to Monsieur Robert , his fourth son . De Molai , after his election , made an attempt to acquire a footing in Asia , but without success , and finding the Holy Land lost for ever to the Christians , returned to Cyprus . Upon the receipt of the Pope's letter , aud after corresponding with
the Grand Master of the Hospitallers , he made the requisite preparations to meet the Pope ' s wishes , confided Limisso and the charge of the Order in Cyprus to the Grand Marshal , and embarked , with sixty of his most distinguished Knights , for
France . Omens were not wanted to portend the disastrous end of their journey . A storm arose as the Knights weighed anchor , which detained them several days in harbour ; the cross on the top of their house was struck to the ground by
lightning , and smashed into a thousand pieces , while the people of Cyprus , who were much attached to the Templars , when they finally set sail , stood on the shore weeping bitterly , and repeating the prayers for the dying . De Molai carried with
him likewise the treasure of the Order , consisting of 150 , 000 golden florins , and so much silver that it formed lading for twelve horses . Among