After the Crusaders conquered Jerusalem, a huge stream of pilgrims rushed to the Holy Land. Nine poor knights voluntarily took it upon themselves to guard them. In 1119, they founded their order, calling it the Beggar Knights. But this was neither a monastic order nor an organization of the clergy. Protecting the pilgrims, the knights of this order were engaged in collecting donations and promoting their ideas. As support for the order, the king of Jerusalem gave them a church building located near the Temple of Solomon. Since in French the word "temple" sounds like "temple", then later the knights of the order began to be called "Templars" or "Templars".
The number of knights of the order increased due to the admission of new members. The ideologist of the new order was Bernard of Clevross, under whose patronage the Templar charter was approved in 1128. It was he who proposed the white color of clothing for the knights of the order, on which a red cross was subsequently sewn, symbolizing the crusade for the faith.
The fact that the order was unusual was confirmed by their combination of monasticism with war. They perfectly mastered weapons and used them in the battle "for good, for Christ's sake."
The Templars were divided into two categories - knights and servants (they did not dare to bear arms). The order was ruled by a grand master who has unlimited power. The headquarters of the Grand Master was in Jerusalem. He was elected by the convention (meeting of the order). The second most important in the order was the great seneschal. He was followed by the grand marshal, commanders, and regional masters.
The Pope bestowed privileges on the order: independence from the judiciary, the ability to appropriate trophies, and allowed the Templars to build their churches. At that time, a lot of gossip and speculation arose around the Templars, and, according to historians, the role, significance and wealth of the order were greatly exaggerated.
Despite being a militant order, the Templars did not turn into assassins. Their main task was to maintain peace. In the likeness of the Order of the Templars, the Teutonic Order was created.
There are still persistent rumors about the untold riches of the Knights Templar.
The knights collected money while traveling across European countries. Many feudal lords (among them the Queen of Portugal and the King of France, as well as the Count of Champagne and others) donated money, real estate and land for the order. Even the lower classes of society do not stand aside from the transfer of donations to the order. Receiving castles or lands as gifts, the Templars created commanderships (several members of the order managed the property). There were more than 9 thousand such commanderships. But the funds received were still not enough to support the troops and castles in the Holy Land.
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Protecting pilgrims also brought income to the Templars. Templars very far-sightedly created their commanderships on all routes of movement of pilgrims to the holy land, which were also trade routes. These commanderships were fortified enough to protect the knights and pilgrims from almost any attack. They were located at a distance of one day's march from each other, which made it possible not to have large military garrisons, but to fulfill their obligations to protect travelers. In addition to protecting the wandering, the Templars provided services for pilgrims and merchants to obtain loans and store property, as well as trust management of property during the pilgrim's journey to the holy land. This is how the order began its financial activities.
The Templars, as financiers, were distinguished by decency and incorruptibility. Due to their privileged position, they used new banking and financial technologies. The commanders began to carry out full-fledged banking activities: the issuance of loans and guarantees, as well as the implementation of money transfers and non-cash payments. For their financial documents, the Templars used ciphers, the most complicated for those times. Also using their chain of command, the Templars delivered urgent correspondence. For example, a letter from Jerusalem to London was delivered in 13 weeks, which was a record speed.
The residence of the Grand Master in France was located in Paris. It occupied an area of more than six hectares and was surrounded by a powerful wall with numerous windows, through which cashiers constantly received and transferred cash, bills, letters, receipts to numerous customers.
Another source of income for the Knights Templar - a monopoly on the supply of Angevin wine - and this brought fabulous profits.
Conducting commercial activities, the order entered not only financial, but also economic relationships with other entities in these areas of activity. The archives contain documents about legal proceedings between the order and the authorities.
The Templars turned out to be the largest players in the medieval financial services market. The kings of the largest countries and their families became their clients. Representatives of the Knights Templar were appointed treasurers of the reigning dynasties. The Templars also provided their services for the collection of taxes: this applies to both direct and extraordinary taxes for kings and pope.
The Templars made every effort to make a profit - their activities can be compared with the work of a modern international financial corporation.
But at the same time, the Templars were a very formidable military force. They intervened in the political events of many countries, actively participated in internecine conflicts and clashes (for example, between the Italian city-republics).
Until now, many secrets remain after the death of the Knights Templar, destroyed by Philip IV. For example, where did the Templar treasures go?
All attempts to find the treasures of the Templars in Europe were unsuccessful. There is a version that before the Templars were arrested by order of the French king, all the treasures of the order were secretly taken to the port of La Rochelle and placed on eighteen galleys, the trail of which was lost. But according to the testimony of historians at this time, the Prince of Moscow Yuri met foreign wanderers who arrived on 18 ships. The pilgrims brought with them large quantities of gold, pearls and precious stones and complained greatly of the oppression from the king of the Gauls and the pope.
And it was from this time that the modest small Russian city of Moscow turned into the capital of the Grand Duchy. The chronicles contain a mention of the fact that knights from different lands came to Moscow in 1325 - perhaps they were the Templars who survived the Inquisition.
The Templar sign can still be seen on the wall of the Moscow St. Danilov Monastery. On the gravestones of the heroes of the Battle of Kulikovo, monks Peresvet and Oslyabli, there are also signs of the Order of the Temple. Perhaps the Russian heroes were Templars!
There is another version. The Templar Order was a branch of the more powerful Order of Zion. And on the eve of the destruction of the Templars, the riches were taken out by the knights of Zion. Most likely, the treasure was moved to England. It is interesting that it was at this time that King Edward III of England had large financial resources at his disposal, which brought the victory of England in the Hundred Years War with France: with this money, the Gascon and Bordeaux knights were brought into the war on the side of England, the municipal authorities of French cities were bought, services of professional military mercenaries. The Order of Zion avenged the death of the Templars. After the defeat in the war, devastation, famine, endless popular unrest, internecine conflicts, anarchy came to France. Templar gold killed the assassins of the Knights of the Templar Order.
According to legend, the Templars were very skilled in the construction of hidden rooms and underground structures. The treasure vaults were set up with great care.
On the territory of many countries there are ancient castles and structures that have not yet been sufficiently explored. Perhaps we are all waiting for an unexpected and interesting solution to yet another historical secret - the secret of the Templar gold.
