The Templars left an indelible mark on the history of mankind. Many secrets of this order have not yet been solved. And just recently, archaeologists have discovered the ancient Roselyn Chapel, which once belonged to the Claire family.
Perhaps it was here that the Templars kept their countless treasures, including the legendary Holy Grail, the Cross of the Lord, priceless ancient manuscripts.
The Grail was first mentioned by Robert de Boron in his book in the 13th century. This is the cup from which Christ drank during the Last Supper and into which Joseph of Arimathea later collected his blood. The Grail also signifies the magical, all-pervading cauldron, which is referred to in Celtic myths. In ancient legends about the exploits of King Arthur, the search for the Grail was associated not so much with the desire to get rich, but with the desire for spiritual perfection. Taking this into account, one can assume what secrets and mysteries the found castle hides behind its ancient walls.
Archaeological research has determined that the castle was last rebuilt during the Crusades. Most likely, it was the seat of the Knights Templar in Scotland and a repository of shrines and treasures accumulated by the powerful order during the Crusades. In the basement of the castle, archaeologists have found crypts in which the bodies of the knights - guardians of treasures - lie. This led scientists to the idea that, perhaps, the treasures of the order, including the Holy Grail, are kept in a specially built chapel. The walls of the castle are dotted with magical symbols, solving which, perhaps, it will be possible to get closer to the secret of the Templars' treasures.
The order was officially called "The Secret Chivalry of Christ and the Temple of Solomon", but in medieval Europe it was better known as the "Order of the Knights of the Temple." Therefore, the knights themselves were often called templars. The main residence of the order was located in Jerusalem, in the place where the temple of King Solomon was located (hence the name of the Templars: tample in French - "temple"). The Templar seal depicts two knights galloping on one horse - this spoke of poverty and brotherhood. A white cloak with a red octagonal cross was considered a symbol of the order. To become a knight of the temple, it was necessary to make three vows: chastity, poverty and obedience. It should be noted that the same vows were given by members of other knightly orders of that time, for example, the Hospitallers, Teutons. Great popularity in Europe accompanies the Templars from the very beginning of the existence of their organization.
Paradoxically, it is thanks to the vow of poverty, and perhaps even in spite of it, that the Order of the Templars begins to accumulate enormous wealth. Each newcomer, following the same vow, donated his fortune to the order. In addition, large estates were donated to the order by the French and English kings, as well as by some noble lords. And thus, by 1130, the Templars already had lands in France, England, Scotland, Flanders, Spain, Portugal, and by 1140 they were added to possessions in Italy, Austria, Germany, Hungary and the Holy Land.
One of the main goals of the order was to care "whenever possible … about the roads and paths, and especially about the protection of pilgrims." However, the templars considered their direct business not only the protection of pilgrims, but also attacks on trade caravans with the aim of plundering them. Thanks to all of the above, by the XII century the Templars became the owners of countless riches and, in addition to the land, owned shipyards and ports, had a powerful fleet. They lent money to impoverished monarchs and thereby influenced government affairs. By the way, it was the Templars who first introduced accounting documents and bank checks. The knights of the temple encouraged the development of science, and therefore it was not by chance that they became the owners of the first compass. It is worth noting that many technical achievements were in their hands. There were even experienced surgeons among the knights.
But, as you know, a lot of power hasn't made anyone better yet. So it happened with the "soldiers of Christ": their arrogance was one of the main reasons for the defeat of Christians in Palestine. And in 1191, under the walls of the last fortress defended by the Templars, Saint-Jean-d'Acr, not only the Templars and their Grand Master, but also the glory of the order as an invincible army, perished. Gradually, the Templars moved to Europe, and the rulers of European states were forced to reckon with them, since the Templars possessed powerful financial resources, and many representatives of the highest circles of society were members of the order. Templars were feared and hated.
Promotional video:
The Templars found another omnipotent enemy in the person of the Pope in the 13th century, when the latter declared a crusade against heretics (Cathars and Albigensians), and the Templars, the basis of the Catholic Church, openly sided with the persecuted. In the XIV century. King Philip the Handsome of France decided to get rid of the obstinate order, which, in addition to interfering in state affairs, also gave the monarch a huge amount of money. First, the king tried to act with cunning: he wished to join the order (to which he received a polite refusal from the Grand Master Jean de Male, who perfectly understood that Philip wanted to take his place), then through the Pope invited the Templars to unite with their eternal rivals - the Hospitallers (but again unsuccessful).
Then force came into play: in 1307 the knights of the order who were in France were arrested, accused of heresy, of serving the devil and witchcraft. After seven days of torture, the templars confessed everything, but at the trial they recanted their testimony. Before his death, the Grand Master cursed Philip IV and Pope Clement, and soon a terrible death befell them. It is possible that both the king and the Pope were poisoned by the Templars, who were skilled in preparing poisons.
We do not know what awaits the scientists inside the mysterious castle of the powerful knights. Maybe the Holy Grail is really hidden here, which will help humanity achieve the spiritual ideal, because so far this does not exist. However, do not forget that the solved mystery ceases to be a mystery, which means that it loses its attractiveness.
O. Stolyarchuk “Incredible. World of hobbies №3 (1)