Since in French the temple is Temple (Templar), the members of this knightly order were called the Templars. The order was created in Palestine in 1018-1119. Initially, its members were supposed to protect pilgrims from attack, as well as the roads leading from marinas to Christian shrines. In 1128, this order was officially recognized by the Catholic Church. Everyone who entered it had to take three vows: obedience, chastity and poverty.
At the same time, the knight had to transfer all his fortune to the order.
That is why the Order of the Knights Templar very quickly became one of the richest orders of knighthood in Europe. With the accumulated wealth, the Templars acquired large landholdings in various European countries: France, England, Scotland, Flanders, Spain and Portugal. By the 12th century, this order of officers owned not only lands, but also seaports, as well as a powerful fleet. At the same time, the knights became the largest bankers who lent money to European monks.
All this gave rise to the inevitable envy and anger of the rulers of various countries, who dreamed of becoming the owners of the Templars' treasures. However, the large donations that the order gave to the Catholic Church, at first, protected it from such encroachments. Only in the Xiii century, when the leadership of the order refused to participate in the crusade against the heretics - the Cathars and the Albigensians, among whom there were many Templars, persecutions began against them. Soon one of the most influential church orders of chivalry ceased to exist, and many of its members were brutally tortured in the dungeons of the Inquisition and burned at the stake. This terrible event happened in 1307.
