The shadow of an old mansion, formerly a beautiful palace, hangs over the Yauza. More than 300 years ago it was called the Lefortovo Palace, although many know it under the name of the Menshikov Palace or the Chambers of Peter I. This house became a symbol of Russia, reared by the reformer Tsar Peter I.
It was in the chambers of this palace that Peter I arranged drunken fights, sheared boyar beards and shortened the sleeves of traditional Russian caftans. Here died the tsar's adviser, friend and teacher Franz Lefort. In the basements of the building, Aleksashka Menshikov, the Tsar's closest associate and drinking companion, hid chests with stolen treasures. Emperor Peter II died in the palace bedroom, shortening his days with indefatigable endless amusements. And next to the chambers where the dead emperor lay, the grandees who were members of the Privy Council decided what conditions they could set for Anna Ioanovna, offering her the Russian throne.
Then for many years, the palace stood empty and abandoned by everyone. Only the ghost of Emperor Peter II could not leave this monastery. This palace keeps many mysteries. And one of them is akin to the theme of Dan Brown's novel "The Da Vinci Code", as it is associated with the history of the Knights Templar.
This story began even when the young Peter I met Lefort. The impetuous energetic prince immediately felt sympathy for the clever Lefort. Sympathy, over time, grew into a strong male friendship. Peter I acquired not only a friend, but also a teacher, assistant, adviser all rolled into one.
Lefort knew how to please the king. In his house in the German settlement he received Peter I with friends, arranging many-day balls and drinking parties. Prince Kurakin wrote about this in the following way: "In his house the first beginning was that his tsarist majesty began to get along with foreign ladies, and Cupid began to be the first to be with one merchant's daughter, named Anna Ivanovna Monsova."
By order of Peter I, grandiose chambers were erected on the Yauza for "friend Franz". “… From the order of stone affairs in Novonemetskaya Sloboda, in the courtyard of Admiral Franz Yakovlevich Lefort, build stone chambers with a measure and a model against the drawing. And to that ward building for all sorts of supplies and makings take now in the order of stone affairs from the category of money a thousand rubles."
On January 17, 1699, a housewarming was celebrated in the miracle palace. While unrestrained merriment was going on in the chambers, Moscow was "decorated" with thousands of gallows with executed archers. Rumors spread throughout Moscow that the Antichrist returned to Russia instead of the tsar who had gone abroad with the embassy.
In the new palace, Lefort constantly organized sumptuous dinners and celebrations. Women began to attend these feasts, which was previously strictly prohibited in Russia. Vintner Mons supplied thousands of bottles of the finest wine to Lefort.
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In March 1699, Jesuit Francis wrote in his report to the Vatican: "Mr. General Lefort, after presenting the Russian nobles with a funny comedy and a mockery of the Roman clergy, soon fell ill, fell ill with a strong fever and on the eighth day of the presentation of this comedy … died." In the book "History of Tsar Peter Alekseevich" Prince Kurakin noted: "Lefort was in fun day and night, soup, balls, banquets, gambling, brawl with ladies and incessant drinking; that's why he died during his years under fifty."
Although Peter sincerely mourned his friend, the mourning did not last long. Soon, noisy merriment resumed in the Lefortovo Palace. The Lefortovo house passed into the possession of another Peter's favorite - Alexander Menshikov.
It is still not known for certain why such dramatic changes occurred with the Russian tsar after returning from abroad, where he officially "learned science." But if we turn to the known facts, then it should be noted that upon arrival in Moscow, Peter I, Alexander Menshikov, Franz Lefort, Jacob Bruce created a secret Neptune society. Very few documents about the activities of this society have survived. It is known that the meetings were held in the Lefortovo Palace, and Franz Lefort himself presided over the meetings, until his death. After the death of the favorite Peter, Jacob Bruce became the chairman of the Neptunov society. The meetings were held in the Sukharev Tower in the Rapier Hall.
What did the members of the Neptunian society do?
Muscovites were sure that the society had a unique book of black magic, which was allegedly written by the prince of darkness himself. Many argued that Bruce had the ability to “find out what was in any place in the earth, he could tell who had what where hidden …” and “this book cannot be obtained: it is not given to anyone and is in a mysterious room where no one decides to enter. " Even the king, Bruce did not give the book, warning that he should not dare to open it, who neither by force nor reason can understand what is written there, otherwise he will bring on himself, his family and his people the most terrible of God's judgments, for he will act on the side of the Devil and the enemy of man will become. " It was rumored that this book and the list of the secret society were walled up in the wall of the Sukharev Tower. In their rituals, members of the Neptune society used an ancient artifact - Solomon's ring,which had magical properties acting "against all evil spirits, the devil, all magic and all kinds of magical inclinations, dominating witches." This ring has always belonged to the masters of the order of the Templars, otherwise they were called the Templars!
This is how the Templars "surfaced" in Russia for the first time. About this particular ring, which fell into the hands of the members of the Neptunian society, they said that having it one could command the spirit contained in it. If you turn it on your finger, then the owner of the ring becomes invisible, and if you hit the ring on the stone, then Satan himself will appear and fulfill any desire of the owner of the magic jewelry.
The appearance of the ring in the society headed by Jacob Bruce was practically natural. Jacob Bruce is originally from Scotland from the dynasty of Robert the Bruce I, who became the ancestor of three royal European houses. At one time, he gave shelter to the Knights of the Templar Order, when they had to look for a new place of residence after the defeat. The Templars, in gratitude for their support, helped Robert to ascend the throne. As the successor to their order, the Knights Templar founded a new order in Scotland, giving it the name of the Order of St Andrew and the Scottish Thistle, and they did so with the support of King Robert.
Thanks to Bruce, the Neptune Society and the Navigation School in Russia became, in fact, part of the Order of St. Andrew. No wonder the flag of the Russian navy became the St. Andrew's banner (the oblique cross meant the cross on which the Apostle Andrew was crucified). Everyone saw the very first breastplate of the Russian Order of St. Andrew on the portrait of Fyodor Alekseevich Golovin. The portrait itself was painted during the presence of the Great Russian Embassy in Europe. In the royal retinue, Golovin was considered the second most important nobleman after Lefort.
Especially, the Russian embassy in London was "entertained": endless drinking parties, visits to local shipyards, factories and factories. Peter I visited the Royal Scientific Society, Greenwich Observatory, Oxford University, the Tower of Fortress and the Mint. The British Mint was then run by the famous Isaac Newton.
In those days, Newton had already abandoned physics and went headlong into the study of mysticism and alchemy. Records found that Newton was the head of the Priory of Sion at the time. This organization has a much older history than the Knights Templar. The Templar Knights were considered the fighting force of the Priory. Unfortunately, in the last years of his life, Newton destroyed all his mystical works and died without the last sacrament. Members of the Priory of Zion, including the Templars, especially cherished their absolute independence, valued their power over the world, and considered the church to be an extra link in communion with God. Peter the Great fell under the influence of the Priory knights during his stay on British soil.
The Russian tsar actively communicated with occultists, alchemists and members of the Kabbalistic sect, and also attended the Gentleman's club of Spalding Masonic gatherings. Peter I and Jacob Bruce spent a lot of time in conversations with the head of the Priory of Zion, Isaac Newton and his associates. Historians are sure that it was then that the Russian tsar was accepted into the ranks of the secret society. And Peter I heard and took the oath of his brothers in society: "In the name of all brothers of the Templars, we join you and your father and mother and all your household members to the benefits of our House, which exist from the beginning and will continue to the end."
The Master of the Priory of Zion Order knew about the enormous influence of the Russian Tsar on the formation of European politics. Newton, may well have passed on the magical artifacts and secret knowledge of the Priory to the Russian envoys to help the Romanov dynasty rise above other ruling European courts and help the Merovingian dynasty unite Europe.
The second goal of introducing the Templar ideology into the ruling Russian house was the destruction of any church, as the main cementing force that forms the spiritual life of the people. The initiation into the sacraments of the Priory of Zion of Peter I and his closest associates is confirmed by the steps that the tsar took after returning to Russia: he abolished the Patriarchate, performed magic rituals at meetings of the Neptunian society, mocked church rules during numerous merry feasts.
There were always many rumors about Lefort's palace: “There is a legend that after Lefort died, he hid here not only treasures, but also the first artifacts associated with Freemasonry. Many historians have tried to find these hiding places, but never found. But, they say, at night, when they were looking, they walked along these corridors, they heard the steps of the famous Franz Lefort, who still guards his secrets."
One can, of course, consider that the passion for Freemasonry for Peter I and his closest associates was only an interesting foreign fun. But the fact that Freemasonry has taken root on Russian soil is an undoubted fact!
During the Catherine's enlightened reign, Moscow University became the forge of Masonic cadres. According to Professor Sergei Karpachev: “One of the main activities of Freemasonry is education. Therefore, attention was paid to youth. " Moscow scholar Maria Antonenko confirms the professor's words: “There are Masonic symbols on the building of Moscow University. We see here two torches with a medallion between them. In the medallion we see three faces that represent strength, beauty and wisdom. The six-pointed star is two combined triangles, where a triangle pointing upwards indicates fire, and a triangle pointing downwards indicates water. Two torches with a lit fire are the light of truth that can be seen in pitch darkness."
The activities of the Freemasons in Russia are shrouded in mystery and conceal a huge number of mysteries. But as history shows, sooner or later, many secrets are revealed.