Knights Templar and Druids

Location: Boston

Hi Darlene,

Althought I don't have enough information on it, far be it from me to deny a lady's request. Therefore, the minute information I have on the (first) crusade:

Most of the information currently out there is rehashed conjecture, brought on by recent interest in the topic. However, there are some factually accurate pieces to date. The first crusade was spearheaded by a select band of (gaulish) knights (people from what is today France and Switerzland) at the behest of the church. They were hoping to reclaim the holy land, but more specifically a myriad of documents and treasure laid buried at ancient sites (including Soloman's temple).

What historians don't seem to contest is that:

1. The Knights on the first crusade did indeed find something, of great value
2. This had a signifigant effect on the Church at the time
3. The wealth and influenece of the templars exploded, shortly after their return
4. Banking, and later specifically Swiss Banking Secrecy Laws and their heritage of neutrality can be traced to the templars
5. The Church along with regional leaders of the time (mainly your man Philip of France) grew wary of the templars influenece, and wanted their riches for their own. Ultimately the two conspired to bring about their downfall

This last bit is where some of Friday the 13th as a day of bad omen received it's reputation. As the story goes, on Friday, October 13, 1307, almost all of the templars were rounded up in a giant and brilliantly executed military/political operation; of the thousands of templars at the time, some estimate only around 20 escaped the net.
Some hold that the information that had gained the templars so much influence was a knife pointed at the churches heart, and so the church wanted them wiped out. The records indicates these men were put through horrific tourtures and trails, ending either in there admiting or denying heresy and treason and being put to death either way.

Interestingly enough, William Mann holds that the templars findings were in fact ancient maps and information, historical information from the Celtic Druids. I'll see if I can find the artical, if you're interested. All comes back to us darn Irish.

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Knights Templar and Druids