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Knights Templar Military Organization
A Catholic military order founded in Jerusalem in 1119, combining the vow of 'soldiers of God' with monastic discipline and heavy cavalry warfare, de…
Timeline
- 1119–1129Jerusalem · Kingdom of JerusalemHugues de Payens and his companions were granted permission to station in the Temple Mount area to protect pilgrims; the Council of Troyes approved the rule in 1129, establishing principles of poverty, chastity, obedience, and armed defense of the faith.
- 1131–1140Frontier fortresses of the Levant · Crusader StatesThe order built castles on the frontiers of the Crusader states and garrisoned trade routes, forming a mobile striking force of heavy cavalry squadrons and infantry sergeants, and received European donations to expand its eastern strength.
- 1150–1200Temple district, Paris · FranceThe order developed remittance, deposit, and credit operations, supporting eastern military expenses with European estates and revenues, forming a transregional logistics system and expanding its function from pure combat to a strategic financial pillar.
- 1291–1312France · FranceAfter losing its Levantine base, King Philip IV of France launched arrests and trials on heresy charges; Pope Clement V ordered the order dissolved and its property confiscated, ending the military organization.
Sources
- The New Knighthood: A History of the Order of the Temple — Malcolm Barber (1994)
- Knightfall: The Rise and Fall of the Templars — Piers Paul Read (1999)