From a notebook. Templars: foundation, secrets, defeat, does the order exist now

It is not known for certain whether the Norwegian Knights Templar actually existed or only in Breivik’s mind. But even at the beginning of the investigation, the leading media and public figures in Norway received letters from the “deputy head of the Templar Order,” in which the terrorist was called the leader of the organization, and his act was described as an inevitable step in the fight against multiculturalism. The message that the Norwegian Templars are demanding the release of Breivik has spread across news portals around the world, however, information about this organization has not been officially confirmed.

It later turned out that Breivik had indeed been trying to create a spiritual and political association similar to the “Order of the Templars” since 2002. Like the famous Templars, he considered Muslims and the Arab world to be one of the main enemies of Europe, so he intended to trace the history of his organization back to the medieval knights. In the 2000s, Anders Breivik raised funds to publish the order’s charter. But, as it turned out, most likely, there were only two “modern Templars”. Breivik's second accomplice, according to investigators, was the author of the message asking to acquit the terrorist and threatening the government.

Templars in modern Russia

After the collapse of communist regimes in the countries of Central and of Eastern Europe in the late 80s and early 90s. XX century this Templar Order expanded its activities to the territory of Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Ukraine, Russia, and Greece.

Since 1993 Russian Federation There is a representation of the Supreme Knightly Order of the Jerusalem Temple, currently called the Great Russian Priory of the Order of the Temple.

According to data obtained from well-informed sources, Vladimir Pavlovich Egorov became the first Grand Prior of Russia. In 2000, he was replaced in office by Marquis Vladimir Pavlovich Bagaev, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Temple and Grand Officer of the Order. In 2009, Grand Master Fontes appointed his deputy as Baron Alexei Valentinovich Andreev, Prior of Moscow, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Temple and Grand Officer of the Order.

Currently, the Orthodox Grand Priory of Russia, also known as the Grand Priory of Russia in the name of St., is officially registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation. Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky, consisting of 2 commands:

1. Moscow Commandery in the name of the Saint St. Sergius Radonezh and
2. Commandery of St. Petersburg in the name of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George.

Currently, several international organizations are known that call themselves Templars and consider themselves the successors of the traditions of medieval chivalry.

Order of the Knights Templar North America considers himself the direct successor of the medieval order. According to Vincent Zubras, the leader of the order, this order was underground until the 18th century, then it was legalized. Now the order operates in more than 30 countries, including more than 5,000 knights and ladies. Moreover, the sizes of the priories vary.

Another organization, the Supreme Knightly Order of the Temple of Jerusalem, recognized by the UN as a non-governmental humanitarian organization, is engaged in charity and assistance, like colleagues from the Order of Malta. To join the order you need to engage in humanitarian activities for two years.

There are other organizations that call themselves Templars. At the same time, they all unanimously disavow both the Freemasons and Breivik.

The Templars knew the secrets of modern nuclear scientists

The fabulous gold coins that turn into clay shards or disappear the next day actually existed. Alchemy has achieved results in the production of gold from base metals. The warlocks of the Templar Order discovered the method of nuclear fusion and could produce isotopes of gold. Scientists came to these conclusions after examining Livonian castles in Latvia.

The secrets of knightly orders have long excited the minds of various treasure hunters. But the treasures of the Templars still remain the most big mystery. And not by chance. In those distant times, when the order built about a thousand castles throughout Europe and issued generous loans to almost all monarchies, the main means of payment was silver, and the amount of gold that the Templars had could not physically exist. This thesis led researchers to the idea of ​​alchemy and to the idea that the Templars possessed a method similar to nuclear fusion. Science knows that gold isotopes can be obtained from iridium, platinum, and thallium. And if you use mercury, then after some time such a treasure will simply slip through your fingers.

Since then, all that remained from the Templars were castles and secrets, in which many were very interested. The Nazis were especially active in searching for gold in Latvia and Estonia. Supreme supervision of the treasure hunt was carried out by Alfred Rosenberg, who, in addition, was looking for a treasure sword in Karelia. However, in 1942 the program was quickly curtailed and research ceased. Scientists believe that the cessation of research indicates that the Nazis did find the mysterious gold. There is no answer to the question of where it is now. Most likely, together with the keeper of the fascist cash register, Borman, he went to Argentina, where he got lost.

Modern Templars

In contrast to the mystery that is associated with the entire history of the existence of the order, the Grail, the strongest state in the state, the strange activities that the Inquisition defined as serving the devil, the execution of Jacques de Molay and his curses, in this lecture, the last in the series, it will be shown that represents the Knights Templar today.

Sources: www.chuchotezvous.ru, www.osmth.ru, www.heroeswm.ru, www.utro.ru, eventexists.ru

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It was assumed that the O.T.O. will become a kind of Masonic Academy, which will combine the wisdom of all Masonic degrees. However, this did not happen.

O.T.O. he never became part of regular Freemasonry, if only because he adhered to the principle of equal rights for men and women, and, therefore, accepted the latter into his ranks. In addition, the O.T.O. considered faith in God (or gods) to be a personal matter for each person, and therefore mono-, poly-, and even atheists could join it.

Finally, O.T.O. connections and Freemasonry was interrupted in 1920, when the Congress of the "World Federation of Universal Freemasonry", held in Zurich, rejected the proposal of Reuss - at that time the head of our Order - to make Thelema the fundamental law of Freemasonry. After Reuss's death (in 1923), he modified the initiation rituals of the O.T.O. so as not to interfere with the legal privileges and recognized powers of modern Freemasons. So in our time, membership in the O.T.O. does not imply the award of any Masonic degree.

Now O.T.O. is a completely independent Order, which can include Christians, Buddhists, Wiccans, Masons, etc. In a word - representatives of any religious denominations and esoteric societies.

What is the Order of the Eastern Templars today? Its center is located in the US state of California. For this there is historical reasons. It was in California that the Agape Lodge existed - the largest and most active branch of the O.T.O. at the time of Crowley's death, it was in this Lodge that he worked, whom, along with Crowley, he named as his heir.

After McMurtry's death in 1985, Sovereign Sanctuary ( supreme body) of our Order has chosen as its external head Hymenea beta, which heads the O.T.O. and to this day.

Currently the Order consists of over 4 thousand person and has its representatives more than 60 countries.

The right to initiate initiation into the Order is enjoyed by its branches in 20 countries:
Brazil, Canada, China, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan, Ukraine, as well as the Grand Lodges of Australia, USA and Great Britain.

At the O.T.O. there are no luxurious temples and office buildings, there are no crowned heads or presidents in its ranks. It is not customary to give diamond cufflinks to its craftsmen or to invite “new Russians” to join them, as well as the nouveau riche in other countries. O.T.O. does not court the official authorities either. The only person who receives a “salary” in the Order is the external head of the Order, and it is quite modest.

O.T.O. does not provide paid training for “magicians”, and membership fees here are purely symbolic. So, for example, for Russia for dedication to the degree Minerval(zero degree) an amount of $6.30 (this money goes to the agape fraternal meal, which is an integral part of the initiation), the membership fee for the year in the Minerval degree is also US$6.30(with this money it is published Magic Link(“The Magical Connection”) is a newsletter of our Order that every member of the O.T.O. receives. This money can be used to finance the travel of initiatory brothers to those countries where local branches of the O.T.O. they themselves do not have the means and opportunities to do this.

Initiation fee and annual membership fee for I degree also amounts to, respectively, US$6.30 And US$6.30.

The structure of the O.T.O., like that of the Masonic fraternities and ancient secret schools, is based on a successive series of initiations into corresponding degrees, most of which are conferred ceremoniously. In the initiatory rituals of the various degrees of the O.T.O. seeks to help the individual to understand, through the language of allegories and symbols, the deepest mysteries of Nature, and thus to help him to comprehend his own true identity, the true Will.

Membership in the Order A person can become a member of the Order only after undergoing a special initiation ceremony, which is performed by an initiate who has permission to do so from the leadership of the Order. Valid membership is divided into 21 degrees, - 13 numbered (0 to 12) degrees And 8 unnumbered subgrades, which are intermediate.

Initiatory degrees of the O.T.O.

According to the Book of Law degrees in the O.T.O. divided into three categories or "Triads":

Earth Man;
Enamored;
Hermit.

“Whoever calls us Thelemites will not be mistaken if he carefully examines the word. For there are Three Degrees in it: Hermit, Lover and Man of the Earth”. (Book of the Law Chapter I; verse 40)

The First Triad consists of 5 numbered degrees, with Minerval considered as an introductory part to the First Degree, and IV° as an appendix (addition) to III°:

Each degree of the first triad corresponds to one or two of the seven chakras. The initiation ritual itself activates the corresponding chakra in a person. More precisely, it removes “blocks” that interfere with the free functioning of these energy centers. What causes blocked chakras? The reasons for this can be very different. These can be childhood traumas, difficult family conditions, physical and emotional trauma, and, finally, simply a lack of attention from others.

Correspondence of degrees of the first triad of O.T.O. and chakras

The logical sequence of degrees becomes clear through the chakra system. Thus, the Minerval degree sets a certain conditional boundary, activating the location of the Kundalini Serpent and the “third eye”. The next three degrees (I° - III°) descend down the spine, sequentially activating throat chakra, heart and chakra located in the navel area. The fourth degree returns to Ajna, thereby completing the circuit begun in Minerval, reactivating the third eye. To strengthen this circulation. Only when blocks are removed from all chakras, the highest chakra - Sahasrara (Crown) - is activated.

It is believed that if a person experiences problems with communication, his fifth chakra (Vishuddha - the plane of human existence) is blocked; if health and material problems constantly arise, then, obviously, problems with the first chakra (Muladhara - the plane of the physical world), etc. .d. Of course, you shouldn’t understand everything in a simplified way. After all, for some, problems with Vishuddha, for example, are aggressive and permanent disputes, for others it is a refusal to communicate.

For the previous initiation to have its full and proper effect on the initiate, a certain amount of time is required, so it is assumed that approximately 9 months or a year should pass between initiations (the only exception is associated with the Minerval and 1st degrees. In special cases they can be taken on the same day).

Of course, the initiation ceremony is not a universal means of removing the block from the chakra once and for all. Therefore, the effect of initiation can be very different. The chakra can be activated for some time, but if work with it does not continue, then after a short time it will “close” again.

Minerval (zero degree)

Conception. Here a person is considered a guest of our Order. This is an introductory degree of initiation and gives the candidate the opportunity to think and decide whether he needs to become a full member of the Order. In the language of symbolism, this is defined as the attraction of the human “ego” (the wandering God) to solar system, or, if you prefer, conception. Minerval is a “welcome guest” of the Order, although not a full member. A member of the Order in the Minerval degree cannot lead an O.T.O. Camp. or give a recommendation to someone else to join the Order. The time spent in the Minerval degree is not limited. You can ask for initiation into I° immediately after initiation into the Minerval degree, but you can also take time out to consider whether this is a decision you should make. If you want to stay in the Minerval grade, that's absolutely fine.

First degree - Man and Brother (Woman and Sister)

Birth. This initiation ritual makes a person a full member of the Order. During initiation into the First Degree, a spiritual connection arises between the initiate and the Order, which a member of the O.T.O. never loses it again, even if he retires from active activity in it.

Second degree - Mage

Human life. A person lives life and becomes acquainted with its basic laws, from the point of view of Thelema.

Third degree - Master Mage

Man knows Death.

Fourth degree

It consists of two parts:

Perfect Magician and Companion of the Holy Royal Arch of Enoch
Man enters the World beyond Death.

Perfect Initiate or Prince of Jerusalem (P.I)
Destruction or Perfect Beginning.

After the Fourth degree comes intermediate degree Knight of the East and West, which is a kind of “bridge” between the Triad of Man of the Earth and the Lover. From this degree, advancement in the Order is by invitation only.

As Aleister Crowley wrote, "all subsequent (higher) degrees develop mainly the symbolism of the second degree, that is, they are a kind of guidance to the Candidate as to how he should act; and gradually impart to him the Magical Secrets that make him the Lord of Life."

Further advancement in the O.T.O. usually a matter of several years. A certain amount of time is required for previous initiations to have their full and proper effect on the initiate.

Rituals and training from V° to IX° degrees - instructions for Initiation into the Mastery of Life; The instructions which introduce Hermetic Philosophy, Qabalah, Magic and Yoga are all aimed at preparing for Initiation into the one Supreme Mystery.

Triad of Lovers

V° Sovereign Prince of the Rose-Croix, and Knight of the Pelican and Eagle, Knight of the Red Eagle, and Member of the Senate of Knightly Hermetic Philosophers

VI° Illustrious Knight (Templar) of the Order of Kadosh, and Companion of the Holy Grail, Grand Inquistor Commander, Member of the Grand Tribunal, Prince of the Royal Secret

VII° Theoretician, Very Illustrious Sovereign Grand Inspector General, Magician of Light and Bishop of the Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica, Grand Master of Light and Inspector of Rites and Initiations

Hermit Triad

VIII° Perfect Pontiff of Enlightenment. Myst (Epopt) of Enlightenment.

IX° Initiate of the Sanctuary of Gnosis.

X° Supreme and Most Holy King (Rex Summus Sanctissimus). This is a technical degree. It is received by the National Grand Master General of the O.T.O. in a separate country.

XI° Initiate of the Eleventh Degree. This degree is technical and has nothing to do with the overall plan of the Order.

XII° Frater Superior or O.N.O. - Outer Head of the Order

It is worth noting that the names of the nine degrees are taken from Masonic sources: Holy Royal Arch of Enoch, Prince of Jerusalem, Knight of the East and West, Sovereign Prince of the Rose Cross, Knight of the Red Eagle, Illustrious Knight (Templar) of the Order of Kadosh, Grand Inquistor Commander, Prince of the Royal Mystery and Sovereign Grand Inspector General.

In addition, membership in the Order is divided into two classes: from the Minerval degree to VII° members of the O.T.O. constitute a brotherhood called "The Greatest Kept Secret"(“Mysteria Mystica Maxima” or M. .M. .M..). Members of the Order from VIII to X degrees form Hermetic Brotherhood of Light(Fratemitas Lucis Hermeticae).

O.T.O. Branches: CAMP, OASIS and LODGE

In addition to the administrative and governing bodies within the O.T.O., there are three levels of official local initiated bodies (local bodies): Camps, Oases and Lodges.

Camp

The base level is Camp. Camps can be as simple as study groups, and as complex as miniature Lodges. Camps may or may not initiate, but even those that have a Charter can initiate no higher than III°.

A camp may be established by a single initiated member of the O.T.O., holding at least a First Degree. He can perform such tasks as organizing a regional office, conducting initiations, issuing publications, maintaining a computer website, etc. Camps must maintain effective records of financial transactions and have a secure mailing address.

Oasis

The next level of difficulty, higher than Camp, is Oasis. In many ways, Oasis is a miniature Lodge. In relation to its members, the Oasis must carry out the basic functions of the Lodge: provide training in the form of classes and/or distribution of written materials, try to regularly celebrate the Gnostic Mass and carry out initiations from 0° to III°.

An oasis must be created by at least three dedicated members, one of whom must be at least a Third degree. Typically, oases are created from existing Camps. Since Oases are initiating bodies, they must have all the means necessary to carry out initiations up to and including the third degree. Oases have the same financial and reporting responsibilities as Camps.

Lodge

Local authority top level, under the jurisdiction of the Electoral College, is the Lodge. The Master of the Lodge must have Initiation in the Order not lower than V°, and also have the Right of Initiation to a degree not lower than III°.

The Lodge must independently carry out the initiation of members up to the III° degree inclusive and have everything necessary to carry out the initiations of the IV° and P.I., even if the Head of the Lodge does not hold the Right of Initiation to these degrees.

Usually minimum distance The distance that Lodges must be separated from each other is 50 miles, except in densely populated cities. The responsibilities of Lodges and Oases are similar. In addition, the Lodge may be required to assist the Order in legal matters. Lodges shall maintain a complete set of documents beyond what is normally required of the lower levels, and shall also produce manuscripts, periodicals and other publications or other works promoting the dissemination of the Knowledge of Thelema. It is expected that all Lodges endeavor to celebrate the Gnostic Mass as often as possible. The two main functions of a Lodge are: (1) to serve the general body of its members; and (2) in case of misfortune which may befall the Grand Lodge, to prolong the life of the Order.

Despite the requirements of the 1917 Constitution of the Order, according to which no one can be a member of more than one Lodge at the same time, the current policy of the O.T.O. does not limit membership in local bodies.

O.T.O. in Russia

The Moscow branch of the Order - "Pan's Asylum" - was created on the basis of a charter issued by the Supreme Council of the Ordo Templi Orientis on April 15, 2000. The basis of the Camp "Pan's Asylum" were Russian members of the Order who received initiation in other countries.

First initiation into the O.T.O. in Russia happened in Moscow on August 30, 2002. On May 18, 2004, by decision of the Supreme Council of the Order, the “Pan’s Refuge” Camp was transformed into the “Pan’s Refuge” Oasis. He was also given the right to independently carry out initiatory work in degrees 0 - 3. On January 13, 2008, Oasis was transformed into the Sanctuary of Pan Lodge. Today in our country there are four branches of O.T.O.: Lodge "Pan's Refuge" in Moscow, Camp "Sphinx" in St. Petersburg, Camp "Sofia" in Voronezh, Camp "156" in Chelyabinsk.

Any person who has reached the age of majority and recognizes, to the best of his own understanding, has the right to declare his desire to become a member of our Order. But at the same time, he must submit recommendations from two guarantors from among the members of the Order. To do this, he must prove that he is seriously interested in magic, is willing to learn and can participate in joint magical work.

Membership in our Order opens the way to Knowledge, but does not provide any privileges on the material plane. Every new member of our Order faces difficult work. However, he has the right to expect that his brothers and sisters in the O.T.O. will always be ready to help him in this matter.

You can contact the Order at:

© Lodge "Refuge of Pan" O.T.O.

An article that accidentally caught my eye in the online news publication oko-planet made me think a lot. What if the ancients secret societies still exist today? What if over the centuries they have accumulated colossal powers and means to control the Earth? The idea is not new - it has repeatedly formed the basis of films and books, but it is fiction... And also - have you ever had a fantastic idea: put money in a bank account about a hundred years in the past, then find yourself in the future and receive colossal interest? in full? Now imagine the richest organization of the past, making such a contribution for 500 years...

Templar cross

679 years ago, the last known Grand Master of the Order of the Knights of the Temple, Jacques de Molay, was burned alive at the stake.

Grand Master of the Order of the Temple - Jacques de Molay

The Order of the Templars in those days became a threat to the power of the kings, a threat to the power of the Pope - the funds of the order were so great that not a single treasury of the royal houses of Europe could compete with them. The Templars lent money to the kings, charging them interest and receiving rich estates and lands as payment for their debts! For Philip IV the Fair, King of France, the decision was obvious - to come to an agreement with the Vatican and set the Holy Inquisition against the Templars: the Order of the Knights of the Temple - to dissolve, the top of the organization - to be put to death, property and treasury - to be divided between the crown and the Vatican. Everything happened almost according to the scenario of Philip the Fair: the Supreme Templars were put to death, their estates and lands were divided, but the main thing - the huge treasury of the Order - disappeared without a trace. The executioners of the Inquisition could not find her traces, she disappeared, as if she had disappeared into thin air...

There is an entry in the Novgorod chronicles from 1307 - “overseas calicos arrived in Novgorod on 18 ships with the great treasury, and bowed to Prince Yuri of Moscow with it. And those Kaliki fled from the wrath of the prince of the Gauls...” The Russian history textbooks well describe the moment before the Battle of Kulikovo - when the monk Peresvet came out against the Tatar-Mongol hero. Only it doesn’t say that the monk was a Templar, a knight of the Order of the Temple! How else can we explain that the crosses of the Templars are carved on the gravestones of Peresvet and his partner Oslyabi?

Look for yourself, their tombstones are in the Moscow Simonov Monastery; during the Soviet era, the Palace of Culture of the plant named after them was located there. Likhacheva. The Templar symbol - the red rose - is clearly visible on the grille of the surviving part of the monastery.

David Noel James, Lord and Peer of England

Last November, a member of the UK House of Lords - Lord David Noel James, Baron of Blackheath - made a lengthy and confusing speech in Parliament. In it, he voiced an offer made to him by representatives of a certain “Fund X” - a gratuitous contribution of 5 billion pounds sterling to the English economy. And, as Lord James very ornately described the situation, these funds belong to a certain ancient society that has accumulated colossal gold reserves, equal to “all the gold that has been mined on Earth over the historical period”! His speech was abruptly cut off by the Speaker of the British Parliament before the Lord could explain what exactly he was talking about...

It is known that in last years representatives of the Templars are trying to get the Vatican to admit to falsely accusing the Order of the Temple and legalize their society, thanks to Dan Brown, better known under another name - the Priory of Sion. These events are beyond comprehension... what else will emerge over the years from the darkness of history?

So many fiction and popular science books have been written about the Templar Order in our time that it is quite difficult to add anything new. Therefore, we will not consider in detail how the order appeared, but will try to understand why it is relatively short term he achieved such power and that became the reason for the ruthless destruction of the Templars in most European states. The Templar Order, which was also called the Order of the Poor Knights of Christ and the Shrine of Solomon or the Order of the Temple, was founded in 1119 in Jerusalem by the French knight Hugo de Payens. The order's headquarters were located in a former mosque built on the ruins of Solomon's Temple. Presumably, from the Latin word “templum” - sanctuary - the knights of the order received the name “Templars”, “Knights of the Temple”. At first, there were only a few people in the order, whose main goal was to ensure safe way for pilgrims on the way between Jerusalem and Jaffa. The ranks of the brotherhood quickly swelled, and mainly the French joined it. The official transformation of the brotherhood into an order, blessed by the Church to fight the infidels, occurred only ten years later. Among the founders of the Order of the Temple was the famous theologian and preacher, recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church, Bernard of Clairvaux. This man enjoyed enormous influence - kings listened to his advice, and Popes recognized his wisdom. Bernard of Clairvaux himself wrote a charter for the order, which was approved by Pope Honorius II in 1128, for the first and last time in history catholic church A special church council was convened in Troyes, in the possessions of the Count of Champagne. The order adopted a unique uniform - white clothes with a red cross on the left side of the chest and on the left sleeve. However, you should not think that all knights wore white cloaks. Many of them did not wear white Templar clothes, but only sewed a red cross, and, according to custom, on their chest when they performed in crusade, and on the back - when they left the Holy Land.

From the very moment of its founding, the Templar Order was distinguished by its duality: it was both military and monastic, which was theoretically impossible, since the monks could not break the commandments, including “thou shalt not kill.” However, the Templars were able to combine these mutually exclusive concepts. All members of the order took monastic vows: poverty, purity and obedience. However, according to the charter, they were exempt from performing some of the commandments and services, since they had to protect the life and freedom of holy places and Christian pilgrims. Only an unmarried man could become a member of the order: a bachelor, a widower or a monk, and only a free man - a knight, landowner or townsman, feudal lord or prince. A knight could be refused admission to the order if it was believed that his presence could bring trouble, for example, if creditors began to demand his debts. The nationality of the applicant did not play a special role, although most of the Templars, as we have already mentioned, were French. It was strictly forbidden to accept only Jews into the order. Among the Templars there were also ordinary priests who conducted church services. Before each battle, they confessed to the brother knights and celebrated the sacrament of the Eucharist. The priests also took care of the order's hospitals. By the way, the Templars had the best surgeons in Europe. The order provided itself with everything necessary; all the daily work and hardships of life fell on the shoulders of the brother workers, who were several times more numerous than the knights, but their rights in the order were very insignificant.

However, just a few years after its founding, the Knights Templar devoted minimal strength and attention to protecting pilgrims. The main goal The order became the acquisition of wealth and influence. Very soon the sayings “drinks like a Templar” and “swears like a Templar” appeared in the Holy Land. The knights who fought with the Saracens did not deny themselves pleasures, at the same time robbing not only infidels, but also fellow believers and capturing crowds of slaves, who were either used in the order along with animals, or were sold profitably.

The loss of Jerusalem in 1244 did not greatly affect the activities of the Templars. In the 13th century the order reached the peak of military, political and economic power. The Templars owned about five thousand commanderies, castles, estates and hospices, of which 53 fortresses were in the Asian possessions of the Crusaders. There were approximately 15 thousand knights in the order. They owned the first and largest banking system, which was readily used by both church and secular authorities. At first, banking operations were only supposed to provide support for the pilgrims and security for their funds, but soon lending to travelers or accepting property for safekeeping became a custom. The money was allowed to grow and bring considerable income. The Templars were very strict about money. Honesty was their trademark. The order's large and well-trained army made it possible to create and effectively manage an extensive network of trade between Europe, Jerusalem and other states of the East. A strong own fleet made the trade routes laid by the order practically the only in a safe way trade with the East, that is, the Templars became, in fact, the monopoly owners of all rights to trade with Muslims. This brought huge sums to the order’s treasury and... incredibly irritated church and secular authorities, who began to fear a powerful force that suddenly appeared in Europe and claimed dominance. The Templars developed an effective and simple system for translate Money- anyone could deposit money into an “account” in one country and receive it in another, upon presentation of written notification. It was the Templars who introduced bank checks into circulation, which are still used throughout the world today.

To top it all off, the order was completely independent of any territorial secular and ecclesiastical authorities. They could not expel a templar from his home or take away his property even by order of the King of Jerusalem - this required a special order from the Pope. Moreover, the submission of the Templars to the pontiff was more nominal than actual. First, they won the right to change and supplement the order’s rules without consulting the Pope, and then, when their financial empire covered the whole of Europe, the Pope simply became their debtor and was not eager to quarrel with the creditor.

In fact, the order became the first international organization in history based on military force and an extensive financial network. Moreover, the Templars carried out all their actions under the cover of secrecy and no one could know about their plans in advance. Mystery and power aroused at first the hidden and later open hostility of the Church and monarchs. The Templars especially feared the King of France, Philip IV the Fair, since it was there that the order was strongest. The king failed to take control of the order from the inside, becoming one of its leaders, so he decided to destroy dangerous competitors. By order of the king, his confessor (who was also the Grand Inquisitor of France) Guillaume of Paris began collecting information compromising the Templars, using knights expelled from the order as informants and witnesses. By 1307, the list of accusations was ready, messengers with the king’s secret order went to all corners of the country, and on September 13, 1307, the royal troops captured all the Templar castles in the country. The Temple, the heart of the order in Paris, was surrendered without a fight - the knights opened the gates and let the guards in. Over the next few days, more than five hundred knights were arrested.

Everyone understood perfectly well that the reasons for the arrest of the Templars were exclusively political, but the templars were charged... with sorcery and blasphemy. Church commissions were created, which included bishops and representatives of the mendicant orders: Carmelites, Franciscans and Dominicans. Since the Cistercians and Benedictines participated in the founding of the order, they were excluded from the investigation. During interrogations, the Templars categorically denied the accusations. First of all, they were accused... of the sin of Sodom, which was allegedly encouraged by the leaders of the order. The Templars did not deny that at the initiation ceremony the neophyte was kissed on the navel, tailbone and lips. No one could explain the meaning of this ritual: those not initiated into the mysteries of the order themselves did not understand it, copying the actions of their elders, and those who were admitted to secret knowledge, were in no hurry to share them with the judges. The commanders admitted during interrogations that the newcomers were rudely advised: “If you are cold, you will warm up with your brothers,” but such jokes among the soldiers were common not only among the Templars. Another charge was more serious. Based on the testimony of exiled knights and confessions obtained under torture, the templars were accused of denying the crucifixion of Christ and spitting on the cross. The Templars could not object to this accusation. Indeed, newcomers accepted into the order were told that Jesus was not crucified and that the cross was not a holy symbol, but an instrument of death. After this, the newcomer had to spit on the cross. The Templars were also accused of idolatry, since almost every priory had its own “idol” - the so-called “Baphomet heads”, heads made of bronze, which sometimes had three faces, horns, and eyes encrusted with jewels. Among the Templars, these artifacts were considered symbols of wealth and prosperity, but the judges easily saw in them evidence of devil worship. The verdict was unequivocal - devil worshipers, alchemists and moneylenders must be destroyed, which suited the Pope and the King of France perfectly. The investigation dragged on for seven years, and the judges and investigators, who showed not even sympathy, but simply objectivity in relation to the Templars, were immediately removed and replaced with more “compliant” ones. Knights who refused to give testimony extracted under torture at trial were immediately sent to the stake.

Pope Clement V, who began the process against the Templars on Philip's orders, refused for a long time to endure final decision. Only the threat of the king of France to organize a trial accusing his predecessor Boniface VIII of heresy and blasphemy forced the pontiff to make a fatal decision. In essence, the Pope “exchanged” the Templars for the preservation of the principle of papal infallibility. On March 18, 1314, the work of the Templars was completed. On the Isle of Cité, the last Grand Master Jacques de Molay and the second person in the order hierarchy, Prior of Normandy Geoffroy de Charnay, were burned. This cloudy day was marked amazing event- Jacques de Molay turned to Guillaume of Paris, who had finished reading the verdict, and spoke. For a moment, it seemed to those present at the execution that some higher power was speaking in his voice. The old man said: “We are guilty before the Almighty, but we do not admit ourselves guilty of what the judges accused us of. We are guilty of the fact that our spirit was weaker than our flesh and under torture we slandered the Order of the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem.” The tribunal judges looked at each other. After a short meeting, Guillaume of Paris announced: “Since these heretics have not repented, continue to persist and spew blasphemy against our holy mother Church, we abandon them and hand them over to the secular authorities.” When the fire flared up, the Master said loudly: “Pope Clement V, in forty days you will come to me. King Philip IV of France, in less than a year you will join us." He didn't make another sound.

Jacques de Molay's prediction came true exactly. On April 20, tormented by terrible pain, Pope Clement died - doctors, trying to cure the pontiff of abdominal pain, prescribed him crushed emeralds, which tore his intestines. In November, Philip IV fell from his horse while hunting, injuring his spine. The paralyzed monarch was brought to the palace, where he died a few days later. Immediately, strife began in the state, the heirs began to divide power. The sons of Philip IV, one after another, died childless, and Edward of England began to lay claim to the throne of the French kingdom. The war between England and France dragged on for more than a hundred years. The country that destroyed the Knights of the Temple almost ceased to exist itself. Some mystics believe that only the atoning sacrifice Maid of Orleans saved France from final destruction.

In other European states, monarchs no less willingly than Philip the Fair seized the possessions of the disgraced order. In Italy, the rulers followed the Pope's instructions to destroy heretics unconditionally, but only a few templars went to the stake, and in Germany they limited themselves to confiscation of property. Some researchers have even suggested that Freemasonry was founded by the Templars who went underground. Surprisingly, even now we come across the symbols of the Templars almost every day, because their emblem - a red cross on a white field - is a sign of the International Red Cross. As for the silver and gold that the almighty order allegedly owned, it could not be found. Neither the court, nor the Inquisition, nor investigators, nor historians could find traces of the Templars' wealth.

Initially, the Order of the Poor Knights, created in 1118 by the impoverished nobleman Hugh de Payns and eight of his relatives, knights and friends, deeply religious, set itself the only goal - to protect pilgrims heading to Jerusalem to the Holy Land, since without escort the pilgrims were attacked and robbed and the Muslims killed. Later the knights of the order were rewarded for their good intentions king of Jerusalem, where they were able to stay and live in the king's palace near the Jerusalem temple. The first knights were so poor that there was only one horse for two people. In memory of this, the seal of the order with two horsemen is dedicated.

Ten years later, in 1128, the order was officially proclaimed and supported by a charter created by the Catholic saint Bernard of Clairvaux. The Templar Rule included vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Gradually, the order was given the right to free movement, land was allocated in the form of incentives, and the brotherhood was exempt from many taxes.

The structure of the order had a well-thought-out hierarchy. At the head of the order was the Grand Master, to whom the entire brotherhood was subordinate. Seneschal is the Deputy Grand Master. The marshal was responsible for military command and training the knights for battle. The commander ruled one of the order's provinces. The hierarchy also included a submarshal, a brother knight, a brother sergeant, a mercenary commander - a turcopolier, a squire, a chaplain, as well as a scribe, a swordsmith, a tailor, a groom and a cook.

In addition to serving the Lord and protecting pilgrims, the functions of the order gradually expanded and already included the first banking, financial and credit operations, construction and road activities, as well as charity.

Fall of the Knights Templar

Later, the number and power of the Knights Templar increased: their own army, court, police, new lands and wealth. Because of the power of the order, the monarchs of Europe began to fear it, because the order was established not only as a militant order, but also as an ecclesiastical one, as a result, the Templars obeyed only their elected Grand Master, the Pope, but could not submit to the authority of the king. The residence of the order was located in many cities, including Paris, where Philip IV the Fair decided to conceive a villainous intrigue against the order and all its representatives.

On September 14, 1307, King Philip IV the Fair sent a letter to the officials of each of the provinces of France, sealed with the royal seal, and demanding that it be opened at dawn on October 13. This was an order to arrest all the knights of the order at the same time. The persecution of the Templars began throughout Europe: France, Great Britain, Germany, Spain, Cyprus, except Portugal, where King Dinis I founded a new Order of Christ.

The king’s plan was realized, and almost all representatives of the order ended up in prison for a long 7 years - that’s how long the trial in the Templar case lasted. In prison cells, under terrible torture, the knights were forced to confess to various false accusations and crimes that were needed by the royal court and the Inquisition: heresy, Satanism and sodomy. In fact, Philip IV the Fair simply wanted to liquidate this order, which had become rich due to its usury and powerful influence, to prevent the possible creation of a single state by the Templars, and also to confiscate the lands that belonged to the order.

On March 18, 1314, on the Jewish island of Paris, in front of all its inhabitants and royalty, the last Grand Master Jacques de Molay and the noble knight Geoffroy de Charnay were sentenced to death by burning. According to legend, in his last words the Grand Master cursed all those who were involved in the conspiracy: Pope Clement V, King Philip IV the Fair and his adviser Guillaume de Nogaret. Ironically, all three died within a year, and the Capetian dynasty ended with the sons of King Philip IV.

The Secret of the Templars

According to one version, Freemasonry, which appeared in the 16th century, draws its continuity precisely from the Templar Order. In the 18th century, new movements agreed that the Templars possessed secret occult teachings, and they, in turn, were their successors. The involvement of the Templars in the occult sciences is allegedly based on various documented confessions of knights under torture back in the 14th century. According to one legend, the order of knights also possessed and guarded the Holy Grail. The knights of the order owned priceless archives and artifacts that have not yet been found.

Does the Templar still exist? Today, there are a lot of different organizations posing as “Templar”: the Good Templars, the Eastern Templars, the Catholic Order of the Knights of Christ, the Templar Church of the Elder Brothers of the Rose and Cross, the Cosmic Templars, and so on. But they have nothing in common with that original order and its direct followers do not exist.