In 1119 in Jerusalem by the crusaders (mainly French descent) was established order of knights Templar (the Templars). At all the European courts of members of the order took the honorary positions.

Who entered the order was not responsible for impunity for past violations and crimes

The glory of the order grew together with its number, deeds, powers and privileges that were attracted to its ranks representatives of the most illustrious families. There were no any prominent family in Europe, the members of which would not take place in the order. Not surprising, considering that made the order was not responsible for impunity for past violations and crimes.

In the Treasury of the knights flocked donations of gold, jewels, estates, castles. The temple belonged to more than 10 thousand locks, and their lands were exempted from taxes. The Church of the order is not paid Pope tithing! The order becomes the largest usurer Europe. The revenues were unheard of. The Templars for conducting monetary operations invented the bill is a very useful type of securities, allowed to transfer money without the risk to lose them because of the attacks of burglars.

You can imagine what a formidable force looked order in the eyes of European monarchs. In the face of the Templars were formed of a single form of government, which was not much to unite in their ranks all European aristocracy and citizens become over secular authorities and, putting an end to the European contentions and wars, to own, the only correct policy in Western Europe.

In 1191 the Templars bought the English king and the Crusades of Richard the Lionheart of great value island of Cyprus. One hundred years after 1291 fell Akka, the last stronghold of the Christians in the East, the Templars were forced to leave the Holy land and to move for permanent residence to Cyprus and France, where was their basic knowledge.

Expanding the Beaus? ant" - so called black-and-white striped flag with the cross and the slogan "Not unto us, not unto us, but unto thy name, and descended on the European shore covered with glory paladins to pass on their assigned countries.

Paris was elected by the General Chapter of the order of the main residence. For the first time the capital of the French kings saw the "soldiers of Christ" - 130 knights, dressed in white cloaks and accompanied by a numerous Suite Junior in rank - in black cloaks.

By order of the temple on the right Bank of Paris in the Marais district ("bog") was built gigantic fortress temple (the temple), which housed the Treasury of the order, it pantries-safes. Above the walls towered seven castle towers: main mighty tower was tall, with twelve-storey house. High wall was surrounded by a deep moat. Inside there were stables and barracks, in the middle of the yard there is a parade ground for military exercises, a well and a garden with herbs. The courtyard was paved square marble - white and black - like a chessboard. The main donjon tower was the residence of the Grand master. The Treasury of the order was stored on multiple tiers dungeons under the donjon. The place of meeting of the Capitulum of the orders was the Church with thick walls and Windows, similar to the loopholes. The construction of the castle was completed to 1222.

France in the beginning of XIV century ruled by king Philip IV, nicknamed for the angelic appearance Beautiful. When in 1306 in Paris rebellion broke out, the king took shelter for the knights Templars, warmly received him, and lend a large sum of money. Philip IV once again saw the power and wealth of the knights of the temple.

He expressed feelings of friendship Grand master of the order of Jacques de Molay, but he had quite different secret, considerations. He is very well felt a threat to her power. The growing influence of the order, its immediate "neighbourhood" was deprived of the monarch restful sleep. Philip knew about the warning English Templar made Henry III: "You will be king, yet fair." These words caused Philip think, moreover, he had a chronic shortage of money. When it was time to get even, king made it clear that Pope Clement V, his protege that it is time to act.

At the request of Pope Grand master left Cyprus and arrived in Paris allegedly at the meeting on the occasion of the new crusade in the Holy land. Together with him came 60 knights who brought 150 thousand gold florins and a large number of silver. Among those taken to the storage Temple treasures could cover urgent debts of the French Kingdom.

Soon after arriving in Paris, black Friday, October 13, 1307, throughout France have been arrested Templar. The cunning king Philip IV Beautiful world that prepared the massacre, chose this day, giving it a symbolic meaning. The wealth of the order were confiscated in favour of the Royal Treasury, but most of them disappeared, marking the beginning of the legend of the hidden "gold of the Templars.

Templar accused of all mortal sins and was forced under torture to confess. The chief Prosecutor at the trial was the papal legate Guillaume de Nogara. 18 March 1314, Jacques de Molay was brought to the Cathedral of Notre Dame for the repentance of sins, but he refused to confession and said that all the accusations were false. On the same day on the island of Cite burned it on a slow fire. The Grand master bravely took a painful death and before presented in the sight of the highest judge, cursed aloud monster-king, the apostate-the Pope and the treacherous Nogara.

"Pope Clement... Chevalier Guillaume de Nogara, king Philip... within a year, as I will call you on the judgment of God, and you shall receive just punishment! The curse! A curse upon your race to the thirteenth tribe!.." - shouted Jacques de Molay, according to Maurice to Druon, the author of the historical novel "Railway king".

In fact all happened. On the 40th day after the auto-da-Fe died Pope Clement V. Soon it was followed by Guillaume de Nogara. In the same 1314 sudden death while hunting the king himself. Ten years later he stopped and Royal dynasty Capet, the last of which was Philip IV. Shameful death overtook all the initiators of the destruction of the Holy knights. In 1315 was hanged tormentor Templar Angerran de Marigny. Not the best was the fate informers: de Fleury was stabbed with a dagger, Gerard Laverna and cleric Bernard Pele undernote on the gallows.

According to the legend, before the Grand master went on fire, even in prison he appointed a successor, and from that moment the chain of the Grand masters will not be interrupted. He also allegedly managed to organize four Masonic lodges in Naples for the South, in Edinburgh for the West, in Stockholm for the North and in Paris of the East.

Material traces, monuments of architecture, which would have a direct relation to the medieval paladins, in modern Paris is almost gone. Castle temple has not survived, although stood for a long time. Only the names of streets in the old quarter of Le Marais: Rue du temple (Temple), street of the Old Church and crossing them, the street of the White Robed in honor of the cloaks of the Templars, reminded of their former existence. There are two churches located in the same block, which, apparently, was venerated by the legendary knights.

Near the Church of Saint-Gervais and Saint-Prot, devoted to the two brothers, martyred under the Emperor Nero, was a plot of land donated to the Templars Louis VI, at the request of the founder of the order of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. The temple was built on this place round the chapel like the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The chapel has survived. In the XIV century, after the defeat of the knights Templar, it became part of the new built the Church of Saint-Gervais and Saint-Prot.

Nearby stands the Church of Saint-Marri, dedicated to Saint merry, who died in Paris in the VII century. The Church facade is decorated with the figure of an old man with a long beard. In early sources say that this way Templar portrayed Baphomet, mysterious idol, which they allegedly worshipped.

According to the famous writer Georges Sadoul, the last great alchemist of Fulcanelli (mysterious person, who lived in Paris in the XX century) took part in the creation at the Church of Saint-merry extremely closed society Lucifer, for meetings which itself drew "idol Templar" Baphomet in the form of a demon-hermaphrodite with goat heads and hoofs. There is another opinion - "elder" is none other than himself Jacques de Molay.


In 1119 in Jerusalem by the crusaders was established order of knights Templar
Modern residence French Masonic brothers is on a quiet Paris street cadet, at number 16. Here is located the headquarters of the lodges of the Grand Orient of France, the Museum of Freemasonry and other Masonic institution. The inner rooms of the house is decorated with thermal symbols and insignia including mosaic floor of black and white cells (so was the courtyard of the Temple). According to the Freemasons, change the black and white symbolizes the interpenetration of Light and Darkness, Good and Evil began in the world."