Formed to protect visitors to holy land after first crusade, based at Al Aqsa mosque – hence “knights of the temple of Solomon”, then Templar.

Warrior monks, with a code that shunned ostentation, vows of poverty and celibacy. Attracted funding from across Europe and candidates from the lower order of rich families’ sons.

Over 200 years gained a fleet of ships and developed a banking system. 

But came under attack by Philip of France who didn’t want to repay loans to the Pope. He started accusing most religious orders of heresy. Obtained confessions through torture, including eventually the Grand master.

Their independence from even the king of Jerusalem was also seen as threatening. 

Final straw was fall of Acre to Mameluks – if unable to defend the Holy Land, then what’s the point of them?

Other knightly orders survived eg Knights Hospitalier, who not only offered medical treatment but took Rhodes from the Muslims. 

Later myths about the Templars (magic etc) seem to have been cooked up by Freemasons – and no real Templars left to give honest accounts.

Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe has a Templar character with less than pure morals, from the same period. 

Rosslyn chapel in Scotland has links to Templars, hence the Da Vinci code story about the Grail.

[From BBC In our time]