Introduction

Historical evidence suggests that throughout human history many secret societies were assembled to discuss religious, historical, and mysterious personal beliefs. The ancient Egyptians had secret and mysterious religious cults, the Greeks and Romans formed secret societies that were primarily religious in nature, while others had rituals and initiations to commemorate the “rites of passage” for young men. Most secret religious societies came to a halt during the third and fourth centuries after proclamations from both Emperor Constantine I and Emperor Theodosius I, who completely banned all secret religious groups. By definition these societies had failed in keeping their presence and knowledge ‘secret‘.

Although many of these groups were completely wiped out, scholars and conspiracy theorists believe that some have, in some form, survived to the present day. Arguing that their bloody persecution forced these groups and their future members to jealously guard their knowledge and existence. Which has made researching and disproving conspiracy theories very difficult.

Thanks to authors like Henry Lincoln, Michael Baigent, and Richard Leigh, who wrote the 1982 bestseller Holy Blood Holy Grail, and Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code, a new generation is presently being seduced by these once secret societies. The provocative and often speculative theories surrounding this topic has succeeded in creating a discourse that may not have otherwise existed.

Like many others we were also inspired by these books and their unorthodox theories. The interesting and alternative history that these authors presented has led us to consider and investigate this history for ourselves. The overwhelming and often untested hypothesis that have been published has made it increasingly difficult to separate fact from fiction.

Focusing specifically on the legendary Knights Templar we have encountered and accumulated a great many theories regarding their origin, beliefs, their Treasure, their churches, temples and the many legends attributed to this mysterious order. This site is our attempt to bring some clarity to the continuous and overwhelming scope of this debate. A debate which may have profound repercussions for Judaism and Christianity, for historians and for treasure hunters throughout the world.

The Knights Templar

Stories of brave Knights wearing white mantles emblazoned with a red cross, slaying the wicked and protecting the good, are plentiful and have been heard by many since childhood. This uniform belonged to a specific group of warrior monks known as the Knights Templar. (Pictures: armor, clothing, and weapons)

Originally known as the ‘Poor Knights’ or ’The Knights of the Temple of Solomon‘, they were the first founders of the military orders, and is the order in which all others are modeled. They are remembered in history for their humble beginnings, their marvelous growth, and their tragic demise.

For almost two hundred years these legendary knights had accumulated great knowledge, treasures, and power beyond the scope of most Kings.

This Order was formed in 1118 by the French nobleman Hughes de Payens as knightly escorts for pilgrims to the holy land. During these early years the Templars never sought to add to the original nine knights of this order. Considering their numbers the Templars would have easily been overwhelmed by insurgents no matter how well trained they were. Although there is little evidence that these knights ever gave protection to traveling pilgrims there is conclusive proof that they did conduct excavations under the ruins on The Temple Mount.

Original Nine Knights

Hughes de Payens

Andre de Montbard

Geoffrey de St. Omer

Payen de Montdidier

Archambaud de St. Agnan

Geoffrey Bison

Rossal

Gondamer

Hugh Comte de Champagne

The Temple Mount

In 970 BC on the Temple Mount (Picture) in Jerusalem, King Solomon built his Temple to house the LORD. Within this Temple is the Holy of Holies, A room, which contains the most sacred object of Judaism, The Ark of the Covenant (picture).

The Ark contains three things: the gold jar containing the “manna,” symbol of the real Eucharist, “The rod of Aaron,” which blossomed, symbol of the hierarchy, and the tablets of the “10 Commandments of Moses. The Ark symbolizes Gods presence among his people.

Solomon’s Temple was home to the Ark until it was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. Roughly seventy years after the fall of Solomon’s Temple, Zerubbabel’s Temple (Picture) was erected at the same location. Although The second Temple was also over come by war it was not completely destroyed. Herod the Great would later build upon these foundations and erect a worthy house for God, Herod’s Temple (Picture). These ruins would later be added to by the Moslem’s who built the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Many have pondered the current location of the Ark of the Covenant. Some place it within a church in Axium, Ethiopia. Another theory has it buried in a cave along the Dead Sea. The most popular theory places it within a secret chamber carved deep within the mountain under Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. The building of this chamber is generally attributed to King Solomon who built the first Temple.

Shortly after the Knights Templar were assembled in 1118 King Baldwin II, the patriarch of Jerusalem, gave the Templars his support and provided quarters for them in the eastern part of his palace which adjoined the former Al-Aqsa Mosque (picture) and stood on the site of King Solomon’s Temple (picture).

French historian Gaetan Delaforge was just one of many scholars to question the Templars aims. He stated that, “The real task of the nine knights was to carry out research in the area in order to obtain certain relics and manuscripts which contain the essence of the secret traditions of Judaism and ancient Egypt, some of which probably went back to the days of Moses.” Other writers have suggested that they were looking for the lost treasures of the Temple, the Holy Grail (picture), or even the Ark of the Covenant (picture) itself. More importantly is not what they were looking for but what they might have actually found.

The Holy Grail

For many the search for the Holy Grail is understood to be a quest that presents both spiritual, physical, and supernatural obstacles. The Grail itself has been described as both a literal and symbolic object of perfection. The quest for the Holy Grail, whatever it may be, is a story of the hero’s physical journey towards, and beyond, spiritual transformation.

One legend states that Joseph of Arimathea collected in a chalice the blood of the crucifixion. In Perlesvaus, 1205, the object is not a chalice at all, rather the sword that beheaded St John the Baptist. In Chretien de Troyes’ unfinished Le Conte del Graal, c.1190, the author does not mention a chalice, the Last Supper, or Jesus. Chreitien has instead described the Grail as a Plate or Dish. Also worth mentioning is that in this version Chretien describes the Grail bearers as wearing white garments emblazoned with a red cross, exactly like the Templars. In 1220, Wolfram van Eschenbach’s, Parzival, the Grail castle is a ‘secret place’ guarded by the Templars who, are called ‘baptized men,‘ are sent out to spread their faith ‘in secret.‘ The secrecy in which these knights operate are stressed throughout this story. Many believe that this ‘secret place’ is in fact Montsegur. Wolfram calls the Lord of the Grail castle Perilla. The real Lord of Montsegur in his time was in fact Ramon de Perilla.

Holy Grail in French translates into - san graal - Royal Blood. In the Holy Blood Holy Grail, 1982, the authors theorize that this reading is a symbolic reference to the descendants of Jesus and Mary Magdalene.

In Dan Brown’s, the Da Vinci Code, he goes one step further claiming that the Grail or chalice is in fact the body of the Magdalene herself. Brown has interpreted the Magdalene herself as the Chalice in which Jesus’ blood was transported, through the birth of their child.

Every member of the ’poor’ knights had to hand over their property to the order, and although they would in later years gain a considerable fortune through donations of land and money from Kings and other Nobles, they were during these early years very poor indeed. They owned their swords and nothing else.

In 1126 after the death of King Baldwin II, Hughes de Payens left the Temple Mount and traveled to Europe where he was, through Bernard de Clairvaux (later St Bernard), introduced to Pope Honarius II. Payens was seeking legitimacy for the order and a level of status within the Church. On January 31^st 1128 the Council of Troyes was assembled and the Knights Templar were officially recognized as a religious and military order.

In their Rule; constitution stating their conduct and practices, there is no mention of their protecting pilgrims. The Councils blatant omission of the Orders reason for existence has led many to question their actual intentions.

After they were formally recognized the order began to recruit candidates born of noble birth, in wedlock, and of sound body. The Templars recruiting also included women and as a whole the order seemed somewhat preoccupied with the idea of the feminine. These new recruits would undergo a probationary period lasting one year, allowing the Knights to weed out undesirables. This growth spurt would rapidly exceed three hundred members placing the original nine knights at the helm and Hughes de Payens as Grand Master of a now powerful order. One that was feared and respected in both battle and politics.

Rise to Power

The knights were ordered to fight to the death. Surrender was only an option if you were outnumbered three to one, and this was only after being ordered to do so by a superior. There ability to obtain both land, wealth and knowledge became legendary.

Finally in 1139 Pope Innocent II declared that the Knights would function solely under the jurisdiction of the papacy.

This sudden increase in power, influence, and their eventual wealth has led many to speculate that the Templars did indeed discover manuscripts or a relic of great importance or one that the Church feared being made public.

Some scholars have maintained that the Templars may have in fact located the Ark of the Covenant in the ruins of Solomon’s Temple. This relic alone would account for the Templars sudden rise in religious and military circles. The Templars throughout their history traveled extensively throughout Europe and the Holy Land. On these journeys the knights seem to have found a ‘complete and absolute knowledge,’ a secret wisdom that was only revealed to the initiated.

The Templars financial strength was secured when they established one of the first and most influential banking systems in Europe. They would come to serve such Kings as Henry II of England and Louis IX of France, and other noble families throughout Europe.

One theory attributed to the Templars is that they possessed an inner circle that predates the Knights. Leading scholars to speculate that the Templars were created in order to give this inner circle a public face. If this is indeed the case it is quite possible that within this hierarchy both knowledge and beliefs differed a great deal. The inner circle existed in order to further their active research into esoteric and religious matters. While the outer circles were dedicated to the minor mysteries of these inner circles.

The first seal of the Templars (picture) contains two knights riding a single horse. While some claim this represents the poverty to which the knights were sworn, others insist this represents the two grades of knights within this single order. The Templar seal also depicts the ‘Lamb of God’ which has been associated with John the Baptist, their patron saint.

If the Templars did indeed possess religious relics and secret knowledge they would need to employ methods in order to protect themselves from unworthy and potentially destructive members. Although the Templars possessed great influence they were still required to go to great lengths to hide and preserve their secret knowledge. A code that was frequently used by the order was also used by the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls which was written at least a thousand years before the foundation of the Templars. The use of this code has been seen as further proof of their acquired and excavated knowledge throughout their known world.

Thanks to recent archeological finds like the Gnostic Gospels found at Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in 1945, and the Dead Sea Scrolls found in 1947, biblical scholars have obtained a better understanding of Christianities early and volatile years through these supposed heretical Gospels.

Originally the term ’heretic’ or ’heresy’ simply translated as option or choice. It wasn’t until the early Christian church was formed that heresy was seen as a deviation from the Canonical Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (circa, 158 AD).

The Languedoc region

The original nine Knights were born in the Languedoc region in the south-west of France where the largest concentration of Templar properties in Europe is located.

The Cathars in this region believed that Mary Magdalene was Jesus’ Concubine. It was because of this belief that Pope Innocent II initiated the Albigensian Crusade on July 22^nd 1209, the Feast day of Mary Magdalene. After it was all over more than 100,000 men women and children were massacred, signifying the first act of European genocide. The Crusaders proclaimed, ‘Kill them all God will know his own.‘ Of the 100,000 killed roughly one third of those were actually perceived as heretics. Pierre des Vaux-de-Cernat wrote, ’The heretics claimed that Mary Magdalene was the concubine of Jesus Christ…it was therefore with just cause that these disgusting dogs were taken and massacred during the feast day of the one that they had insulted.

Mary Magdalene

Although the Catholic Church has routinely portrayed the Magdalene (pictures) as a marginal figure or a mere reformed prostitute, the Gnostic Gospels reveal that for the early Church she was second in importance only to Jesus. Possessing many titles; the ‘The First Apostle,‘ ’Apostle of the Apostles’ and ’The Woman Who Knows All.’

The Gnostic Gospels present Mary and Jesus as lovers and speculate that after the crucifixion Mary fled to Provence, France, where she may have born him a child. A theory that seems to be reflected in Leonardo DaVinci’s famous fresco The Last Supper (picture). Directly to Jesus’ left is a figure that many have overlooked. Recently many have come to recognize this figure as not only a woman but the Magdalene herself.

Some descriptions state that she may not have been a Jewish woman, but could have in fact come from Ethiopia, a land with its own cult of itinerant priestesses. Other texts describe how the Magdalene had traveled as far as Egypt and Israel to preach. Could it be that the Catholic Church’s marginalization of this important biblical figure is a deliberate attempt to cover up disastrous facts?

Having been beaten back to the Chateaux Montsegur (picture), the Cathars were eventually forced to surrender. The fifteen days that past between their declaration and their actual surrender has also fed many theories involving a spiritual or religious ritual that may have transpired. On the fifteenth day the Cathar’s reportedly ran down the road and directly into the waiting fire.

The night before the rest were to be massacred four individuals managed to lower themselves down the mountain side in the night with the Treasure of the Cathars. Many have speculated that the Cathar treasure is text or knowledge, or a ritual object, gold bars, or even the Holy Grail itself.

It was in this region that Nazi archeologist, Otto Rahn focused his efforts to find the Holy Grail in the early 1930’s. Regardless the Treasure of the Cathars has since disappeared. Some believe that the Treasure was transported to Rennes-le-Chateau , and built in the area surrounding the once mighty city of Rhedae which, at its peak in 1062, once housed 30000 inhabitants. The city of Rhedae would also fall at the hands of the Crusaders. Like the Cathars before them the Templars would be proclaimed heretics and persecuted for their unorthodox beliefs.

Rennes-le-Chateau

(pictures: villa Bethania, Magdala Tower, Castle, and Church inside and out)

Located in the Languedoc region in the south west of France this area and its inhabitants have attracted both historians and treasure hunters over the centuries. Most recently this area has been subjected to many visitors who have brought with them many varied theories. For example: Father Boudet claims that there is a treasure buried in twelve hiding places in Rennes les Bains, another local church, and Rennes-le-Chateau. Some proclaim that Rennes-le-Chateau housed the scrolls that revealed the genealogy connecting the French Kings with the Merovigians. Others believe that documents stating that Jesus didn’t die on the cross but had moved to the Rennes area with the Magdalene whom he had married, had been hidden in Rennes-le-Chateau. Where they raised their child and where he died peacefully. That it may house the tomb of Christ. Some theories revolve around the Treasure of the Knights Templars, The Cathars Treasure, the Treasure of the Visigoths, the Philosophers Stone, or The Ark of the Covenant. Conspiracy theorists have even gone so far as to suggest that it was a UFO base. The theory that seems to have gained a great deal of support, from myself included, involves Marie d’Hautpoul and her confession to Father Bigou.

In 1774 Antoine Bigou the priest at Rennes-le-Chateau was the confessor of marchioness of Hautpoul. It is said that she confessed a great family secret to the priest, entrusted him with documents, and insisted that he tell this secret to someone who would understand its importance. After her death on January the 17^th 1781 Marie d‘Hauptoul was buried in Rennes-le-Chateau‘s churchyard.

Ten years later Bigou laid a flagstone down on the marchioness’s tomb and in the Church he had the ‘knights flagstone’ (picture), laid before the altar face down. Out of the twenty-five words on her headstone at least eleven contain mistakes, words are misspelled, letters omitted, spaces either omitted or added when they are not needed. .

Shortly after Bigou had finished hiding these documents he was forced to flee to Sabadell, Spain, where he would die on March 21^st 1794. Which is where they would remain buried for nearly ninety-two years.

On June 1^st 1885, Berenger Sauniere was appointed priest of Rennes-le-Chateau. Looking to repair the neglected Church Sauniere received three thousand francs from the Towns Council in order to repair the high altar. When they had dismantled it, the workers found wooden rolls containing scrolls in one of the pillars. The next day Sauniere had the workers lift a flagstone that laid before the altar. ‘the Knights flagstone.‘ It’s underbelly revealed a carving depicting two knights riding the same horse (Templars?). Sauniere immediately halted the construction and traveled to Paris to have the scrolls translated.

Some believe that Sauniere had found the crypt of the Lords of Rennes-le-Chateau (picture), referred to in the parish register covering the years 1694-1726. Marie d’Hauptoul was like all Lords of Rennes were to be buried in this crypt, so why was there a tombstone in the church’s graveyard bearing her name.

After his return he restored not only the altar but the entire church. In 1897, he ordered the building of the mansion, the tower, the gardens, and the glasshouse. Sauniere also began working on his own in the churchyard against the councils wishes. Eventually Sauniere destroyed Marie d’Hautpoul’s tomb and erased the text on her tombstone. Many have speculated that this tombstone represented a marker or code.

On January 5^th 1917 Sauniere signed orders to begin construction on a road from Couiza to Rennes, a chapel in the churchyard, a wall around the village, and a fifty meter high tower. A construction project of this magnitude would have cost roughly eight million francs. These final additions unfortunately would never be constructed.

On January 17^th 1917 Sauniere fell victim to a stroke. Sensing death his old friend the Abbe Riviere was called to read his last rites and hear his confessions. Riviere was to leave the Sauniere’s bedside looking as though he had been in the presence of the devil himself, and it is said that he became a recluse, never smiling again. Sauniere would die later that same day and was buried in a tomb that he had built in the churchyard at Rennes-le-Chateau.

Leaving behind stories of secret documents, superior knowledge, hidden treasure, and encoded tombstones that have created a genuine Grail quest for the modern day seeker.

The Templars wealth allowed them to seek, literally, the secrets of the universe wherever they may be found. Along their intellectual and geographical wanderings the Templars encountered and eventually embraced many unorthodox beliefs. If the Templars did in fact hold heretical beliefs it is quite possible that these beliefs could have originated with a document or texts that they had found.

St. Bernard, cousin of one of the original knights, founded the religion of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Bernard claimed to have received his inspiration as a youth after he received three miraculous droplets of milk from the breast of the Black Madonna. The Templar oath was sworn to ‘God of the blessed Mary.’ The Templar absolution states, ‘I pray that he will pardon you your sins as he pardoned them to St Mary Magdalene and the thief who was put to the Cross.’ The Templars had also appropriated John the Baptist as their patron saint. This veneration of the Baptist and seemingly distasteful view of Christ was not one to be flaunted. Wealth could not fend off the Wrath of the Church once it sets its sights on a blasphemer.

Envious of their wealth and political influence, the French King Philip the Fair (picture) set out to dismantle the Templars. After persuading newly instated Pope Clement V (picture) that the Templars were guilty of heresy they combined forces and systematically destroyed the order.

Sealed orders were sent out to all the royal seneschals three weeks before the chosen day, Friday October the 13^th 1307, with instructions demanding they remain sealed until Thursday the 12^th of October. Almost all of the Templars, roughly fifteen thousand, throughout France were arrested, tortured, and burnt at the stake. To this day Friday the 13^th is still considered to be an unlucky day.

The orders Grand Master at this time was Jacques de Molay who was interrogated and eventually burnt at the stake in the shadow of the Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, in 1314 (pictures of the persecuted). Some members were tortured to the point that they merely agreed with their interrogators claims. Others confessed to worshipping a head known as Baphomet and spitting on the cross. When the Atbash Cipher is applied to Baphomet it translates to the Greek word ‘Sophia,’ wisdom. In the Nag Hammadi text Pistis Sophia she was intimately associated with the Magdalene. During interrogation when Fulk de Troyes, a member of the Order, was shown a crucifix he said, ’set not to much faith in this, for it is too young.’

What exactly had the Templars possessed that could have influenced such rapid development, influence, and beliefs? Surely Hughes de Payens had to of possessed something very palpable to generate the support of some fifteen thousand men. At the time of their demise Jacques de Molay was, as Grand Master, in control of a huge number of estates in Europe, an international trading and banking syndicate, a battle fleet, and a well trained army. The Knights Templar had become a powerful force in Christendom rivaling the Vatican itself.

After the Order dissolved the Templars land and property was given to their rivals, the Knights Hospitaller. The Templars interest however, did not revolve around their ownership of buildings and land. They were interested in the perpetuation of their esoteric and alchemical knowledge.

After 1307

Historians have, for the most part, concluded that the Templars did indeed parish and have subsequently refrained from any research regarding their continued existence. More recently some scholars claim to have uncovered evidence that shows that the Order did in fact survive and continue to live in our midst today. The occult tradition has always spoken of spiritual descendants of those Templar Knights and other modern societies that claim to be their descendants. Could it be that the Templars scientific knowledge from the old alchemists and magical practices from Eastern esoteric traditions may still live on in our society?

The idea of such an organized and dedicated Order disappearing entirely is highly unlikely. Although Philip the Fair and Clement V succeeded in rounding up a majority of the Templars in France they were not so successful in other countries. Edward II, King of England refused to believe the accusations against the Templars. Going so far as to engage the Pope in a heated debate regarding their torture.

In Aragon and Castille trials were conducted by Bishops who found them innocent of all charges. Throughout Europe the Templars were protected and given asylum. That was until 1312 when the Pope demanded the Order dissolve. No individual could afford to ignore the Popes decree.

Those that survived either reformed under another name, joined existing orders like the Teutonic Knights, or simply regrouped underground. The bloody manner in which they dissolved virtually guaranteed that the Order would go underground.

Considering the ranks and levels of initiation within the Order and their geographic placement it is very plausible that the Orders members went on to found their own separate organizations, all claiming to have originated from the original Order.

Many scholars have traced the Templars continuity into Scotland. Some proclaim that Freemasonry developed from isolated Templars in Scotland. While others believe that the Templars developed into Freemasons in England.

Freemasonry

To many Freemasonry is seen merely as a boys club however, in its earliest days it was a mystery school that drew on ancient occult traditions, which were designed specifically to obtain transcendental enlightenment, while also binding the initiate more closely with his brothers.

A majority of what we now know as science did in fact come out of this brotherhood. Like the Templars this organization is primarily concerned with obtaining and perpetuating sacred knowledge.

The masons themselves claim that they emerged from the English medieval stonemasons guilds that had developed secret gestures and codes because they possessed the potentially dangerous knowledge of sacred geometry.

One myth associated with the Freemasons that seems to link them with the Templars is their claim that they inherited their secret knowledge from the builders of Solomon’s Temple.

One of the most impressive products of Freemasonry has to be the curious Rosslyn Chapel, in Scotland (pictures: inside, and out). This chapel and its builders also provide some very promising links between the Templars, Freemasons, and the theory involving their continuance in Scotland.

Rosslyn Chapel

Shortly after 1307 the massive Templar Fleet (pictures) disappeared from its base in La Rochelle, France. Author David Hatcher Childress and other scholars believe that a majority of the Templar fleet fled to the shores of Scotland where they would come under the command of the St Clair family - the founders of Freemasonry. Childress also maintains that a portion of this fleet would become what we now call Pirates. The Skull and Crossbones (picture) was the Templar fleet’s battle flag and the symbol of a master mason. This Templar naval flag has become synonymous with Pirates.

From its very beginning the Templars were connected with the St Clair’s and Rossyln: founding Grand Master Hughes de Payens was married to Catherine St Clair. However, it wasn’t until their demise in 1307 that they made it one of their major havens.

At the time Robert the Bruce (picture) had been excommunicated from the Church, which allowed the Templars to regroup in an area where the Pope held no power.

History records that the Bruce had experienced nothing but setbacks prior to 1306-7 but after that he was able to rally back and systematically reclaim his kingdom from the English. On the 6^th of November, 1314 the Battle of Bannockburn is recorded as going strongly against the Scots until an intervention by an unknown reserve force that ensured the Bruce’s victory. Rumors quickly spread that these mysterious knights had fought under the Beausant, the battle flag of the Templars, and were led by the Grand Master of the Scottish Templars, Sir William St Clair. Because this victory had ensured the freedom of the Bruce’s kingdom the St Clair’ received a bishopric and lands to add to their Rossyln holdings.

In October 1328 Pope John XXII released Robert the Bruce from the ban of excommunication. Robert the Bruce However, died just ten days before the publication of this Papal Bull. Once Scotland became an official part of Christendom it was imperative that the Templars disappear from sight and become a secret society. This secrecy would ensure the survival of the secrets which they had become entrusted.

HOME