Knights Templar Encyclopedia: The Essential Guide to the People, Places, Events, and Symbols of the Order of the Temple
304
Knights Templar Encyclopedia: The Essential Guide to the People, Places, Events, and Symbols of the Order of the Temple
304Paperback(First Edition)
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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781564149268 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Red Wheel/Weiser |
| Publication date: | 04/15/2007 |
| Edition description: | First Edition |
| Pages: | 304 |
| Sales rank: | 168,280 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.64(d) |
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CHAPTER 1
A
Abbasid
The Abbasids were a powerful Arab dynasty in Iraq and Baghdad (A.D. 750–1258), and later, in Cairo (A.D. 1261–1517); they were descended from Abbas, paternal uncle of the prophet Mohammed, and were a prominent Sunni dynasty of caliphs during part of the era of the Knights Templar (1119–1312). They are occasionally confused with the Ayyubids, the dynasty founded by Saladin, one of the most prominent opponents of the Templars during the Crusades. (see Ayyubids; Saladin; for further sources, see "Crusades and the Military Orders" in the Recommended Reading section)
Abelard, Peter
The Knights Templar, as with many military religious orders in the late Middle Ages, did not merely exist in a vacuum, as they, too, were part of the society around them. Although many Templar knights were illiterate and not at all concerned with intellectual pursuits (as their focus was primarily on the Crusades), their key early advocate, the learned Cistercian abbot Bernard of Clairvaux, was highly influential in intellectual and religious circles and was known to be an especially effective debater. His major dispute with the famed Scholastic philosopher Peter Abelard in the 1140s is but one example of Bernard's tenacity and uncompromising attitudes about certain theological issues, a passionate zeal that had previously been evident with his strong advocacy in assisting the Templar order with obtaining papal recognition in 1129 and regarding his key role in writing the Templar Rule. Certainly, by the 12th and 13th centuries, a period comprising a key part of the era of the Order of the Temple (1119–1312), the Scholastic movement was already prominent in Paris, with input by the leading theologians and philosophers of the time, such as Albertus Magnus, Thomas Aquinas, and others. The brilliant French philosopher and theologian Peter Abelard (1079–1142) also taught in Paris and became master of the school of the cathedral of Notre Dame. A key influence in the Scholastic movement, and contemporary with Bernard, Abelard attracted many devoted students and, as was characteristic of the time, was known to particularly relish the opportunity to fervently argue and debate.
Throughout his academic life, brilliance — and various disputes — were known to follow. Due to an especially bitter theological dispute with his former master, William of Champeaux, Abelard found it necessary to set up his own school at Mont-Ste-Genevieve in 1112. Later he returned to his old school at Notre Dame, and by all accounts, his thought and writings were brilliant and provocative. Abelard continued his work as a philosopher and theologian, but later, his views on Church doctrine (and the Trinity in particular) would land him in trouble with a church council in Soissons in 1121.
Found guilty of heresy and briefly imprisoned, his works were burned. Later, Abelard established an oratory and convent in Le Paraclet near Paris. His philosophy, which tended to stress the importance of the individual as a personality with both virtues and flaws, was strongly challenged by the powerful Cistercian abbot and early Knights Templar advocate, Bernard of Clairvaux. Bernard had more conservative monastic views and consistently attacked Abelard and his work, even leading the team that investigated the accusations of heresy again Abelard. This trial ultimately resulted in Abelard's condemnation for heresy yet again in 1141, where he was forced to recant his beliefs and more of his works were burned. Bernard's conflict with Abelard later became so bitter that the abbot of Cluny, Peter the Venerable, had to intervene and broker a truce between the two. By then, Abelard was quite ill and retired to Cluny, where he died in 1142; 22 years later, his long-term companion, Heloise, died in 1164. Although both had been buried together at the convent and oratory at Le Paraclet, in 1817 they were reinterred at the Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. The theological conflict between Peter Abelard and Bernard of Clairvaux is an important one not only in medieval history and theology as a whole, but also, to better understand how fervent and formidable a personality was the austere abbot, Bernard of Clairvaux, the same abbot who assisted the fledging Knights Templar in obtaining official papal recognition at the Council of Troyes in 1129, and who had a significant impact on the early Templar order's strict monastic mode of living, as he wrote much of the Templar Rule. (see Rule; Bernard of Clairvaux; Seven Liberal Arts; for further sources, see "Bernard of Clairvaux" in the Recommended Reading section)
Abbey
A community of monks governed by an abbot, or of nuns under leadership of an abbess. Abbey was also a term used to refer to the monastic buildings the community lived in, as in the Clairvaux Abbey. Throughout the Middle Ages, abbeys played an important role in church and society and were major landowners. Abbots and abbesses were highly influential figures in the life of the medieval Church. Most notably in relation to the Knights Templar, the major role of the powerful and persuasive Cistercian abbot Bernard of Clairvaux regarding the origins of the Order and at the Council of Troyes in 1129 has long been noted by historians. (see Origins of the Order; Bernard of Clairvaux; Clairvaux Abbey; Citeaux; Rule, Templar)
Abraxas
(see Symbols)
Acre
The eastern Mediterranean port of Acre, on the Bay of Haifa, was one of the most strategically located ports in the Holy Land for the Knights Templar during the Crusades. The Templars had several establishments in this area, mainly on the coast. Acre was seized by the armies of the First Crusade and became a major port for the entire kingdom of Jerusalem, the principal crusader state they established. Seized by the Saracens under Saladin in 1187, it was attacked again by the crusader armies in 1189, and then, in the Third Crusade in 1191, Acre was recaptured by Richard I ("the Lionheart") of England and King Philip II of France. Acre remained in Christian possession until about 100 years later, when this city featured in one of the most difficult and devastating battles of all — the fall of Acre (1291). The Templar castle at Acre, the last remaining Christian fortress in the Holy Land, finally fell on August 14, 1291 — a devastating event for not only the Templar order, but for all of Christendom. After the fall of the Holy Land, the morale of all Christians suffered, including the Knights Templar. Yet, in spite of an increasingly difficult situation, they fought very courageously (by all accounts). After assisting with the evacuation of as many Christians from Acre on their ships as they could, the Templars fled to Cyprus, taking their treasury, records, relics, and what supplies they could, to establish their new headquarters. This was also a devasting time for all of the other Christian Orders, and the Hospitallers as well as the Order of St. Thomas of Acre — which claimed Richard I ("the Lionheart") as its founder — also moved their headquarters to Cyprus. The Templar order had many properties on Cyprus, second only to the Lusignans, the ruling family. But Cyprus was already a politically complex climate, especially for the Knights Templar. Back in the 1270s, the Templars had previously backed the Angevins rather than the Lusignans for the important title of the King of Jerusalem, that is, the rivals to the current ruling family. In spite of this, the Templars decided to remain on Cyprus, and some scholars believe that this decision on their part certainly contributed to their ultimate downfall as much, if not more, as the trial in France did. Acre had long been important to the Templars as one of its key ports in the East, and it was an important strategic location at the time of the Crusades for not only the Templars, but other Orders as well. The Templar Rule refers to Acre a number of times, a testimony of its overall importance to the knights fighting in the East. The fall of the Holy Land to the Saracens in 1291, following the fall of Acre, was a devastating blow for Christendom in general, but especially so for the Templars. In a real sense, in the years following 1291, historians have commented that the Templars lost much of their raison d'etre. An irony of history is that while they bravely fought and won many of the key battles for Christendom in the Crusades — even refusing to convert and willingly facing beheading by Saladin's forces — as time went on and morale lowered throughout western Europe, the Templars ended up being largely blamed for the loss of the Holy Land after the battle of Acre by many in the West. Scapegoats were needed, and as historians have noted, given the beliefs at the time, a growing number felt that the Templars must have somehow fallen out of favor with God to deserve such a fate. But, nonetheless, the fall of Acre is, even today, forever etched in the legacy of the history of the Crusades, as is that of the Knights Templar. (see Trial; Admiral, Templar; Maritime trade and ports; Thomas of Acre, Order of St.; for further sources, see "Crusades and the Military Orders" and "Trial of the Templars" in the Recommended Reading section)
Adams, John Quincy
(see All Hallows by the Tower Church)
Admiral, Templar
The role of naval warfare certainly had a place in Templar battle strategies, although not as prominent a role as it did for the Hospitallers, who were renowned for their naval fleet during the Crusades. Yet a number of important battles took place by sea; so perhaps inevitably, naval operations also grew in importance for the Knights Templar. The first documented reference to an admiral for the Templar order appears in documents dated 1301, and, for their rivals, the Hospitallers, two years earlier, in 1299. The high seas in the late Middle Ages were a dangerous and challenging environment, a situation that also had an important effect on economics, trade, pilgrimage routes, and piracy. Encountering Saracen or other pirates, however unscrupulous or daring, was simply a rather unavoidable event in the course of doing maritime business on an everyday basis. The last admiral of the Templar fleet, as the Rule informs us in section 143, was the Commander of the Shipyard at Acre. (see Maritime trade and ports; Acre)
Admission to the Order
(see Organization of the Templar order; Rule)
Advisors, Templar
Members of the various military orders were often key advisors to popes, kings, and other rulers, and the Templars were no exception. In 1177, for example, King Henry II chose Brother Roger the Templar as his almoner. Aymeric St. Mawr, the Master of the Knights Templar in England, was an advisor to King John and was at his side as he signed the Magna Carta in 1215. From the time of Pope Alexander III on, a Templar and a Hospitaller routinely appeared as papal chamberlains, attending to the pope in his private chambers. This meant they often had special private access to the pope, certainly a most powerful position to be in. At the papal court, the Templars served as treasurers, papal messengers, judge-delegates, marshals, and porters — all positions of great trust, requiring the utmost tact and confidentiality. Secular rulers, too, made frequent use of the Templars' reliable services, as even kings such as Henry II consulted with the Templar order regarding his famous dispute with Thomas Becket, the archbishop of Canterbury. In time, the Order of the Temple became an extension of the royal government in both England and France, due to the many key services the Templars provided in a discreet and most effective manner. The Order had various legal privileges; for instance, not having to pay taxes on much of their trade within England, privileges that King Richard I of England had conferred upon the Order in October of 1189, to help the Templars save desperately needed funds for the Crusades. The Templars also served as astute judges and diplomatic mediators in local and regional disputes. (see Organization of the Order; Diplomacy)
Agnus Dei
The Agnus Dei, or Lamb of God, symbol is found on a number of Knights Templar seals, as well as on those of other medieval orders, such as the Knights Hospitaller. It also appears in many stone carvings in medieval chapels all over Europe. Featuring a lamb bearing a cross or a flag (and sometimes both), the Agnus Dei is symbolic of the martyred Christ and of the concept of sacrifice, and its origin comes from John 1:29: "... Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." Certainly the Knights Templar saw themselves as willing to die in battle as martyrs for Christ, so perhaps it is not all that surprising that the Templars would select the Lamb of God as one of the major symbols on the seals of the Order. The image was used by some of the Masters of the Templar order in Europe, especially in England and southern France. The earliest depiction of its use that has survived today is that of the English Templar Grand Master William de la More, who used the Agnus Dei on his seal in 1241. Even today, the name Agnus Dei in Roman Catholic tradition generally refers to discs of wax impressed with the figure of a lamb, blessed at various intervals by the pope, carrying on an old tradition. The lamb usually bears a cross or flag, while figures of saints or the name and arms of the pope are often shown on the reverse. Scholars believe that the Agnus Dei symbol originated in Rome, most likely as a protective amulet or charm, but most maintain that it did not become more prominent in western Christian Europe until the ninth century. In approximately A.D. 820, records indicate that Agnus Dei wax seals were made of the previous year's paschal candle; often, such fragments of the paschal candles would be saved as a protection against tempests and blight and against evil or danger. Such seals were often sent as gifts by popes to kings or nobles. In earlier centuries, the great consecration of Agnus Deis took place only in the first year of each pontificate and every seventh year afterwards, a rule that is still followed at the Vatican today. The Catholic Encyclopedia states that the Agnus Dei discs are now prepared beforehand by monks, and on the Wednesday of Easter week, these discs are brought to the pope, who dips them into a special vessel of water mixed with chrism and balsam, adding various prayers. The distribution of the Agnus Deis takes places with solemnity on the Saturday following, when the pope, after the Agnus Dei of the Mass — "Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, have mercy on us" — puts a packet of Agnus Dei into the inverted mitre of each cardinal and bishop who comes to receive them. As in the paschal candle, the wax of an Agnus Dei disc typifies the virgin flesh of Christ; the cross associated with the lamb suggests the idea of martyr offered in sacrifice; and as the blood of the paschal lamb of old was believed to strongly protect each household from evil, the purpose of these consecrated discs today is to protect those who wear or possess them from evil or dangerous influences. The manufacture of counterfeits, and even the painting and ornamentation of genuine Agnus Deis, has been strictly prohibited by various papal bulls. There are also some Agnus Deis that are of a grey color, made from wax mingled with the dust which is believed to be that of the bones of martyrs; these are held to need no special consecration from the pope and are treated as relics. Again, we still see — even today — the themes of martyrdom and sacrifice with regard to the Agnus Dei symbol, concepts that the medieval Knights Templar would have greatly resonated with, given their strict monastic Rule and life on the battlefield, especially in the Holy Land. (see Seals; Martyrdom; Rosslyn Chapel)
All Hallows by the Tower Church
This important church is located on Tower Hill in London and was one of the sites in medieval England relating to the period of the arrests of the Knights Templar, as it is located next to the Tower of London. Although it has tangential connections to the Templar order, it is important to note that it was not built by the Knights Templar. Centuries before the arrival of the Romans in early Britain, historians note that Tower Hill was already a central meeting place for the druid priesthood and an important power point in the city. This location has a long and varied history. For more than 1,300 years, a Christian church has stood on this site. In the early 14th century, after the arrests of the Templars, the London knights were imprisoned in the Tower and interrogated there, and also in the church and its immediate environs. Founded 400 years before the Tower of London, the earliest All Hallows church was originally built in A.D. 675 by the monks of Barking Abbey, making it one of the oldest churches in London. But its early Saxon roots are also in evidence, as sometime before 675, the historical record shows that Erkenwald, the bishop of London, founded a Saxon Christian community at Berkynge (Barking), seven miles downriver, and made his sister Ethelburga the first abbess. Barking Abbey had a large estate near All Hallows, and the church there was most likely used by its representatives. The 1940 German bombing of London revealed a large Saxon arch with Roman bricks, and later, in 1951, half of a circular wheel-head of a Christian cross with Anglo-Saxon inscriptions on it was found under the floor. The Norman church which was built after this early Saxon building was built 10 years after the Tower of London. This Norman place of worship, the only remains of which are now one isolated pillar embedded in the wall of the vestry and a few fragments in the undercroft, had aisles. In the crypt, beneath the present nave of the church, there are three chapels, one of which has a special altar with a Knights Templar connection. Once called the Vicars Vault, this 14th century undercroft chapel High Altar has below it altar stones brought back to England from the Templars' famous Castle Pilgrim at Atlit in the Holy Land. During the Fifth Crusade, the Templars built this extraordinary fortress; it was named in honor of the many pilgrims who helped the Templars build this stronghold. There is also a museum in the crypt that is of interest to many today. In the middle of the 13th century, a chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary was built on the other side of the road to the north; this chapel also had a connection with the Templars. Attached to this chapel of St. Mary was a guild, which was later raised to the status of a Royal Chantry by Edward IV in 1465. This chapel's foundation unfortunately disappeared in the 16th century, at the time of the Reformation. The present All Hallows church has a number of early associations with other major guilds, such as the Worshipful Company of Bakers, Gardeners, and the Watermen and Lightermen. In the All Hallows churchyard, headless bodies were often given Christian sanctuary after their gruesome dismemberment on Tower Hill.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Knights Templar Encyclopedia"
by .
Copyright © 2007 Karen Ralls, Ph.D..
Excerpted by permission of Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Preface,
A,
B,
C,
D,
E,
F,
G,
H,
I,
J,
K,
L,
M,
N,
O,
P,
R,
S,
T,
V,
W,
Appendix A: Chronology of Events,
Appendix B: Grand Masters of the Knights Templar,
Appendix C: Popes Contemporary With the Medieval Templar Order (1119–1312),
Appendix D: Charges Against the Templars,
Appendix E: Selected List of Templar Sites,
Recommended Reading,
Bibliography,
Index,
About the Author,
Related Subjects
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