Die Geschichte der Templer

The Knights Templar, a spiritual order of knights, came into being in Palestine at the time of the Crusades, when in 1119 nine French knights, headed by Hugo of Payens and Gottfried of St.-Omer, came together to form a society. They did so in order to combine monasticism and chivalry to the glory of the sweet Mother of God, and to dedicate themselves at the tomb of the Saviour to chaste and devout living, as well as to the brave protection of the Holy Land and the guidance of pilgrims through the dangerous and unsafe regions. On 13th October 1307, the Templars were arrested in France with their Grand Master and at the same time the confiscation of their goods began. Confessions were extorted from the knights by torture, which were then considered as incontrovertible proofs of the criminal liability of all members. Not only the Imperial Assembly in Tours, but also Pope Clement V declared the charge g.