On this day – 14th January 1129

Knights Templar accepted by Pope

After Christian fighters captured Jerusalem during the First Crusade, groups of pilgrims from across Western Europe began visiting the Holy Land. Around 1118, a French knight named Hugues de Payens founded a military order devoted to protecting these pilgrims, calling it the Poor Knights of the Temple of King Solomon (later the Knights Templar). On January 14th 1129 the knights received the formal endorsement of the Catholic Church, and new recruits and lavish donations began pouring in from across Europe.

Known for their austere code of conduct and signature style of dress (white habits emblazoned with a red cross), the Templars established new chapters throughout Western Europe. They developed a reputation as fierce warriors during the Crusades and set up a network of banks, gaining enormous financial sway. At the height of their influence, they boasted a sizable fleet of ships, owned the island of Cyprus and served as a primary lender to European monarchs and nobles.

The mysterious Knights Templar, originally a band of just nine knights based in Jerusalem, have been the subject of many books and films obsessed with conspiracy theories. The order was formally and brutally disbanded by King Philip of France, with the Pope's acquiescence if not direct backing, in October 1307.

In the 18th century, certain organizations, most notably the Freemasons, revived some of the medieval knights' symbols and traditions. More recently, stories about the legendary Templars--that they dug up the Holy Grail while occupying the Temple Mount, for instance, or harboured a secret capable of destroying the Catholic Church--have found their way into popular books and films.

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