Templars- Shipyards and Banking

A very own Shipyard
When setting out on a journey to the Holy Land, people could travel over land to Palestine, usually through Hungary. The Order had chapters there as well. However, transporting goods over land was more difficult. It cost time, money and it was hazardous. That's why this transport preferably took place by boat, over water , through rivers, and mostly by sea. Many of the landroutes protected by the Knights Templar ended near a harbour, for example: Touon, Nice, Marseille, Genua, Nantes, Bristol etc.

Independent Templar fleet
Initially existing shipping was relied upon. But soon the Order took this into it's own hands sothat they would be independent and safer. In the long run they maintained their own shipping-services over the mediterranean sea between the harbours of South France and their own harbour in Akka. Also far outside over the Atlantic Ocean they sailed. Many pilgrims, crusaders and other used these services. Seemingly people felt safe when it was in the hands of the Order. Eventually they had their own shipyards and deployed their own fleet especially designed to transport horses.

The Templars as early bankers
Transporting money and expensive goods over such a great distance was very risky. For that reason a 'girosystem' was developed. An amount of money could be deposited at one Templar House and a letter of credit would be given in return, with which the money could be withdrawn at any random other Templar Preceptory.

This was possible because of the rigid way the Order was organised, with branches throughout the Christian world and because they enjoyed a lot of respect based on reliability of the Order. It limited the dangerous transport of money and it met the scarcity of coined money.

European money streams in Templar hands
the role of the Order expanded to that of general bankers. European money streams fell into their hands. Kings going on Crusade deposited their most important money there. From the middle of the twelfth century the whole French treasury was deposited at the Templars Houses. In the 13th century the Knight Templar did the administration and keeping of the English Treasury for decades. Even the common people used these services for loans. The Paris branche opened four counters on a daily basis.

Reliability and credit
apparently kings and commoners trusted the Knights Templar so much that they dared to deposit their money into their hands. This shows how the Order was seen and considered by everybody all over the Christian world. This responsibility also gave the Order a silent form of power over people and kings who owed them money.

The Templars Lands 'Overseas' (Outre Mer)

Jerusalem, centre of the world
The primary theatre of the Knights Templar was the Kingdom of Jerusalem, which was for the Christians back then the centre of the world. Which had to be held at all costs.
This is important to know. Many maps in the middle ages had either Jerusalem or Rome in the very centre. This was not meant as a real map, they have to be considered more as small encyclopediae. That is why in ancient maps, either Rome or Jerusalem is in the very centre.

Therefore the Templar Rules determined the headquarters to be established in Jerusalem. Everything that happened under the banner of the Order was fully dedicated to that task in the East. All the lands in the new Kingdom were called: 'the lands overseas' or, "Outre Mer" (across the sea).

Donations
After the Council of Troyes, a wave of donations came rolling into the 'Outre Mer'. And every Templar gave away all his possessions to the Order. This changing of ownerhsip was to support the Battles for the Holy Places. To fully legitimise this, a fully dedicated organisation came to life in Europe.

At first the donations formed a riff-raff of land, buildings, ownerships, tax, fishing rights etc. By buying and selling this was structured as best as possible to a large number of relatively structured companies, mostly agricultural, called: "preceptories" or "houses".

The General Rule was, that a third of the profit (called: "responsorium") was annually donated to the Headquarters.

Knights Templar, pioneers in many areas
Better than local authorities, the Knights Templar had a wider perspective about the world, and on top of that they were powerful. That enabled them an unusually broad horizon in terms of policy. This went hand in hand with a dominating strive for profit. The needs of the armies in the East was difficult to satisfy. This led to Knight Templars being pioneers in many areas like: breeding grain and cattle, trading wool, building dykes, mills, irrigation etc.
They modernised local politics, agricultural methods, trade, moneytransfer etc. They were very flexible in their behaviour as long as the single purpose - profit in the interest of the war in the Holy Land- was served. The Order was a Middle Age Multinational which led a purely colonial policy in relation to their possessions in Europe itself.

Other areas (covered in new blogs) where Templars were revolutionary are:
-transport and travel
-shipyards
-preceptories

One other area to be covered will be the inhabitants of the preceptories.

Bernard of Clairvaux

Because Bernard of Clairvaux has written one of the first letters regarding the Rules of the Knights Templar, he is important enough to deserve a special paragraph on this weblog.
(info taken from the Catholic Encyclopedia)

Bernard's youth
He was born from his father Tescelin, lord of Fontaines, and Aleth of Montbard, both of Burgundy nobility . Bernard, was sent to a much renowned school at Chatillon-sur-Seine when he was nine years old, this school was kept by the secular canons of Saint-Vorles. He loved literature and to a lesser extent, poetry.
Bernard's motivation with literature was inspired to take up the study of Sacred Scripture. He was especially devoted to the Blessed Virgin.
During his youth, he was tempted in different ways, but his virtue triumphed over them, in many instances in a heroic manner, and from this time he thought of retiring from the world and living a life of solitude and prayer. So his way to Monastic life was paved here.

The Abbey of Citeaux
Around 1113 Bernard sought entrance and admittance to the Monastic Order (Cistercian). Life in this Monastery was dictated by the Rule of Benedict. After almost three years Bernard and a number of other monks were sent to found a new house in the 'Vallée d'Absinthe' (valley of bitterness; freely translated). Bernard named the house: 'Claire Vallée' or, Clairvaux, this he did at June 25th in the year 1115.
William of Champeaux, Bishop of Châlons-sur-Marne, blessed Bernard as abbot because he saw in him the predestined man, servum Dei. (serving god)
It is an interesting fact that apart from Bernard, also his father (Tescelin, now old) and all his brothers entered his Monastery as well.
Because of great success Bernard had to found new houses:

• in 1118, the Monastery of the Three Fountains was founded in the Diocese of Châlons;
• in 1119, that of Fontenay in the Diocese of Auton (now Dijon)
  
• and in 1121, that of Foigny, near Vervins, in the Diocese of Laon (now Soissons)

In the year 1119, Bernard attended the first general chapter of the order convoked by Stephen of Cîteaux. Though one of the younger participants, Bernard was listened to with the greatest attention and respect, especially when he presented his thoughts upon the revival of the primitive spirit of regularity and fervour in all the monastic orders. It was this general chapter that gave definitive form to the constitutions of the order and the regulations of the "Charter of Charity" which Pope Callixtus II confirmed 23 December, 1119. In 1120 Bernard composed his first work "De Gradibus Superbiae et Humilitatis" and his homilies which he entitles "De Laudibus Mariae".

Council of Troyes
In the year 1128, Bernard was assisting as Secretary at the Council of Troyes, which had been convoked by Pope Honorius II, and was presided over by Cardinal Matthew, Bishop of Albano.
It was at this council that Bernard traced the outlines of the Rule of the Knights Templars who would later become the ideal of the French nobility. Bernard praises it in his "De Laudibus Novae Militiae".

Pope Innocentius visits Clairvaux
Around 1130 the pope Innocentius visited the Monastery of Clairvaux and he was taken by the pure and simple religous reception there. n 1132, Bernard accompanied Innocent II into Italy, and at Cluny the pope abolished the dues which Clairvaux used to pay to this celebrated abbey--an action which gave rise to a quarrel between the "White Monks" and the "Black Monks" which lasted twenty years.

Fall of Edessa 1144
When the news came that Edessa had fallen to the Siege and that jeruzalem and Atoich could expect a similar fate, the pope commissioned Bernard to preach a new Crusade and granted the same indulgences for it which Urban II had accorded to the first. Then a parliament was convoked at Vézelay in Burgundy in 1146, and Bernard preached before the assembly. And it was a success, many pledged the vows to go on Crusade.



The Works of Bernard of Clairvaux

The works of St. Bernard are the following:

* "De Gradibus Superbiae", his first treatise;
* "Homilies on the Gospel 'Missus est'" (1120);
* "Apology to William of St. Thierry" against the claims of the monks of Cluny;
* "On the Conversion of Clerics", a book addressed to the young ecclesiastics of Paris (1122);
* "De Laudibus Novae Militiae", addressed to Hughes de Payns, first Grand Master and Prior of Jerusalem (1129). This is a eulogy of the military order instituted in 1118, and an exhortation to the knights to conduct themselves with courage in their several stations.
* "De amore Dei" wherein St. Bernard shows that the manner of loving God is to love Him without measure and gives the different degree of this love;
* "Book of Precepts and Dispensations" (1131), which contains answers to questions upon certain points of the Rule of St. Benedict from which the abbot can, or cannot, dispense;
* "De Gratiâ et Libero Arbitrio" in which the Catholic dogma of grace and free will is proved according to the principles of St. Augustine;
* "Book of Considerations", addressed to Pope Eugenius III;
* "De Officiis Episcoporum", addressed to Henry, Archbishop of Sens.

His sermons are also numerous:

* "On Psalm 90, 'Qui habitat'" (about 1125);
* "On the Canticle of Canticles". St. Bernard explained in eighty-six sermons only the first two chapters of the Canticle of Canticles and the first verse of the third chapter.
* There are also eighty-six "Sermons for the Whole Year"; his "Letters" number 530.

There is more to tell about Bernard of Clairvaux, but the above is enough.

The Knights Templar in Battle

Men and Material
When Hugo de Payens left Europe for the Holy Land with new members of the Order, they immediately got involved in battle: the siege of Damascus.
Since they lost most of their men there, they concentrated on their inital task now: protecting the Pilgrim-road to jeruzalem (Hierosolym).
In the meantime from the West came a flow of new men and material. Because of increasing demand for new troops in The Holy Land the Knights Templar participated in different campaigns.

Size and Equipment
the core of the Templars army was formed by knights (those of royal blood). When the army was at full battle strength there were on average 600 knights.
Each knight had at least three horses, two squires (on horseback as well). He was standard equipped with:

• chainmail
• weapons
• cloth
• other clothing
• shield
• helmet
• tent etc.

Each knight had more horses because the horses fought with their masters in battle, when the horse was tired, injured or worse it had to be replaced.
Around the knights the regiment constisted of warriors a.k.a.: 'brother-sergents', who were full members of the Order but who were not of nobility, they usually were about 2000 strong.
Further the regiment had a few thousand 'Turcopoles' (locally hired troops), some of them on horseback, mostly armed with bow and arrow.
Then there were the socalled: 'Chaplins', they didn't fight but did the religious blessings and the necessary mental support. This mental support ought not to be overlooked. If soldiers (nowadays) have psychological problems like PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), it can be imagined that soldiers fighting in close combat, looking the enemy in the eye, feeling and seeing the agression, fear, and seeing him in pain or dying, from up close, and getting the blood of enemies all over them (which must be horrific) develop the same type of psychological problems. The mental support of Chaplins is not that well known in regular sources about the Knights Templar, but it deserves more attention at least.
At last there were support troops, like: blacksmiths, carpenters, macons, cooks etc. they were paid and hired workers who were not required to participate in battle, unless they volunteered. If the going got too tough, they were allowed to retreat. Retreat was strictly forbidden to battle troops, they were only allowed to retreat when the Grandmaster gave the signal.

Strict rules during battle
The Knights Templar had strict rules of battle. They were only allowed to attack when the order to do so was given. No one could leave the battlefield without permission, if the own unit was scattered the Templar had to report to the closest unit that kept battle rank. In case of total defeat one had to find a shelter as good as possible and report to the most nearby preceptory.

Confusion on the Battlefields-politics etc
many factors were responsible for confusing situation in war and in battle:

• Dynastic problems (many noblemen tried to be King of Jeruzalem)
• Colonists (usually the main source for soldiers, but they got influenced by the eastern culture and customs)
• inexperienced crusaders (they arrived on irregular basis and just barged into battle with anyone they could fight)
• christian-Kings (they usually served their own interest instead of common interest)
• reconquista (Iberia) (The Knights Templar were called to fight in Spain and Portugal against the muslim armies there)
• trading cities like Pisa and Venice (whose interest in the Mediterranean Sea was not always the same as that of the Knights Templar
• Rivalry with other Crusader Orders (Hospitallers, German Order)
• Different Islamic Leaders (with different strategies and tactics)
• Internal Affairs in the Templars Order not all Grandmasters were good generals

The above factors were responsible for confusion on the battlefield in the theatre of war in The Holy Land.

All in all, the Knights Templar were known by friend and foe as brave and very well disciplined warriors.

Dying in Battle
To be engaged into a fierce battle and then to die was for a Knight Templar the fastest path to God, this was in fact the highest honor he could achieve. This attitude and frame of mind made these Warrior Monks almost fearless and hard to beat and impossible to intimidate. It also expresses their mentality in general. The Knights Templar, The Warrior Monks hardly ever surrendered, they rather died.

The Rule of the Knights Templar

Rules-Monastic Life
The rule, that was established at the Council of Troyes, was relatively compact. It contained only 72 articles which mainly set out the rules in relation to Monastic Life of the Knights Templar. It contained general rules that could also apply in Monasteries of different Religious Orders: vows of: Obedience, poverty, chastity, communal life, meals together, silence during meals, eight times a day required communal prayer, established austere clothing style, rules for entry into the order, dietary rules, and their weekly Chaptermeeting.

The weekly meetings
During these gatherings-which were compulsory for every Templar at every level in the organisation, even at the lowest levels of the preceptory or there where at least 4 brethren were gathered- all current events were discussed critically. Violations of the Rule were established and punished if deemed proper and important decisions were made.

One could summarize the above to: the Templars were above all Monastic.

Rules-warrior
The diversion from common monastic rules is interesting, because the Templars were next to monastic, also soldiers with a specific assignment. Firstly, there was the socalled: "Fourth vow" which meant that they swore to devote themselves to the protection of the pilgrims. Also, the soldiers should have a healthy and powerful body, that;s why the Templar Monks had it relatively comfortable, compared to Monks from other orders. But the last rule was very general and very specific as well:

..."The Brethren ought to obey the Master and the Master ought to obey his Chapter”...

This rule excludes absolutism. This is in fact a quite important structure. The Master was thus considered as: ..."primus inter pares"... (the first amongst the equals). It seems a very balanced structure within this Order. And lastly, every preceptory ought to have a copy of the Rule in it's possession and the Rule was to be kept secret to outsiders.

Templars - the western warrior monks

It begins
Around the year 1119 a small, select group of 9 knights under supervision of the French knight Hugo De Payens and the Flemish knight Godfried van Sint-Omaars established a small order of warrior monks to protect the pilgrims traveling from Europe to the Holy Land. They called themselves: The Order of the Poor Knights of Christ.
They accepted the rule of the Holy Augustinus and swore vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The Order and their Rules were approved by the patriarch of Jerusalem (or: Ierosalym).

Their first goal was to fight against raiders, robbers and marauders along the roads traveled by the Pilgrims. For that they were highly appreciated. Initially their only income consisted of alms. The King of Jerusalem (or: Ierosalym) came to their aid and he granted them shelter in his Palace, which was situated in the "Al-Aqsa Mosque" on the square of the former "Temple of Solomon".

Symbolism of the new shelter
Abraham made his sacrifice there, Jakob had his visions of the stairway reaching towards heaven, Solomon built his temple there and the grave of Christ was nearby as well. The Al-Aqsa Mosque was built there in 637 as a symbol of victory of Islam over Christianity and the Jewish Fate. These facts made sure that this new shelter was of utmost symbolic meaning for Christians as well as Jews and for Islamic people too. It was the preferred place for Pilgrimage and in that vein it was considered as the centre of the world.

This is where "The Order of the Poor Knights of Christ" established themselves and henceforth they were called: "Knights Templar", which we can consider: the Warrior Monks of Europe.

Official Recognition: The Council of Troyes
For Jerusalem (or: Ierosalym) was in need of re-inforcements it was decided that a number of monks amongst which: Hugo de Payens-the first master of the Knights Templar, and Godfried van Sint-Omaars, should be sent to the West to get official recognition from the Church and obtain material and new recruits. This Council took place in 1129, and there the "Primitive Rule" was established for the Knights Templar, this rule was closer to the rule of Benedictus-which is more according to the rule of the Cistercian Monks. Later Bernard de Clairvaux wrote the letter:
"De Laude Novae Militiae", this letter boosted the Templars towards fame and fortune.

Extension of their tasks
Apart from the defense and protection of Pilgrims the Knights Templar also had a new task: protection of the Holy places against those who attack them. This is a crucial shift, from protecting pilgrims against small groups of bandits to organised defense and battle against standing armies, or, at least, larger groups of opponents. It at least got the Order further and deeper involved than what was originally set out as their main goal.

The white habit and the Red cross and dark habits
Now they were also awarded the right to wear a white habit with a red shouldercross.
A white habit, in the Monastic world, stood for chastity and for swearing the Eternal Monastic Vows. It is often thought that all Templars wore white habits. This is not necessarily true. Only Templars who swore vows of chastity and who lived in chastity were allowed to wear white habits. Other Templars, for example, if they were married, wore other colours like: dark brown, of dark blue. (Except the Knights Hospitallers who wore mostly black, with a white eight-pointed cross)

Lands and Priories
from now on noblemen donated land and the Knights Templar obtained preceptories. And these were a good source of income, logistics and support for the protection of the Pilgrims places in the Holy Land.

Later on, other articles will appear. The above is about the beginning.