Thread by @0xAlaric

THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR

The Templars were a fascinating group; a knightly order that reflected the unique religious philosophy of their time.

Their lifestyle was a massive departure from contemporary knightly life, one that has remained in the popular imagination for centuries.

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Formed in 1119, the Templars were initially intended to be a monastic order dedicated the protection of Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land, which had been secured in the First Crusade.

Since the region had come under Christian control, pilgrimage became immensely popular.

While the Crusader Kingdoms (or Outremer) were quite well-secured, with strong walls and modest garrisons…

…Pilgrims were regularly attacked on the journey from the coast to Jerusalem, or between cities and remote religious sites.

The effort to create a monastic order dedicated to their protection was spearheaded by two men:

French knight Hugues de Payens, who initially pitched the idea to King Baldwin II of Jerusalem, and the politically well-connected abbot Bernard of Clairvaux.

Baldwin granted the fledgling order its headquarters in 1119 — at Temple Mount, in what had once been the Al-Aqsa mosque.

However, at this point it was a small coalition rather than a true order — it would exist without a central code, surviving on donations, for 10 years.

Soon, Bernard of Clairvaux’s advocacy for the group in Europe caught some traction, and a council was called to formalize the Order’s code and raise support.

This was the Council of Troyes, and the churchmen there would go on to create the Knights Templar as we know them.

The Order had always been characterized by poverty and piety — its initial emblem depicted two knights on one horse, as members fought out of religiosity rather than for profit or glory.

But Troyes would redefine its ethos, forming a knightly order in the image of monastic life.

The rules set out at the Council of Troyes, called the Latin Rule, would define the image and lifestyle of the Knights Templar.

Here’s a full description by historian Dan Brown:
commonplaceapp.com/post/951a2a6d-…

In the Latin Rule, we see a complete inversion of the knightly ethos, and a lifestyle characterized by asceticism.

This asceticism was meant to allow the the Templars to live completely in line with God — making them fearless instruments of the divine.

This warrior-monk status made them extremely unique, as they lived reserved lives, characterized by constant prayer, plainness in dress… and regular combat.

I wrote about this mindset before, classifying it as a distinctive adaptation of the “warrior religion”.

It was a method of psychological and spiritual elevation; living like a monk to purge all fears, and align one’s actions 100% with God.
open.substack.com/pub/alarictheb…

This way of life was a far cry from “mainstream” knightly life, which in times of peace could become perhaps too comfortable.

Here’s a funny passage from Cahill’s Mysteries of the Middle Ages, describing the lifestyle of certain less-than-ideal knights:
commonplaceapp.com/post/bae3e980-…

From this, we can see the drastic departure offered by the Knights Templar.

It wasn’t a life for most knights — only those with strong religious conviction, who wanted to actively seek out discomfort and regular battle.

Initiates would forgo all material comforts in exchange for a higher purpose — and much, much more fighting.

Skirmishes were often approached alone, in terrible conditions, and with hundreds of civilians to protect.

And many knights saw it as a challenge — a higher calling.

Interestingly, the rhetoric surrounding the Templars mirrored the mindset of today’s Tier 1 soldiers (SEALs, etc)

Leaving behind the comforts of home, embracing severe deprivation, seeking a crucible… & particularly the idea of being the “tip of the spear” against violent men.

From a pilgrim to the Holy Land’s account:

“They are the first to go and the last to return… As one person, they strongly seek out the units and wings of the battle, they never dare to give way, and they either completely break up the enemy or die.”

This philosophy was reflected in their combat role.

Besides escorting convoys of pilgrims, Templars often served as shock troops in large engagements, launching the first cavalry charges of a battle in tight formation to scatter enemy lines.

In the 1177 Battle of Montgisard, Templar charges heavily contributed to the Crusaders’ overwhelming victory.

With only some 500 knights, the Templar-supported force managed to decimate Saladin’s force of over 20,000.

This was the core goal of the Templars — to do more with less, in service of God.

To become far more formidable than their numbers.

It was this element that led to their enshrinement in the popular imagination.
commonplaceapp.com/post/9fa08152-…

In order to keep this thread somewhat short and sweet, I’ll call it for now.

The evolution and eventual fall of the Templars will be a topic for another time.

But today, I wanted to focus on their martial philosophy — an ideal that emphasized piety, asceticism, and courage.

Correction: The book I quoted is by Dan Jones, not Brown.

Also, I sourced many of these images from @aestheticsjv — very cool account