Trials of the Knights Templar facts for kids

Templars being burned at the stake

In 1307, members of the Knights Templar in France were suddenly accused of heresy. They were arrested after their leader, Master Jacques de Molay, came to France for meetings with Pope Clement V. Many, including their leader, were burned at the stake. Others were sent to prison for life. These events in France led to trials in other places. Not all of these trials had the same harsh outcome.

The Templars started around 1120 in Jerusalem. Nine Christian knights, with help from King Baldwin II and Patriarch Warmund, protected pilgrims on roads to Jerusalem. They did this for nine years. Then, at the Council of Troyes in 1129, they became a military order. They were known as a strong fighting force in the Crusades. They rarely retreated or gave up.

Over time, their secret rules, power, special rights, and wealth made them targets. Philip IV of France accused them. Even though the Pope tried to stop it, the Templars were eventually destroyed.

The Templars' Beginnings

The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Jesus Christ, known as the Knights Templar, started around 1120. Eight Christian Knights asked Warmund, Patriarch of Jerusalem for permission to defend the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Baldwin II of Jerusalem gave them a place to stay in the Temple of Solomon. Hugues de Payens was chosen as their master. Patriarch Warmund gave them the job of keeping roads safe from thieves. They protected pilgrims going to Jerusalem for nine years.

At the Council of Troyes in 1129, they became a military order. The Church approved them. Bernard of Clairvaux, an important church leader, greatly supported them. Their rules were based on the Cistercian Order. These rules focused on obedience, poverty and chastity. Their role later grew to include fighting in the Crusades. As the Crusades ended, Christian fighters were forced out of the area.

Over the years, the Templar order became very rich and powerful. They received huge gifts of money, lands, churches, and even villages. Kings and nobles in Europe gave these gifts to help fight for the Holy Land. The Templars, by order of the Pope, did not have to pay taxes or tolls. Their homes and churches were safe places. They were also free from feudal duties. They only answered to the Pope.

Trouble in France

The first headquarters of the Knights Templar, on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. This was called the Temple of Solomon by Crusaders. The Knights took their name, Templar, from this place.

Why the Templars Faced Accusations

The Templars started well and were seen as model Christian knights. But soon, people began to resent their special rights. They were seen as "rich as kings." Some also criticized their actions in war. For example, at the siege of Damascus in 1148, Templars and Hospitallers were accused of taking bribes. They were said to have convinced King Conrad III of Germany to stop the fight.

After the terrible battle at the Horns of Hattin and the fall of Jerusalem, some blamed the Templars. They had almost no military role left in the Holy Land. Other critics questioned their honesty. The writer William of Tyre often criticized the order. He once accused them of freeing the sultan's son for a large sum of gold. When Grand Master Odo de St Amand died, William called him "a wicked man."

When the Templars started banking and lending money, criticism grew. Walter Map and John of Salisbury accused them of being greedy. Matthew Paris sometimes praised them, but other times he was very critical. The loss of their last stronghold in Syria, Tortosa, in 1302, was another failure. This made them more open to criticism. Still, their arrests in 1307 were a big surprise. No one thought the Order was so bad it needed to be shut down.

The King's Power Grows

During this time, the power of the papacy was weakening. Many popes had to flee Rome or were not allowed to enter. Also, antipopes, supported by the German Emperors, were common. This was part of the Emperors' fight with the Church. One of the last popes of the 1200s was Peter Morrone. He was an old man chosen as a compromise. As Pope Celestine V, he was too old and weak to lead the Church. He realized this and gave up his role.

This caused a huge protest across the Church. It divided people about the next pope, Boniface VIII. Pope Boniface was very capable and bold. But many believed a pope could not give up his role. They thought Celestine was still the true pope. Boniface captured the old pope, who just wanted to retire peacefully. He kept him in prison until his death in 1296.

Boniface VIII tried to control kings, like Edward I of England and Philip IV of France. Both kings protested his power. Philip IV of France was his strongest opponent. Philip tried to tax the church, which Boniface refused. This started a long series of fights between them. In 1303, Guillaume de Nogaret, Philip IV's lawyer, made 29 charges against Pope Boniface. These included black magic, heresy, and blasphemy.

Boniface then said he would place France under interdict. This meant no church services could happen in France. This threat could have caused a rebellion against Philip. So, de Nogaret and Sciarra Colonna, with 1600 men, attacked Anagni. The pope was staying there. They captured Boniface and held him for three days. But after four days, the people of Anagni rose up. They drove out the attackers and took Boniface to Rome in triumph.

But the ordeal was too much for the 86-year-old pope. He died days later. Philip IV did not want another pope to interfere with his plans. After a year, the cardinals still could not choose a new pope. So, they suggested Bernard de Goth, Archbishop of Bordeaux. He had supported Boniface. But Philip arranged a meeting. He promised to support Bernard as pope if he agreed to certain conditions. These included peace between France and the Church. He also wanted forgiveness for his men who had fought and captured Boniface. Bernard de Goth became Pope Clement V on November 14, 1305.

Philip IV of France, like earlier kings, used Templars in his royal treasury in Paris. They handled many financial tasks for the French kingdom. There was little to suggest he did not trust them fully. In 1299, the Order loaned Philip a large sum of money. This was for his sister's dowry and for his war against the Flemish. He then put taxes on his people until they rebelled. When he lowered the value of money, it led to a revolt in Paris. The Knights Templar defended the king and gave him safety during this event.

But Philip had a history of seizing property and people when it suited him. He did this to the Lombards in 1291 and the Jews in 1306. In a meeting between Grand Master Molay and the pope in early 1307, they discussed problems in the order. Then, in a letter to the King, Clement V told Philip he planned a full investigation of the Templar order. This was to happen in mid-October that year. About a week before his planned investigation, Clement V got a surprising message. Members of the order had been arrested, imprisoned, and accused of heresy. This was done by an investigation the pope had not called for.

The Arrest of the Templars

On September 14, 1307, King Philip IV sent secret orders to all his officers in France. These orders told them to prepare for the arrest and imprisonment of all Templar members. The arrests were to happen one month later. At dawn on October 13, 1307, King Philip IV's soldiers captured all Templars found in France.

Pope Clement V was at first very angry about this disrespect for his power. But he later gave in. On November 22, 1307, he issued a papal decree. This order told all Christian monarchs to arrest all Templars. They were also to take their lands in the name of the Pope and the Church. This order went to England, Iberia, Germany, Italy, and Cyprus. The leader, Templar Grand Master Jacques de Molay, and Hugues de Pairaud, a Templar who collected royal money for the Order, were both arrested. Many other Templars in France were also arrested.

Philip used his ministers, Guillaume de Nogaret and Enguerrand de Marigny. They gathered a list of charges against the Templars. Other witnesses were said to be former Templar members. These members had been removed for their wrongdoings. Under the French king's orders, they were arrested.

Soon after, in 1307, the Pope sent two cardinals to talk to Jacques de Molay and Hugues de Pairaud. At that time, they took back their confessions. They told other Templars to do the same.

The Charge of Heresy

Important changes in legal rules had been made by 1230. These changes affected later trials, especially those of the Templars. A witness no longer feared punishment if their accusations were false. Instead, a new system began to be used in most of Europe. This system relied on witness statements and the inquisitorial procedure.

In France, King Louis IX of France, Philip's grandfather, issued a rule in 1229. This rule gave the kings of France the duty to stop heresy in their kingdom. Also, from 1230 on, inquisitors in northern Italy got special powers from Pope Honorius III. These powers allowed them to question even protected orders like the Hospitallers, Cistercians, and Templars. But this was only in cases where heresy was suspected.

When the Albigensian Crusade ended, these special powers were not taken away. They were just forgotten. Philip's royal lawyers focused their charges on this one weak point: heresy. This was the only way to touch an order that answered only to the Pope.

Accusations Against the Templars

Templar building at Saint Martin des Champs, France

The first charge against the Templars was heresy. On August 12, 1308, the charges grew. They said the Templars worshipped idols, specifically a cat and a head with three faces. Many other charges were added. None of these "idols" were ever found.

The Trials by Inquisition

One of the first and largest trials in France happened in Paris. It ran from October 19 to November 24, 1307. A total of 138 prisoners gave full statements. Almost all admitted guilt to one or more charges. Torture was used to get these confessions. So, how reliable their statements were is still a question. We know these early confessions were different from later statements.

Another important trial was held at Poitiers from June 28 to July 2, 1308. At least 54 Templars spoke before the pope and his cardinals. Here too, many confessed to one or more charges. When asked if their statements were given freely, many said they had been threatened. They were given only bread and water and treated harshly. But they said their confessions were not from torture. However, in 1310, at least three said they had lied to the Pope. They now wanted to defend the order.

Templar Peter (Pierre) of Bologna was a church lawyer. He was the Templar representative to the pope's court in Rome. On April 23, 1310, Peter and others went before the commission. They demanded to know who accused them. They also wanted all information and evidence in the case. They asked that witnesses not talk to each other. They also wanted all proceedings kept secret until sent to the Pope.

In May 1310, the Archbishop of Sens, Philippe de Marigny, took over the Templar trial. De Marigny led the proceedings until his death in 1316. Pope Clement V stepped in and ordered that real trials take place. However, Philip tried to stop this. He had several Templars burned at the stake as heretics. This was to prevent them from taking part in the trials. Two days after this change, 54 Templars were burned outside Paris. When the papal commission met on November 3, 1310, they found the Templars had no defenders. They stopped until December 27. At this time, the prisoners insisted that Peter de Bologna and Renaud de Provins defend them again. But they were told the two priests had appeared before the Archbishop of Sens' commission. Both de Provins and de Bologna were found guilty and imprisoned. Peter de Bologna, however, had managed to escape.

Templar Leaders Take Back Confessions and Die

Eventually, King Philip's investigators made Jacques de Molay confess to the charges. On March 18, 1314, de Molay and de Charney took back their confessions. They said they were innocent of the charges. They were only guilty of betraying their Order by confessing under pressure to something they had not done. They were immediately found guilty of being heretics who had gone back on their word. The punishment for this was death. This effectively silenced the other Templars.

Philip continued to pressure and threaten the Pope to officially close the Order. Things ended dramatically in 1314. Leader Jacques de Molay and Geoffroi de Charney were publicly executed by burning.

Key Dates in France Trials

*Source for most of this timeline: Malcolm Barber, Trials p. 258

What Happened Next

After reviewing all documents, on March 22, 1312, Clement V issued a Papal bull called Vox in excelso. This order officially closed the Order of the Templars. In May 1312, by the bull Ad Providam, he ordered that all Templar assets go to the Knights Hospitaller. This was to keep the original purpose of the gifts: to help the Holy Land. The order also separated Templars who refused to change from those found innocent or who had made peace with the Church.

Philip IV, however, took a huge amount of money from them. He called it "compensation" for the "costs" of the trials against the Templars. In England, where lists of Templar lands were made, the pope's order did not have an immediate effect. There were so many delays in handing over these lands. Even as late as 1338, the Hospitallers had only partial control of former Templar lands.

Trials in England, Ireland, and Scotland

Temple Church, London. This was the chapel of the New Temple in London. It was used for Templar initiation ceremonies. Today, it is a church for the Middle and Inner Temples. It is a popular place for tourists.

In 1307, the Templar Order in the British Isles was thought to be rich but had few members. When Templars were arrested in France, Edward II doubted the accusations. He asked his officer in Agen for a report. After reading it, Edward was still not convinced. On October 30, he sent letters to Pope Clement V and other kings. He defended the Templar Order and encouraged them to do the same.

Edward wrote again to the Pope on December 10. He stated that he could not believe the "horrible charges" against the Templars. He said they had a good reputation in England. He also asked for more proof. He noted that financial dealings between the English monarchy and Templars were always honest. They had fought alongside King Richard to defend the Holy Land.

On December 20, 1307, he received the order from the Pope to arrest the Templars. Edward finally ordered his officers to arrest all Templars in England, Ireland, and Scotland. He also told them to take and list all their properties. But despite the Pope's order, Edward handled the Templars very differently from Philip. Many Templars were allowed easy confinement. They received money and lived in relative comfort.

In 1308, the situation changed. Edward's favorite, Piers Gaveston, was sent away. Edward asked Clement V and Philip IV for help to bring Gaveston back to England. It might be more than a coincidence that Edward then became stricter towards the Templars.

On September 13, 1309, two Inquisitors came to England. They were allowed to question the Templars. But English church leaders had to be present. As of November 1309, none of the Templars confessed to the charges. At that time, torture was rarely used in England. The legal system was well-developed. It used regular jurors, not "professional witnesses" like Philip often used.

In December, the Pope pressured England and other countries. He wanted them to let the Inquisitors use "their" methods. The King of England reluctantly agreed. The conditions for the Templars changed greatly. With continued pressure from the Pope and Inquisition, the expected result was achieved. English Templars were sent to the Count of Ponthieu. This area did not follow English Law. Various confessions, though different, were obtained. The Templars were either executed or sent to prison for life.

Two Templars from England were questioned by the Bishop of St. Andrews in Scotland. They confessed to minor offenses. In Ireland, fourteen Templars faced three trials. They also gave minor confessions that led to nothing serious.

Trials in Cyprus

The Templars and Hospitallers moved their main bases to Cyprus. This happened after the fall of Acre in 1291. The Hospitallers, however, attacked and captured the island of Rhodes in 1308. They moved their headquarters there, leaving Cyprus to the Templars. This made Cyprus very important to the pope. It was now the Templar base.

In May 1308, a letter from the pope arrived in Cyprus. It ordered the arrest of all Templars on the island. Amalric, Lord of Tyre was ruling Cyprus then. He had overthrown his brother Henry II of Cyprus with the Templars' help. Amalric was slow to make the arrests. This gave the Templar knights plenty of time to prepare their defenses.

But in June, the Templars surrendered. Their properties and treasure were seized. They were held at Khirokitia, then Yermasoyia, and finally Pano Lefkara. They stayed there for three years. In May 1310, King Henry II got his throne back. Unlike his brother, he followed the Pope's demands to bring them to trial. They seemed to get a fair trial, even though Henry II disliked the order. All seventy-six Templars denied the charges. Many witnesses testified that they were innocent. The trials ended with all Templars being found innocent of all charges.

The pope demanded Henry II hold new trials. He sent his own representative, Dominic of Palestrina, to make sure the pope's wishes were followed. The results of the 1311 trials were not recorded. But they were still in prison when the pope ordered the order to be closed. He also ordered all their possessions to go to the Hospitallers. But the Hospitallers only received the properties. The treasure and movable goods were kept by Cypriot authorities. This was to cover the unusually high costs of the trials. The Templar leaders were never released and died in prison.

Events in Germany

Records of Templars in Germany are not as many as in France. They drew little attention in German writings. One writer recorded that the Templars were destroyed with Emperor Henry's approval. This was because they worked with the Saracens. It was also because they planned to create a new empire for themselves. The writers did not even know the real charges Philip IV of France made.

But in a letter from the German king, Albert I of Germany, dated January 13, 1308, he replied to Philip IV of France. The king wrote about the Templar arrests. He said, "although a crime of such evil infamy ought to be reprehensible and damnable in all persons, nevertheless it is known to be more reprehensible among the religious, who ought by the splendour of their life to be mirror for others and an example."

Actions against Templars in Germany differed by region. Burchard III [Wikidata] of Magdeburg became prince-archbishop in 1307. He was already against the Templars. In 1308, he ordered the Templars in his area to be seized. He had some Templars burned. Then he tried to keep their property for himself. This led to a war with the Templars. In 1318, the Hospitallers still had not received the Templar property from him. Since Clement was dead, they complained to Pope John XXII. Despite the papal order from 1307, and other than the events in Magdeburgh, the papal orders received little attention in Germany. Sometimes witnesses found the Templars innocent, even though the Pope was firm.

In 1310 at Trier near Luxembourg, an investigation was held. Seventeen witnesses, including three Templars, were heard. Their property was seized, but they were found innocent. At Mainz, the Templars' leaders said that the crosses on their cloaks did not burn. They said this was a miracle and a sign of their innocence. Despite growing pressure, public opinion stayed with the Templars. Though the Pope told them to go back and do their work, the result was again acquittal.

Events in Spain and Portugal

After the famous Templar trials in France, Pope Clement V ordered the order to be dissolved. Most countries followed, giving Templar lands to the Hospitallers. Kings Denis of Portugal and James II of Aragon both said they found no fault of heresy or bad behavior in the Templars in their lands. This was not surprising. The Templars had been key to the success of the Reconquista in Aragon and Portugal. Their large land holdings were vital for the safety of these kingdoms. Giving Templar lands to the Hospitallers risked foreign control of big parts of both countries.

Both kings tried to avoid these outcomes. In Aragon, King James convinced Pope John XXII in 1317 to form the Order of Montesa. This new order received most of the Templar lands in Aragon and Valencia. In Portugal, King Denis had long talks with the pope. This led to the creation of another new order, the Order of Christ, formed in 1320. This order received the vast Templar lands in Portugal. Also, many Templars quietly joined this new order. The problems caused by the downfall of the Knights Templar in Valencia and Portugal were solved by creating two new orders. The Order of Montesa received Templar and Hospitaller lands. The Order of Christ was simply a change for the Templars and their holdings in Portugal.

The Chinon Parchment

Pope Clement V forgave 72 of the Knights Templar in July 1308 at Poitiers. He did this after hearing their confessions. However, King Philip still did not allow access to the Order's leaders. It was not until August 1308 that a papal commission was finally allowed to hear from them. They also granted them forgiveness.

Evidence of these hearings was based on indirect information. This changed with the discovery of the Chinon parchment in September 2001. Barbara Frale found it in the Vatican Archives. The document had been missed by Vatican researchers for some time. This was because it was damaged and misfiled with other unrelated documents.

The Chinon parchment is important because it is a real copy. It has the seals of three cardinals sent by Clement V. These were Bérenger Frédol, Etienne de Suisy [Wikidata], and Landolfo Brancaccio. They were allowed to judge the Templars for the Pope.

There was another account of the trials at Chinon. This was a second-hand report kept in the French Chancery. It was described in the register of Pierre d'Étampes. This was the only available account until the original parchment was found. A comparison between the two shows the French copy gives a slightly different story of events at Chinon. The Chinon parchment shows the hearings were held by the Church only. Royal lawyers were not present. The French document gives a different idea. It suggests the official proceedings were held by the Pope and the French king. Other differences between the two lead to the idea that the French document was an indirect copy. It was based on spoken accounts, not on having access to the original parchment.

There is one question about the dates. In the bull Faciens misericordiam (showing mercy), Pope Clement V told Philip IV that Jacques de Molay and other Templar leaders were forgiven. He said any power to judge them again was reserved for the Pope alone. This bull was dated August 12, 1308. This was eight days before the hearings with these leaders actually happened. It is not known if this was a mistake in dating or if the Pope was sure of the outcome before the hearings. This needs more investigation. While it is still unclear what exactly happened at Chinon castle between August 17–20, 1308, more investigations might provide new answers.