What were the Knights Templar?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Crusades Crusaders departing for the Holy Land, chromolithograph of a 15th-century illuminated manuscript.

The Knights Templar, formally known as the Poor Knights of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, were a religious military order established during the Crusades to protect Christian pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land.1

Founded around 1119–1120 by a group of knights led by Hugh de Payns, the order eventually expanded its mission to include the broader defense of Crusader states. The Templars lived under a strict monastic rule, swearing oaths of poverty, chastity, and obedience, while training as elite warriors.1

Over time, the order amassed significant wealth and property across Europe and the Middle East, serving as a sophisticated financial network for pilgrims and monarchs alike. However, their prominence and influence drew resentment. In the early 14th century, King Philip IV of France, seeking to seize their assets, orchestrated their downfall by leveling false accusations of heresy and blasphemy. Under intense pressure, Pope Clement V suppressed the order in 1312, leading to the imprisonment and execution of many members, including the last grand master, Jacques de Molay.1