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The Knights Templar
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o book exploring the myriad myths and tales of secret societies can leave out the unbelievably popular Knights Templar. There are links between this medieval order of warrior monks and Muslims, Masons, and even heretics, so we need to get a grasp of their darker side. Whether stars of the Disney film National Treasure or pawns of modern-day political and commercial propaganda, the Knights Templar have taken root as one of the world’s leading mystery groups. But what is the truth? Did they really have a great secret? Did they really hide treasure? Were they really guardians of the Holy Bloodline? Let’s take a look. Supposedly a group of nine knights (debatable and highly unlikely) were taken from the ruling nobility in the region of France known as Champagne, collected themselves together in Jerusalem around 1118 A.D., and formed the now infamous Knights Templar. All of this cannot be totally proven from the texts—however, it is repeated so often that it becomes true. In all likelihood, they had been formed in France years before, although I have new evidence placing their creation further back in time than even I had ever imagined (see The Ark, the Shroud, and Mary). They were pledged, it is said, to commit their lives and work to a strict code of rules and were simply ordained to ensure the safe passage of pilgrims to the Holy Land. The knights request this task of the first King Baldwin of Jerusalem, who refuses. He then dies under mysterious circumstances, to be replaced by
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