The Templars are one of those groups everyone knows from legends: hidden treasures, the Holy Grail, curses, conspiracies.
But the real story is even more interesting — less mystical, more political, and brutally human.

Who Were the Templars, Really?

The order was founded around 1119 in Jerusalem. Officially, they were warrior monks meant to protect pilgrims. In practice, they quickly became:

-an elite military force of the Crusader states
-an international financial network
-an order with its own castles, ships, and diplomacy

They wore the white cloak with the red cross — one of the most iconic symbols of the Middle Ages.

How Did They Become Europe’s First “Bankers”?

The Templars invented something we now call a cheque. A pilgrim could deposit money in Paris, and the Templars issued a document he could cash in Jerusalem. Revolutionary for the time:

-safe travel without carrying coins
-an international network of branches
-a level of trust even the Church didn’t have

Over time, the Templars began storing state treasuries, lending to kings, and managing the wealth of nobles. They became rich, independent — and for many rulers, dangerous.

Why Were They Destroyed?

In 1307, the French king Philip IV “the Fair” made a move that would fit perfectly into a textbook on political cynicism. He was drowning in debt, out of money, and out of patience. He accused the Templars of heresy, idolatry, sodomy — everything horrible enough at the time to erase someone from history. The truth? Most accusations were fabricated. The goal was their wealth. On Friday, October 13th, 1307 (yes, the origin of the “Friday the 13th” legend), the Templars were arrested en masse. Their leaders were tortured and burned. The order was officially dissolved in 1312.

What Happened to Their Wealth?

Most of it went to the Hospitallers (today’s Knights of Malta). Some simply disappeared into the royal treasury. And that’s where the legends begin:

-the hidden treasure
-the secret escape to Scotland
-the connection to Freemasons

Historically, it’s likely that some Templars did flee and join other orders or local nobles. But the “great treasure” is probably more myth than reality.

Why Do the Templars Still Fascinate Us Today?

Because they are the perfect mix of:

-military elite
-financial power
-political intrigue
-a mysterious downfall

And because they were destroyed in a way that feels more like a state coup than divine justice.

How the Templars Accidentally Created Space for the Knights of Malta?

When the Templars were dissolved in 1312, one question remained: What happens to all their castles, ships, lands, and wealth. The Pope decided that most of the Templar property should not end up in the hands of kings (even though Philip IV had already grabbed his share), but should go to another military order: the Hospitallers. The Hospitallers were similar to the Templars but less politically exposed. Their original mission was caring for the sick and pilgrims in the Holy Land. After the fall of the Templars, they suddenly became:

-heirs to enormous wealth
-a new military power in the Mediterranean
-the order that took over the Templar role as “the shield of Christendom”

They later moved to Rhodes, then to Malta — and that’s where they got the name we know today: the Knights of Malta.

The Irony of History

The Templars were destroyed because of their power and wealth. The Hospitallers — today’s Knights of Malta — became one of the most influential organizations in Europe because of that same wealth. And they still exist today.