The Knights Templar Conspiracy:

Table of Contents: (170 pages total)

I. The Pride and Fall of The Knights Templar
II. The Inquisition of the Knights Templar
III. The Great Division
IV. The "Dark Mass"
V. Piracy on the High Seas
VI. An Education for Generations
VII. Conquering the Ends of the Earth
VIII. The Enlightenment and Revolution
IX. The Articles of Confederation
X. The US Constitution
XI. The "Noble Experiment" of a Free people and the French Revolution
XII. Behind the Barricades and the Knight Riders.
XIII. The Lessons of Bismarck and Hegel
XIV. Opium, Progressives and the Russian Revolution
XV. World War 1

Chapter 1: The Knights Templar Conspiracy

I thought I heard applause from thee.

But when I turned my face.

They cast me from Thy grace.

Stood others in my place!

And shamed the mortal race!

(The Hidden Empire, verse 3)

Every aristocrat and clergyman in Europe was well aware of the power of “The Order”. Once trusted with the protection of the Holy Land, and the pilgrims who visited it, the Knights Templar had become a very powerful economic and political force in its time.

Known as the Pope’s army, the monastic order’s influence crossed over national boundaries. They took orders from no monarch. Only the Pope himself exercised leadership over “The Order.”

It was rumored that the Knights gained their wealth through an excavation of the site of the ancient temple at Jerusalem. In reality, the Knights Templar were masters at the art of international finance. They lent to both aristocrat and king. Cleric and Bishop.

As a result of France’s conflict with England, King Philip the Fair was both desperate for wealth, and heavily indebted to “The Order”. It came as no surprise to anybody that in France, the Knights enjoyed their greatest influence.

“My dear king, do you not realize that this is madness? You would challenge the very army of Rome? What if the Pope himself were to marshal the other nations of Europe against France?

Philip responded, “What if a new Pope were elected, one whose natural inclinations were to favor France?”

“My dear King, are you willing to risk your throne on such a role of the dice?”

“My cherished advisor, not everyone at Rome is convinced that the Pope exercises control over “The Order”. There are those that wonder if the church has invented its own Praetorian Guard. There are those that wonder if, perhaps, Rome takes it’s orders from the Knights Templar, instead of the other way around.”

There are those who feel that, perhaps, the other religious orders are neglected in “the daily ministration of bread.” Remember, the vows of poverty are a basic creed of the monastic orders.

“But,” the minister continued, “surely the Pope recognizes the benefits of both the financial and political protection that the order provides.”

“Perhaps we need to rethink our current papal alliance.”

John “The Warrior” had joined the order while yet a young man. He had marveled at the ability of the Knights to function as both a military unit and economic powerhouse. Shrewdly, the order had exercised almost total command over the political and religious affairs of Europe.

It was true that the cardinals at Rome had recognized the benefits of having the “Knights” as ally. But, what if they came out on the wrong side this time?

The political landscape had changed greatly and, with potential enemies both within the church, and controlling the throne of France, there was no easy solution. Europe had come to view the monastic order as a protection from further Islamic incursions.

Such protection was not without its benefits, nor without its cost. In the past, playing both ends against the middle had been a favorite pastime of both Rome and her “Knights.”

While maintaining the appearance of political loyalty to the local rulers, “the Order” quietly supported the church in it’s continuous battle against the heads of state. Its primary goal was a church that was loyal to Rome, not the regional monarch. In order to accomplish this, “John”, along with many others in the order, were forced into dangerous political alliances.

Such politicizing, John worried, could create very powerful enemies as well as friends.

John knew that times were changing and monarchy was seeking to reestablish its hold over Rome. “The Order”, with its emphasis on military training, could be easily portrayed as an alien presence in Europe.

With its secret meetings and mystical ordinances, the “Order” was extremely vulnerable to the accusations of heresy.

As the two Knights walked the king’s highway, John expressed his misgivings to his traveling companion:

“Tell me Luis, do you feel a change in the winds of Europe?”

Luis was an older Knight. He was also heavily involved in the current debt negotiations between the order and France.

Luis acted surprised by the question. “John, you seem overly preoccupied with the welfare of our order. Tell me what’s troubling you.”

“My contacts all tell me that Philip has turned against us. Some feel that he is trying to turn the church against the Knights.”

“That is all part of the negotiation process, John. Philip knows that our wealth has behind it the strength of Europe. He is just trying to intimidate us into canceling his current debts.”

“Your concern is misplaced. A few rumored threats do not add up to a frontal assault you know. Look at how much God has favored us! Our movement has reinstated His church as the primary power in Europe!”

John could not help but feel deep concern. When they arrived at their destination, he excused himself from the customary meal and walked off onto the castle grounds.

The castle he looked upon was one of many that the order had built across Europe. It’s rounded features betrayed it as belonging to the Knights Templar. Currently, it served as both a retreat for the weary traveler, and a protection against any military incursions.

Although it was well built, John knew that walls meant nothing should the enemy find another port of entry.

When he found himself alone, he kneeled in supplication to pray.

“Oh God, that has favored us! I ask thee to please hear my petition. My brethren and I have gathered power and wealth in thy Holy Name. We have restored thy good name and halted the incursions of both monarch and infidel.”

“Wilt thou then abandon us to ruin? Wilt thou please protect thy humble servants. In thy Holy protection we will yet deliver the entire world unto thee! We...”

John was interrupted by a disturbance in the nearby wood. “Who goes there!”

He rose from his knees and carefully scanned the forest for movement. “I said, who goes there! Show yourself!”

An elderly man with a walking stick and tattered garment revealed himself from behind a large tree. “I meant thee no harm,” he explained, “I did not want to disturb your private moment with Deity.” There was a tone of reverential awe in the old man’s voice.

John had seen many pilgrims on their way to Rome. The tattered clothes were supposed to be an outward demonstration of humility. He laughed to himself. “As if wealth were a crime!”

Suddenly the man‘s voice changed to an ominous tone. “Knight, I have come with a warning to thee and thy brethren! Beware the jealousy of kings!”

John smirked, “Do you come to warn me old man! Who would dare challenge the authority and power that God has bestowed upon us?”

The elderly pilgrim responded, “And yet God himself said to render unto Caesar that which belongs to Caesar!”

John responded, “God also hath said, Render unto God that which belongs to God!” John did not disagree with elderly pilgrim, he simply wanted to see how much more information he could recover from the old man.

The road-weary pilgrim continued, “Then let me tell you about a dream I had a fort-night ago.” The pilgrims voice went soft. It took on a mystical tone.

“I saw thee and thy brethren! You were kneeling, as is your custom, in prayer.”

“Yet, it was not God that you were supplicating, but a golden image much like the one that Nebuchadnezer formed.”

“The poor, the hungry, and the needy came and went into your prayer chamber but you heeded them not! They amounted to nothing but a minor distraction as you continued your petitions.” The old man paused.

John’s face could not cover his anger and amazement! “Continue, old man. Continue or I will smite thee with my sword!”

“I was then taken back to old Bethlehem. The Bright Star revealed that the Savior of men had come into the world. I walked to the stable. I saw thee and thy brethren there. You presented The King with a beautiful gilded box. Excitedly, the mother of Jesus opened it.” The pilgrim’s voice resembled that of an excited child.

“She dropped it with a scream. Examining its contents I discovered that it was filled with the bones of the dead.”

Enthusiasm changed to disappointment.

“The dream changed. I was now on the streets of old Jerusalem. The Christ was making his fateful walk towards Calvary. You and your brethren lined the streets.”

“As the Holy One passed your place He asked that you would assist Him in carrying His heavy burden.” The old man’s voice dropped again.

“But you refused to soil your hands.”

Their was a long pause, John responded, “If thy revelation is indeed from my Lord, why has it not come through the leaders of His Church? Why you, beggar man?” He spoke the word beggar with great contempt.

The pilgrim explained, “My appearance is both a blessing and a cursing to thee, oh Knight. If thou were to heed it, than I would be the first of the poor among God’s children that has won your ear!”

“If thou refuseth to hear my voice, then I am yet another unfortunate, in the long line that has crossed your path, that thou hast chosen to ignore!”

“I have finished my message, my Lord. I now must beg your leave.”

The pilgrim then walked away, leaving John to ponder the deeper meaning of his words.

John was truly awestruck. “How dare that peasant slander the sacred order.” he thought. He wanted to chase after the old man and teach him the respect that could only be learned from a forged Templar sword.

And yet, he remained where he was. Trembling to think that, perhaps, this was indeed a response to his prayer.

Time marched on. John had both ignored and forgotten the wandering pilgrim’s warnings.

And then it happened, a new Pope, one that heavily favored France. Suddenly the order was branded with the dark mark of heresy. Outlandish accusations that ranged from homosexuality to apostasy were leveled by the minions of the French monarch.

The once wealthy and powerful Knights Templar were forced into the chains and torture of the inquisition. Confessions were extracted at the charred end of a burning iron. Many chose to abandon the order completely. Other’s chose to operate underground.

Still other Knights sought a new identity among the other orders. The biggest beneficiary of the influx of refugees was the Hospitalers. They took over many of the estates that had once belonged to the Knights Templar.

John had fled to England with a host of other knights. The English nobility had no desire to forward the lengthy ambitions of France. The former knights masqueraded as local artisans by day, meeting in secret at night. Covert handshakes, and the other symbols of the order were preserved.

Some felt that the Knights Templar needed to just bide their time until a new pope was elected, and the order restored. Other’s felt that it was time to destroy the enemies of the order, those who had dared to challenge the power of God.

John’s was a burning hatred. Whenever he stopped to think on what had been taken from the Knights, he could not help but tremble with anger. His hatred was not only directed against man, but also against Deity. For was not that God, who ruled over the destinies of all men, the real enemy of the Order?

The meeting started with the traditional oath of loyalty. Markus “the wise” went through the list of grievances and, surprisingly, to some in attendance, he proposed something that would have brought upon himself the sentence of death just a few years before:

“Finally!” John said to himself.

“Where was that God most powerful when the Order was falsely accused? Why did he not support those among us who defended His Holy Name?”

Markus continued, “As for me and my house, we will not continue to support a God that has so clearly failed us after we had served him so worthily!”

Jonah “The Mighty” rose from his seat. “My dear friend Markus, should we be ashamed that Jesus Christ has found us worthy of such great persecution? With great trials come great glory! How can we prosper if we rebel against our only Ally?”

The soft-spoken Jonah continued, “When we stand before that Master we covenanted to serve, will we not be found worthy of the Martyr’s crown as a result of our afflictions?”

“Markus, would you have us sell our heritage and birthright for a mess of pottage?”

Markus pondered how to word his response. In the past, he would have yielded the point to the humility of Jonah. Now, however, he knew that the majority at this meeting favored his position instead.

“My brethren, would the mighty Knights have fallen into betrayal unless some Judas had kissed them first? You have had your witness from God that he has abandoned you to not just a temporal but also an eternal destruction! He has declared it himself through his chosen mouthpiece in Rome! Do we need to cross the river Styx to know what horrors await us on the other side? ”

“What is this talk of future glory? I say, to thy tents oh Israel! We have been consigned to perdition in this world and what witness can Jonah bear to prove it will be otherwise in that world which is to come?”

And then came the proposal most unusual. “God having failed to grant us vengeance against the enemies of the order, I am determined to seek it on my own. From this moment onward, yeah, from this very hour, God’s enemies shall be my friends.”

“Since I have been chosen to be removed from his Holy presence without cause, I am determined to give Him cause enough!!! My sword shall be bathed in the blood of my enemies unto their entire destruction! Yeah, I shall smite them on the one cheek, and then I will lift the sword to smite them on the other.”

Heresy!!! shouted some. “We must give God time to avenge our wrongs!!!”

Markus had yielded to such weakness in the past to his mortal injury. “Not today!” he thought angrily, “not today!”

With sword raised, Markus gave the signal, “Brethren! Do your duty!”

“Their end came quickly,” pondered John, as he and the others wiped the blood from their blades. Had we chosen this course in the beginning, our kingdom would still be whole!!”

Similar meetings were held throughout Europe. The speeches varied in content, but violence was the rare exception instead of the norm. The desire, however, proved to be the same.

Some argued that the church was corrupted. Others felt that the Pope had become corrupted. To John, none of these arguments carried any merit. As long as the Knights were one in purpose, and the sword was to be raised against their enemies, the result would be the same. Sweet vengeance was the only thing that would appease his hatred-filled mind.

When the peasant’s revolt in England began, almost a century later, very few remembered those things that came before. It was, however, more than a strange coincidence, that those targeted for plunder and death had been the greatest beneficiaries of wealth and land when the sacred order of the Knight’s Templar had been destroyed.

For many, the legacy of the past was never to be forgotten. The order had produced many highly educated men. Many former Knights sought to use their hidden wealth and power to create a movement that would rock the very foundations of the medieval world.

For others, true revolution came to the heart after it had entered the head. The trials and tribulations of the fathers had indeed been inherited by the children.

These few “agitators” worked incessantly to drive an even deeper wedge between Rome and the throne of England. Papacy and injustice were forever etched into their minds from the time of their childhood by their outcast fathers.

The underground movement spread like wild-fire across Europe, kindling both Reformation and Restoration. Not all had become corrupted with a lust for power. Many had chosen to improve the level of true knowledge that was made available to the masses, in order to guarantee that the persecutions of the past would be just another bitter memory.