what is the knights templar?

Question

connection between them and the masons?

Answer 1

The Knights Templar were founded as a group supposedly to help the folks who were doing pilgrimage to the Holy Land. They set up their headquarters in the supposed stables of King Solomon's Temple. Of course, Solomon's Temple had been destroyed long before, where they were was actually Herod's reconstructed temple -- still destroyed but the most recent. They may have found something there in the ruins. We are not sure.

They went from being a small band of knights to becoming very wealthy, the equivalent of bankers of the Middle Ages. Eventually, that wealth attracted the envious eyes of a strong King: Philip la Belle (the good looking) of France. He had just managed to buy a Pope (Clement) and decided to take over the Templars. Under sealed orders Philip had all the Templars arrested. Some escaped (supposedly to Scotland and to Spain). The loot went with the escapees. The head of the Templars, Jacques de Molay, was roasted on a fire but not before he cursed King Philip and Pope Clement. Both died within a year of Jacques' death.

There are some records of fighters looking like Templars showing up in Scotland fighting on the side of Robert the Bruce. This is in the 1300s. Then the rumors sort of died down. Funny thing, the Templar battle flag had a funny cross on it. You have seen it in your grade school history books on the sails of Columus' ships. Oh, they never did find the Templar fleet either.

Centuries later a flamboyant Freemason named Chevalier Ramsey claimed that Freemasonry really was the heir to the Knights Templar. The French (who had long since spit on Philip's grave) ate that up and decided that a Knight Templar degree would be cool. There were many more degrees instituted ontop of the regular three (possibly four if you count the Mark degree) Blue Lodge of Freemasonry degrees.

Now Rosslyn Chapel does have some good ties to Masonry and Templarism. Some even have found Templar graves on the coast of Scotland. Another bunch of authors think that the Shroud of Turin was created by the torturing of Jacques de Molay.

Somehow most of it will remain speculation. But it is fun to read about. When you reach 21 years of age and if you are interested, feel free to knock on the door of Freemasonry and ask to join. Co-Masonry admits women and men. Even before then, most Lodges will allow you to use their libraries. I think all Masons are interested in such.

A Master Mason
American Co-Masonry

Hiram Lodge (Santa Cruz, CA)
Amon Ra Lodge (Los Angeles, CA)
Sapientia Lodge of Research (Larkspur, CO)
Adamant Mark Lodge (Santa Cruz, CA)

Answer 2

In Rossyln church in Scottland there is a carving showing a knight's templar holding a cable tow going around a man's neck and the man is blind folded.

Cable Tows and blind folds are used in masonic ritual.

The modern Knight's templar org require you to be york rite which requires you to be a Master mason.

The only connection I can tell you of is Knights Templar searched for something under Solomon's temple and a york rite degree has a teaching is a lost word of masonry which was originated under solomon's temple.

Answer 3

Knights templar were a bunch of rich farts who wore metal buckets on their heads and usually served a heavy calvary role in your standard medieval crusading army. there is no connection between the mand the masons unless you are watching National Treasure with Nicholas Cage.

Answer 4

Christianity was distorted over time and resulted in the Dark Ages in Europe.
The Crusaders were knights who tried to win the Holy Land back from Arabian
people, that took it from whomever was there before. I imagine Roman Catholic
representatives.
The Knights Templer, by mixing with the Arabs, again learned certain mystic
applications to spiritual things. The church, considered all such things to be
magic, and not to be indulged in.
After a time, the Leaders of certain countries slandered the Templers, calling them
heretics, in order to obtain their wealth.

Answer 5

it creates a crusador every 3 turns in civilizationIII pc game...

Answer 6

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_Templar

Read under legend.