Are Knights Templars predecessors of Freemasons?

Question

it is my understanding that the Templar Knights weren't founded until after the First Crusade (1099 A.D.) and that Masons are of an ancient order who go back to ancient Greece or Egpyt.

Answer 1

Well to start with none really knows. My opinion is there is alot of evidence to support they are the same orders or at least related.
Masonically speaking the The British claim Masons started in the 1700's with the first Grand Lodge that is ludicrous. Do the masonic guild do back to Egypt and the Greece yes but not as the organization that now exists. Roslyn chapel in Scotland is the key to the Templar's and Freemasons. It has stonework that dates back to the 1300's that has Masonic degree work next to Templar symbols.This is circumstantial but impressive never the less when Sir William St Clair built the chapel he was identified as one of the last Templar's.
Now here is historical fact about the Templars on the ominous day Friday the 13th 1307 less than 5% of the Templars'' were arrested. Where did they all go? They had the largest fleet of ships in the world where did they all go? And very little of the Templars "treasure" was recovered ?
Two places that they may have gone is Switzerland look at their flag their banking system and not to mention the Swiss guard who protect oh the Vatican along with a slew of other coincidences.
Second is Scotland who hated the French and English the ones trying to prosecute the Templars' and how Robert the Bruce destroyed King Edward the Seconds technologically advanced and numerically superior Army at the Battle of Bannockburn in June 1314 with his rag tag army and oh many Knights on horseback that Edward had no idea existed. And most Masons believe Scotland is where Masonry was born and oh yeah the Masons teach about a Temple where the Templars were stationed there is a whole lot of evidence I suppose its what you want to believe.
My opinion is there is a connection.

Answer 2

The freemasons are firstly mentioned in the bible during the construction of the Temple.
According to the todays masons the first Grand Master was Hiram Abiff who was in charge of the construction.During that work there were many workers and Hiram could not now all of them by heart so he introduced some sort of a secret handshake which main purpose was to determine the wage of a certain worker.There were 3 categories of workers; apprentices, journeymen and masters.Each of these categories received different wages.One day some of apprentices were dissatisfied with their income so they decided to kill Hiram Abiff and they eventually did.Later on the perpetrators were finally caught and executed while the trial all the other workers were wearing white aprons and gloves as a symbol that they had nothing to do with the Hirams murder.Hiram died in the Eastern part of the temple so that is the reason while today all the lodges all around the world have the Grand Masters place in the eastern part of the lodge as a token of appreciation to Hiram.Even today all the masons believe that the highest freemason is the God himself for constructing the world and universe so the God is also known as the Supreme Architect.If these allegations are correct I would say that the Masons are the predecessors of Templars because Templars were officially founded in 1118 and existed until 13.10.1307 with their first Grand Master Hugo de Paoen.

Answer 3

In addition to all the great (and accurate) information posted here about Freemasonry I'd like to point out two very important facts: Firstly that not ALL Masons are Christian. Masonry accepts those men of strong moral character who profess a belief in G-d. Therefore many Masons are Jews, Muslims, etc. No atheists admitted. Secondly, the Knights Templar do exist today as a part of the York Rite of Freemasonry. However, to become a Knight Templar, a Mason must be a Christian. Finally, Freemasonry is considered to be a 'secret society' primarily because Masons do not solicit others for membership, thus leaving the impression on many that it is a closed organization and available only by 'secret invitation'. The fact is that to become a Mason, one must of their own volition take the initiative and ask to be considered for admittance. Very, very little about Freemasonry is actually a 'secret'.

Answer 4

You are spot on atthepub.

There is some evidence, however, that some Templar Knights may have joined Masonic orders but I am not suggesting that the Templars founded them.

Answer 5

I remember seeing it on History channel. Knight Templars were helping the Freemasons. I believe this guy was building the ancient temple could be Solomon's and was killed for not teaching his arcitectural skills. The followers of this guy are the Masons. Templars were violent people but not the Masons.

Answer 6

Knights Templars came first then the Freemasons came

Answer 7

It's a load of rubbish.
The Templar order was suppressed in 1312.
In the eighteenth century a group of gentlement wanted to surround their meetings with a bit of ritual and borrowed that of the stonemason's guilds. The stuff about ancient Egypt and Solomon's temple is complete hokum too.

Answer 8

No. There are two different ideas.
Templar were Christians and defender of the temple of Jerusalem . It is the origin of their name "keepers of temple of god"

Francs mason is a community with no religious obedience. You can believe what you want but tolerate other believes

Answer 9

yes the two groups are related, and freemasons come from the templars.

Answer 10

masons began as a stone workers guild, all they did was build with stone