What were the rumors that led to the fall of the Templars?

Question

What were the rumors that gave King Philip IV of France the opportunity to begin to dismantle the Templars?

Answer 1

What led to the fall of the Templars was the fact that the French king owed them a lot of money he didn't want to pay and coveted their property in France.

The rumors spread to sully their reputations were that they were involved in devil worship, committed sacrilege on the host, practiced homosexuality and bestiality, and any other thing that would shock a medieval mind and justify their annihilation.

Answer 2

In September 1307, king Phillip of France issued orders to his officials throughout France ordering the arrest of all Templars for "crimes horrible to contemplate, terrible to hear of .... an abominable work, a detestible disgrace, a thing almost inhuman, indeed set apart from all humanity." He didn't say what the "crimes" were.

Around 15,000 knights, sergeants, chaplains, confreres, servants and labourers were rounded up in just one day.

So the charges were never specified - under the most horrific torture, most Templars confessed to anything and everything, as you or I would in that situation. It was only after these "confessions" that rumours of unnatural sex, devil worship, black masses and all kinds of unChristian activities started to circulate - it is most unlikely that any of these were true, but the confessions had already been obtained. Today confessions given in this way, without any corroborating evidence, would be thrown out of court.

Answer 3

It wasn't so much a question of rumour but the fact that they were reputed to be very wealthy and became very arrogant. It was also suggested that they indulged in homosexual practises. In 1296 Philip ordered a gift of 100,000 livres to be paid to him by the city of Paris, but the sum to be entirely obtained from the Templars. The Templars argued this in the parlement and won their case and the King was very angry. In 1305 he had to shelter in the Temple because of riots against his administration and was told by Jacques de Molay of immense wealth hidden in the tower. The King got the weak Pope, Clement on his side and manoeuvred the mob into rioting against them saying the Templars denied Christ, spat on the Cross and gave themselves to orgies among other things. These riots gave the King the excuse he needed to move against the order to get his money.

Answer 4

The Vatican is releasing their documents of the Knights Templar from the 1100s, including all of the court documents. it is being released in limited edition at more than $8000/copy....but I am sure you will hear lots of information about the documents soon.