In 1139 The Pope of the Catholic Church, Innocent II, issued a landmark order that would create a fundamental shift in power throughout Europe and the Middle East. The mandate would establish an order of highly trained knights that would answer to no one but the Pope. The order of knights would be formally charged with the safeguarding of pilgrims traveling to the holy land of Jerusalem and the defense of the lands which had been taken during the Crusades. For their service, they were afforded a multitude of privileges. They were given the first choice of spoils of wars fought in the holy lands. They were made exempt from the local taxes of kings and lords. All donations of things like money and land were to be put under the protection of the Pope himself. This order of knights would quickly go on to accrue vast amounts of wealth and resources. Unfortunately, that wealth and goodwill that they amassed for nearly two hundred years could not save them from a violent purge by one of the most powerful monarchs of the time in 1307. Why was the King of France so eager to persecute these holy warriors? What role did the Pope play in their downfall? What legends and stories about this mysterious order have survived to modern-day? This case file, join the Theorists and polish off your ale while in chainmail in…The Knights Templar.

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