The Knights Templar, a military order of monks answerable only to the Pope

himself, were founded in 1118. Their primary responsibility, at least

initially, was to provide protection to Christians making pilgrimages to the

Holy Land. They rose in power, both religious and secular, to become one of

the richest and most powerful entities in Christendom. By the time of their

disbandment in 1307, this highly secretive organization controlled vast

wealth, a fleet of merchant ships, and castles and estates spanning the

entire Mediterranean area.

When the crusaders captured Jerusalem from the Muslims in 1099, the Church

encouraged all faithful Christians to visit that holy city in order to

affirm their faith. The area, however, was still subject to sporadic attacks

from various non-Christian factions. A small group of knights, led by Hugh

de Payens, vowed to protect the pilgrims. The group was granted

quasi-official status by King Baldwin II of Jerusalem, who allowed......

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Title: Militant Monks
Approximate Word Count: 2796
Approximate Pages: 12 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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