Who Were the Knight Templar?
Most of us don’t imagine what winch mount looks like but we know the fact that during the medieval era, Knights Templar was a prominent and well-known organization of devout Christians. And their top-notch task was to protect those European travellers who were visiting the Holy Land’s sites. In addition to this, Knights Templar was also carrying out many military operations. The power, military prowess, financial acumen, and their attitude on behalf Christianity during the Crusades (the wars between Islamic armies and Knights Templar) – is all about the Knights Templar and their importance for society.
In 1099 when the Christian armies have grabbed Jerusalem from Muslim control, a wide range of pilgrims started attending the Holy Land. Lots of them died while trying to cross the territories that were controlled by Muslims.
Later on, in 1118, Hugues de Payens (a French knight) decided to create a military order. He called the Order the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon. Later on, this Order was well-known as the Knights Templar.
Hugues de Payens both with Baldwin II, the Jerusalem’s ruler, decided to organize headquarters on the Temple Mount of that city. They promised to protect the Holy Land. Therefore, Knights Templar is known as an elite group of warriors that were fighting against Islamic armies in the Holy Land – the land where Christ was born and diet – during Europe’s holy wars in 1000-1500.
The Templar Cross Meaning
The Templar Cross – the Templar symbol of martyrdom was worn on the robes of Templars. The death in combat was considered a great honour for Knights Templar, as it guaranteed a place in heaven.
There was one strict and cardinal rule that did not allow the Knights Templar give up, only in case all the Templar flags had fallen, they were allowed to leave the battlefield. This strict and powerful principle, with their courage, strength, heavy armament and excellent training made the Knights Templar the most powerful and feared combat forces in the medieval times.
What Does a Red Cross Mean In Christianity?
The cross from the side of the purely Christian perspective was (and is) the most prominent and meaningful symbol of suffering and death of Jesus. Because the Knights Templar aligned themselves with Christianity and protection of Holy Land and people visiting this land, the sign of the cross is as straightforward as it might seem. Because there were many symbols in Freemasonry and each of them could have a couple of meaning, the sign of the cross was not an exclusion.
If take the symbol of the cross outside the context of Christianity and back 2000 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, you could find many facts that prove that the sign of the cross was used in a couple of the ancient analphabets, including the Hebrew alphabet. In this alphabet, the cross denoted the letter “tav” – the most complex letter and the final one in the alphabet. This letter symbolizes completion. It might signify the end of all the whole things combined.
The meaning of the letter “tav” from the Egyptian word means “mark.” This letter appears throughout Christian and Jewish scriptures, it represented a seal or stamp on a letter, the final mark as a completed piece of work.
Symbolically the sign of the cross symbolizes the completion, the end of life, the death. It not only means our gratefulness to Jesus and the reminder of him, but it also means our finite existence.
If we deep into the symbolic meaning of the letter “tav,” we may conclude that the letter consists of two parts, two separate letters: daleth and nun. These two letters mean Din and Dan – “judgment.” Taking into account these two meanings (finality and judgement), we can conclude that the sign of the cross means inevitable judgement after death.
Cross and Crown
Within the Knights Templar order, you may notice that the knights’ templar cross and the crown are always combined. What is more, outside of Freemasonry, the cross passes through the crown. Its interpretation is considered to be as alluding to the heavenly reward that waits for those people who are living their lives and are ready for the judgment after death. The crown also means that the end is not final, and we are always prepared and can win and get success with honour. Often, the symbol of cross and crown is accompanied by the phrase “In Hoc Signo Vinces.” If translated it from Latin, it means “By this sign, thou shalt conquer.”
The Order was endorsed by the Catholic Church that is why the number of Knights Templar has significantly and quickly grew in power and name all over Europe. The Knights Templar support disappeared after the Holy Land loss.