who were the knights templar

The Knights Templar were a Catholic medieval military order founded around 1119, officially recognized by the Pope in 1129. They originated as a brotherhood of knights led by Hugh of Payns who took monastic vows to protect Christian pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem and the Holy Land during the Crusades. Their headquarters was initially at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, in a site known as the Temple of Solomon, which is how they got their name. The order combined religious devotion with military prowess, becoming an elite part of the Crusader armies. Over time, the Knights Templar expanded their role to include defending Christian territories, building castles, and managing extensive lands and financial networks across Europe and the Middle East. They adopted distinctive white mantles with a red cross symbol. Their growing wealth, power, and influence eventually provoked suspicion and envy, leading to their downfall. In 1307, the French king Philip IV ordered the arrest of the Templar leaders, accusing them of heresy. Under pressure, Pope Clement V officially disbanded the order in 1312. The last Grand Master, Jacques de Molay, was executed in 1314. The Knights Templar remain famous for their combination of religious commitment, military skill, and early banking activities, as well as their dramatic and tragic end.