Knights Templar in popular culture: Difference between revisions
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In modern works, the Templars are generally portrayed in one of four ways: as villains; or misguided zealots; or representatives of an evil secret society;<ref name="HC"/> or as the keepers of a [[Knights_Templar_legends#Treasure | long-lost treasure]]. |
In modern works, the Templars are generally portrayed in one of four ways: as villains; or misguided zealots; or representatives of an evil secret society;<ref name="HC"/> or as the keepers of a [[Knights_Templar_legends#Treasure | long-lost treasure]]. |
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==Modern organizations== |
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The story of the secretive yet powerful medieval Templars, especially their persecution and sudden dissolution, has been a tempting source for many other groups which have used alleged connections with the Templars as a way of enhancing their own image and mystery. |
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<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7050713.stm|title=What are the Knights Templar up to now?|date=October 19, 2007|author=Finlo Rohrer|work=BBC News Magazine|accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> There is no clear historical connection between the Knights Templar, which were dismantled in the 14th century, and any of these other organizations, of which the earliest emerged publicly in the 18th century. However, there is often public confusion and many overlook the 400-year gap. |
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Since at least the 18th century the [[York Rite]] of [[Freemasonry]] has incorporated some Templar symbols and rituals,<ref name=HC/> and has a modern degree called "[[Knights Templar (Freemasonry)|the Order of the Temple]]". Another order, the [[Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem]], is a [[charitable organization]] founded in 1804 which has achieved[[United Nations]] [[non-governmental organization|NGO]] special status.<ref>{{cite web | url =http://www.un.org/esa/coordination/ngo/pdf/INF_List.pdf | title= List of non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council as at 31 August 2006 | publisher = [[United Nations Economic and Social Council]] | format = PDF | date = 31 August 2006 | accessdate = April 1, 2007}}</ref> They are a part of the larger Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani (OSMTH), commonly called Knights Templar International.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jamesjcarey.us/links_description.php#SMOTJ |title=Rear Admiral Ret. James J. Carey |publisher=Jamesjcarey.us |date=|accessdate=2011-06-13}}</ref> Some members of the OSMTH claim to be the direct descendants of the original Knights Templar using the [[Larmenius Charter]] as proof, however this document is suspected to be a forgery.<ref name="Hodapp">{{cite book|last=Hodapp |first=Christopher |title=The Templar Code for Dummies|year=2007|publisher=For Dummies|isbn=9780470127650|page=384|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=oCFPO8lvZBwC&pg=PA176&dq=Larmenius+Charter&hl=en&ei=HDkBTa3-HdH34ga55Yj0Ag&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Larmenius%20Charter&f=false|coauthors=Alice Von Kannon|page=176}}</ref> |
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===PCCTS=== |
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{{main|Anders Behring Breivik}} |
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In 2011, a Norwegian citizen, [[Anders Behring Breivik]], committed a massacre of nearly 100 people in Norway. He had previously written a 1500-page manifesto, claiming that he was acting as a member of an international Christian military order fighting against Islamic suppression. This order, allegedly called the "Knights Templar", was, according to his manifesto, comprised of fifteen and eighty "ordinated [[knight]]s" besides an unknown number of "civilian members". The order's full name is the "Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici" or PCCTS, and, according to Breivik's manifesto, is said to have been established in [[London]] in April 2002, as a "[[Knights_Templar#Modern_Templar_organizations|re-founding]]" of the twelfth-century [[crusader|crusading]] order. The new organisation supposedly was established to take political and military control of Western Europe, with its members being armed as an "anti-[[Jihad]] crusader-organisation". It reportedly was established by nine men: two Englishmen, a Frenchman, a German, a Dutchman, a Greek, a Russian, a Norwegian and a Serb. The main initiator apparently was the Serb, whom Breivik claims to have visited in [[Liberia]] and whom he referred to as a "war hero".<ref>{{cite news|title=Jeg er en del av en internasjonal orden|url=http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/oslobomben/artikkel.php?artid=10080706|language=Norwegian|trans_title=I am a part of an international order|date=24 July 2011|accessdate=24 July 2011}}</ref> |
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Breivik said that his own code name was "Sigurd Jorsalfar", reminiscent of a twelfth-century [[Sigurd I of Norway|Norwegian king and crusader]] and that his "mentor" was "[[Richard Lionheart]]".<ref>{{cite news|title=Skulle drepe 4848 nordmenn|url=http://www.dagbladet.no/2011/07/24/nyheter/utoya/innenriks/17437552/|language=Norwegian|trans_title=If killing 4,848 Norwegians|date=24 July 2011|accessdate=24 July 2011}}</ref> |
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In his manifesto, Breivik wrote that "[t]he PCCTS, Knights Templar is . . . . not a religious organization but rather a Christian 'culturalist' military order." |
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===Freemasonry=== |
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{{main|Knights Templar (Freemasonry)}} |
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In [[Freemasonry]], there is an international [[philanthropic]] chivalric order known as the Knights Templar, one of several [[Masonic bodies|additional Masonic Orders]] in which membership is open only to Freemasons who profess a belief in the [[Christianity|Christian religion]]. The full title of this Order is "The United Religious, Military and Masonic Orders of the Temple and of St John of Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes and Malta." The word "United" in this title indicates that more than one historical tradition and more than one actual Order are jointly controlled within this system. The individual Orders 'united' within this system are principally the Knights of the Temple (Knights Templar), the Knights of Malta, the Knights of St Paul, and only within the Masonic [[York Rite]], the Knights of the Red Cross. The Order derives its name from the historical [[Knights Templar]]. One theory of the origins of Freemasonry claims direct descent from the historical Knights Templar through its final fourteenth-century members who took refuge in [[Scotland]], or other countries where the Templar suppression was not enforced. This theory is usually deprecated on grounds of lack of evidence, by both Masonic authorities<ref>http://www.knightstemplar.org/faq1.html#origin [Knights Templar FAQ], accessed January 10, 2007.</ref> and historians.<ref name="fmt">{{cite web|accessdate=2011-05-28|url=http://www.freemasonrytoday.com/19/p07.php|title=Freemasonry Today periodical (Issue January 2002) |publisher=Grand Lodge Publications Ltd }}</ref> |
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==Receptions in scholarly settings== |
==Receptions in scholarly settings== |
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== See also == |
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The Knights Templar have many references in popular culture, yet most of those references are quite inaccurate. The truth is that the Knights Templar were a Christian military order that existed from the 12th century to the 14th century, to provide warriors in the Crusades. They were quite famous in medieval times; stories and legends have grown about them over the centuries.
In modern works, the Templars are generally portrayed in one of four ways: as villains; or misguided zealots; or representatives of an evil secret society;[1] or as the keepers of a long-lost treasure.
Modern organizations
The story of the secretive yet powerful medieval Templars, especially their persecution and sudden dissolution, has been a tempting source for many other groups which have used alleged connections with the Templars as a way of enhancing their own image and mystery. [2] There is no clear historical connection between the Knights Templar, which were dismantled in the 14th century, and any of these other organizations, of which the earliest emerged publicly in the 18th century. However, there is often public confusion and many overlook the 400-year gap.
Since at least the 18th century the York Rite of Freemasonry has incorporated some Templar symbols and rituals,[1] and has a modern degree called "the Order of the Temple". Another order, the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem, is a charitable organization founded in 1804 which has achievedUnited Nations NGO special status.[3] They are a part of the larger Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani (OSMTH), commonly called Knights Templar International.[4] Some members of the OSMTH claim to be the direct descendants of the original Knights Templar using the Larmenius Charter as proof, however this document is suspected to be a forgery.[5]
PCCTS
In 2011, a Norwegian citizen, Anders Behring Breivik, committed a massacre of nearly 100 people in Norway. He had previously written a 1500-page manifesto, claiming that he was acting as a member of an international Christian military order fighting against Islamic suppression. This order, allegedly called the "Knights Templar", was, according to his manifesto, comprised of fifteen and eighty "ordinated knights" besides an unknown number of "civilian members". The order's full name is the "Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici" or PCCTS, and, according to Breivik's manifesto, is said to have been established in London in April 2002, as a "re-founding" of the twelfth-century crusading order. The new organisation supposedly was established to take political and military control of Western Europe, with its members being armed as an "anti-Jihad crusader-organisation". It reportedly was established by nine men: two Englishmen, a Frenchman, a German, a Dutchman, a Greek, a Russian, a Norwegian and a Serb. The main initiator apparently was the Serb, whom Breivik claims to have visited in Liberia and whom he referred to as a "war hero".[6]
Breivik said that his own code name was "Sigurd Jorsalfar", reminiscent of a twelfth-century Norwegian king and crusader and that his "mentor" was "Richard Lionheart".[7]
In his manifesto, Breivik wrote that "[t]he PCCTS, Knights Templar is . . . . not a religious organization but rather a Christian 'culturalist' military order."
Freemasonry
In Freemasonry, there is an international philanthropic chivalric order known as the Knights Templar, one of several additional Masonic Orders in which membership is open only to Freemasons who profess a belief in the Christian religion. The full title of this Order is "The United Religious, Military and Masonic Orders of the Temple and of St John of Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes and Malta." The word "United" in this title indicates that more than one historical tradition and more than one actual Order are jointly controlled within this system. The individual Orders 'united' within this system are principally the Knights of the Temple (Knights Templar), the Knights of Malta, the Knights of St Paul, and only within the Masonic York Rite, the Knights of the Red Cross. The Order derives its name from the historical Knights Templar. One theory of the origins of Freemasonry claims direct descent from the historical Knights Templar through its final fourteenth-century members who took refuge in Scotland, or other countries where the Templar suppression was not enforced. This theory is usually deprecated on grounds of lack of evidence, by both Masonic authorities[8] and historians.[9]
Receptions in scholarly settings
Their depiction in such works of art has already received considerable scholarly attention as the subject of the Annual Conference of the American Culture Association.[1] Literary theorists puzzle over Umberto Eco's use in Foucault's Pendulum, of the Templars as a symbol of postmodernist rewriting of history. Johannes Bertens asks about "a satire on the literary theory of deconstructionism in its near paranoid over-interpretation?"[10] Barber writes that "Mystic Templars are omnipresent in all good conspiracy theories."[11] On Day to Day on NPR, "Alex Chadwick discusses the literary fascination with the Knights Templar with Laura Miller, book critic for Salon.com."[12] Toruń Museum had "The Knights Templar - History and Myth" exhibition where "Apart from pieces of "high art", the exhibit will grant equal importance to "popular culture" items (literature, film, Internet content) exploring the subject of the Knights Templar."[13] Finally, a National Post editorial notes that "the Templars remain a living presence in popular culture. This has happened precisely because the historical record concerning their sudden annihilation in the early-14th century at the hands of Philip IV ("the Fair") of France has been so sparse and ambiguous. Time and revolution have damaged and dispersed the sources, and made the Templars a magnet for speculation and imagination."[14]
Notable examples
Novels and comics
A brief list of some works which have featured the Knights Templar:
- Ivanhoe, an 1820 novel by Sir Walter Scott, has as its villain Sir Brian de Bois-Gilbert, a "Templar Knight."
- The Paradise of Bachelors and the Tartarus of Maids, an 1855 short story by Herman Melville treats the Templars with great irony.
- Mumbo-Jumbo (1972) has a Templar Knight Hinkle Von Vampton who serves as the main villain in Ishmael Reed's postmodernist satire
- Les Rois Maudits (1973 et seq) by Maurice Druon depicts the death of the last Grand Master of the Order, and plays with the legend of the curse he laid on the pope, Philip the Fair, and Guillaume de Nogaret.
- Foucault's Pendulum, a 1988 novel by Umberto Eco, which features the mythos of the Knights Templar as keepers and defenders of the Holy Grail.
- Swedish author Jan Guillou has written a trilogy about Arn Magnusson (1998 et seq), a fictional Swedish character from the Middle Ages who was forced to become a Knight Templar, went to Jerusalem and after returning to Sweden, was a leading military figure shortly before the time of Birger Jarl.
- Katherine Kurtz has written many books with Templar characters and themes, and edited the Crusade of Fire (2002) anthology
- The Apocalypse Door (2002), by James D. Macdonald. An urban fantasy set in modern times. The Templars are shown as a non-aligned international espionage group.
- The Da Vinci Code, bestselling 2003 novel by Dan Brown. This was also adapted into a film version in 2006.
- The Last Templar (2005), by Raymond Khoury is a Da Vinci Code-style thriller.
- The Revenge of the Shadow King (2006), by Derek Benz and J.S. Lewis, relates an alternate history of the Knights Templar, aligning them with an age-old order whose primary role is to defend the world from the powers of darkness. In this book, the Templars still exist and operate today from the shadows of an underground organization.
- The Templar Legacy (2006) by Steve Berry is a story which revolves around the possibility that the Templar Treasure is close to being discovered, and that it may fall into the wrong hands. In this book, the treasure is closely connected to the question of Christ as the Savior, and Christ's Resurrection. The book also brings into question the contents and significance of the treasure.
- Canadian author Jack Whyte has started a series of books called the Templar Trilogy; the first book is Knights of the Black and White (2006)
- The Sword of the Templars (2009) and The Templar Cross (2010) by author Paul Christopher both deal with the legend of the Knights Templar and the recovery of Templar artifacts.
Films
- A series of horror films (Tombs of the Blind Dead, Return of the Blind Dead, The Ghost Galleon, Night of the Seagulls) by Spanish director Amando de Ossorio depict the Knights Templar as resurrected mummies in search of human blood.
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975).
- The mythos of the Knights Templar (presented as the fictional "Knights of the Cruciform Sword") as keepers and defenders of the Holy Grail is also a central plot point in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).
- Dolph Lundgren plays the role of a modern day member of the Knights Templar in the 1998 movie The Minion.
- The film Revelation (2001), in which the order tries to clone Jesus Christ for evil purposes.
- The Templar Knights are featured in the 2001 French film Le Pacte des loups, in which the symbol of the Templar Knights is seen upon the walls of an old Templar stronghold and upon the Beast's armor. The cult seen in the movie is also supposedly a rogue Templar organization, originally sent by the Pope to teach the King of France a lesson.
- Das Blut der Templer (2004) shows the Knights Templar as being descended directly from Jesus Christ and having half of his DNA, while members of the Priory of Sion have the other half of that same DNA. When a Templar has a child by a member of the Priory, the child combines the two strands and becomes capable of reactivating the Holy Grail.
- National Treasure, 2004
- Kingdom of Heaven, 2005 shows the incompetent last King of Jerusalem, Guy de Lusignan(who was never a Templar), and his bloodthirsty henchman, Reynald de Châtillon (not a Templar himself), as Templars.[15]
- Arn – The Knight Templar (2007).
- Arn – The Kingdom at Road's End (2008).
- The last Templar (2009) An adaptation of Raymond Khoury's novel about a New York archaeologist researching the lost secrets of the medieval Knights Templar.
Music
- The Ballad of Parzival by Sir Walter Scott, features Parzival the hero as a Knight Templar. The ballad is the basis for Richard Wagner's great opera with the same name.
- Knights of the Cross is a concept album about the Templars by German metal band Grave Digger.
- The Templars (band) a NYC Oi! band is inspired by the Knights Templar. Similarly, their record label, Templecombe Records, is named after a Knights Templar site in Somerset, England.
- HammerFall, a Swedish Power metal band, refer to themselves as "The Templars of Heavy Metal", making frequent reference to the Templars on many of their albums.
- Holy Knights, an Italian Power metal band, has an album titled "A Gate Through the Past" which describes the story of the Knights Templar.
Games
- Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars (1996) was the first video game to reference the Knights Templar. Its plot revolved around a group of Neo-Templars. Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon (2003) and Broken Sword: The Angel of Death (2006) involve the Templars as well.
- The High and Dark Templar are both units of the Protoss race in the game StarCraft (1998).
- Utilizing material from the book Holy Blood, Holy Grail the third Gabriel Knight game, Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned (1999), posits both an alternative history of Christ and the suggestion that the Templar treasure, buried in France's Languedoc, is Christ's remains.
- Neo-Templars feature in Deus Ex (2000). As with Broken Sword the Neo-Templar plot is derived from the Illuminatus trilogy.
- In Medieval II: Total War (2002), most Catholic factions can train Templar units into their armies or hire them as mercenaries while on a crusade.
- Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne (2003) depicts the Templar Knights idol, Baphomet as a recruitable demon of the Vile Clan. He is also responsible for the rushed summoning of the Buddhist demon, Mara that resulted in Mara materializing in a slime body.
- In Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader (2003), a fictionalised version of the Knights Templar appear as a playable faction and play a major role in the game.
- Knights of the Temple: Infernal Crusade (2004) by TDK and Starbreeze.
- In Age of Empires III the Circle of Ossus, a powerful secret society whos members are scientist and alchemist, is connected to the Knights Templar, some say that the Circle is one of the Divisions of the Templar. The Circle's goal is to find the Lake of the moon or the Fountain of Youth and the Spanish treasure fleet and use it to dominate Europe (because during that time, Europe is the only place of superpowers). The Grand Masters or "Grand Inquistors" are killed generation after generation; They are Alain Magnan, Sven Kuechler, Warwick and Pierre Beaumont.
- Knights of the Temple II (2005), the sequel to the Starbreeze-developed game by Cauldron, published by Playlogic.
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006) borrows extensively from the history of the Knights Templar, and the game features a knight order known as the Knights of the Nine in a similarly titled DLC pack.[citation needed]
- The Assassin's Creed series features the Templars as the main antagonists, with Robert de Sablé as its leader in 1191, Rodrigo Borgia in the sequel, and his son in Brotherhood on Rodrigo's death in 1503 until his death in 1507.
- Aion's (2008) tanking role warriors are called Templars.
- Dragon Age series features a mage- and demonhunting inquisition called Templars.
- The Black Templars Chapter of the Space Marines from the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop wargame are based directly on the historical Knights Templar.
- The First Templar (2011), The plot resolves around templars and the Holy Grail.
References
- ^ a b c Masons, Templars and the Holy Grail: Historical Conspiracies and Popular Culture
- ^ Finlo Rohrer (October 19, 2007). "What are the Knights Templar up to now?". BBC News Magazine. Retrieved 2008-04-13.
- ^ "List of non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council as at 31 August 2006" (PDF). United Nations Economic and Social Council. 31 August 2006. Retrieved April 1, 2007.
- ^ "Rear Admiral Ret. James J. Carey". Jamesjcarey.us. Retrieved 2011-06-13.
- ^ Hodapp, Christopher (2007). The Templar Code for Dummies. For Dummies. p. 176. ISBN 9780470127650.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ "Jeg er en del av en internasjonal orden" (in Norwegian). 24 July 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ "Skulle drepe 4848 nordmenn" (in Norwegian). 24 July 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ http://www.knightstemplar.org/faq1.html#origin [Knights Templar FAQ], accessed January 10, 2007.
- ^ "Freemasonry Today periodical (Issue January 2002)". Grand Lodge Publications Ltd. Retrieved 2011-05-28.
- ^ Bertens, Prof.dr. J.W.
- ^ Barber's The New Knighthood (Cambridge U Press, 1995) paraphrased by Elaine Graham-Leigh
- ^ Knights Templar Inspires Trio of Best-Selling Books
- ^ "THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR - HISTORY AND MYTH" at Toruń, District Museum, October 23 - November 28, 2004
- ^ Marni Soupcoff, "The Post editorial board: The truth about the Templars", National Post (October 22, 2007).
- ^ Dr. Cathy Schultz, "Making the Crusades Relevant in KINGDOM OF HEAVEN", History in the Movies and Providence Journal (5/6/05).