The Council of Troyes (1129) - Templar orthodoxy attained

"That the Templars were successful in their initial mission is shown by their quick acceptance into the main body of the Church. By making the Temple a monastic order, the Church brought a dynamic, but also dangerous and potentially heretical group back into its fold. A delicate matter.

 The combination of priest and warrior unnerved many clerics. Also, other lay Christian groups had turned heretical in the past. As knights and lay canons, the Templars' allegiances and their position inside the feudal hierarchy of the Kingdom of Jerusalem were questionable. From both a religious and political standpoint, they were too independent. Something had to be done.

At the Council of Troyes, in 1129, the Templars attained orthodoxy. There, they were accepted as an official monastic order and given a rule based on the Cistercians' Benedictine Rule. (This new Rule replaced the original Augustinian Rule the proto-Templars followed as canons of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. The 1129 recognition by the church rooted them firmly within the ecclesiastical framework, with as supreme overlord none else than the Pope himself, TN). 

No schism occurred inside the Order following this decision such as occurred within that of the Franciscan Order in the late 13th century. Presumably, the Templars had made the decision within their own ranks beforehand. The Templars presented a remarkably united front to the outside world throughout their history -even during their Trial. (...)

As (within a few decades, TN) the Templars grew in power and stature, they had acquired a monastic rule, headquarters on the mount of the Temple of Solomon, and lands and rights all over Europe. Small wonder that they were soon accused of arrogance and avarice. In fact, the Templars may have remained credit-rich, but cash-poor, throughout their time. Most of their wealth rested on their banking and credit operations (with money earned by exploitation of their many landed estates, TN). (...)"

This blog presents slightly edited and/or rearranged quotes from the Preface of Stiles, Paula Regina, "BETWEEN TWO FAITHS: THE ARABIZATION OF THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR DURING THE CRUSADES" (1999). Open Access Master's Theses. Paper 1805. The illustration shows the South View of Troyes Cathedral, by DXR / Daniel Vorndran, source Wikipedia.

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