A Templar location at Chaam, The Netherlands

The Templar Order owned a farmstead and a right to tithes at Chaam. This property was administered from the Ter Brake commandery in Alpen.

Are the blue stained glass windows of Chartres Cathedral Templar?

The blue stained glass windows of Chartres Cathedral are renowned for their vibrant colour. They were coloured using a mineral containing cobalt, which is responsible for imparting the deep blue hue. What is known on the origin of the mineral and the colouring proces? And had the Templars something to do with this?

Commemoration of the 711th anniversary of the death of Jacques de Molay

On March 18, 2025 we commemorate the 711th anniversary of the death of the last official Grand Master of the Knights Templar, Jacques de Molay. However, according to Alain Demurger and others the most probable date of the execution was March 11, 1314.

De Molay, born between 1244-1249, was put to death in Paris by the King of France. He was the 23rd and last Grand Master of the Knights Templar although at the time he was simply indicated as the "Master from Outremer". He lead the Order from April 20, 1292 until it was dissolved by order of Pope Clement V in 1312. What is known of his last moments?

A Templar location at Breda, The Netherlands

In the town of Breda, the Netherlands, the Templars are said to have built a chapel on the corner of what are now the Halstraat and the St. Jansstraat. Only limited information is available. 

The 12th century school of Chartres - mathematics and geometry keys to beauty and aesthetics

 

"The Renaissance of the 12th century is maybe even more interesting to study than the ‘Renaissance’ most people are familiar with. The Cathedral school of Chartes was the most famous of the Medieval cathedral schools and precursor to the University of Paris that was founded in 1150. What was the main impact of the School of Chartres?

Templar seals - insights into identity, spirituality, and evolution

The Knights Templar of the Middle Ages were not only warriors but also deeply spiritual figures. A study of more than 500 seals used by the Templars and other Orders provides a fascinating exploration of how the Templars used seals as both legal tools and spiritual symbols. In what way were these seals more than just marks of authentication, and did they reflect the beliefs, hierarchy, and mission of the order?

A Templar location at Beuningen, the Netherlands

Mansion De Oude Tempel (The Old Temple) or Olden Tempel is a national monument in Beuningen in the Dutch province of Gelderland. The house was built in 1839 as a country house by the Van het Lindenhoud family on the site of what is said to have been a former castle. Older predecessors are known. Is there proof of a former Templar presence, as suggested by the toponym?

On German and East European participation in the Crusades

French nobility played a dominant part in the crusading movement. It was, after all, in 1195 at Clermont-Ferrand, France, that Pope Urban II rallied French secular and clerical nobles to engage in the first armed pilgrimage to free Jerusalem of 1196-1199. At the same time during the 13th centuries, German and Eastern European noble families also played a significant role in supporting the Crusades to the Holy Land. However, after the Fifth Crusade (1217–1221), the number of German nobles participating in such campaigns declined sharply and never recovered. What were important factors that led to this decline?

The administrative and legal development of medieval Papal supremacy

The 12th and 13th centuries were marked by the expansion of papal authority, alongside the development of papal administrative prowess. The most notable expression of this was the development of the concept of papal supremacy, which held that the pope had authority over all Christians, including secular rulers.