VO: The Knights Templar. A secret brotherhood, born in the throes
of the Middle Ages only to vanish after
two centuries in existence. (Distant commotion) Of these men
who left their mark on history, remains the legends
that made them famous. Their white overcoats,
bearing the iconic red cross... the riches they amassed... their discipline
and ferocity in battle. (Men shouting) SEAN: These were elite troops, the Special Forces
of the 12th century. VO: After 700 years, mysteries
still surround the myth of these Soldiers of Christ. MARINA: Are they priests?
Are they monks? Are they knights? What are they? An English chronicler
called them, "A certain new monster." In this episode,
we explore the truth behind the treasures
of the Templars. GHISLAIN (in French):
There was a central treasury at the headquarters of the Order where they kept both cash
and precious materials, relics. Thanks to the greatest experts
on the Order of the Temple, along with an investigation where the only written evidence
of this period is preserved, we reveal
how the Knights Templar became masters
in the art of generating wealth. SEAN: Sheep farmers,
agriculture cloth trade, tile factories, water mills. If money could be made,
the Templars would be involved. PHILIPPE (in French):
We see more and more donations pouring in, a heritage is being built
in many regions of the West. From the construction
of super fortresses in the East to the management
of the treasure of the kings, discover the astonishing economic
and financial organization perfected by the members
of the Order of the Temple. PHILIP: They had 141 domains
all over England and Wales. These corporations
were bound to invest and maximize the profits through
rational types of behavior. NICHOLAS: These would've been
spread across Europe, from Scotland in the North
right down to Southern Italy or the Christian Kingdoms
of Spain. Their incomes were far greater
than that of most Kings. VO: This is the real story
of the treasure of the Templars. Knights who became
bankers and investors willing to do anything
to finance their war in the Holy Land. (Dramatic music) Jerusalem, mid-12th century. Since the taking of the city
in 1099 by the Crusaders, the Christian armies attempt
to preserve their possessions in the Holy Land. At the time,
the eastern Latin states, located
along the Mediterranean Sea, consisted
of the principality of Antioch, the county of Tripoli
and the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Surrounded on all sides and facing
increasingly powerful enemies, fighting in the region
is permanent. Among the knights
present on the battlefield, certain warriors
donning white coats emblazoned with a red cross
stood out: the Knights Templar. Both monk and soldier, they are members
of a brotherhood created at the beginning
of the 12th century under the high authority
of the Pope himself: the Order of the Temple. - (Horses neighing)
- (Men shouting) Their mission: to defend Christians
on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. In just 30 years,
this new breed of knights had become increasingly popular among the kings and peoples
of western Europe. NICHOLAS:
In western Europe at this time, knights were extremely competent
on the battlefield, but they were also
perceived to be arrogant. They might embark on things like single-handedly attacking
an enemy's line, they might refuse
to adhere to orders. The Knights Templar
weren't like that. The fact that they were also
religious by their vocation meant they were a lot more sober
in their conduct of war. They were just as competent,
they trained the whole time, but they were a much more
disciplined formation of troops. They didn't break ranks. They were expected to work
in very close formation, to fight in a sober
but very intense manner. They weren't there to show off, they were there
to conduct that role. The various Muslims commanders
generally viewed the Templars as the most dangerous troops
in the crusader states. An indicator of just how feared
they were as soldiers is that often, after a battle,
all the Templars were executed. The Muslim commander
couldn't keep them alive, they were too dangerous. VO: At their head, is a knight
referred to as the Grand Master. The first of them,
Hugues De Payns, founder
of the Order of the Temple, died in 1136. Robert de Craon and then Evrard des Barres
succeeded him. In 1152, a fourth Grand Master
was elected at his turn: Bernard de Tremeley. It was he, who in 1153, was to distinguish himself
in a battle that became famous: the capture of Ascalon. At the time,
the city was a Muslim enclave within the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Attacks could therefore
be easily launched from Ascalon against the Christian states. For five months, the army
of the Kingdom of Jerusalem tried to retake the city. The troops were composed of
a motley mix of Latin soldiers who occupied the Holy Land, and members of military orders
of the time. Among them,
several hundred Knights Templar had come to lend a hand to the army
of the King of Jerusalem. (Dramatic music) (Distant shouting) PHILIPPE (in French):
Ascalon was a Fatimid shield that protected Egypt, in a way. And the Christians
really wanted to consolidate the southern border of Jerusalem and had long held the idea
to take it over. NICHOLAS: In 1153, the Kingdom of Jerusalem
besieged the city. The siege, at the start of this,
went very badly. It was when the commander
was beginning to discuss whether it could succeed at all. They decided to stage
a final assault. The Knights Templar
went in first. (Distant commotion) PHILIPPE (in French):
The Templars entered through a breach,
but they entered alone. The Muslims, once the Templars
entered the city, closed in around them. It is believed that about
40 Templars died in Ascalon following their master
Bernard de Tremelay. (Tense instrumental) (Shouting) (Final grunt) (Eerie music) PHILIPPE: So, the Templars
paid a very heavy price to take Ascalon. But Ascalon was obviously
an important moment and since so much
has been said about this battle, no doubt much has also been said about the driving
and leading role the Templars played there. VO: The Second Crusade
and the taking of Ascalon would further advance the fame
of these Knights of Christ, ready to die
to protect the Holy Land. PHILIPPE (in French):
In the second half of the 12th century, the Templar began to take
an increasingly important place in the armies
of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and other eastern Latin states. The Knights Templar from the middle
of the 12th century onwards gained considerable popularity
in the West. For the faithful,
praying in a Temple church, being buried
in a Temple cemetery, associating with a brotherhood
linked to the Temple are all pious deeds,
they are meritorious acts. One hopes in this way
to achieve one's salvation, all the more so
if the Order of the Temple is committed to the defense
of Christ's heritage, to the defense
of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. We see more and more donations
coming in, a heritage is being built up and networked commanderies
are being set up in many parts of the West, which is proof
of the popularity of an Order that more and more writers
and thinkers in the West are beginning to talk about. (Mysterious music) VO: In Paris, in the vaults
of the National Archives, there are millions of documents,
classified by date and relating
the history of France. Perfectly preserved documents
have recently been found from reserves
dating back to the 12th century. They have provided new evidence of the frenzy of donations
to the Templars that took hold in Europe very soon after
the creation of the Order. (Fast-paced stringed music) The first document
dates from 1144. It is an appeal for donations
from Pope Celestine II. GHISLAIN (in French):
Here was an edict from the Pope indicating that the Templars are the defenders of the faith
in the East but that they don't have
enough income. And that in order
to carry out their expeditions, they need the faithful
to contribute to providing them
with what they need. It allows all those who give
of their own possessions, their own goods, their own money
to the Order of the Temple to have a pardon
of one seventh of the penances they would have to make
for their sins. This is the purpose
of this appeal to the people, a generalized contribution
incentivized a little bit. VO: The Order of the Temple
thus receives donations from all parts
of the population. The Templars themselves contribute to the development
of their institution by renouncing their possessions
in favor of the Order. This document shows a knight who has just entered the Temple
in the Holy Land and who decides
to give up his lands in Picardy. (Reads) "In the name of the holy
and inseparable Trinity. Amen. I, Raoul de Ressons, for the salvation of my soul
and my family, have pledged to God and to the house
of the knighthood of the Temple, 80 hectares of land. I have conceded that
they freely possess it forever, in peace. From here, I receive
the garments of this same house and give myself as its servant." GHISLAIN (in French):
This document is very rare, it's both the contribution
of a small knight from Picardy and also the entrance
to the Temple of this knight. This act indicates that he entered
into the Order of the Temple. We have someone
who was on a crusade, he left with
all the king's army, with his Count Raoul,
Count of Soissons and then he entered
into the Order of the Temple. He gave what he had,
a land very far from Jerusalem. So, it's really a document that came back
from the Holy Land. It's super spectacular,
extremely rare. (Arabic style music) VO: French nobles also
participate in the fundraising. The proof is this document
dating from 1159 and signed by Henri II,
Count of Champagne. He decides to make
his contribution in cash. (Man reads) "I, Henry,
Count Palatine of Troyes, notify the present and future, that my father Count Thibaud had given seven silver marcs
to the brothers of the Temple. I, for the salvation
of his soul and mine, have given to them £24
from the tax of Troyes, 12 from the Saint-Remi fair
and 12 from the Saint-Jean fair. I granted them that they shall
possess these in perpetuity. And in order
that this may be established, I have commanded
that it be written down and that it be confirmed
by the imprint of my seal." GHISLAIN (in French):
The ' tonlieu' is the tax that weighs on sales
and purchases. It's a trade tax, in fact. Champagne fairs are booming,
they are very rich and it gives them
a very precise annual income, which allows them
to accumulate cash each year. VO: The people, the knights,
the nobles but also the kings. Richard I,
known as Richard the Lionheart, King of England
at the end of the 12th century, will also be a fervent defender
of the Templar cause. GHISLAIN (in French):
It is one of the rare documents of Richard the Lionheart, King of England,
Duke of Normandy. who validates of all the goods
of the Order in Normandy since
he's the Duke of Normandy. (Man reads)
"Richard, by the grace of God, King of the English,
Duke of Normandy and Count of Anjou. We confirm the donations made to the brothers
of the Knights Templar of Solomon's Temple
in Normandy: land, villages, or men. They will pay neither tax duty
nor tolls on passage. This act is addressed
to the archbishops, bishops, seneschals, my agents and my faithful
throughout Normandy." GHISLAIN (in French): This act
was implemented in this form or in the form
of authentic copies to all the financial
and administrative institutions of the Duchy of Normandy. (Dramatic music) This set of documents clearly shows
the convergence of protections. In each kingdom the sovereigns
provide protection and donations and within each principality,
each county, there are particular donations
that are made according to the income
that can be mobilized for the Templars. A whole system that is both
political and economic set up
and emanating from authorities at very different levels. VO: Thanks to these donations, the network
of Templar commanderies, where the members of the Order responsible for growing
the assets of the Temple live, is being rapidly expanded. Over time, the leaders
of the Order of the Temple learn to function as administrators
of these properties and land holdings. (Dramatic music) GHISLAIN: There were many donors
with varied types of properties: a plot of land here, a large farm there, sometimes
with geographical variations. And so they had to manage this
in an organized way, so over time, we see there are
regroupings of properties, exchanges of land. There's a parcel
that suits us better here, so we give up another one there. It was something very common. The commanderies
were also established near land
that could be easily developed. They used the road networks,
the river networks, not only
for hydraulic equipment, but also for navigation, possibly on rivers. The roads allowed them
to move their goods more easily to the Holy Land through the ports of Marseille,
Aigues-Mortes, Montpellier, the equipment,
the horses and all the men. They still had to be close
to transportation networks because the ultimate goal
was to draw all these products to the ports
of the Mediterranean. NICHOLAS: We don't know how many
commanderies the Templars had but somewhere in the region
of 900 seems reasonable. These would have been spread
across Europe from Scotland in the North right the way down
to southern Italy or the Christian Kingdoms
of Spain. GHISLAIN:
In each of these commanderies, you have 30, 40, 50 people so we're talking
about literally thousands. SEAN: We could think
of the Knights Templars as having some eastern
and western flanks to it. The Order in the East
was a military operation designed to defend
the Christian Holy Land. In the West, however, the Templar properties
weren't military bases at all. They were financial centers
where they'd generate the wealth to support the operations
in the East. There was kind of a combination
of military in the East and business in the West,
effectively. They were sheep farmers. They were very heavily involved
in agriculture and the cloth trade. They ran orchards,
tile factories, water mills. You name it,
the Templars were involved. If there was a way
of making money in the West, the Templars would be involved. It sounds like
they're very financially greedy but they weren't. They were astute businessmen and did everything to support
their crusading in the East. VO: In England today, there are still today traces of
the many Templar commanderies such as the Cressing Temple. One of its barns is known to be
the oldest wooden barn in the world. PHILIP: Cressing Temple
was the first domain that was given in England
to the Templars. It was donated in 1137
by Queen Matilda. It quickly became
one of the biggest and perhaps the most important
domain in England. It comprised
of 700 acres of land. It's situated in a strategically
important point, it's in Essex. so it's halfway between London
and the port of Harwich. It was one of the most
important ports in that period. (Dramatic music) VO: After the Cressing Temple, donations
from English aristocrats to the Temple Order
continued to flow in. Commanderies then appear
in the counties of Essex, Lincolnshire, Norfolk and then gradually throughout
the English territory. PHILIP: It was the 13th century that saw the peak
of the donation period. Henry III of England,
in particular, was a keen supporter
of the Templars and more and more nobles were mimicking
the royal behavior. We can say that the Order possessed
the single largest number of landed estates in England. They had 141 domains
all over England and Wales. We're talking about something that comprises
at least 60,000 acres, out of which 30,000 acres
were under direct cultivation. The Templars were
one of the richest institutions in England. They were really trying
to maximize profits of productivity
on local domains. They were exhibiting
a similar mentality and behavior to what we see today
in the 21st century. These were
very rational corporations that were bound to invest
and maximize the profits through very rational types
of behavior. On each manor,
you would have a special officer called a bailiff or a steward that was in charge
of agricultural activities and sowing local crops,
overseeing livestock. He was also responsible
for marketing the produce, both the arable produce
and the livestock produce. (Mysterious music) VO: In the National Archives
of England, located in Kew near London, are the only archives
from this period that give a precise idea of the holdings
of the Templar commanders and the money they generated
each year. This information,
written in Latin, was kept on scrolls
of sheepskin parchment that have been preserved
over the centuries. Much like accounting ledgers, these scrolls
contain all the details: the quantities produced and the sums of money spent
and collected by the commandery. PHILIP:
Every domain has its own clerk recording
what was going on there. The bailiff would tell him
how much was made this year, how much was spent this year, how much was harvested
this year, how many new animals were born,
how many animals died, how many animals were purchased,
how many were sold, and how many were transferred
to other places. The clerk would just record it
in a very meticulous manner. Those clerks
were very well-trained writers. They would be usually
using a goose feather. They would dip it into an ink,
usually a brown color, and they would execute it in very fine
calligraphic script. Once the entire membrane
would be covered, they would be given
another membrane. Once the whole account
would be ready, they would just stitch
several membranes together and would create this huge roll. VO: Here the accounts
of the commandery of Temple Bruer in Lincolnshire
in the east of England. PHILIP: The domain
of Temple Bruer in Lincolnshire is located on
a little bit of infertile land which is much better suited
for livestock rearing rather than crop production. (Man reads) "We harvested
73 quarters of wheat, three quarters of rye,
40 quarters of barley, 46 quarters of dredge,
and 162 quarters of oats." PHILIP: Even there, we see that
they were able to diversify the crop production. There were some pockets
of wheat, barley, rye, and especially oats, because on this type of land you really want to concentrate
on oats as much as possible. But it was the livestock sector that played
an enormously important role on that particular manor. Temple Bruer
was the single richest manor in terms of the number of sheep. It stocked 4,500 sheep which was
a really remarkable number. Sheep were very, very profitable
because English wool was one of the most
sought-after commodities. It was both
relatively inexpensive and of fine quality. It attracted lots of merchants,
especially from Italy. VO: Another account roll
from an area also located in Lincolnshire
shows that the English Templars were not content
to sell their products only in local markets. They were also present on
the international trade market. (Man reads) "We produced
3,002 fleeces of wool which together
weighed 5,000 pounds." On this scroll, for example, the buyer of the wool
is specified: the company, Ballardi, "one of the most important
Italian wool merchant families of the time." With the sales
of these products, each Templar commandery generated
considerable revenues. (Man reads)
"In that year, we made £315, eight shillings,
eight pence and a quarter." PHILIP: If we take
all the landed estates of the Templars in a given year, in an average year,
you would expect the Templars to generate the income
of approximately £4,500 a year. This is something
that can be translated into a six-digit figure today
in contemporary money. We're talking about something
that could, in some years, actually exceed
how much the king would've made. NICHOLAS:
The Knights' possessions in western Europe
and in the Crusade estates were truly substantial. They had enormous land holdings making them
one of the largest landowners anywhere in Western Christendom. Their incomes
were truly substantial, far greater
than that of most kings. VO: The income
of each English commandery was transferred
to the headquarters in London at Temple Church, where the Order's possessions were consolidated
and accounted for. Over the years, the members
of the Order of the Temple improved their expertise
in economic development and the management
of their money. So much so, that they became
bankers to the kings. (Tense instrumental) SEAN: They kept their accounts
with scrupulous care. They were very cautious
with their investments etc. And they also worked really hard
as well. The Templars have been described as being
the one medieval institution that did the most for the rise
of modern capitalism. That sounds a bit materialistic,
but if you think about it, the Templars were sworn
to defend the Holy Land and everything they did
had that aim in mind. That was
their official raison d'être, defending the Holy Land. NICHOLAS: The Order
didn't just bring together people who wanted to fight,
it brought together people from a range
of different backgrounds including people
who had various trades or artisan skills,
and indeed skilled with money. With this, they were able
to develop their estates, conduct huge building programs, but also to become
very able financiers, so able, in fact, that they were employed by
the kings of France and England to run their treasuries. PHILIP: The Temple Church,
in the eyes of the Templars and also in the eyes of
the royal family and nobility, would be considered
as a safe deposit box. You could either deposit
your own valuables, your money, your jewels here, and you can be quite sure
that they're in good hands, but also all the profits
in money flowing from different estates
would end up here. GHISLAIN (in French): Obviously,
there were escorted convoys with safes, hutches,
as they were called, made of wood
with the cash inside which were transported
from financial center to financial center. VO: In France, as in England, money circulated
from the commanderies to the regional
financial centers and then to Paris. This is where the headquarters
of the Order was located, in the Temple tower. GHISLAIN (in French):
There was a central treasury at the headquarters of the Order where they had both cash
and precious materials, relics. The great tower
of the temple in Paris served as a sort of safe
for several depositors, the king first of all. Everything that was not spent
on site in the provinces and that came back
from the bailiffs and the guards of the kingdom, went back to Paris and was stored
in the Temple tower. The policy
of the French sovereigns towards the Templars didn't change one iota throughout the 12th
and 13th centuries. That is to say, for Philip II, who entrusted them
with his treasure definitively, and all the other sovereigns
like Saint Louis, the king's treasure
was kept in the Temple tower. That's where the money was taken
and where it was brought to. And also, in the only accounting
that remains for the end of the 13th century, we see that apart from the king,
there were about 60 depositors. So, private depositors put
their money in the Temple tower out of convenience, as the management
was also carried out by the Temple brothers on site. VO: This document
dating from the 13th century is one of the rare few
that survived. (Man reads)
"I, Brother Jean de Tour, treasurer of the house
of the Temple of Paris, certify that we have received
and kept in deposit from the executors of the will of Mr. Jean,
Cardinal of Sainte-Cécile, the sum of £9,000, a sum which the same cardinal
bequeathed in his will on condition
that £3,000 be allocated to support operations
in the Holy Land." VO: This is a receipt, signed by the treasurer
of the Tower of the Temple, which certifies
the deposit of £9000, a sum equivalent
to 250,000 euros today. These few lines
are enough to imagine the amount of money
that the Templars managed. GHISLAIN (in French):
We never knew how many people, but some receipts show that there were probably
several accountants on site, apart from
the king's accountants who were still there
managing the king's money. But the brothers of the Temple
had several agents on site who daily take care
of collecting and disbursing
the necessary sums to their so-called clients. (Fast-paced drum instrumental) VO: The purpose
of this financial organization is to fund the needs of the war
in the Holy Land. GHISLAIN (in French):
These funds are sent to the East from Paris. So, they go through
the Mediterranean ports, they're sent to Marseille
or Montpellier and from there,
they're shipped by boat. VO: The establishment of secure
financial transport networks and safes
within depository banks enabled the Templars
to set up an innovative system, specifically intended
for pilgrims to use on their journey
to the Holy Land. SEAN:
They developed credit notes where you could
treat the Templar's as a bank. You could deposit money
in a Templar preceptory in Paris and when you went on pilgrimage,
you could go to Jerusalem. You go to the Templar house
in Jerusalem and say: "I've deposited certain numbers
of livres in Paris. I need to get money out to fund
the rest of my pilgrimage." VO:
Thanks to this deposit system, the pilgrim could travel
without risking being robbed on his journey. (Arabic style music) And in this way, the Templars make pilgrimage
to the Holy Land simpler and, above all, safer. With a network of strongholds
scattered throughout the region, the Templars are able
to fight against enemy attacks. SEAN: They were able to hire
the best architects and masons and they ended up building
what are masterpieces of medieval
military architecture. Castles like Atlit,
for instance, possibly the Templar's
most celebrated castle, was actually
a fortified peninsula. It was completely impregnable and it even withstood attack
while it was still being built. That was how strong
it was physically. The walls were something
like 15 feet thick. This was a way of announcing
that the Templars were the mightiest power
in Christendom that wasn't a king. They were a real force
to be reckoned with. These castles
were incredibly strong. NICHOLAS: Templar castles
take many forms. (Heroic music) You've got
the really big frontier castles, which were there
to protect against attack or to act as staging points
for invasion. You've also got many castles
away from the frontier too. Often these could act
as estate centers, the middle
of large agricultural lands, and a consolidation point
for those areas. VO: Trapessac, Chastel Blanc, Chastel Hernault,
Château Pèlerin, Safed. There are dozens
of Templar fortresses throughout the region. Today, remains
of the Templar Knights can be found
in Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Cyprus, Jordan,
Syria and Turkey. These traces
testify to the power of the Order of the Temple
in the Holy Land at that time. PHILIPPE (in French):
The most exposed border crossing in the 12th century, where the Knights Templar
had many fortresses, was located in the north
of the principality of Antioch, in a region
called the Amanus Mountain, on the borders
of what is now Turkey and Syria, where the Knights Templar
had established at least half a dozen castles. On the pilgrimage route that connects the port of Jaffa
to Jerusalem, the Templars are known to have
separated their fortresses in a regular fashion - about a day's walk
between each of them. VO: But despite
the large sums of money accumulated in the West, the need for funding for the war
in the East continues to grow. The Latin states are under
constant threat of attack. And with more threats
comes the need for more knights, more food, more weapons, and more castles
to build, fortify and protect. NICHOLAS:
The cost of maintaining the numbers of Knights,
the Crusade estates as well as
their engagements elsewhere was absolutely enormous. The build cost
of a single Templar castle was 1.1 million bezants. In modern day money that
would run to billions, but we're looking at sums substantially larger than
the incomes of an average king to build that one castle. The Templars
owned tens of castles in the Crusade estates. That's before we start talking about the ports
they have to maintain, the pilgrimage routes,
the troops, their estates and the other things that
have a call on their finances. (Arabic style singing) VO: At the end
of the 12th century, the military situation
is increasingly tense. Especially because in the midst
of all the Muslim forces tearing each other apart
in the region, a new leader is on the rise: Saladin. Born in present-day Iraq, Saladin is the founder
of the Ayyubid dynasty that succeeded
in unifying Egypt and Syria and in conquering Yemen. He quickly establishes himself
as the main threat to the eastern Latin states, and in particular,
to the Kingdom of Jerusalem. MARINA: Probably
the Kingdom of Jerusalem was not his main goal. But when he conquered Egypt, of course, this strip of land that included
the Kingdom of Jerusalem was already surrounded
by the Muslims. So, it seemed really difficult
to provide defense for it. VO: At the time,
the King of Jerusalem was called Guy de Lusignan. The kingdom is composed
of several fiefdoms, each controlled by its own lord. Among them,
the Lordship of Oultrejordain. At its head,
Renaud de Châtillon, known for his acts of violence. In 1187, he attacked
a Muslim caravan of civilians who passed through his territory on their way
from Cairo to Damascus and plundered
all their property. This event triggers the anger
of Saladin himself. To take revenge, he orders an attack
on the fortress of Kerak, capital of Oultrejordain. The King of Jerusalem senses that the situation
could escalate. He turns to his closest advisor. Gérard de Ridefort, 10th Grand Master
of the Order of the Temple. PHILIPPE (in French):
Gérard de Ridefort was a very important man
in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Faced with the threat
posed by Saladin, Guy de Lusignan
sent Gérard de Ridefort as his ambassador
to the Count of Tripoli. VO: The king of Jerusalem
aims to form an alliance with the Count of Tripoli
to confront Saladin. But on his way,
Gérard de Ridefort will prove to be reckless. (Horses neighing) Over-confident,
he attacks a Muslim contingent by mobilizing only 140 knights. Badly underestimating
the situation, he finds himself
up against a force of 7,000 men. The battle, named after
the Springs of Cresson where it takes place, is a true massacre. PHILIPPE (in French):
The defeat was total, most of the Templars engaged
- about 80 brothers - died, and very few escaped,
including the Master. VO: Gérard de Ridefort, far from the teachings of
his distinguished predecessors at the head
of the Order of the Temple, decided to listen
only to his pride. Offended to have been defeated
in battle, he pushes Guy de Lusignan,
King of Jerusalem, to counterattack. As Saladin's troops
besiege Tiberias, the Christians make their way
to the city to challenge them. PHILIPPE: Guy de Lusignan
therefore went on the offensive, deciding to go after Saladin with the entire Jerusalem army,
up to 20,000 men maybe. They engaged
in very steep, very dry regions in the middle of summer
between Sepphoris and Tiberias. And there,
they were surrounded by Muslims. VO: It is in Hattin,
near Lake Tiberias, that one
of the bloodiest battles of the 12th century
will take place. Exhausted and parched, the Christian troops
are far too weak to hold their own
against Saladin's men. PHILIPPE (in French):
On July 4, 1187, the battle opened at Hattin in the worst conditions
for the Christians. (Distant neighing) (Distant shouting) The Templars
showed a certain heroism but their defeat was total. There were many dead,
and even more prisoners. MARINA: We know that a lot
of the courtesans around Saladin took an order to behead Templars that had fallen
into their hands. (Solemn music) This is probably because
they were perceived as fanatics for their religion,
for Christianity. PHILIPPE: The Templars
were executed by Saladin, but the master was taken
into captivity in Damascus for Saladin to use him
as a bargaining chip so that the brotherhood
would hand over the fortresses of Gaza and Daron. That's how, in 1187, the Kingdom of Jerusalem
collapsed within a few months, and the master of the Temple
at the time, Gérard de Ridefort, carries in this debacle, a significant share
of responsibility. NICHOLAS: The Kingdom
of Jerusalem only had one army. It didn't have the depth
of military manpower to be able to raise new forces. At Hattin, the Christian army
wasn't simply defeated, it was annihilated. There was nothing
stopping Saladin from conquering the remainder
of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and Jerusalem
fell a few months later. VO: Less than a century
after Christians took Jerusalem in the First Crusade in 1099... the Holy City
again fell to the Muslims. NICHOLAS: When news
of the loss of Jerusalem at the battle of Hattin
got to western Europe, it caused a tremendous outcry. The Pope is said to have died
from the shock. (Solemn music) VO: In Jerusalem,
Christians are forced to leave the Holy City and the residence of the Temple
takes on the name: Al-Aqsa Mosque. MARINA:
After the battle of Hattin and the fall of Jerusalem, all the Christian forces,
especially the Templars, were at their lowest point. They needed more people
from the West in order to help
to restore the power locally. So, this was
the first task of the Order. To sustain the few
that were still there and to enforce them. They needed help to survive. (Tense drum instrumental) VO: This help will arrive
thanks to the Third Crusade. Financed by a tax
christened "the Saladin tithe" and collected
by the Templars themselves, this crusade
mobilized thousands of men. Philippe II, King of France, arrives in the Holy Land
in April of 1191 with six boats. Richard the Lionheart,
King of England, arrives in June with 200 ships
and a load of gold. As soon as he arrives, he manages to have
one of his closest advisers, Robert de Sablé,
elected as Grand Master of the Order of the Temple. (Dramatic music) VO: For several months, the crusaders fought
against Saladin's troops to recapture the lands lost
after the battle of Hattin. During this third crusade,
the island of Cyprus fell into the hands
of the Christians who also managed to retake
several cities along the coast: Ascalon, Jaffa, Arsuf, Caesarea, Tortosa, Maraclea and, above all, Acre. But Richard the Lionheart
and his army fail to retake Jerusalem. NICHOLAS: The Third Crusade
was neither a success for Saladin or for Richard. On one hand, yes,
Saladin had retained Jerusalem, and therefore
that was his big goal. But on the other hand, the cost of maintaining his hold
on Jerusalem had been extreme. Viewed from
Richard's perspective, it also wasn't a success. He hadn't gained Jerusalem,
that was the big objective. VO: On September 2, 1192, Richard the Lionheart
and Saladin signed the Treaty of Ramla. The Kingdom of Jerusalem
is restored but without Jerusalem. Acre becomes its capital. (Mysterious music) Saladin dies the following year. Throughout the 13th century,
the Templars in the East tried at all costs to defend
this strip of Christian land along the Mediterranean coast
between Antioch and Ascalon. NICHOLAS: While the Templars
are trying to defend what's left
of the crusader states, the West continues to flourish, at least
in the early 13th century. The Templars are able therefore
to send more money, more troops to the East. However, in the second half
of the 13th century, particularly with the rise
of a new force called the Mamluks in Egypt, increasing pressure
is put on the crusader states, slowly they begin
to fall into decline. SEAN:
They'd been slowly losing land throughout the 13th century ever since Saladin
took Jerusalem in 1187. In fact, the Christian kingdom
had been shrinking. VO: Despite their prestige
in the West and their devotion
to defending the Holy Land, despite the money and troops that continue to arrive
in the East, the Templars lose more
than they gain. In the West, the first rumblings
of criticism emerge. Matthew Paris,
an English Benedictine monk and renowned historian
of the 13th century, recounts some events during which
the courage of the Templars was indeed called into question. In this text, Mathew Paris claims
to re-transcribe the words of the Count of Artois, who was engaged in the attack
on the city of Mansourah. According to him, the Templars refused
to lead the attack at his side, preferring to wait for the rest
of the troops to join them, sparking his fury. (Man reads)
"Oh, ancient Templar treachery! Oh long-concealed fraud,
how openly it erupts now! This whole land of the Orient
would have been won long ago, if the deceit of the Temple and others who proclaim
themselves religious, had not impeded us laymen. The Knights Templar
and their accomplices are afraid that their dominance,
fattened with rich incomes, will eventually expire." VO: In the West,
the wealth of the Templars is beginning to vex. Several archives
attest to the tensions between the aristocrats
and the Templars. Here, Louis IX, King of France, recounts a conflict
between the Knights Templar and Thibaud IV, King of Navarre
and Count of Champagne, over their acquisitions
in the county of Champagne and Brie. (Man reads) "I, Louis the IX,
King of France, declare that peace
has been restored between our dear cousin,
Thibaut IV, King of Navarre, and the Templars. And that the Templars shall
never again make acquisitions in his county
of Champagne and Brie, nor in his fiefdoms
without his consent." VO: In this additional document, Amaury de la Roche, commander
of the Temple in France in 1268, agrees to pay a tax
which was, until now, exempted. (Man reads)
"I, Brother Amaury de la Roche, Commander of the Temple
in France, declare that Thibaut IV,
King of Navarre, Count of Champagne and Brie, has granted us
an exemption from tax on the transport of
40 barrels of wine to Provins. We accept that if
these 40 barrels are exceeded, we will pay the tax according
to the custom of Provins." NICHOLAS:
During the 13th century, the donations
continue to come in, but criticism
also begins to take root. Some landholders
become very antagonistic towards the Templars. They see the Templars
as pushy landowners. Infringing their rights,
causing trouble in the West. (Men shouting) The Templars
are also being defeated a lot on the crusades and that too
doesn't pass unnoticed. Why should we send money to them
when they keep losing? Their vacation, the conquest
or retention of Jerusalem, is slipping away. So, the Templars task is to prove that they still
have a reason to exist. VO: At the end
of the 13th century, the Knights Templar, who still have considerable
resources in the West, want to believe that
a Christian presence in the East is still possible. Created to protect
the Holy Land, the Knights Templar
must continue their mission at any cost. If they fail, the Temple Order might
simply disappear... forever. (Dramatic music) Subtitling TITRAFILM
