"Non nobis, domine, non nobis sed nomini tuo da gloriam" (?)"Not to us, Lord, not to us but give glory to your name", such was the Templar's motto

A thousand years ago, pilgrims were flocking in numbers on the roads and paths of Europe. The great fear of the Year Thousand had boosted their devotion. They went to Compostela, Rome, and especially to the Holy Land. The Eastern Roads being unsafe, pilgrims were constantly spoiled or killed by the Moors. This is why, from 1095 AD, the pope preached the First Crusade. Urban II asked the Christians from the West to take up arms to rescue the Christians from the West.

God's Will

At the cry of "God will!","Dieu le veult !" all those who took part in the crusade were marked by the sign of the cross, becoming the Crusaders. On July 15th 1099, under the leadership of Godfrey of Bouillon, the Christian troops took Jerusalem. Acclaimed by his peers as the king of Jerusalem, Godfrey of Bouillon took possession of the Holy Sepulcher. Some armed men then began serving the patriarch to ensure his security. Soon the need was felt for an armed militia that would protect the pilgrims.

Thus was born the army of Christ, the first version of the Knights Templars. They set up their headquarters in the buildings of the Temple of SolomonGo to page in Jerusalem. Around Hugh Payens, the militia gathered seven valiant knights who were named Geoffrey de Saint-Omer, André de Montbard, Payen Montdidier, Geoffroy Brisol Frameries, Rolland de Provence, Saint-Amand Archambault and the mysterious Gondemare. Thanks to the help of Moorish contacts, Gondemare made an astonishing discovery.

Solomon's Secret

A scholar of his friends gave him a bundle of papyrus texts which were written in Coptic and in Greek. In this time, noble people spoke Latin and read Greek fluently. The Knights did not escape this rule. Certainly, the ancient calligraphy discouraged them a bit, but the text was too exciting. They deciphered with passion travel books about forgotten maritime roads, to a distant continent where gold, silver and gems were harvested in abundance.

Coupled with the scrolls, they unfolded a sheepskin in which was painted a maritime map. The Atlantic Ocean showed its two shores, the road Alizées was well indicated, dotted with wind roses at the changes of course. On the opposite mainland, you could see the locations of mines of silver and gems. The Knights had read Plato's fascinating dialogues, Timaeus and Critias. The land of plenty, would it be the philosopher's Atlantis? The Knights were not interested in wealth.

They were secretly fascinated by the adventure and excitement of the discovery for the glory of Christ. For now, they had other emergencies. Their Order being insufficient in number, they needed to transform their militia into a religious order. Bernard of Clairvaux, the future Saint-Bernard, pleaded their cause with the Pope, who took the Knights under his direct protection. In 1129, the Council of Troyes endorsed the creation of a congregation anti-charity and surreal: the Knights Monks.

The Poor Knights of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon hacked people to pieces in the day, dressed the wounds in the evening, and prayed for the salvation of their victims' souls in the night. What a pity…

The Knights of the Temple also served as escort and tour operators for pilgrims, becoming the first Club Med counselors in French history. They could be recognized from a distance thanks to their white coats adorned with the red flared cross. When the pilgrims saw dust arise from the familiar faces, they knew they were saved. Soon the Templars owned a fleet of merchant ships that served both to transport pilgrims and goods. All along the land or sea road, Templars were everywhere.

They Invented Modern Banking

At every stop was a Templar Preceptory, ensuring the safety of pilgrims, providing food and shelter, and even, if necessary, replenishing their purses in coin of the realm. As the Templars were established throughout Europe, each pilgrim, before leaving, took care to get to the nearest Preceptory, to pour a certain amount of money to receive in exchange a promissory note in any Western or Eastern Templar place. These "travelers cheques" rapidly knew a great success.

Sparing the risk of bringing gold, the  promissory notes became very popular.  On this simple idea was built the colossal empire of the Temple, and formed his famous lost treasure. So, without thinking, the Templars invented the bank! They were also builders, and on what scale! They covered Europe with a white mantle of chapels, churches, command posts, basilicas and cathedrals, that would mark forever the European landscape. Funded by money from the Temple, countless sites opened.

The Art Of Sacred Building

The 12th and 13th centuries were a genuine pre-Renaissance in the arts, craft and engineering. This bright time was called The Spring of Cathedrals.Go to Le Printemps des cathédrales With their wallet fixed to a stick, their tools slung across the shoulder, the companions masons, carpenters or image makers , went from city to city, from site to site. Each project brought together a few dozens to several thousand companions. It was one of the largest shipyards in Europe, but it was primarily a traditional school of sacred building.

For the Companions, under the influence of the spirituality of the Templars, have rediscovered over the millennia the megalithic science of the sacred building. They found again the art of building with energy,Go to La géo-énergie the art of channeling in stone the cosmic-telluricGo to L'oeil du labyrinthe forces, the art of changing the glass and light stone into prayer. But to build all those aisles of stone, they needed more and more money. Although comfortable, their bank profits added to donations of the faithful were being not sufficient to fun the undertaking, which had become too huge.

It is no exaggeration to say that the whole Europe was under construction. Not only religious buildings, they were also building bridges, paved roads, and Commander's and Templars' places around which grew prosperous towns. On these roads, the Knights were the country police. They also built the ports where their fleet was expanding. Three ports on the Mediterranean to serve the East, one port in Normandy to serve England. But how did they use their most beautiful port, the one to which converges the largest number of Templar lanes?

The Mystery Of La Rochelle

How did they use La Rochelle? The first founders had in this port the largest fleet. Using the map in sheepskin, they had reopenedIt wasn't the first time! Go to page the transatlantic route, they had landed in America, where the natives had taken them for gods. The situation is recurrentGo to Les Plumes du Serpent in the history. Without shame, for the greatest glory of God, the Knights Templars have mounted mining exploitations in MexicoGo to Méso-Amérique and in the Andes.  (source)  Soon the first galleons laden with gold and gems were en route to La Rochelle. 

At the head of an incalculable fortune,

the Temple became the first European power ...

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