Knights in White Sackcloth Trivia Quiz

Answer: Male primogeniture

Male primogeniture was the rule and in some countries the law that governed inheritance. In many countries, because of extinction of the male line, and later in the 20th century by Act of Parliament, or by the laws being changed gradually for practical purposes, primogeniture was no longer presumed to be male but simply firstborn direct descendant.

Matrilineal primogeniture was practiced more in Africa, but rarely in Europe or Asia unless considered a temporary arrangement till a suitable male became available. "Mater semper certa est" was the philosophy behind this as it means: the mother is always known. This was simply a biological assumption, and disregarded the behind scenes plotting of politics. "Pater" was never certain, but often assumed, politics again being the measure for its acceptance.
Primogeniture left many younger sons with no fortune or estates, and to make their way in the world some took up knighthood - soldiers for hire. There were many forms of knighthood, some were the bold 'rock stars' of their day, others were little more than servants.

Answer: c. 1120-1312 AD

For about two hundred years the Knights Templar were at their peak. They became officially sponsored by the Roman Catholic Church in 1129 and became a popular charity throughout Europe and other areas where Christianity thrived. Their headquarters were at Temple Mount, Jerusalem, said to have been built over the ruins of Solomon's Temple.

Answer: Poverty, chastity, obedience

The order initially had 72 rules of conduct, and these were very particular in that a knight must always wear his white tunic with the red cross, that it be made of the poorest material available (not the best choice for battle perhaps), that he be chaste and avoid the company of less mature men and all women, even sisters and mothers.

The rules covered what he ate, how often and how much. He had to be dressed properly (always in his white tunic) during meals, at prayers and in public, but never appear foppish or grand. He was not to bathe too often or exalt himself in any way, no long hair was permitted, no affected style of clothing or manner. He was to appear modest and humble at all times and serve only God. There was a Grand Master (or equivalent) at each major base, but ultimately all answered to the Pope. In later years these rules numbered in the hundreds and were de rigeur; breaking the rules could result in being stripped of one's knighthood.

Answer: Protecting Christian pilgrims

The prime responsibility of the knights was to protect the 'Holy Land' and all Christians making pilgrimage to or from there. Their sole allegiance was to God and the pope. No king, country or territory had any authority over them after the papal bull of Pope Innocent II in 1139. The 'Omne Datum Optimum' exempted all knights and members from adherence to territorial or earthly laws, so they could not only cross easily from one country into another, but were also exempt from all taxes.

The 'Holy Land' was holy to other religions besides Christianity, and therefore much fought over. Many pilgrims of all faiths were killed on their way to or from Jerusalem.

Answer: Permission from their spouse

In times of need, married men became knights, some for only a set period of time, generally when a fighting presence was required during the Crusades. A married man was not allowed to wear the white mantle.

The Order had an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 members at its height. The divisions were: the noble knights (about 10%), a nobleman choosing to become a Templar had to already be a knight and was to wear the white tunic at all times, so to be recognised for his purity and celibacy; the non-noble sergeants, who were needful as builders, horse tenders, blacksmiths and administrators - these wore brown or black clothing; the Chaplains, ordained priests who saw to the spiritual side. All three wore the red cross on their clothing. The Knights were equipped with horses, squires (not members of the Order, but hired as needed) and heavy arms. The Knights and their forces were considered fierce fighters and usually in the forefront of battle. They were sworn to keep fighting so long as their flag had not fallen. In different battles, with different allies, they were to continue fighting until no friendly force's flag was visible.

Answer: Banking

It became a safe and steady practice for pilgrims setting off to the Holy Lands to deposit their estates, assets and deeds within the vaults of the Templars. In return, they received a 'cheque' listing the value of the deposit, and that cheque was redeemable at any other Templar vault for the same amount.

This avoided the cumbersome schlepping of heavy and unnecessary items during travel, and the Templars had such a reputation for honesty that they were trusted and became the model for future banking practices. Having great wealth at their service became a way to greater wealth as they also loaned funds to many who they believed were trustworthy, such as royalty engaged in wars.

Answer: St. Bernard de Clairvaux

The two also set up the first 72 rules of conduct for Templars. It is thought likely that the red cross was added to the white mantle at the beginning of the Second Crusade in 1147 during a congress of Pope Eugenius III and several heads of state and other notable personages.

The cross was a symbol of the martyr, and it was considered the greatest honor to die in battle, as with many warriors, because it also guaranteed a place in Heaven.

Answer: King Philip IV of France

King Philip IV owed large sums of money to the Templar banks, and, unwilling to repay, used political pressure on Pope Clement, to whom he was related. The Muslims had become stronger and more unified under Saladin and others, and the Holy Land was receding from Christian grasp, while there was dissension among the several 'upholders of the faith', the Knights Hospitaller, Templar and the Teutonic knights, among others.

Jerusalem was recaptured by the Turks in 1244 and was not taken back by any Christian army until 1917(!), when the British took the city in World War I. The Templar presence declined and faded and several members of the Order were arrested, tortured and confessed to heresy, idolatry, fraud and other corruptions. Pope Clement allowed all this under threat from King Philip, including many public burnings at the stake. In 1312 Clement agreed to disband the Order and most of the Templar assets were turned over to the Hospitallers. Many of the remaining Templars retired from public life or joined other orders of knights. Some simply changed their name to "Knights of Christ".

Answer: Absolved the Templars of all heresies

Known as the "Chinon Parchment", this document was found to have been misfiled in the 17th century. Another document, addressed to King Philip IV, stated that all of the Templars who had confessed to heresy and other immoral acts were "restored to the Sacraments and to the unity of the Church".

The Catholic Church takes the position now that the persecution and martyrdom of the Templars was brought about by political pressure on the pope by the king. The deaths of the Templars in these circumstances was completely unjust and there was no wrongdoing found within their Order.

Answer: Two knights on one horse

The two knights sharing one horse was to indicate poverty, one of the many virtuous commandments of the Order. The Knights Templar left behind many legacies: many of their typically round buildings in the style of Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre are still to be found all over Europe. Lawyers often leased land from the Order which left us with names such as the Temple tube station and the Temple Bar gateway. The Inner and the Middle Temples at the Inns of Court are names carried down from medieval times.

Many legends still surround the Knights as well as myths involving The Holy Grail, the Shroud of Turin, the Ark of the Covenant, Freemasonry, and deep dark secrets. There is no evidence to support any of these romanticised ideas. The Roman Catholic Church regards the Knights Templar as a 'public monastic order' and not a 'secret society'.