Secret Societies & the Knights of the Cross
Before the lodges and the legends — what a secret society actually is, and the crusading knights who became Europe’s first bankers, then its most famous fugitives.
This chapter in the dossier serves to guide you into the world of secret societies. The reason is to enlighten you with the understanding; that they really do exist and why they are secret. Even if some may only be a myth, some were and are both active and powerful. My wish is that you do not try to map your own conspiracy theory based on the reading in this chapter, until you read the whole dossier and have given it a second thought.
What Is a Secret Society?
Think a secret society as like “The Three Musketeers” whom in their cause rely on each other with the mantra: “one for all, all for one”. If their cause were secret, you could define them as members of a secret society. Normally secret societies goes further and in most cases bind each member, normally called “brothers” and/or “sisters”, with oaths and rites, to protect and preserve the secrets.
Definition
“By a secret society was formerly meant a society which was known to exist, but whose members and places of meetings were not publicly known. Today, we understand by a secret society, a society with secrets, having a ritual demanding an oath of allegiance and secrecy, prescribing ceremonies of a religious character, such as the use of the Bible, either by extracts there from, or by its being placed an altar within a lodge-room, by the use of prayers, of hymns, of religious signs and symbols, special funeral services, etc.” (Rosen, “The Catholic Church and Secret Societies”)
“The Catholic Church has declared that she considers those societies illicit and forbidden which unite their members for the purpose of conspiring against the State or Church; demand the observance of secrecy to such an extent that it must be maintained even before the rightful ecclesiastical authority; exact an oath from their members or a promise of blind and absolute obedience; make use of a ritual and ceremonies that constitute them sects.” (Archbishop Katzer in a Pastoral, 20 Jan. 1895)
Some date societies of this kind back to Pythagoras (582–507 B.C.). The Eleusinian mysteries, the secret teachings of Egyptian and Druid hierarchies, the esoteric doctrines of the Magian and Mithraic worshippers furnished material for such secret organizations. In Christian times, such heresies as the Gnostic and Manichaean also claimed to possess a knowledge known only to the illuminated and not to be shared with the vulga (originally meant “of the common people”, from the Latin vulgus).
“I myself, after reading a lot about secret societies, would define secret societies as: ‘A number of members proven, among each others, worthy and loyal by oaths and/or rituals to the secrets, the purposes and the values of the society.’”
So before we dig into the ordinary society itself, let’s enlighten us with the secret ones and their past and presents.
Knights of the Cross
According to Feudal Monarchy in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem during the Crusader era, “three great religio-military Orders, the Templars, Hospitaliers, and Teutonic Knights were the military mainstay of the kingdom; they supplied knights, sergeants, and in some instances ships.”
The Templar- and the Hospitaliers Knights came first and established themselves as the main protectors and supporters of Christians in the areas. The Teutonic Knights arrived later and history speaks of competition between the different Orders. After the fall of Acre in May 1291 the headquarters of both Hospitaller and Templar’s were moved from Acre to Cyprus. The Teutonic Knights headquarters were moved from Acre to Venice. These events speak of a Christian fraction between the core protectors of Christian faith.
Order of Templar’s
Order of Templar’s was formed year 1118 by Hugues de Payens, who before king Baldouin of Jerusalem, swore to protect pilgrims in the holy land. As reward they were permitted to claim and protect the temple of Jerusalem “Templum Dominae” (today known as the “Dome on the Rock”). The name of the order was originally “The Order of the Poor Knights of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon” but was later changed to the “Order of Templar’s”.
As it seems Hugues de Payen was of Moorish origin and of Islamic Royal descent. It may seem odd but in the Holy Land in those days, there were no direct conflict between Islam and Christianity. The growing Byzantine Empire was a multiethnic Empire where all religions lived beside each others. The city Cordoba, Spain, had become a centre of excellence, of knowledge, of science, of religious understanding and toleration and the literary centre of Europe. Things happening here created intellectual waves all over the known world. The Templar’s made themselves the middle hand between Christian- and the Islamic World, which resulted in their quickly growing importance. However, both the Templar’s, the whole Moorish people and almost everything along with them became a threat to the Roman Catholic Church, which is understandable as almost everything was pointing at other directions than the dictated truths of the Roman Catholic Church.
It’s built on the rocks of the ancient temple of King Salomon from around 950 BC and destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians in 586 BC. A second temple was built and later partly destroyed by the Roman emperor Titus around year 70. This second temple was restored to its present form between 687 and 691 by the Muslims. Being the holiest site in Judaism, the third holiest site in Islam, and by having special significance to Christianity, it is the most contested religious sites in the world.
The Templar’s were very skilled builders in secrecy. For example they carved a 350 meter secret escape tunnel below ground from the city port to their temple in Acre. This tunnel was discovered as late as 1994 and is open for public since 1999. According to rumors, the Templar’s spent more time within the temple than protecting the pilgrims. Some even believe they found the ancient treasures of King Salomon under the temple, which initiated their richness. Some even believe they found secrets that made them a threat to the Church of Rome. Like for example the preserved body of Jesus, proofs of a still existing bloodline of Jesus, information about Jesus and his love towards Maria Magdalene or else.
They soon became Europe’s first bankers were one could put money in, in for example London and take the money out (minus a fee) again in for example Jerusalem. This was of course necessary as pirates on travel routes were common. Even today, one of the mysteries surrounding the Templar’s is what happened to all of their treasuries. Some think it still is hidden somewhere and some think organizations like the Catholics, the Freemasons or others could have found it and use it still today. The Templar’s power and influence by time became enormous. The Templar’s holdings were extensive both in Europe and the Middle East, including for a time the entire island of Cyprus.
Something drastic was changed in the beginning of the 13th century, which still today is a mystery. Agents directed by King Filip IV of France with support from Pope Clement V on Friday the 13th, year 1307 did a shock strike against the Order. This event is likely to be the origin of superstition regarding the number thirteen and Friday the thirteenth. France’s Philip IV seizes the property of the French part of the Order. The rich but decadent Order had become the king’s creditor as well as the pope’s and had made itself virtually a state within the state. Philip then launched a propaganda campaign to stir the people against the knights.
Parallel to the course against the Templar’s, Pope Clement V, moved the Papacy from Rome to Avignon, France, because of the increased rivality with the Roman Emperor. A political battle between Roman Church and State had grown after the Jubilee Year 1300, were around 2 million pilgrims visited Rome. Well, the root of the conflict seem to have started 100 years earlier with Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, who was excommunicated twice and were called the antichrist by Pope Gregory IX. However, Clement V moved to France in 1305 and officially announced the new seat of the Papacy in 1309. This was the beginning of the so called “Babylonian Captivity”, which lasted about 70 years.
The year 1309 is possible the most important year in history to color our present times. At the same period as the Papacy is moved to Avignon the three Orders of Knights are involved in interesting movements.
- Trial of Jacques de Molay, Grand Master of the Templar’s begins.
- The Knights Hospitalier moves it’s headquarter from Cyprus to Rhodes.
- The Teutonic Order moves it’s headquarter from Venice to Prussia.
18 years before this (1291) these three Orders had their headquarters localized beside each other in Acre and were the main protectors of the Holy Land. But from 1291 and by the peak in 1309, one can follow their separation as far ahead as to World war II (and maybe even to present day), were the Hospitalliers and the Templars afterlife goes hand in hand on the Allied side and the Teutonic Order’s afterlife on the Third Reich’s side. However, France steps up her attack on the Knights Templar with an appeal for cover all parts of Europe. Pope Clement V is obliged to cooperate, and torture is used to force confessions that will result in the abolishment of the Order in 1312.
In March, 1313, Jacques de Molay (The Master of the Order), with three other high dignitaries of the order, underwent a last interrogatory in Paris before a new commission of cardinals, prelates, and theologians, authorized to pronounce sentence. He was condemned to imprisonment for life, proudly denying the crimes with which the Temple had been charged. Philip the Fair sent him to die at the stake were he continued unflinching until the last breath.
His last words were a curse upon King Philip and Pope Clement V to meet eternal justice within the year. Pope Clement V died only one month later and Philip IV after seven months.
It is the Catholic Church’s position that the persecution was unjust, that there was nothing wrong with the Templar’s, and that the Pope at the time was manipulated into suppressing them. In 2001, Dr. Barbara Frale found the Chinon Parchment in the Secret Vatican Archives, a document that shows that Pope Clement V secretly pardoned the Knights Templar in 1314.
Order of Christ. Surviving parts of the Templar’s officially (with the support from the Pope in Avignon) founded the “Order of Christ” in Tomar, Portugal, were they got “Sovereign” status over surrounding territories and “any future conquests”, by King Duarte I. The famous Prince “Henry the Navigator”, who also was Grand Master of the Order, worked on his obsession to push back the frontiers of the known world, and opened Europe to the Great Discoveries. He formed school of Navigation at Sagres which became as important during the Age of Discovery as Cape Canaveral was during the early years of space exploration. Even though the exact location of Henry’s School of Navigation is not currently known (it is popularly believed to have been destroyed by an earthquake in 1755), in the past, it attracted the best scholars in Europe concerned with the nautical sciences. Christopher Columbus is one of the known figures who spent much time in the school. It may be good to know that Henry’s body was moved to be buried in the tombs of the famous Roslyn Chapel after his death. More about the importance of the Roslyn chapel and what secrets that possible may be hidden there later in this dossier.
Freemasonry. Surviving Templar’s around Europe is by many believed to have “gone underground” and initiated early forms of Protestantism. And in some cases it seem like this was done even before the “hit” against the Order in 1313. The secret order of Freemasonry unveil themselves officially, year 1717, 400 years after the Catholic “hit” against the Templar’s. There are many leads that speak of a relation between the Templar’s and the modern Freemasons, which I will mention later on in this dossier.
Knights Hospitalier
The Knights Hospitalier (the Order of Knights of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem or Knights of Malta or Knights of Rhodes) began as a Benedictine nursing Order founded in the 11th century based in the Holy Land. By time they became militant to be able to protect pilgrims. They also became close neighbors and in a way also rivals with the Templar’s in the Holy Land. At the height of their power the Hospitaliers had at least seven strongholds, 140 estates and about 19 thousand manors.
After the loss of Christian territory in the Holy Land, the Order moved to Rhodes, over which it was sovereign. Later they moved to Malta as a vassal state under the King of Sicily. The Order can be said to have come to an end following its ejection from Malta by Napoleon. However, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta is the main successor to this tradition.
The Teutonic Order
The Teutonic Order (German: Deutscher Orden) who wore white coats with a black cross were a German crusading military order under Roman Catholicism. The Order was formed in the end of the 12th century in Acre in Palestine. As they appeared later in the Holy Land, they faced stiff competition from the more established Templar’s and Hospitaliers. After Christian forces were defeated in the Middle East, they moved to Transylvania in 1211 after invitation, but were expelled in 1225.
Were they really expelled? One can wonder if the aims of their visit to Transylvania were to build/train an “Iron curtain” between the Byzantine Empire and the Orthodox movement in Russian which was established by the “Varangians”. The afterworld in the areas tells a story of much brutality. The “Order of the Dragon”, commissioned by Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund, was created by the Serbian knight Milos Obilic with the purpose to wipe out the Ottoman Empires sultan Murad I. This Order included as an example Vlad III Tepes, which is known as “Vlad the Impaler” and is thought to be the modern character “Dracula”. Vlad III actually was named “Dracula” after his father Vlad II Dracul. The name is really derived from the “Order of the Dragons” which exists still today. Dracula is also known by Turks as “Kaziglu Bey”, which then was one of the most feared rulers of Europe. This is what faced a Turkish army who searched for Kaziglu Bey in the regions of Targoviste, Transylvania (today in Romania):
“[Sultan Mehmed] marched on for about five kilometers when he saw men impaled; the Sultan’s army came across a field of stakes, about three kilometers long and one kilometer wide. And there were large stakes upon which he could see the impaled bodies of men, women, and children, about twenty-thousand of them… And the other Turks, seeing so many people impaled, were scared out of their wits.”
The easiest way to describe what Impalement means is to refer to crucifixion, were instead of being nailed to a cross, one nail bodies on a pole thru side, mouth or rectum. I myself have never come near such cruelty as the history of these areas. It’s possible that the connection between the Iron curtain in the regions and the Teutonic knights is far wrong, but as the Teutonic Knights went further north and established a one of the most feared states in Europe I feel it is likely. The head of “Kaziglu Bey” was later shown up on a pole in Constantinople to show the Muslims that he really was gone.
Teutonic State. The knights moved to northern Poland, where they soon created the independent Teutonic Order state. The aggression of the Order posed a threat to the neighboring states, especially Poland and Lithuania. In 1410 at the Battle of Grunwald (Tannenberg), a Polish-Lithuanian army decisively defeated the Order and broke its military power. The power of the Order steadily declined until 1525 when its Grand Master, Albert of Brandenburg, resigned his position, adopted the Lutheran faith and assumed the title of “Duke of Prussia.” In a deal partially brokered by Martin Luther, Ducal Prussia became the first Protestant state. The Holy Roman Empire’s ruling house of Habsburg, governed by the Teutonic Order, continued holding claim on Prussia and furnished grandmaster, administrators of Prussia. In 1618 the dukedom of Prussia passed to the senior Hohenzollern branch, the ruling Margraves of Brandenburg whose descendents became the Kings of Prussia in the 18th century. The Grand Masters continued to preside over the Order’s considerable holdings in Germany until 1809, when Napoleon ordered its dissolution and the Order lost its last secular holdings. However, the order continued to exist, headed by Habsburgs through the First World War, and today it operates primarily with charitable aims officially.