The Knights Templar (Foundation, rise, institutional and fall)

At the end of XI. century, a great struggle of power balance among Ortodox Church, Muslim Turks, Arabs in the East and Catholic Church in the West took place in the middle east geography. Although the series of wars, whose seeds had been planted by Papa Urbanus II. in the Council of Clermont in 1095 and lasted for about two centuries, were defined in an religous term such as "Crusades", it became an international war where political and economic interests came to the front. In order to save Jerusalem, the first Crusader armies came to the East in 1096, and in 1099, they formed an authority here by taking Jerusalem from the Muslims. The conquest of Jerusalem from Muslims created great joy in European society and from almost every part of society began to flock to Jerusalem to perform their pilgrimage. The Knight Templars became an organization that emerged as a manifestation of the enthusiasim and the conditions created by the pilgramage worship. The Knight Templars, who aimed to protect the pilgrim candidates coming from Jerusalem to Europe from the attacks of Muslims, emerged as a unique religious-military organization in that period, by taking the oath of poverty, obedience and the chastity. Soon after its establishments, the Knight Templars, recognized as an official organization by the Papacy, it became the richest and most prestigious organization in Europe. The Knights Templars, which became the essential elements of the Crusades with the wealth and military character they possessed, started to be questioned and even accused of betrayal. The Knight Templars whose disfavor was so fast just like their promonince were officially abolished by the Papacy in 1312, but they left endless questions begging them. In this study, we will try to demonstrate what were the main aims of the Knights Templar and the factors that caused them to become the richest and strongest organization of the period, what role they played in the Crusades, and the facts behind the scenes, with the support of the sources of the time and modern studies. Key words: Knight Templars, Temple of Solomon, Crusades, Jerusalem, Papacy, King IV. Philip