The Knights Templar have gone down in history as one of the most prosperous and mysterious military orders of all time. Officially endorsed by the Catholic Church at their inception, the Knights Templar have had a fascinating and twist-filled history since, and in popular culture have been linked to all manners of secret societies, works of fiction and conspiracy theories, from Freemasonry and the Holy Grail to Indiana Jones and The Da Vinci Code.

Though much mythos has built up around the Knights Templar, an extensive authentic history exists to guide us through the legends. Originally conceived in the 12th century A.D. as a monastic order to protect pilgrims visiting the Holy Land, the Templars made their headquarters on the Temple Mount in the captured Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Temple Mount was famously believed to be above the ruins of the Temple of Solomon—a notion reflected in one of Armory Replicas’ Knights Templar Swords, the King Solomon Templar Medieval Sword!

The Templars’ initial hallmark was poverty—indeed, they were known as “The Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon.” However, the Templars had a powerful ally in Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, an influential Catholic Church figure. Bernard led a group of leading churchmen at the Council of Troyes to approve and endorse the Templars. They were then exempt from taxes and exempt from any authority except that of the pope.

Though the Templars played a large role in Christian life for centuries, The Crusades spelled the beginning of the end for the order. As the Muslim world became more united and powerful, the Knights Templar were forced to relocate their headquarters, as the Holy Land was no longer a safe location for them. The Templars no longer were a key military force by then, having been supplanted, but they still were active in European business for some time. Under Pope Clement V in 1305, however, the Templars were targeted by the Church for political reasons, and widespread arrests led to the effective dissolution of the Templars.

The Templars’ legend lives on—they are the go-to medieval military order for writers of historical fiction, fantasy, and many other genres to this day. Armory Replicas offers an unbeatable selection of exquisite Knights Templar swords. From the Knights Templar Long Sword to the Soldiers of Christ Medieval Golden Sword, a whole range of weaponry inspired by this legendary order of knights is on offer at our online store. Armory Replicas’ Knights Templar swords are easy on the eyes and easier on the wallet—look at our discount prices now!