Case File 167-The Knights Templar

In 1139 The Pope of the Catholic Church, Innocent II, issued a landmark order that would create a fundamental shift in power throughout Europe and the Middle East. The mandate would establish an order of highly trained knights that would answer to no one but the Pope. The order of knights would be formally charged with the safeguarding of pilgrims traveling to the holy land of Jerusalem and the defense of the lands which had been taken during the Crusades. For their service, they were afforded a multitude of privileges. They were given the first choice of spoils of wars fought...