+Non Nobis Domine, Non Nobis Sed Nomine Tuo Da Gloriam+

December 2015
N 2

Magazine

Symbology of the

Sword

Sovereign Brotherhood of Dames and Knights of The Temple

OSMTJ-SPAIN

Digital Magazine

Sovereign Brotherhood of Dames and Knights of The Temple

OSMTJ-SPAIN

December 2015
Director:

Ms. Fuensanta Santos de la Rubia

Contact: hsdct2014@gmail.com

Editorial Board:

Priory Council of HSDCT.OSMTJ.

Mr. Jose Maria Fernandez Nuez
Mr. Luis Antonio Coln Arce

Writers:

Mr. Jos M Fernandez Nez

Mr. Juan Antonio Cabezos Martinez.
Ms. Fuensanta Santos de la Rubia
Mr. Jess Lpez Romn
Ms.Maria de las Mercedes Izquierdo

Designer:

Ms. Fuensanta Santos de la Rubia

Mr. Jose Antonio Navarro

International Order Contact:

Mr. Agustin Ibaez Aguirre
Tfno: 0034 672 110 817
hispaniatemple@live.com

International Translator Contact:

Mr. Luis Antonio Coln Arce
marineronoble@icloud.com

Translators:

Mr. Luis Antonio Coln Arce

Ms.Mary Angeles Santiago

Edited:

Magazine published in Mlaga, Spain

All rights reserved copyright. The totality of this website (text, images, marks, logos, software
files and color schemes etc.) is protected by laws and regulations of intellectual property. Editing
rights reserved by the Sovereign Brotherhood of Ladies and Knights Templar. It is prohibited the
total or partial reproduction without the written permission from the Editor.

Table of Contents
Credits.................................................................................... 1

Index....................................................................................... 2

Editorial.................................................................................. 3

The First Templar Knight (par two................................... 4

Temparism the Century XXI........................................ 13

The Symbolism of the Sword................................................. 18

Death of Templar Master af the Battel of beda .......... 23

The Grail and Islam in theTemple..................................... 29
Investiture Priory of St. Martin de Porres of Florida. 38

The Grail Translator Team............................................... 42

Posting Rules........................................................................ 43

The Grail

Editorial

By Juan Antonio Cabezos

The University
One of the problems of the neo Templar organization is the formal training of its
members, which is why in many cases, there is no formative curriculum or better yet,
such formation is non existent.
The Sovereign Brotherhood of Dames and Knights of the Temple, conscious of
said reality, has taken a step forward and it proposes the creation of a University of
Templar formation, where three paths of knowledge merge:

1.- Training in knighthood which implies knowledge of the Middle Ages, history
of the Order of the Temple and the history of the Crusades.
2.- Training in religious knowledge, which implies a knowledge of Christianity, a
knowledge of the parables of Jesus, a knowledge of the historic Jesus and knowledge
of the canonical and apocryphal gospels.
3.- Training in initiatory knowledge, which involves a personal transformation of
the individual, seeking and finding the inner Christ.

Unlike other organizations, Templar neo University is accessible to all types

of students, therefore, it is not required to be invested or to belong to any Templar
group.

And lastly, we wish to point out that these courses will be on line, for most
of the subjects, and that the facilitators will not be solely from the ranks of the
Brotherhood, but will all be specialists in their fields, be they Templars or not.

Aeneas
Prior.

T he F irst T emplar K night (part 2)

T he O rigin o f the T emple
Jos Maria Fernandez Nez
for the knights and the beige one for the Sergeants. He
introduces clergy into the Order and regulates the ad
terminum among other measures.
4. Omne Datum Optimum papal bull of 1139
expressly forbids any modification of the rule without
the consent of the Chapter General.
5. There was a French translation in 1140 where
some articles are intentionally tweaked, but the
Latin Rule was never abandoned or modified, what
comes to be called the French rule is created. In it, all
references to the novitiate are suppressed. Article 57
is modified from its original meaning to the opposite,
referring to excommunicated knights, they will now be
approached and urged to return to the service of God.
Many of the Templars would come from those ranks.
6. The reform would not arrive until 1163 through
the Retraits (statutes) with its 675 articles that cling
to the rule giving it an internal structure with respect to
magisterial elections, chapters, hierarchy, income,etc.
But still the Latin Rule survive in the structure of the
Order, never to be abolished.
7. Around 1230/40
ceremonies.

hierarchical

statutes

and

8. Around 1257/67 considerations dedicated to

discipline, infractionsrand penalties, known as the
Egards.

THE RULES
1. Nablus, the Canon Rule of St. Augustine, or Latin
Rule that will never leave the Order.
2. Council of Troyes, the cleric Jean,Michel by
concession of Bernard de Fontaine, now already
know as of Bernard de Clairvaux, transcribes the
Latin Rule to which they add some weight to certain
articles, relative to the militia Fland religious services, it
is known as the Primitive Rule.
3. Etienne de La Ferte, also known as de Chartres,
was Patriarch of Jerusalem from 1128 until his death
in 1130. After the Troyes modifications he receives
the rules to which he adds 24 articles and will revise
at least a dozen. It is he who reserves the white mantle

There are no others. and nothing more, it is just a normal adaptation to the reality of an institution, something
as normal then as now. Today we would refer to it as
getting in step.
Very well, to embellish the aforementioned, we shall see
that what was created in Nablus is not the Order, but a
congregation of regular canons coming from a Brotherhood.
They swear to the three temporal monastic vows of poverty, obedience and chastity, agreeing to follow these is
to profess and the one that does so ceases to be a novice
and becomes a profeso (28).
One adopts the Augustinian rule of the canons (29) of
the Holy Sepulcher, granted by the Patriarch until its final
approval by the Pope and they are granted the waging of
war with no quarter against the infidel, as a fourth vow
sworn by the Templars.

These grant them in any case the same treatment as the

former, being that their Latin Rules are the mirror image
of the canons from whom they took them,:just as it is
repeated in all ancient documents.
There is no place for discrimination between one rule
and another, granted by the same authority who granted
it to the Knights of the Order of Godfrey. Nevertheless,
they differed from those through their charisma (30),
which in this case was the mission of the protection of
the palmists, the defining factor of their very existence,
thus when the Holy Land is lost, their continueance is
questioned.
These are not traditional monastic communities, the goal
of these is not the contemplative life (31), neither are
they mendicants (32), nor do they shun the world in order to practice a life ats fringes. Its goal is defense of the
faith. Neither are they reglar clergy, since contrary to
these, regular canons are tethered to a place (the New
Order of Jerusalem) and to a determined community,
they chant the Liturgy of Hours as a group.
Through various reforms, they acquire a different identity, with its own charisma following the Rule of St. Augustine.
The secular canons, on the other hand, belong to a
community of priests connected to a church, but they
have not taken a vow to live in a community.
Truly this is one fact that we must not overlook. Admission into religious orders are not only regulated by the
Catholic Church and the rules of religious life, but in
addition, each community has its own guidelines (canons of the Holy Sepulcher, (Augustinian rule).
Generally after a long period that spans the neophyte,
postulant and novitiate stages, one takes the temporal or
simple vows which are renewed every so often, while
the candidate tests his vocation.
Thus was the case of the Templars until Troyes.
If the candidate wishes to be permanently admitted into
the order, a public profession of the Evangelical Counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience are required, and
confirmed by the solemn or perpetual vow:
One of
the consequences of this vow is that the member is no
longer free to marry.
Hugh and the others may have been married prior to
Troyes when such a status was sanctioned and much
later, in the case of leaving the Order, one must request
a Pontifical Indulgence. The benefits of the perpetual
proffession are of spiritual character (33).
The conversationem morum (conversion of customs)
were only practiced by the Benedictines and the Carthusians.
It was not realized until the sanction of Troyes therefore
they were not yet friars, nor men of a consecrated life,
their vows are temporal until the council of 13 January
1129 in which Pope Honorius II through his emissary,

Matthew of Albano receives them as a canonical congregation (34) and elevates them to a Monastic Order.

WHO CREATED IT
The first history of the Brotherhood is known as the
time that occurs between the Synod of Nablus until
the Council of Troyes, where the Order is definitely
created, but...what about before? Before this period
that covers from 1104 through 1120...what occurs
during this period?
This prehistory is the dark era of these knights. How did
they support themselves?, as we shall see they had more
than ample support, powerful support such as no other
group of this sort ever countedon, not even the Deacon
of St. John Hospitalier, to take off with such self assured
success.
They had economic power, they had hosts, they
had lawul cover, later would come donations that
miraculously multiply upon being accepted at Troyes,
their logistics and marketing worked marvelously.
Their provenance was made up of members of royalty
and from the different noble houses of the Franks,
Burgundians, Normans. etc,. made the rest an easy
passage of alliance with the highest spheres of the church,
perhaps as Mellado says about its early ambition having
no measure, perhaps it was not all bucolic and romantic
as it has passed on in the annals of its first history,
It is a natural understanding that prior to this time there was already a formation in testing since previous
years, how many? not known, but logic prevails and
we must yield and honor the closest hypothesis based
on archival documents that were consulted. If my conjectures are correct (and there is no authentic proof to
think that they are not possible) we could be talking,
not of the nine years of its existence until Nablus.
If we count 1104 as the year of its conception until
1114 when it is already constituted and is put into
practice upon the arrival of the Hughs, in that year,
until 1120, when itiis officially recognized at Nablus.
Some 16 years had transpired that would en compass
the novitiate, the temporal acknow ledgment; the
creation of the Brotherhood or congregation in the
aforementioned Synod.
It can be stratified in six different periods.
1. Ideological and embryonic phase from 1104 until
1107, in which the creation of a police force is perceived as necessary. Creative steps are taken that leave
Godfrey of Sainte-Omer tasked with its creation.

2, Formation of the Militia Christi phase, incorporating same with knights related to the conquerors that
take Palestine as the new promised land, there where the mister nobodys can become someone, forcing
that social stratification (35).
In the long run, the church had served on not few
occasions as a means of social climbing.
3. Phase of activation with the presence of the Hughs
from 1114 to 1120, where their relationship would
be without rules,habits, monastic vows, no dependency on military or ecclesiastical authorities, bound
only by the particular and personal oath of each of its
members.
Here we may apply from William of Tyre who wrote the knights wore secular garb, they wore clothing
such as all folk wear...
4 Foundation phase, Synod of Nablus of the congregation or brotherhood, with a proper name, rules,
dwellings, monastic vows, uniformity, disciplines, etc.,
5.
Acceptance by the church at Troyes phase.
The Creation of the Order.
6.
Definite consolidation of the Order in 1139 by
the Omne Datum Optimum Papal Bull.

Hugh de Champagne, Count of Troyes, in his pilgrimage to the Holy Land, was accompanied by his relative and vassal Hugh de Payens, both pious and devout men, (Payens had already been a monk with the
Abbey of Molesmes) he proves it after 2 April 1104,
as there is a letter with that date whereas he donates
a property to the Abbey of Molesmes in the name of
his brother Fraters meus Odon, constantiam regis

Francorum filiam necnon et comitissam Adelaidem

uxorem fratis mei comitis Stephani nepote... :and it is
subscribed by... Teobaldus puer filius Stephani Comitis nepos huius Comitis Hugonis (36).
Aside from de Payens, Leroy Thierri, (37), is one of

the most highly accepted biographers-by the scientific

community, he tells us that, it is quite probable that

Hugh II of Payens will realize his first journey to the

Holy Land in the company of the Count of Champagne in 1104-1107.
The idea was already preconceived, to serve Christ
in His Sepule cher, the much desired genuflection by
all Crusaders and palmists, it was the greatest achievement and goal of every Christian.
The participants of the Crusades had done so the
day following the conquest of the city, that proves
non intervention in the First Crusade, as some venture, otherwise that gesture would have already been
made, especially being a principal.
During theirmstay in Jerusalem, they had been witness to the palmists situation that the Crusade had
not solved, upon seeing how these were victims of all
manners of theft, vexations, wounds and even death
during their visits to the Holy sites, inflicted by Muslims and disgruntled invaders that found no comforts
after the conquest.
It was therefore necessary to create a police force
that would stand up to the aggressors and protect
their victims. It is quite possible that during this period,
this idea was made clear, to create this much needed
police, where one of the pillars of the Crusade was
seated.
The intention was not merely to become implicated,
but to go beyond that, to involve themselves in that
primordial objective that surmised the security of the
palmists.
To achieve this objective required the support of the
principals of the realm, some kin, others known, the
majority Companions at Arms that moved about in the
realm without administrative structure nor legislative
body to channel the rights and obligations of its subjects. This would not reach the Council of Nablus.
Unexpected events cause him to return to France
in 1107 to put his affairs in order, with the promise of joining the brotherhood upon his return. Hug
de Campanie, Theobaldi Comitis filius founded the
Abbey of Notre Dame de Cheminon in a letter dated
in 1110 (38).
Hugh de Payens returns with his lord and to assist
in consolidating his political aspirations, he married
for a second time in his life, to Isabeau de Chappes,
sometime between 1107 and 1111 (39) (others call
her Catherin de St. Clair). We know for certain that
Hugh de Champagne, alongside his faithful vassal
and relative de Payens, when he decide to travel to
Jerusalem (40) between the years of 1113 and 1114,
the Militia Christi Hierosoly. mitani was already
constituted. Bishop Yves de Chartres (41), seriously

adkises him not to join one of the Evangelical Militias

or a Militia Christi that are cropping up in Palestine,
as his status as a married man (42), such a condition,
the obligations undertaken with the sacred bond of
matrimony, blocks his entry into any of these groups.
At that time there already existed such a group quite
close to his heart, that Militia Christi, that from its inception had been possibly founded by him and that his
multiple commitments prevented him from heading it,
surrendering that honor as of that date to his kinsman
de Payens.
The count returns anew to his lands at the beginning
of 1115, this time, alone summoned by his wife who
demanded his presence to properly govern his vast estates or quite possibly alerted by Bishop de Chartres,
who foresaw a disobedience by the count in abandoning his obligations, and perhaps this sage priest was
not mistaken; who by the way died on 23 December
1115.
It is known that he heeded the call and returned to his
home, there is a letter which Pope Calixtus II sent him
so that in his name he was to welcome the Archbishop of Mainz upon his arrival at the Synod of Reims
in October of 1119 (43).
During this sojourn, which would be the last, Hugh
rejects his wife, disinherits his son Eudes I declaring
the boy not his due to his alleged impotence. The
chronicle of the Alberic de Treis-Fontaines, mentions
a Odonem...de Canlita as son of Hugo Campanie
and his(second) wife, but specifies that dictum est un
phisicis Comiti Hugoni... no habebat possibilitatem
generandi and therefore concludes thatEudes could
not possibly be his offspring (44).
He maintains contact with the Abbot of the Cistercian
Order, Steven Harding, and to whom he deeds some
land where St. Bernard (who had entered the order
three years prior) founds the Abbey of Clairvaux.
The granted locale is known as Clairvaux, the grant
comes with all its dominions, mountains, meadows,
waters, woods etc., so that he may build his monastery.
After putting affairs in order, he returns to Palestine.
The Chronicle of Alberic de Trois-Fontaine states,

Hugh Campanie became a Knight Templar in 1125

and was succeeded by eius Theobaldus nepos
1125 (45).

As time passed and in light of the prolonged and justified absence and with (possibly) the counts consent,
de Payens assumes the maximum authority that would
have corresponded to his lord.
He not only replaces the count in his dealings with
the new lords of Jerusalem, but recruits other knights
as well, involving many of them, among who we find

Fulk V, Count of Anjou (afterwards Fulk I, King of

Jerusalem) as well as inserting a few others, among
them his uncle Andre de Montbard.

But it will not be until after the Synod or Aulic Council

of Nablus, specifically in 1126 (46) when the count
joins the Poor Soldiers of Christ, with the resulting
opposition of Bernard de Clairvaux, as he states in a
letter (47) lamenting the !loss that deprives him of
his company.
Hugh, who had done so much to realize this brotherhood, would never see the officials recognition of the
Holy See, in the middle of quarrels of Investitures; his
early death (48), snatched him from that which he so
anxiously desired.
We place the count as one of the five founding knights
of the Order, in spite of documented proof that it was
not so, albeit that we tacitly accept this as the true
cause of its origin, In spite of this we cannot deny his
role as a founder or ideological founder, although this
does not invalidate the previously noted as to his involvement (2 from its inception ), to which i attribute
the idea of the creation and later development of de
Payens, involving himself after freeing his life of earthly ties. had he remained as Count of Jerusalem, he
would most likely have become its first Grand Master.
His incorporation to the still canonical congregation,
in 1125, and his later death in 1126 deprives him of
that magistracy.
The well funded financial support by Hugh from
France, made it possible for Fulk, future King of Jerusalem because of his marriage to Baldwins daughter,
to support two knights from his dominions in the
County of Anjou upon completing his periof of ad terminum, aside from the sinecures received from these principals that would not amount to many alms as
some classic sources claim (49).
From Baldwin II they would receive lodging, from
the Patriarch Garnond de Picquigny, a close relative

of Godfrey de Saint-Omer, spiritual supporvand from the family of Bernard de Clairvauxs mother, as it was
the rest, logistical support.
common practice at that time that families of equal
lineage on bne side and the other of the frontier that
Thus the date of creation of the embryonic Templars, separated Champagne from Burgundy, intermarried.
would be around 1107/1113, if we credit the immutability of Yves de Chartres counsel, advising the count On different documents where the spelling of his
not to enter the Militia Christi of Jerusalem, when name is present he is listed as Hughes de Paenz, Hugo
he initiates his second journey with the intention of de Paencis and Hugues de Payns or Payens. William
remaining there and taking charge of the group.
of Tyre refers to him as Hues de Paiens delez TroFrom 1114 until 1120 is the recruiting phase. In 1120 yes. (51)
the Brotherhood is legalized and in 1129 the Order is Godfrey de Saint-Omer, his brother Hugh de
created by the Holy See, and is confirmed in 1139.
Saint-Omer (c. 1100-113) was Seneschal of the realm
(52) and Prince of Galilee (53), at a crucial period of
logistical support of the early rise of the Knights of the
Holy City, while his brother functioned as founder, The
post of Seneschal in Jerusalem never achieved the prominence of its European counterparts, but it was, nevertheless important.
Despite this, during coronations, the Seneschal bore the
royal scepter and oversaw the ceremony.

Garmond de Picquigny

the all powerful Patriarch of Jerusalem, blood uncle of Godfrey de SaintOmer, organizer along with Baldwin II of the Council of
Nablus where the yet unnamed group receive Letters
Patent (according to some sources, Knights of the Holy
City) becoming known ap
SUPERFICIAL BIOGRAPHIES
The support received by the Militia in its formative
stage, was diverse and influential, those responSible
for its creation did not form part of that amalgamated
pack of disoriented knights that loitered in the streets
of the city.
These men formed part of the conquering elite, who
because of this, their influence and power was assured.

Pauperes Commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici, or Poor Holy Militia of Jerusalem and Christ of
Solomons Temple, after their place of residence.

This patriarch was either the son or brother of Arnold

de Picquigny (depending on the source) (54).

Pagan, Payen, Paganus, Payen de Montdidier...another important support for the future Order,

yet unnamed or defined, servedin the capacity of Chancellor of the realm (1115-1128) (55).
The Chancellor created works and letters, and oversaw
the realms diplomatic service. Chancellors were usually
Hugh de Payens
clerics who often became bishops or archbishops, someGodfrey de Saint-Omer
times, while maintaining the chancery.
Godfrey Bisol
Just another one of the components of whom we know
Payen de Montdidier
only his last name, as a vassal or relative of Hugh de
Andre de Montbard (uncle of Hugh de Payens) Ar- Payens. Payens is a surname, wewe know that the Pachembaud de Saint-Amand (or) Aignant
yens have or had their roots in other places, in England,
Hugh Rigaud
Scotland, Wales or Ireland.
Gondemar
The bibliography that gathers the history and crest of
Roland.
Payens:...descendents of Tybalt Payen, Count of Gisors,

Hugh de Payens

who has passed into history

as the founder of the Order most likely came from a
second level branch of the Counts of Troyes and related through marriage to the Montbards, who were

whose son Hugh Payen stated in a letter, Circs 1200,

the original which still exists in departmental archives
of Saint Lo, Normandy, six trimesters of income from
wheat from his lands in New Jersey, to the Abbot of
Saint Mary, near Cherbourg. Commencing with this

Hugh de Champagne, and

the Count of Anjou, Fulk V and other knights

Hugh Payen who was a nobleman (56) of the King of

England and a member of his royal court, scarcely a generation of the family has existed without having a representative in the local power structure.
At the time of the great rebellion, Abraham and Stephen Payn vel. (57), both being fervent realists, emigrated to Devon and started families that to this day exist in
England.

If we take the first

Andre de Montbard or Montebarro (5 Nov.

not have been capable of such an accomplishment,

neven,mind the reality of actual engagement of any aggressive groups, well armed and possibly outnumbered
by them, as well as attaining such a well deserved reputation.
These two figures had great power and ample stature
to support not only one, but two orders and much more
during their beginnings.

that economically supported the budding group of the

Knights of the Holy City; wel:see that this poverty has to
be called into question, it is not understood that in spite
of the fact that these personages merge into the brother..
hood (not yet order) before Troyes, including some as
ad terminum, as in the case of Fulk V, who was such
between 1120 and 1127, (in 1129 he would becoFAMILY CREST
me King of Jerusalem, under the name of Fulk I) (62),
whom we know supported two Templar Knights, how
*General Armorial of Johan Baptiste Rietstap. Contains did they support themselves and their servants without
origins of names and nobility, Lion rampant argent upon making use of their personal resources?
azure field.
*The depiction of the shield or shields corresponding to The logistics of supporting a host of soldiers to face thiethe surname Payen, along with a description of its origins ves and murderers carries with it, enormous expense of
may also be found in the Great Graphic Dictionary of troops, weapons, garrisons, blacksmiths, farriers, serArmorial Bearings
vants, physicians, etc., without any of these they would
1097 - 17 Oct. 1156) son of Bernard, Lord of Montbard
and Hamburg. Entered the Order in 1129 and went to
Palestine, where he quickly rose to the rank of Seneschal, the deputy and second in command to the Master.
He was the fifth Master of the Knights Templar and also
on of the founders of the Order. The familycame from
Montbard Hochadel in Burgundy.
Andre was an uncle of St. Bernard de Clairvaux, as
he was a half brother of Bernards mother, Aleth de
Montbard (58). According to the death register of the
Parish of Bonlieu, he died on 17 October 1156.

Godfrey Bisol, apparently one of the first founders,

we have no information on him or perhaps .his family

records may not be correct. the title of count that is attributed to him, does not appear in the Foundation of Medieval .Genealogy, which casts doubt on its existence.
But we still follow the investigation.
Others, although later but with. presence and influence
in the zone since the First Crusade could also have aided
and served as support to these first founders, at the end
of the day, all related, all beholden.
Some like Eudes de Saint-Amand (or Odo or
Odon) Viscount in 1160, Majordomo in (1164-1167)
(59). He was the 8th Master of the Templars. between
1171-1179. One of the viscounts duties was to capture
CONCLUSION
delinquents and the administration of justice in the lower
court of the citizenry. Similar to the office of Majordomo.
This and nothing else was the beginning of what would
these positions did not survive the move to Acre. (60)
become the most important monastic revolution of all
And thus we would proceed with all its components.
time due to its initial policing character and not military.
The dark and brooding Gerard de Ridefort It was not a standing police force, it was not a recy(c.1179) Marshaliof the realm (d. 1 Oct. 1189) was cled heir of the Roman politia that was patterned after
Master of the Order from the end of 1184 until his death the Greek politeia, indirect definitions of an important
in 1189. (61)
work that much later in the XVIII century, would be

picked up by the always legalist French, defining it as

we know it today police.
This new police functioned in the outer region, outside
of the city, there where the arm of law and order, if it
existed, did not reach, insuring the norms of coexistence
that must also be respected.
Not only for the primary reason of its presence there,
but also as a necessary asset to maintain proper order in
that hub that constitutes the city. In every country there
exists a police force. France. has its Gendarmerie, Italy,
with its Carabinieri, Portugal, the Guardia Nacional Republicana-and-Spain with its meritorious Guardia Ceivil,
ancient functions with modern names, whose roots are
lost in the annals of time but which were the origin of
those knights who bore witness to the calamitous misfortunes caused by lack of security outside of the city walls.
A necessary security, so much so, that
it had provoked
the
mobilization
of thousands of
men and resource brought to the
conquest of a land
sacred to three religions of the Jesse
Tree.
The omission of
this duty could have
caused very serious
problems of stability and prosperity. Thus it must have been perceived by
those, who from a comfortable and eminent social position, abandoned all to enter a struggle that was at many
times uneven, ungrateful, dangerous and erratic.
They abandoned much to reach their goals. These
knights, decide to form an independent group within
the obligatory submission to these social cells that arise
around them, as something necessary for a contingent
foreign to that land, those people, those customs.
Given the churchs secular doctrine and practice concerning the spilling of blood by clergy and the religious
communities, we see nothing unusual in that Bernard
partaking of that same spirit, would mull over and over
his decision prior to taking a public position in favor of
life for the new Order of the Temple. as he shows us in
his letter, De Laude Novae Militiae addressing him-to
Hugh de Payens:

Once, twice and three times, if I am not mistaken, you

asked, my dearest Hugh, that I should write to you and
your band a missive that would encourage you and
against hostile tyranny...
Although Bernard justifies his negative answer of de Pa-

yens reiterated requests to publicly express his approval

of the new order and does so quite politely. This delay
could hide some lingering doubts that at first overwhelmed him and the need for a major clarification.
These circumstance caused those poor knights to act out
in some form, their duality (always a constant in the Order) of friars and warriors that would soon be emulated
by others such as the group of St. John (in times of Raymond de Puy) and the proper Knights of the Sepulcher,
but that was yet at least three years away.
The Templars always at the forefront in the social order
of the Holy Land, over time, they ceased to view (unlike
their brothers of other orders) the Muslims as enemies to
fight, they viewed with great effect that the First Book,
was for all three branches, the basis form which all began at the same time, and which forgave all.
They never approved of the arrival of
mobs to the Holy
Places of different
crusades seeking
only power and
riches, and constantly destabilizeing
the zone, residing
and cohabitation
with the natives...
necessary
collaborators for the
constant balance of
the area and that these new arrivals at different stages
always were threatening the status quo.
The definitive loss of the Holy Land for the Christian
cause had more to do with the negative help of these
crusades, than with the internal relationship of the ones
already established.

ABSTRACT
The following article is protected by copyright and its
use is only authorized by express permission of its author,
who will grant it in writing from those who request it.
It corresponds with the post that I offered on 14 December of 2013, during the Templar Journeys of Andalucia,
presented by the A. I. T., (International Templar Association), in the always beautiful city of Seville. I would like
to present it in its entirety at the request of several listeners, some of whom are quite interested, by the apparent novelty it seems to have.
Naturally this work is a summary of chapter IV of the
book of the same title that is in its creative phase and that
I expect will soon be available to the public.

These 33 pages correspond in their compendium, to the

one developed among so many others around 136/40. I
advise the reader that they may possibly encounter that
concrete information may be slanted; this is due to the
very development of the subject, which was linked using
the authors memory, also justified by the compressed
use of its definitions, necessary for its transmission to the
audience in a relatively short period of time, that in spite
of the good disposition and collaboration of the organizers was not able to be offered in its entirety, leaving any
interested parties, obliged to await its publication.
I hope, that on occasion and by way of titular concepts
and weak developments of the investigation that I am
undertaking.
One of them is the conceptual tedefinition of terms that
due to their assiduoudness become legitimate as with the
case of PILGRIM.
This term (fr. Latin peregrinus) refers to, in its most classic meaning to the traveler that, by devotion or vow, visits a sanctuary of a place considered sacred. In its more
generally accepted use, applies to all those that wander
through strange lands. In the strictest sense, for a Spanish
Catholic, pilgrim is one who travels to the Cathedral of
Santiago de Compostela to visit the tomb of the Apostle
(St. James).
Thus, by reason of their destination, they differ from the
travelers heading towards other places of deep spiritual
significance in Catholicism: the Romist, who journeys
to Rome, where the Pope lives, who is considered the
successor of St. Peter and the Palmist, who is heading to
Jerusalem and to holy sites in general.
In the Catholicism of the Middle Ages there were three
seperate types of pilgrims:

(ad terminum) and a solemn or perpetual one (monastic)

29. Thus called as such by the canon or rule
through which St. Helen had organized the substance
and duties of those religious followers. The canons
formed residential communities. Chiefly, they followed
the Rule of St. Augustine. They were the forerunners
of monastic orders, that emulated their way of life.
30. There are a multitude of charismas or practices of religious life within Catholicism.
31. Rule of St. Benedict that centered on work and
prayer within the monastery, generally, the communities that practice this form of life are called contemplatives.
32. Formed by monks or nuns, with active participation in the Apostleship and subsist on alms.
33. Dom Columba Marmion, Christ The Ideal of,
,the Monk, Ch. VI
34. Religious congregations only profess simple
vows instead of solemn and they are, strictly therefore
not religious orders. Yet their way of life and apostleship differ very little. The congregations are guided
by norms or statutes that bear the name constitutions.
These are established by the founder of each group.
and can be reformed as needed over time. Each group
has a specific activity that responds and defines its particular charisma.
35. The idea was ideological; nd set by political
agustinism (Civitate Dei, 426), it was redefined and
honed throughout the Middle Ages, subsequently by
authors such as Isidore of Seville (63), the School of
Auxerre (Hayman de Auxerre (865), in the Burgundian abbey where both Eric de Auxerre and his disciple Remy de Auxerre worked and who followed the
1.
Romists - Those going to Rome
tradition of Escolto Eriligena), Boecio (892), Wulfstan
2.
Palmists - Those going to Jerusalem
of York (1010), Gerard de Cambrai (1024) or Adalbert
3.
Pilgrims - Properly those, going to Santiago de
de Leon and employed in legislative texts such as the so
Compostela.
called Compilation of Huesca de Los Fueros of Aragon
(James I), and the Code of the Seven Parts (laws) of
In general it implies by reference to some form of:
Alphonse X The Wise, 1265.

. Self imposed penance or sacramentally impo- 36. Laurent, J. (ed.) (1911) Cartulaires de labbaye
de Molesme. Tome II (Paris), 19, pp. 26.
sed.
37. Leroy Thierry P.F. Hughes de Payens La Nais
. Augmentation of a promise.

. Penance or promise in name of another that for sence des Templiers, The Book Edition, Paris, 2011
some reason is not able to carry out the pilgrimage.
Giving thanks in advance for the understanding and pa- 38. Cheminon Notre Dame 1110, pp. 42
tience of those who anticipate these notes, I hereby lay 39. This lineage is directly related to the descenthem out just as offered (not all) in Seville on the date, dants of Dagobert, last of the Merovingian Kings and
places them in, relation with the Jesuistic or Cristic dyut supra.
Jose Maria Fernandez Nunez Member of the Founda- nasty, protected by the Priory of Zion, whichiit is said,
constituted the fighting arm of the Temple.
tion for Medieval GeneOlogy, Cambridge University
40. Foundation for Medieval Genealogy, Medieval
lands, Central France, Comtes de Blois, by Charles
FOOTNOTES
28. There two classes of vows, simple or temporal Cawley and others.

41. St. Yves de Chartres, born circa 1049 and died

circa 1116, is a French Saint. He is one of the key
figures of the conflict faced by the papacy and the Holy
Empire, the Quarrel of the Investitures. He maintained
that the investitures were not a sacrament, they could
therefore be granted by a lay person.
42. Migne, Latin Patriology, Vol. 162, col. 251.
43. Orderic Vitalis, Vol. VI, Book XII, pp. 253.
44. Les Seigneurs de Montague IES. III 660
45. Chronicle Albrici Monachi Trium Fontium
1125, MGH SS XXIII, pp. 826.
46. Barber, Malcolm, The Origins of the Order of
the Temple, in Studia Monastica, 12 (1970), pp. 216240.
47. And yet, I see myself obligated to admit that I
must be deprived, by a secret order of Christ, of your
gracious presence, and never see one with whom I
would please to rightly spend life with, had it been
possible.
48. Dies 14 June 1126
49. Jacques de Vitry and William of Tyre.
50. Barber, Malcolm, The Origins of the Temple, in
Monastic Study, 12 (1970), pp. 219-240.

51.
52.

Juan Pablo Benito, Facebook article

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Officers of the

Kingdom of Jerusalem
53.
IT
/Hugo de Saint Omer
54 Barber, Malcolm, The New Knight: A History of the
Order of the Temple, Cambridge University Press, 1994.
Sean Martin, The The Knight Templar: The History
and Myths of the Legendary Military Order, 2005
56. From the Latin valvasor; este de vessus vassorum, vassal of vassals, nobleman, server.
57. The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, by Sir Bernard Burke, King of Arms.
TRANSLATED IN LETTER VETUSTA, describing
the blazon of the DE PAYENS
58. Read Piers, Paul, The Templars (1999), pp. 101
59. See 55
60. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eudes of St.Amand
61.
11
11
fl
/Gerard of Ridefort
62. Vide geneologia

Jos Maria Fernandez Nez

Degree in History
Regional delegate of the UNEE
(National Union of Writers of Spain) to Zaragoza
Member of the Medieval Foundation for Genealogy.
University of Cambrigde

Templarism the Century XXI

Juan Antonio Cabezos Eneas
Thank you ladies and gentlemen for your presence the Mondeo model, designed in Germany, where the
because without you, these conferences about the engines are manufactured, but the chassis is built in
Temple would not be possible nor warranted.
England, and assembly takes place in Spain.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to the organizers So if Mrs. Merckels government would wish to
of the First Andalucian Journey si for the trust they have nationalize Ford in Germany, she would have engines,
placed in me to bring you these musings.
but no chassis or assembly; it it were the British
government,
For the past forty somewhat years, a new phenomenon,
Mr. Cameron would a chassis, but no engines or
has been surging in western culture which we know assembly, and if the government presided over by Mr.
by the name of Templarism. and, that it is of global Rajoy, we have assembly plants, but no engines or
character as it is not only a European phenomenon, but chassis.
an American and Asian one as well.
This fear of nationalization caused the great American
We can define TemplarismAs a reaction of European corporations to morph intoimultinational ones and this
society facing a novel phenomenon such as globalization produced a change in the economic concept because, as
that consists of a profusion of neo templar associations. of that moment, multinational corporations conceptualize
This increase of the above stated groups can be explained economics on a global level, no longer do they plan for
one country, but for the world, therefore, the more
via four facts:
multinational corporations there are, will bring yet more
globalization.
1. Globalization.
Historically, there have been globalizations- such as We have the Spanish situation when at the end of the
the Roman Empire or the unification of Central Asia by 50s, there existed a pervasive doctrine and economic
dogma of the autarchy that defined the ideological basis
Genghis Khan.
of the economic model of the time, but commencing
Those stimulated commerce and culture, but the with the economic liberation of the 60s and the passing
current globalization is different because it is worldwide of 50 years since this ideological shift in Spain, there are
and differs from previous ones because it is a purely currently 8 multinational corporations in existence.
commercial incursion.
2. The second fact will explain how Templarism marks
Globalization actually started in the mid twentieth century, the waning of traditional religions.
when American corporations, fearing nationalization
from the rise to power of sociodemocratic governments All religions have problems with globalization, scientific
in Europe, partially displaced the process of production advances (every five years, knowledge doubles, this
of goods to ensure its presence and control of markets. signifies that a veterinary student, at the start of their
career, must practically re learn it at its conclusion, due
Taking Ford Motor Company as an example, we have to the fact that much of what has been learned, is now

obsolete) and technological development.

must insert neo Templarism because it proposes a new

spirituality to believers, but erstwhile pkactitioners of
All religions have their particular reaction to post traditional faiths.
modernity and this is the fundamental cause of the
crisis and decline of Catholicism, Buddhism, Judaism, 3. The third phenomenon from the XVIII century and it
is called secularization.
Hinduism and Islam, to name but a few.
Fundamentalism or literal interpretation of sacred texts
is the response to globalization. But why do we have
fundamentalism? Because in the practice, content and
wording employdd by religion, they offer no reply to the
needs of todays society.

It is the century in which traditional religions lost their

intellectuals. Secularization in the religious plan means
that believers are not passive beings and thus obedient
ones, but instead active beings and therefore pose
problems of life to religion.

If we take for example Catholicism, and we do so because And this fact is fundamental because if we consider
ourselves passive beings, then we are but subjects and
we are surrounded by many who have the soul of
subjects, but if we say that we are active beings, we
are then citizens and this fact has modified our way of
comprehending the world and our reality because, is
it a viable democracy where its components consider
themselves subjects?,
Would instances of corruption be possible if in the actual
democratic model of Spain, its components considered
themselves citizens and not subjects?
In the Templar circuit it would be said that secularization
is the casting aside of directive tasks by the nobility of
the peasantry or those belonging to the middle class,
workers who make a living from their labor but with a
title of nobility.
To employ medieval terminology, the third estate

we can contrast what we are saying with reality. We

have what ocbcurred when on the part of the Papacy,
an attempt is made to adapt doctrine according to the
times. John XXIII convened Vatican Council II whose
objective of, iadapting the ecclesiastical institution to a
modern world by giving the ecclesiastical community
agreater role of interaction with the faithful taking center
stage with respect to the clergy, the community is the
center, not the priest.

4. The fourth and last phenomenon has to do with the

psychology of the masses and the Templar Myth.
There is one clear fact and that is, that:the Templars
form part of our collective memory and if the Templars
have reached that category, it, is, in part, due to their
tragic demise.
Tragedy or an unhappy ending in History is part and
parcel to the myth.
We shall show two examples.

Reaction to this innovative attempt,was that at successive In our Grecoaatin civilization, we have the myth of
conclaves of cardinals, only those that were known to Caesat, From victorious general in Gaul, victorious
be intellectuals, philosophers and above all, theologians general before Pompey, to dictator of Rome.
were elected to the Papacy. Fundamentalist Popes that
And Caesar achieved the category of myth when he
have not been able to stem the flow from their churches, was assassinated - by a group of senators amongst which
but rather, without fault, have caused it to happen, and his adopted son, Brutus was a participant, and with an
that religious transmission is lost, because until now it has almost stony phrase...
been inculcated by women within their family circles.
The result is an aging clergy and empty churches.
And you Brutus, my son, you too have betrayed me?
And this same phenomenon occurs with Protestant The second example are the tragic loves and here we
Christianity.
shall show three examples, one historic and two literary.
The answer of believers to the breakdown of traditional In the historic one, we have Caesars deputy, rnarcus
religions is the new spirituality, and in this frame we Antonius (Mark Antony), and one who was his wife and

mother of one of his sons, Cleopatra.

and economic Order, to the level of myth and legend,

that is to say that the only multinational entity of the
Cleopatra, who enters the story wrapped up in a rug, in MiddleAges. was elevated to mythical status.
a transparent gown and at 16, seduced Caesar and with
the support of her husband, became Pharaoh of Egypt. Had there not been a Phillip the Fair, a Clement V who
acquired the papacy through tactics of dubious honesty,
a Nogaret* with thirst for yet more power, the fate of
the Terri plars would have been the same as the other
military orders: to languish away throughout History.
*Guillaume de Nogaret - was a member of a.
French family and deputy to Phillip IV. He was an
ambitious,ruthless and unscrupulous man.
It is possible as some hold true, that they may have been
reconstituted into a personal guard for the Pope, with the
duties carried out by the Swiss Guard, but we know not
why history did not follow this path.
The tragic end, the curse of de Molay who while tied to
a burning stake, exhorted the King of France, the Pope
and the Chief Magistrate, destroyers of the Temple to
appear within a year before Gods tribunal to answer
for their deeds, (thus, this curse came to pass,whether
by divine will or the will of a Templay, all three were
dead by years end) caused dez Molay and the Temple
to enter the realm of myth, and of collective memory and
therefore into the living history of the citizenry and with
same into immortality.
We enter into the second part of the conference and
With Caesar assassinated, Mark Antony is seduced it is the study of Templarism, the associations and the
and he and Cleppatra enter the myth when he too is Templars of today.
assassinated and the last female Pharaoh commits suicide
Perusing through the web pages that are published by a
after the defeat at Actium before by Octavians ships.
major part of these groups, we conclude that almost all
Another of Caesars adopted sons, murders his half of these coincide in memorializing the historic memory of
brother Caesarion, Cleopatras and Caesars natural son. the original Order of the Temple, bringing about a new
style of knighthood and the study of the Middle Ages.
Without this tragic ending, the loves between Mark
Antony and Cleopatra would have been, but one more Removing the extremes of some that declare them-selves
among the ones that have been and will be in History, the heirs and true followers of the Order of the Temple
such as the loves of Charles III, King of Spain and Amelie or followers of authentic Templar esoterism, we can also
of Saxony, or Ferdinand NI, also King of Spain and conclude in: that almost all are a Christian, but not
Dolores of Braganza.
precisel a Catholic movement, that try to maintain and
practice traditional fundamental values in solidarity and
In the literary world, we have La Celestina, by aid for those in need.
Fernando de Rojas, where a marriage of convenience is
substituted for one of love.
Some authors have declared that the Vatican launched
a study and census of Templar orders and a final result
And perhaps the most famous love, that of Romeo and came up with a total of some four hundred, at most.
Juliet, the product of the imagination and prolific genius This number is outdated, since a year ago the Sovereign
that was Shakespeare who alongside Cervantes are the Brotherhood of Dames and Knights of the Temple
carried out a campaign in defense of religious freedom.
two great genii of European and universal literature.
Said campaign was championed by I.T.A. which
In both cases Calixtus and Melba as well as Romeo and during this public act, they offered profound gratitude
Juliet their pure love, for loving purely, they suffer death to the Brotherhood, thanks for your help and selfless
collaboration.
Thus occurred something similar with the Templars,
for their honesty they suffered death and it is their tragic The outreach and the documented response of the
demise that raised what had been a military, religious campaign that we distributed to Templar organizations,

exceeded 1,200. In other words, between the beginning by an Emperor, as was the case of Napoleon.
of these journeys and the end,in some part of the world,
there will have been established a Templar order.
It follows that we establish a classification of these, to
which i propose three categories.
a.Transformed organizations
Belonging to,this category are those Orders that were
Created on a national level once the Templars were
disbanded, we have in Portugal the Order of Christ and
in the Crown of Aragon, the Order of Montesa among
other examples.
These Orders were created to gather the surviving
Templar knights and that, in time, they lost the Templar
spirit and sentiment until it disappeared.
b. The Major Order or Major Orders
We enter the subject of

Ius Honorum.

It is a Roman concept because the Ius Honorum is the Afterwards, another Napoleon (the III) confirmed said
right of a Roman citizen to choose public office.
recognition. What has become of the OSMTH today?
In the city of Rome, citizens had the rights of city, (these
were civil rights such as marriage, making wills, etc.) and
political rights that were Ius Sufragii or the right to
vote, and again the Ius Honorum, which was the right
to seek public office. Lets enter another aspect, when
does an Organization become an order?

Well it is an order divided in three large branches, thus

we have the SMTHO, SOMTH and OSMTJ.
The question is that, applying the traditional criteria to
the three branches, to wit, acknowledgment of a king or
pope, are they orders?

Lets apply traditional criteria, thus, am_ organization

becomes an order of knighthood when it is recognized
by a King or by the Pope. So its a case of seeing what
sort of organization is viewed favorably by both King and
Pope and again we enter into legend.

See Let us another aspect which is the RUPTURE OF

TRADITIONAL CRITERIA. Traditional Criteria was
valid in the past when kings and popes required orders
of knighthood to defend borders and because of this,
it was relatively simple to easily obtain both royal and
In 1705, Phillip of Orleans presented the new statutes of papal approval.
the Order of the Temple before French nobility.
But society has exchanged that,dependency,for the
It is the first establishment of a Templar association since
the original one no longer existed after being disbanded
by the Pope; in spite of this bo become an order, it lacked
recognition by the King or the Pope; the papal route must
be discarded since the time of the orders had passed, but
not so Napoleon, who saw in knighthood the possibility

products of illustrations and the Industrial Revolution

has transferred the sources of income from agriculture to
industry and services.

Therefore our reality is very different because our

borders are not entrusted to Military Orders, but
to police forces or civil guards, thus it is necessary to
of attracting to his cause, the nobility of conquered propose alternative cri-teria for an organization to be
hations, therefore NapoleomBonaparte recognized considered an Order and this brings us to associations
them as an Order of knighthood with Bernard-Raymond with a vocation to be an order or minor order.
Fabre Palaprat as Grand Master.
c. Associations with a vocation to be an order or minor
Here is another element that is not yet historic, but that order.
comes from Iegehd,and it is a letter from Larmenius.
These associations are those that have not been
According to this letter there was a secret Templar group acknowledged by neither king nor pope but they came
and said latter ;. was signed by all the grand masters that into being and therefore have the capacity of investiture,
lived clandestinely. Fabr Palaprat signed this letter, thus when they fulfill at least one of two modern prerequisites.
becoming the first Master and inheritor of the Temple,
Historic continuity of at least 20 years and three
through the letter of transmission of Larmenius, and by 1.
another as the first master whose Order is acknowledged Priors.

2. Recognition bi nine established orders.

The requisite of historic continuity requires an active
existence of 20 years, which is sufficient time to
determine if an association is functional. The 20 years
are considered operational via the actual carrying out of
acts of public character; on the other hand, the existence
of three Priors indicate relevance as to the direction of
the group. it indicates that there is an inner spark and that
said organization belongs to the Templar soul and not to
any one individual. By the recognition of nine existing
orders, it is meant that there exists an acknowledgment
of Templar spirit and thus, legitimacy Ius Honorum.

D. Lastly to highlight the existence of a Templar Church,

and a base text as is the Levitikon.
SOVEREIGN ORDER OF THE DAMES AND
KNIGHTS OF THE TEMPLE
In the face of this situation, the structure of the
Brotherhood is twc4.fold.
One the one side, we have the forming of groups whose
objective is the molding of knights, night watch of arms
and investiture.

And on the other the esoteric path, by way of internal

circles that will commence functioning in 2014 and whoe
Here thus is the role of the I.A.T. (International Templar
objectives are spiritual formation internal transformation
Association)Ahereby organizing assemblies, creating
and initiation.
harmonious meeting places for Templar organizations,
is fundamental for the application of this criteria. And we arrive at the end: cif this donferencefwithothe
Logically,nine groups shall recognize themselves following conclusions:
amongst each other as established orders, they would
constitute the group of nine and in turn, via protocol, 1. That Templarism, if not a complete global
will acknowledge others as being a major order and thus phenomenon, almost is.
convey legitimacy or Ius Honorum.
2. That it responds to the nine spiritual needs that are
the product of globalization, secularization and the loss
TENDENCIES
of mainstream faiths.
At present, we can cluster Templarism in four tendencies
3. That there are numerous Templar associations with
or inclinations;
a vocation, be it knighthood, sense of belonging or a
A. Cutting edge Catholic groups: Are staunchly Catholic search for esoteric wisdom.
groups in zealous defense of the Temple, and aspire to
transform themselves into lay Templars, who participate And lastly, where does the Templar path lead?...
of life within the Church the same as any other order, for
I do not know because the only things that we do know
example, the Franciscans.
is that history seems to repeat itself, but in the end,
B. Cutting edge Christian groups: These are ecumenical the historic solution differs from the prvious ones, but
under the principles of the Temple, but make no it would please me to know that in the hearts of the
distinction between Catholics, Protestants or those of present and future Templars, there exists a change, with:
orthodox beliefs. In this way, these organizations defend respect, to: sdeietytowards one of solidarity, free of
the Christian faith, but with no fixed allegiance to any hunger and injustice, that in the Templar hearts there is a
one organized form of Christianity, such as Catholicism. sincere desire of knowledge seeking and that they stand
on the side of the fortunate, who are so, because they
C. Cutting edge esoteric groups: Whose objective is the suffer hunger and a search for justice.
spiritual transformation of its members and respond to
the new spiritual reality.
Many thanks

Juan Antonio Cabezos Martinez

High School Teacher; thirty five years of experience.
Degree in Geography and History from the University of La Laguna
Law Degree from the University of Murcia
Founder of the magazine thought Intellectuals
President of the Association of geographers and historians of the middle
teachings of the Murcia region.
Academy honorary of The Municipalistica Brazilian Academy of
Letters.

S ymbolism of the S word

Fuensanta Santos de la Rubia
We have to admit that, of all weapons and a flaming sword to guard the way of the
invented by man, none has reached the tree of life (Genesis 3, 23-24); referring to
esoteric symbolism and mystery of the sword. the flaming sword or the flames; and that we
The sword appears with will deal with it later.
the age of metals, around The sword is part of Armor of God as Paul of
the fourth millennium Tarsus said in his letter to the Ephesians:
before C.
Specifically,
swords
Bronze Age, have been
found; previously, the
human used tools made
of stone, silex or crystals
suitable for this purpose,
like obsidian.
The first bronze were
too soft; so history of
sword runs parallel to the
history of the forge, the alchemy of metals;
companion of the evolution of man and his
learning and mastery in art to dominate and
transmute them, such as copper, iron, tin,
bronze and steel, by the fire , water and
air ; in a magic combination of all elements,
related with Mars as the god of war by the
romans, for its relationship with iron, who
believed he chased away evil spirits.
But the fact is that, in prehistoric times as
today, the same in various religions as in the
popular folklore, just look at the different
types of swords exist in most cultures, to
realize that the sword has a similar spiritual
sense and a magical mission to fight the dark
forces.
Sword appears already in the Bible in Genesis.
And the Lord God threw the man from the
garden of Eden.... and having expelled
the man, put front garden of Eden cherubim

Therefore take up, the full armor of God, for

you can resist in the evil day, and having done all,
to stand firm.

Stand firm therefore; your loins close-fitting

with truth, and put on with the breastplate,
of righteousness; and your feet shod with the
preparation of the gospel of peace.
Above all, take up the shield of faith, with which
you can extinguish all flaming darts of the evil one.
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword
the spirit, which is the word of God.
Pauls letter to the Ephesians 6.

The reference in the Bible to the sword,

appears some 345 times; but we will make
a journey through the different swords in the
oldest cultures:

THE SWORD IN JAPAN

Sword is an essential part of the three Sacred Treasures
of Japan; which consist of a sword Kusanagi; a Jewel
Yasakani not Magatama; and the mirror Yata no Kagami;
Japan also attribute supreme human values to the sword;
these objects represent the three primary virtues of
Japan: the value (the sword); wisdom (the mirror) and
benevolence (the jewel); these elements are connected
to the Buddhist ideal.
Since 690, the presentation of these items to the Emperor
by a group of Shinto priests are part of the great secret
coronation; therefore there arent any photographs of
them.
Traditionally were the symbols of the divinity of the
Emperor, as descendant of the goddess Amaterasu,
which legitimizes his hierarchical role in Japan.
THE SWORD IN THE WEST

The worlds oldest swords were excavated form the

tomb of the Kings Aracahyk; and date back before Greek mythology tells, that when Perseus killed Medusa,
the founding of the Hittite empire; the people who built Crisaor was born of his blood; first king of Tartessos.
His invencible sword of gold protects Tartessos since
remains a mystery
Sachihiro Ohmura (Japanese researcher )

CHINESE SWORD

immemorial time. The sword has, in all cultures, an

ambivalent meaning; as the two edges that comprise, first
means destruction, death; on the other hand, defense of
justice, the Divine Word.

In some tombs dating from the period from 770 BC to

176 BC, located in JIANGXI Province of China, the
oldest sword was found; its a black sword, gold and
bright red. This sword has been named by archeologist
Xu Changging, as the first sword under the sky.
It measures about two feet long, and is adorned with a
carved dragon in its scabbard; in addition to two zigzag
lines in the center of the sheetIn 1965, in the Chinese province of Hubei, it was
discovered among the remains of an ancient tomb, of
Jiangling, a bronze sword, whose blade appears the
following inscription:
Sword personal use of the King of Yue, Gou Jian
Gou Jian governed the Kingdom Yue during the last
year of the period spring to autumn, more than 2000
years ago.
The sword, is a military weapon and also a spiritual
weapon; as the reign and the defense of peace and order
through the authority granting the right. But also, the
sword has a symbolism, more deep and esoteric, getting
to be magic, if we understand how magical the faculty,
of an object to transmute and transform the inside of a
person; that is to say, provoke the metanoia, necessary
precondition to any initiation.
The sword is a initiatory element of the first order, to be
able to wake itself, in the sincere aspirant a transformative
process. The initiation no ceases to be a death of a

previous state to be reborn again another more complete

reality; the sword, like fire, the air and land
forms part of initiation rites; in the
union of water and fire is the
union
of ying and yang;
positive and
negative;
masculine
and
feminine.

Other inscriptions on swords Spain:

Dont unholster to me without reason, or holstering to

me without honor
D o n t
m
e

make me use without justice, or keep

without honor
Templars sword had enrolled
in Nomine Domine ( in the
name of the Lord)

The archetype of the

sword, is the one most
identified with human
nature; as an extension
of the individual, an
enlargement of the active
will; and thus, it has
been, and is the physical
representation of the honor
and dignity of Knight advocate of
Light against darkness.t
This has had its greatest
exponent in the Middle
Age, when it takes the
form of Cross; sacred
weapon, preferred by the
Christian Knight, who see
i
t
as
integral part of his being; and
which the being
knighted represents acquire the virtues of the sword
and to be worthy of it.

In relation to the spiritual sense of

the sword and its use, we have
the
example of writings of
Bernard of Clairvaux
to the Templars;

against
God
S

Unsheathe the
double sword,
spiritual
and
material,
of
Christians
and
dowland hard on
the forehead of the
enemy, to destroy
everything that stands
the knowledge of
Bernardo: Loa to the

New Militia
Thats the force that takes on (thats the power of the
archetype), getting tune the subconscious to wake up in
the heart of the warrior, the crucible, the inner struggle And subsequently Book Cavalry Ramon Llull
to conquer, not only the enemy, but rather the wisdom
To Knight the sword is given; which is made in the
itself and to annihilate the demons of ignorance.
image of a Cross, to mean that as our Lord Jesus Christ

The accolade was the hit with the edge of sword, the overcame death, on the Cross, in which we had fallen
young squire, was receiving, at time, to be armed, and by the sin of our father Adam, so the Knight must defeat
was the point from which he received and he could
and destroy the enemies of the Cross with sword and
carry a sword.

as the sword has a double cut, and chivalry is to uphold

The duty of a Templar Knight representing a mandate, justice, and justice is to give each one his right, so the
was that he should never uses his sword, unless he was Knights sword means that the gentlemen should keep
convinced of the justice of the cause in which he was
with sword the cavalry and justice.
committed, as well as, never sheathe it, until his enemies
were defeated.

Ramon Llull : Book of Cavalry, chapter 5

This also finds its origin in the customs of medieval And even the exclusive section devoted to him King
swords; usually they manufactured with an inscription Alfonso X the Wise in his Big Book of Laws Code
on the blade. Among the legends more commonly found Seven Games.
are those made in Spain:
THE SWORD AND ITS SYMBOLISM AS THE
Cids Tizona Sword has on one side of the sheet the
SPANISH KING ALFONSO X THE WISE
inscription:
The sword symbolizes the virtue of wisdom, strength,
IO SOI TIZONA FUE FECHA IN THE ERA OF MIL
moderation and justice.
E QVARENTA

And on the other side:

AVE MARIA GRACIA PLENA DOMINUS MECUM

Wisdom, calls for caution, the stronghold, which is

virtue that makes a man stand firm to the dangers that

come him.

The measure, which is temperance, peace of mind.

Justice, which is right to apply and go with it.

man wears and the weapons he hurts, and they are as well
as the virtue of moderation among the things that are made
more or less that they should , well to that likeness is placed
the quillon between the handle and iron of it; well another
if as weapons that man has in his hands straightened to hurt
with them where it is appropriate, showing justice which has
the right an equality itself, another if shows swords iron, that
is right and keen and also chop on both sides.

It would have much to add, but we leave this for another

article...We end this part with the most famous legend in
the West over the Sword.
LEYEND OF ARTHURS SWORD
King Uther died and nobody know him any descendants.
Then the nobles went to Merlin to find a successor
monarch. Merlin made appear on a rock a sword firmly
pinned to an iron anvil, with a legend that said:

this is the Excalibur Sword, who will get it out of

this anvil, will be king of England.
Arthur and Kay, who were already two handsome boys,
had gone to the city to attend a tournament in which Kay
thought to participate.

Seven games, where he established the Virtues When the hour was approaching, Arthur realized that
he had forgotten the Kays sword at the inn. He ran at
of the Sword
Section II, chapter 21, Act. 4:
Goodness are called moral standards that the men have
naturally themselves, which is called in Latin virtues; and
among all there are four major; so as wisdom, strength,
moderation and justice.

full speed, but when he got there, the door was locked.
Arthur did not know what to do , he looked around and
discovered the Excalibur sword.

And since every man has will of to be good, he should strive

to have them; so speakers we said, as others who have to
govern the land for their labors and their works, with all this
there are not any to whom agree more than the defenders,
, because they have to defend the church and the kings and
all others, and sanity will do them to know to do for their
interest and without their damage; and strength, they are firm
in what they did and they are not changed, and moderation,
they work on things as they should and do not go more; and
justice, that they make it closely.
And given that these are in many ways, however all became
two: the ones, to defend the body that are said armors; and
the others, weapons that are to strike.
The ancients had to make a certain that all these things show
themselves by similarity, and this was the sword; as well as the
weapons the man wears to defended show wisdom, which is
the virtue that preserves him of all evil that could come by his
fault; another if shows that same the handle of the sword that
man has locked in his fist, so whereas he had it in that manner, Approaching to the rock, he pulled the sword. Then a
in his power is to raise or down it, or to hurt or leave it.
beam of white light descended on him and Arthur pulled
the sword without encountering any resistence; he ran to
And another if as in weapons, that the defender puts in front
of him to defend himself, show strength, which it is virtue that Kay and offers it. Kay was in surprise because it was not
makes man to stand firm to the dangers that come him, so on his sword. Arthur explained to Kay what had happened,
the knob is all the strength of the sword, because it suffers the Kay saw the inscription of Excalibur in the sword, and
handle, and quillon and iron, well, as well as, the armor that he told to his father.

THE FLAMING SWORD

The Temple Guard is in charge of defending against

the indiscretion of the profane and the Expert uphold
The flaming or fire sword is the one that the Angel of the documentation received with the circulation of the
Genesis at the door of Eden.
proposals bag.
In the Nordic mythology, Surt, is the leader of the
fire giants in the South, the ruler of Muspelheim, the
Kingdom of fire. Its name means brown or black, and
the end of the world, the Ragnark, his hordes shall run
northward as southern wind to crush the gods.

Among others considerations we can mention:

That it being the sword conceived and created as a
weapon, is considered as an active instrument, so it must
be wielded with the right hand because the right side is
the active side.
The Flaming sword to the Masons, basically, is the
symbol of honor, consciousness, and protection, as well
as action, it used by the venerable with the left arm. It is
the proper sword of the venerable Master of the Lodge,
who chairs the works masonic.
This sword is implies spiritual power, related to fire, its
place is on the desk of the venerable Master, because
he, as greater authority of the Lodge, has to guide and to
defend the brothers against the onslaughts of evil which
is represented by lies, the insubordination and in general
anything that might threaten the peace and harmony of
the Lodg.
While the Flaming sword, is on the desk of the Venerable
Master, should go with its tip to the south; as well as
the northem column represents the cold and silence, the
Southem represents the noon and heat; it is precisely for
this reason that the flaming sword keeps this position in
the Lodge, because the area of heat is noon.

He is carrying the sword of Flames as the Voluspa says: The Flaming sword does not have cover for several
reasons:
South Surt
The fire can not be sheathe, and also it represents
Brandishing fire
science and virtues; so both of them must be accessible
to all.
The sword of the gods shines in the darkness
Like stars in the night
Mountains collapse into rubble
And demons will fall
Man walks the road to ruin
While the sky opens in two

THE SWORD IN MASONRY

At freemasonry both the flaming sword as the flat are
used; the use of the sword as main part of the Masonic
Investidure is limited to higher grades, in which of
course, they have the mosto prominent place as a bage
of dignity Knight. Its use in the Lodge, except symbolic
character, it is strictly prohibited; its basic function is to
defend; therefore the only one who carries the sword,
in addition to the Venerable Master, is the Temple Guard
and experts.

SWORD IN ALCHEMY

There are a bird greater than all in the world

Worry about only to find its egg

For alchemist sword represents fire, real impulse of
the matter in its way to the Magnus Opus, it is death
and rebirth, it is a sign of purification by the light and The one in which clear land surrounds the yellow yolk
truth, and is the engine of regeneration and resurrection
Attack it skillfully with a fiery sword
like Phoenix, flame upwards represents the elevation
spirituality.
Than Mars helps Vulcano
Remember that the sword of the Temple are integrated The chicken will come out of there will be winner of
the four elements: earth, represented by metal, fire,
iron and fire
water and air.
EMBLEM VIII SECRETIS NATURA
Accipe ovum & igneo percute gladio
Take the egg and beat it with the sword of fire

The word sword comes from the latin word spatha, and
greek spathe but the romans used the word GLADIUS to
define the sword; and of there comes the word gladiator.
There have been several GLADIUS:
The hispaniensis is the oldest ; before the Roman;
it were so effective that the romans decided to adopt
these Hispanic swords in their strife; in addition to the
GLADIUS MAGUNCIA, which adopted the name
of the city, and Pompeii which was the best known of
model Glaudius.
But thats another story for later
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Swords Spain. Emilio Sobejano.

Dictionary of Symbols. Jean Chevalier.
Loa of the New Knighthood: San Bernardo.
EPIGRAM VIII
Est avis in mundo sublimior omnibus, Ovum
Cajus ut inquiras, cura sit una tibi.
Albumen luteum circundat molle vitellum,
ignitio (ceu mos), cautus id ense petas;
Vulcano Mars addat opem: pullaster et inde
Exortus, ferri victor et ignis erit.

Book Cavalry: Ramon Llull.

Historical European Martial Arts, site of the Spanish
Society of Fencing.
Alfonso X the Wise: Book Seven Games.
Voluspa.
Masonic Swords by Q: .H :. Umberto Luis Santos.
Engraving landmark book Alchemy: Atalanta Fugiens;
published in 1617. Michael Maier

Fuensanta Santos de la Rubia

Templar Master of Ceremonies. Sovereign Brotherhood Ladies and

Gentlemen of the Temple. OSMTJ. SPAIN.
Researcher about The Temple, its history and symbolism.
Edited works about: The book of Chivalry; The magic square of The
Temple; The Templars in the first reconquest of Almeria; The Domus
Eclessiae; The first Christian basilicas.
Director and Editor of the magazine The Grail.
Academy honorary of The Municipalistica Brazilian Academy of Letters.

The Death of Templar Master Gmez Ramirez

at the Battle of beda
Jess Lpez Romn
to as Mesa del Rey; is because this place is flat and very
suitable for a campsite as well as spacious and wide
open: two and a half kilometers long by one wide. Its
elevation exceeds 800 meters and its slopes are difficult
to climb; an excellent military position.
Some five kilometers from Mesa del Rey, in a straight
line and south east direction, is the present day location
of St. Elena.
Upon descending from the Mesa we encounter the
center of a town called Miranda del Rey, located on
the right and a short distance ahead there extends the
plain of the Americas (Cortijo), whose center lies some
two kilometers from said Mesa. From that very center
up to Cota 814* (Cerro de los Olivares) (hill of the olive
groves), in which Huici (1916), 51, 52, 83, 86 and 89),
places the palisade of the Muslim chief, some distance of
less than one kilomater.
After descending this hill, and heading towards Saint
Elena, we encounter a glen and, immediately, with
three small hills behind which extends the great
esplanade of Las Vias, (pron.Las Veenyas meaning
The Vines), where the Muslims had set *Cota 814, a
The reason that it received two different names is due to number indicating the height of a point above the sea or
the fact that this battle occurred in two perfectly distinct some other level up their encampment, quite close to the
phases; the first involved direct confrontation on an present day Saint Elena.
open field of the powerful Christian and Islamic armies
on Monday, 16 July 1212; the second was centered in The battle was decided on the plain of the Americas
the city of Ubeda, which was taken during the assault on and on the slopes of the Hill of Olive Grovesi,,andzthere
were moments when victory could have been in favor
the following Monday, 23 July of the same year.
of the Islamic army. It commend ced between 8 and 9
The open field confrontation took place in the area in the morning and the Caliph Muhammed al-Nasir,
between Saint Elena and Mesa del Rey (kings plateau) called Miramamolin by the Spaniards, fled around two
(Hui-di, 1916 pp 47-60 and 75-90).
in the afternoon (Huici, (1916, pp 67) -Miramamoliin
means Prince of the believers.
This author brilliantly dismantles the erroneous theses
that placed this skirmish in the current neighborhood of
Navas de Tolosa (La Carolina).
The Battle of Ubeda, also called Battle of the Navas
(plains), was without a doubt, the most important in
Spanish history; this battle was the deciding factor of
Christian dominion over the Iberian peninsula.

The armies of the Hispanic kingdoms of Castile, Aragon

and Navarre were able to cross the Sierra Morena
thanks to the discovery of a pass that the Muslims did not
control. Chroniclers confer a miraculous intervention on
this fact, although, from a rational point of view, in all
likelihood this discovery was made thanks to espionage
or treason on the part of Muslims who knew these areas
quite well due to their usual occupation as shepherds
The true and documented fact is that the aforementioned
armies were able to set up their encampments during the
days of the 14th and 15th of July, in the place referred

With the fleeing of their supreme leader and the besides, that: Even Argote de Molina in his Nobility
subsequent scattering of the Muslim army, the advance of Andalucia offers the news of Christian victory under
on the part of Christii ian troops pressed on as they the epigraph of Battle of Ubeda.
reached close proximity to Vilches before falling back.
They bivouacked in the vacated Muslim encampment
at Las Vias, on that same day the 16th, the victors,
Alfonso VIII of Castile, instigator and organizer of the
campaign and his two allies: Peter II of Aragdn and
Sancho VII of Navarre.
In the aftermath they easily captured, without any great
diffi., culty, the castles of Vilches, Baos (banyos) and
Tolosa.
Once these fortresses were conveniently secured,
the victors headed towards Baeza that recently been
abandoned by the great majority of its inhabitants.
Because of this, it was taken without any resistance.
Following,the host allies headed for Ubeda that had
given refuge to the Baezans, some survivors of the open
field battle of the 16th and many other refugees from the
area.
Thus multitude of more than 60,000 people, prevented The conquest of this city, was therefore, the completion
an adequate defense of the city in spite of its impressive of the open field struggle that had taken place on July
towers and walls.
16th and it corresponds with what is now referred to, in
military strategy, as milking it for all its worth.
According to the Archbishop Jimenez de Rada (1989,
325) on the 2 0th day of July, they set up camp near The opening clashes of the assault did not bode well for
the walls of Ubeda and began the preparation of its the Christians. Nonetheless, in no time, their luck shifted
conquest by armed force.
due to the collapse of one of the defensive towers that
had been previous been booby trapped.
The assault took
place on the 23rd A pact of surrender was proposed, but it was rejected
and was, according by some factions of the victorious army according to
to
documented documented Christian sources.
Islamic
sources,
more
devastating Jimenez de Rada (1989, 325) states: In the end and
than the struggle of upon forbidding such an accord, the Bishops of Toledo,
Navas de Tolosa Narbona and the rest with pontifical authority, agreed
concluding with the that the city should be razed to its foundations.
complete destruction
of the besieged city. The letter sent by Alfonso VIII to Pope Innocent III,
In this sense, the collected in GonzZlez (1960a, 572) states in this
a f o r e m e n t i o n e d respect: But briefly by divine grace we take it and level
Islamic
sources it to its foundation because we had no multitude of folk
concur with the necessary to populate it.
Christian ones.
The Archbishop of Narbona, in his letter to the chapter
Through the great of Cistercian abbots (Huici, 1916, 175), manifests the
magnitude
and following: Alas returning to their original agreement,
repercussions of this second event, the clashiiniits
entirety became, known in the Middle Ages and long
afterwards, as the Battle of Ubeda. Rosado Llamas and
Lopez Payer (2001, 33-35) add six chronicles in which
they are known as such; such chronicles span from the
XIII through the XIV centuries and were written in
diverse geographic areas (Castile, Aragdn and Navarre).

the kings decided on another adjustment to be made:

that the Moors pay the agreed upon sum and us to raze
the city. leaving them free to vacate with all their chattels
and goods. But it happened that by divine disposition
they were not able to fulfill their agreements and as a
result they were reduced to slavery by the Christians and
the walls of the city were demolished.

The aforementioned authors (2001, 34) indicate, The first General Chronicle of Alfonso X, in the
Menendez Pidal edition (1977, 705) states: Finally the

Archbishop of Toledo and the Archbishop of Narbona

and the bishops that were there and with them, pleading
through the church, this plea that is asked of us, take
heed of this decree: that the city should be leveled to
its foundations and that the Moors attempting to flee,
to be taken captives.The Cronichon Mundi of Lucas

The Temple took part in the Battle of Ubeda or Navas

de Tolosa with these words of praise from Archbishop
Jimnez de Rada (1989, 310): the friars of the Order of
the Temple under the command of its Master Gmez
Ramirez who died in peace after the battle.

de Tuy lin the romanticized text edition (1926, 415)

specifies that in Ubeda Many thousands of Saracens
were slain and, lastly, the Toledan Annals, I, (Florez,
1979, 397), express thus: And were the Christian kings

went and took Ubeda and apprehended many captives

men and women more than LX thousand.

Islamic sources consider that the siege and conquest of

Ubeda was a fact of war more disastrous to them than
their defeat in open combat on the 16th of July. Proof of
this affirmation can be found in Huici (1916, Appendix
II, IV and VI).In Appendix II a text from El Marraquexi
is transcribed, that refers to Alfonso VIII of Castile, it
says: later he lay_siege to Ubeda and left with so many

captives that the land of the Christians became filled

with them; this calamity was more grave than the defeat
of Hisn-el-Uqub (Navas de Tolosa).
These were the first who were forged in the New
Testament taking the teachings of the cross, the
Appendix IV contains the testimony of El QartAs that
does not correspond with reality by stating that all who ostentation of military pride with the links of charity and
were found in Ubeda were slain. And lastly, Appendix religion, without loss of ferocity.
VI picks up the version of Ahmed ben Abdaluahab: Further ahead (1989, 319-320), the archbishop
he lay siege to Ubeda 16 days and took her by force, describes the changing of the order of march to that
capturing and looting and this was a greater calamity for of battle and the order of combat in the battle of the
Muslims than the very defeat at Hisn-el-Uqab (Navas open field. Diego Lopez with his men commanded the
de Tolosa).
vanguard; Count Gonzalo Ndfiez with the friars of the
We have brought you all these testimonials to show, via Temple, the Hospitaliers, the Ucles and Calatrava, the
rigorously documented sources, the importance that the central nucleus.
second phase of the struggle had.
Just as it went in all important military encounters, all
That is why it became known as the Battle of Ubeda the Military Orders participated, although as we can
for such a long time and our end , upon analyzing appreciate, Jimenez de Rada places the Templars in first
worthy chronicles and documents, is directed towards position, which constitutes obvious proof of the high
revindicating said name. Historiography, in this aspect, regard and esteem he held them in.
should return to its ancient flow and the aforementioned
acts of war of July of The central nucleus, that immediately followed the
1212, they must be vanguard, was tasked with carrying out the principal
known as the Battle of charges due
Ubeda or Navas de
to the fact that Christian troops advanced at the:fore front
Tolosa.
towards the palisade that protected the Miramamoliin
(Gonzalez 1960b, 1044).
This legitimate wish is
not a capricious one nor
is it a fantasy; it is backed
by
contemporary
chronicles of narrated
facts and other sources
of the Lower Middle
Ages, as well as in
testimony of latter day
authors who took up the
original tradition.

In the First General Chronicle of Alfonso X, the Wise

(1977,700), again they cite, in prime position, the
Templars: and the Count Don Gonzalo Nufiez
with the friars of the Temple, and the Hospital. and of
Uclhs and of Calatrava.
Along with these testimonials of praise, the prestige of
the Order of the Temple increased due to an incident
of first magnitude: the heroic death of its Master don
Gdmez Ramirez, as a result of wounds suffered during
the attack on the city of Ubeda.

Proof of great importance stated by Barroca (2000a,

179) whenspeaking of certain Portuguese Templar
inscriptions, he presents us with number 267 with a date
so doubtful that he himself questions the actual day: 19
(?) July 1212. This author analyzes the aforementioned
inscription #267 and offers us the following details
(2000b, 657-662): it concerns a commemorative marker
dedicated to the death of the afore mentioned Master
that is currently located in the Templar Church of Santa
Maria de Los Olivares in the city of Tomar, (Portuguese
district of Santarem). There is no doubt as to the month
and year (July 1212), but the part corresponding to
the day is practically illegible due to the:ektreme.tate of
erosion on said marker.
Barroca (2000b, 657-661) attempts to recreate the
day, but in all honesty, he dares not attempt to do so in
neither a caterogorical nor impetuous way, so he opts
for doubt. For this reason, he indicates the date placing
a question mark in parenthesis after the day: 19 (?) of
July 1212. This way he avoids criticism that, with good
reason would have been raised by other investigators.
Don Gmez Ramirez Master of he Templers. Santa Elena, Jan.

The Master had full jurisdiction over the Templars of the

kingdoms of Castile, Leon and Portugal. This event, of
great emotional and symbolic value for all the members
and admirers of the Order, is reflected in the Chrnicon
Conimbricense (Chronicle of Coimbra) that is offered
by Florez (1799, 330-356).

The young author incurs, on another matter, on a

mistaken date when he affirms (2000b, 660) that: the
siege of Ubeda commenced on July 20th and concluded
on the 22nd. As we have shown before, Christian
troops headed towards Ubeda, coming from Baeza, on
July 20th and laid siege to it, but the attack began on
Monday, the 23rd; therefore it is impossible for it to have
ended on the 22nd as Barroca indicates.

On page 335 there appears the year 1212 and by its side
there appears a synthesis, in medieval Latin, as to what
transpired during the bellicose incidents of the month
of July that we are commenting on: etceperunt Obeda

quae erat maxima villa ad VIII dias quod bellum fuit, et obiit
ibi Magister Domnus Gomez. Ramirii in die Sancte Jacobi et
ceperunt Veetiam (....and they took Ubeda which a great
village on the eight day of the war and there died the Master
Don Gomz. Ramirez on the day of Saint James and they took
Baeza).

Archbishop Jimenez de Rada (1989, 325) affirms. on

his part, that they commenced the attack on the city
of Ubeda: Monday, meaning the eighth day after the
battle.
It is quite clear in the two chronicles, that we have
cited, an inclusive computation of days is employed. For
this reason, they speak of eight days in place of seven.
Fortunately, the archbishop, who was an eyewitness to
all these happenings, indicates with absolute certainty as
being a Monday; thus, we can set the exact date of the
attack: July 23, 1212.
It is evident that the death of Templar Master Gomez
Ramirez occurred in Ubeda on July 25, 1212, as a result
of wounds suf, fered in battle during the conquest of the
city on the 23rd, there exists, aside from the narration
in the Chronicon Coimbricense, another graphic

The most important Portuguese historians, amongst

which we include the classic Brandao (1632, 72), accept,
without a doubt, that the Master Gdmez Ramirez died in
dbeda, on July 25th, day of Saint James the Apostle, as
a result of wounds he sustained during the attack on the
city just as affirmed without a doubt in the Chronicon
Coimbricense. In light of the Portugues historiography
and the difficulties that the inscription presents, and due
to the impossibility of positive reconstruction of the exact
date of his death, Barroca (2000a, 359) declines to fix a
set date and indicates that said Master could have died
after the battle on,the open field (Navas de Tolosa) or

perhaps during the siege of Ubeda. From all the above we

can conclude, without a doubt: there exists documented
and graphic proof that show the death of Templar Dias,:
ter Don Gmez Ramirez at Ubeda, on July 25th, 1212,
as a result of wounds sustained during the attack of said
city the 23rd day of that month and year.

to defend, with conviction, the Templar presence in

beda. There are ample architectural and symbolic
traces of said presence in the city; we have also found
documents directly confirming said presence, albeit later.
Other primary documented sources are questionable,
but exist nonetheless in spite of the intentional and
systematic destruction of Templar documentation, on
the part of usurpers of the goods and properties of the
religious militia. The unjust suspension of same gave
place, in Castille and in the same part of Andalucia
that had just been regained, a process of uncontrolled
plundering; therefore, it was necessary to destroy all
documentation referring to the Templars in order to
avoid possible restoration of lands and properties in the
hypothetical case of any future restoration to grace of a
rehabilitated Order.

The epic death of Master Gmez Ramirez should have

remained associated to the city of dbeda in the hearts and
minds of all those involved directly or indirectly with the
Order of the Temple in Castille. beda should have
become, for them, a powerful symbol that represented
the consummate ideal of a medieval knight through
glorious death in combat,. The Battle of Ubeda or
Navas de Tolosa marked the disintegration of Islamic
power in Spain. The Christian armies had to redouble
due to epidemics and exhaustion caused by the great
efforts of prolonged combat, but the field was left clear
for the following and definite victories of Ferdinand III, FOOTNOTES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY
who was always accompanied by the Military Orders,
among which, the Templars were prominent.
ALFONSO X EL SABIO (1977): Primera Cronica

We have centered ourselves on the death of Master

Gomez Ramirez because it will;establish for the
moment, one of the many argu, ments at our disposal

General. Madrid:
Universidad Complutense (Edition de D. Ramon Menendez Pidal).
BARROCA, M. J.(2000a): Epigrafia medieval portztguesa. Lisboa:
Fundacao Calouste Gulbenkian . Volumen I
BARROCA, M. J.(2000b): Epigrafia medieval portuguesa. Lisboa:
Fundacao Calouste Gulbenkian . Volumen II, Tomo I
BARROCA, M. J.(2000c): Epigrafia medieval portuguesa. Lisboa:
Fundacao Calouste Gulbenkian. Volumen III
BRANDAO, A. (1632): Ivlonarquia Lusitana, Parte IV. Lisboa.
FLOREZ, E. (1799): Espaila Sagrada. Madrid: Oficina de la viuda e hijos
de Marin. Tomo XXIII.
GONZALEZ, J. (1960a): El reino de Castilla en la epoca de Alfonso VIII.
Madrid:
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas. Volumen III.
GONZALEZ, J. (1960b): El reino de Castilla en la epoca de Alfonso VIII.
Madrid: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas. Volumen I.
HUICI, A. (1916): Estudio sabre la campaira de las Navas de Tolosa.
Valencia: Anales del Institute General y Tecnico de Valencia.
JIMENEZ DE RADA, R. (1989). Historia de los Hechos de Espaira.
Madrid: Alianza Editorial.
LUCAS DE TUY (1926): Cronica de Esparza. Madrid: Tipografia de
la Revista de Archivos, Bibliotecas y Museos. ( Edition romanceada del
Chronicon Mundi a cargo de D. Julio Pueyo).
ROSADO LLAMAS, M. D. y LOPEZ PAYER, M. G. (2001): La batalla de
has Navas de Tolosa. Historia y Tito. Andujar (Jaen): Caja Rural de Jaen.

Jess Lpez Romn

Doctor of Philosophy
Lecturer, researcher and writer on history.
Professor in Fairfield University. USA Connecnticut.
Writer for the University academic articles.
Author of The Order of the Temple in Andalucia

T he G rail A nd I slam
I n T he T emple

Maria de las Mercedes Izquierdo

Relations between the Temple, Judaism and Islam have with ease and the ability to translate the scrolls of hidden
always been litigious.
wisdom that the Sufi teachers possessed and that were
The following words of Juan G. Atienza sum up the connected to the mysteries of the Grail.
spirit of this article quite well.

The Temple was created, as such in the East. But it was

con-sciously created there, by special envoys from the
West who went to the Holy Land in search of ancestral
sources of knowledge, known, or better yet, suspected,
from the cryptic symbolism of the sacred texts. Once
there, saturated with roots even more distant than those
they seeked, and thanks to their encounter with parallel
groups of Muslims and Jews, theycontinued their search
in the lands where they hoped to encounter the origins
of that Biblical knowledge that had captivated.them.
With all the strength of their economic and political
might, they systematically gained control over those
territories in which, under diverse guises, one would
find the first clues, and the last as well, of their search.
(1)
In his time, Rene Guendn wrote the following:

Within the bosom of the same organization. he

clarifies, there can exist, somehow, a double hierarchy,
and this more,so case where the apparent leaders are
not conscious of a union or spiritual core; there could
then be, outside of the visible leadership, an invisible
one in which its members, without occupying an
official post, will be the ones who will trulk ensure,
by their mere presence, the effective union with that
core. These representatives of the spiritual cores, in the
relatively outsider organizations (as without a doubt,
the Templars were, as guardians of the Holy Land), they
have no need to make themselves known as such, and
they can assume an appearance that conveniently better
suits the act of presence they must perform, albeit as
simple members of the organization if they are to play a
fixed and permanent role.

The Sufi teachers were quite apt in teaching spiritual

themes in depth including the Christian mysteries. And
in this way we encounter the Templar Master Philp of
Nablus, who was educated by Islamic teachers in Syria.

It was precisely that vision of equality of the Sufis that

was transmitted to the Temple. One of the most eclectic
schools fotnded by the Sufis in in the Middle East was
the Ijwan-al-Safa, the Brotherhood of Bosra, founded in
Syria in 959 with the intention of joining Arab science,
with Islamic, Greek, Persian, Hebrew, Chinese and
The Templars were guardians of the Holy Land, as Hindu mysticism.
Rene Guendn explained quite well. In the Holy Land,
they engaged themselves with the discovery of the Holy These Sufis were known as philosophers of purity,
Grail in the infinite variety of its forms and it was from they gathered all the knowledge that,kthe Muslim empire
its Asiatic teacherls,especially the Sufis, from whom could offer and compiled it in a collection of 52 epistles,
they learned that the Grail was not only the Chalice of that served as a foundation for a multitude of schools
Christ, but a multitude of manifestations, including the in the Middle East, Africa and Spain. Angel Almazn,
lineage of Jesus. The knights became well versed on the explains to us that ready in 1065, this knowledge is being
mysteries of the Grail, to handle the the Arabic tongue taught in al-Andalus:

The esoteric Templars must have had the 52 volumes

of exoteric and esoteric epistles or encyclopedia of the
10th century Ismaili initiates group, called the Brothers
of Sincerity or Purity in their hands, said encyclopedia
published by Maslama-Al-Majriti (native of Madrid) in
al-Andalus around 1065, and who, as I highlighted in
Templar esotericism, inclilded especially in the fraternity
of framers of Muslim origin, so ever present in romanic
Spanish, some Drusiahs would become part of the
fraternties protected by the Temple...It is not likely that
Jewish,esotericism, the Kabbalah, had any influence on
the Temple, contrary to what has been expressed by
numerous authors, among them, Juan Garcia Atienza.
This is due to a chronological question, being that the
Kabbalah resurges in the Middle Age, almost towards
the last quarter of the XIII century, starting with
Zohar, written as stated, around 1270 in Guadalajara.
This vivification of Jewish,bsotericism arose, just as
recogniced by the Jewish mystic Gerschom Scholem
(1897-1982), due to the influence of Sciences of
Alphabets (Ilmul Huruf) of Islamic ,esotericism, as
present, like wise, in the Rasail Ifwan As Safa (Epistles
of the Brothers of Sincerity).

recognizes that it was the contact and spiritual exchange

between Jesus and the Muslims that permitted the
birth of Cabala. Also important is the influence of the
metaphysics of Avicenus, (Persian physician 980-1037),
the philosophy of Averroes (Ibn Rushd, medieval
Andalusian polymath, born in Cordoba, died in
Marrakesh ?) and the mysticism of Ibn Arabai the Sufi
(Andalusian scholar and poet of Islam 1165-1240).
The Brothers of Sincerity, had their influence on the
peninsula, of whom Angel Almazan (Epistles of the
Brothers of Sincerity) (3)tells

The brothers to which the encyclopedia refers were

to be faithful in their hearts to the true wisdom, which
requires absolute sincerity with the light of knowledge::,Its conclusion was spiritual liberation...the fundamental
pillars of its knowledge are the science of Divine
Singularity and of its creative origin and the understanding
of the only possible loyal guides: the members of the
Prophets family (Fatima and the Imams). In this way,
the wisdom locked in the encyclopedia is nourishment
for the spirit and a light to the souldJilut only for those
who are prepared for it.
The most philosophical central nucleus of this doctrine is
that all which exists comes from the original One and to
He it shall return. An idea expressed in the Ouroboros,
alchemistic symbol par excellence (a dragon consuming
its tail, therefore itself) Islam, along with Judaism and
Christianity, is a religion of the book. God manifested
Himself via a messenger, the Archangel Gabriel, who
spoke His holy word to the Prophet. But already at the
beginning of Islam, Ali, his .son-in-law said,

There is no Quranic verse that lacks four meanings:

the exoteric (ZAhir), the esoteric (batin), the limit (hadd)
and the divine plan (mottala).. The exoteric is for oral
recitation and the esoteric is for inner knowledge.

One of the esoteric currents is that of Ismailism, that was

divi; ded in that of the East that would be represented
by the assassins of Alamut who would be the Persians,
and the westerners who inhabited Egypt and Yemen. (4)

For many centuries, Medieval Christian bsotericism

drew from neoplatonic Christian works such as those
of Dionysius Areopagita (controversial 5th century AD
mystic), or the texts attributed to St. John (Gospel and
Apocalypse), as well as those of her-meticism;
The esotericism of the Sabians of Harran, a gnostic sect
that lived during the first century of Islam had Al-Andalus
as a bridge. (2) Assin Palacios explains that the corpus of
all these doctrines contained elements of Plotinos and
Pythagoras, neoplatonic texts, gnostic, Christianity, etc.
And from this corpus, Maslama-AlMayriti, astronomer,
mathematician, alchemist and Madrid born Sufi, will
emerge, whose opus, Science of the Alphabet,will be
essential for the creation of the Cabala, Scholam himself

For the Ismaelites, the Imam is a temple of light purely

spiritual. His office is the mystic corpus made up of
all the forms of light of its adherents. In Alamut, they
went beyond and proclaimed the Great Resurrection,
the advent of a pure spiritual Islam, liberated of Sharia
(Islamic Law) that would discover and bring to life the
meaning of the prophetic revelations. When Alamut is
taken by the Mongols in 1251, this movement does not
end but instead perpetuates itself disguised in the Sufi
fraternities.
Ismaelite philosophy can be summed up in these words:
The Imam has said: I am with my friends in every place
they may seek me, in the mountain, on the prairie and in
the desert. To one whom I reveal my essence, to wit, the
mystic understanding of myself will no longer require a

he raises himself to the place of those whom approach

God and continues purifying his nature and essence, the
These words relate to the fabulous image of the spirit of God from whom Jesus, son of Mary was born,
concealed Imam associated with the escatological myth descends upon him. He becomes that one who obeys
of the Mandi (guide).
all by the work of God as any of his acts are from God.
physical proximity. This is the Great Resurrection.

The Mandi, to the majority of the initiates is Aisa (Jesus).

The concealment and reappearance of the Mandi at the
end of times play a principal part in Islamic eschatology.
The Kaisanites, have as their Mandi, Mohammed,
who still lives apparently ina dream within his tomb of
Mount Radwa. He will return when the degeneration
of mankind reaches its highest point, in times rife with
catastrophes after which will come light and peace.

On his part, the greatest teacher of Sufiism was Ibn Arabi,

a Spaniard born in Murcia who made it clear that Sufism
and the and the mystical experience is something to
experience and which is useless to explain as one cannot
reach it through deduction, it is a sublime knowledge
that cannot be within the grasp of all men. This is due to
its difficulty and risks. For Ibn Arabi, creative imagination
and love, are the latentshapes that are reflected and
projected in the illusory so that God may be perceived
Sufism, represents the most mystical side of Islam and its
as an object.
most esoteric tradition.
The perfect man is masculine, he representsheaven
This mystic and ascetic tendency was already defined
and the word of God and is also feminine as he also reat the onset of the Omeyan Caliphate and many of the
presents earth and the cosmos. For his part Suhrawardi,
faithful felt disappointed that the Caliphs were only
recovers the Eastern theosophy of Ancient Persia, and is
preoccu pied with the expansion of the empire.
the mystic of the light.
The esoteric dimension of Shiism (bltin) was identified
We end this small summary, with Rumi, the greatest
among Sunni as akin to Sufism. The Sufi way requires a
poet of the divine in Islam whossaid:
teacher, disciples and lengthy instruction. The veneration
for the teacher soon descended into a cult of the saints. In the cadence of music a secret is hidden, if I were

to reveal it, the world would be turned on its head_we

This resulted in the Sufis being taken for heretics by

have all come from the body of Adam, and we all have
some orthodox theologians. In Sufism, the Manichaean
heard these melodies in paradise. In spite of the fact that
influence was evident as well as that of Christian
water and clay have placed doubt in us, we still recall a
gnosticism and neo platonicism.

bit of all that.

After the execution of some teachers/ the Sufis began

For the Sufis their sacred dances are an echo of the
to convey their experiences and concepts to trusted
angels dances and their movements are a cosmic and
disciples and to a restricted circle of initiates. Sufi teachers
theological reflection.
while being despised by the Ulemas (prominet. Musslim
theologians past and present) were loved by the people
that flocked to their public spiritual concerts.
Their popular religious chants soon became quite the
rage, their instrumental music (cane, flutes, cymbals,
drums), the sacred dance, the incessant repetition of
Gods name moved the people the same as the initiates.
As I say, music and dance are fundamental to Sufi
symbolism.
The Sufi prayer, the Dhikr, resembles the Byzantine
chant that constantly repeats the name of God or Jesus.
After the start of the XII century, a mystical physiology
is joined Lob:the music, dance and the Dhikr, and a sort
of yoga (specific physical postures, breathing discipline,
acoustic and chromatic manifestations, of probable
Hindu influena ces ).
One of the executed teachers was Hallaj, one of his
accusers wrote:

Hallaj maintained unto death that he who tames his

body through natural obedience, occupying his heart
THE TEMPLE AND ISLAM
with pious works, suffers the denial of pleasures and
is master of hissoul while forbidding desire and thus The Templars were accused on numerous occasions of

having converted to Islam. There are even some authors

that see a relation between the mysterious Baphomet
with Mohammed. And if all points to this being an
unjust accusation, if it is true that they fraternized on more
than one occasion with those Muslims that considered
Christians to be infidels. How could..that be?

offspring were called colts, Templars had within their

ranks, auxiliary Muslim troops called Turcopoliers.
This text by Emir Usama when he visited Fulk of Anjou,
explains the situation better than a thousand that I may
give.

I entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque that was occupied by my

friends, the Templars. Next to it was a small mosque that
the French had converted into a church. The Templars
had assigned me this small mosque for my prayers. (...)
One day i entered it, and glorified Allah. I was taken up
with my prayers, when one of the Frenchmen rushed
upon me, seized me and turned towards the east saying,
This! is how one prays... A group of Templars rushed
towards him, seized him and expelled him from the place.
They asked my forgiveness saying: ...He is a stranger
who has recently arrived from Frankish lands. He has
never seen anyone pray not facing east... I responded:
I have prayed enough for today. I left astonished at the
contorted features of that devils face, how he trembled
at seeing someone praying while facing the Kaaba.
This text speaks better than any of the respect and
tolerance of the Temple towards Islam, off the battlefield.
As more texts are translated and studied, the intent of
the Templars to make peace with the people of Islam
is evident, that universal spark and to rely on an army
of Sufis and Templars. Ribats (6) were quite abundant
in Spain. Could Spain have been the place of origin,bf
that Islamic current in the Temple? Just as the Temple
was being created, already in Spain and ins cities such as
Toledo, Cordoba, etc.

..the providential role of Islam concerning Christianity

in its true perspective. If further proof of that role were
necessary, we can recall the trips to Islamic lands (Syria,
Arabia, Egypt) of Christian Rosenkreutz, founder of
the Rosacrucians, spiritual heirs of Templarism, trips on
where Rend Guencfn, already cited, saw precisely the
confirmation of an accord between the two .esotericism
of Christianity and Islam, for the restorationt hof Lthe All three cultures lived side by side. It was the Templars
initiating western organizations after the destruction of from Spain, that without a doubt understood the Muslims
prayer customs as well as their philosophy and religion
the Order of the Temple... (5)
in a most profound manner. Quite surely the most.
From the Orders beginnin sisthe Temple was able to esoteric circle of the Temple had its beginnings among
distinguish between leveling-conquering and occupying the peninsular Templars that spoke fluent Arabic, as a
a territory. For the second,. one must respect the local cultured language and as natural to them.
population. Respect brought a desire to blend in with the
local culture, and this as well as the climate began to alter
their way of life. Soon the Grand Masters of the, Temple
began employing secretaries and helpers who were
Muslim. A fascination with poetry, astronomy, medicine,
mathematics, algebra, physics, agronomy, optics and
philosophy began...the Templars never stopped having
contact with the finest points of Arab culture in the Holy
Land and Spain.
That respect for Muslim was not shared by the Crusader
newcomers to thoe lands and it was from those,
uncouth and rough men who arrived from the west, that
accusations arose. One thing led to anothers and Muslim
right began to replace the Udgment of God that was
practiced in Europe. Vows were sworn on Christian,
Jewish and Muslim texts, in Latin, Greek, Arabic or
Hebrew.
The Crusaders married Muslim women and their

Prior to the expansion of Islam, there existed a tradition of

knighthood, in the east that was called Yaw an Mardi,
its principles were to help the needy, compassion,
generosity, honor, humility and sacrifice. These principles
would be adapted to the Sufi doctrine that would arise
precisely in Al-Andalus.
This knightly practice was the fundamental base of the
Ribats that abounded in Spanish lands, their knights were
like monks. Sufism took from Yaw-an-Mardi, that internal
way of spirituality, whose exterior expresses a knightly
ethic. Besides, Sufism drinks from Christian fountains,
which in Islam, borders on heresy. It also drinks of
gnostic Christianity, and Hebrew philosophy, and even
includes elements of Zoroasterism and Manichaeism.

an intense bout of fasting, was seated at a table covered

with delectable food and where they were expected to
not give in to the temptation of eating. The second was
to ride a horse for three days, without stopping, in the
desert, without partaling of any fresh water offered from
a clay pot, and the third was to spend a night with an
incredibly beautiful woman and not succumb to lust.

Besides ofin,Spain, the Temple found itself face to face

with Sufism and hashish in Syria. It was there in Byblos,
where paper made from hemp was manufactured, and
grains and oils were exported, and it had been used since
ancient times for therapeutic and religious practices, from
simple shamanistic rites to complex Persian and Brahman
ones.
The Arabs knew the virtues of hashish through the
writings of the Greeks such as Galen, and by the Xth
century, via the translation of a book titled Nabataean
Agriculture which was written in Aramaic. Mamad-IbnRustum al Isirdi, wrote in the XIII century.

hashish is the secret with which the spirit rises to the

most sublime places, a celestial ascent of a spirit freed
from earthl and physical bonds.
The assassins collaborated with the Templars on more
than one occasion im the Holy Land. And without a
doubt, they were the inspiration for the Temple, including
their attire. (7)

After completing these trials, he was considered Akil and

could then be initiated. Drusians believe in reincarnation
and Hakems return. The sect was persecuted in Egypt
but managed to survive in Syria.

Another faction they met in the Holy Land were the

Drusians, founded by Hakem, sixth caliph of Egypt
who with his Persian advisor Hamza, converted the
Drusians of Lebanon. (8) Hakem was a Fatimid. For
historian Michel Lamy, the Drusians are the heirs of the
Essenes, Ophites and Nazarenes. It is a sect that begins
in Lebanon, which fuses Islamic principles with others
coming from gnostic Christianity. Between these they
speak of the origin of light and darkness, both created
by God.

Proselytism was forbidden and it became endogamous

(marrying only within the sect), and very secretive,
practiced in very closed groups, Syrians have-a.the
greatest number of practitioners, followed the the
Lebanese, Jordanians and Israelis, there is even a small
group in America.

In Driiism there is equality between men and women, in

marriage and divorce, as well as in the initiation. They do
not follow the Quran as their holy book, but instead they
follow the Book of Knowledge, which is a compendium
The Drusians were divided as initiates and laymen, of epistles and writings of its leaders.
its religious tenets were very simple and based on They submit to their own laws and not Sharia or Muslim
renouncing the devil, love of truth and helping their law.
fellow believers. Their esoteric philosophy, however, is
quite complex and secret, and within it we find that they They are quite faithfill.and close knit amongst themselves,
di-vide their adherents as being Yakil or combatants and although tolerance and overlooking faults is highl*
Akil or elders. Only the Akil had the privilege of their praised, if it is of benefit to the group. Drusians, assassins
most secret initiation.
as well as Nazarenes, come from Ismaelism. (9)
This initiation was carried out after three difficult tasks Another group that influenced the Temple in the Holy
or tests, the first was to fast, where the neophyte, after Land were the Yazidis, another Sufi influenced sect.

These professed an ancient Kurdish cult reformed by the This king should have lived for 20,000 years according
Sufi Sheik Adi in the XI century. Yazidi culture extended to the legend.
throughout Syria, Lebanon and Iraq.
The Stone of Heaven of which Wolfram Von
Eschenbach speaks, makes reference to the alchemistic
elixir of the Sufis, aside from Lucifers Emerald, vinity, it
also plays on the word Yazadan (God). Another name of
Persian origin is Parsifal or Persival which means destiny
in Farsi. Parsifals half brother, Feirefiz, is also of Persian
origin and his father named Ghamuret, could have been
from Gaymart, the first man who appears in the Avets,
(Persian text teaching purity of body and mind).
Flegetanis was a Persian astrologer whose name means
familiar with the stars and the word Gohar could
resemble Grail, playing on the Castilian Grial, in
Farsi crial-copa means precious stone.

This sect took from Zoroasterism, Islam and Judaism,

and its principal deity was Melek Taus, the peacock
angel that refused due to his pride, to kneel before Adam
and for this, was turned into Lucifer. The story of Melek
Taus is the basis for The Fisher King, who is also a
victim of his pride and condemned to live wearing a hat
adorned with peacock feathers, in the castle of the Grail.
The practice of the rope beneath a Templars garments
could have been inspired by the red and black cord
worn around the neck by the Yazidis. The Yazidis had an
angel inspired cult, with veneration towards a deity that
was represented by a sword plunged into the ground
that could quite possibly have been the inspiration for
Arthurs Excalibur in the stone.

In the book, From Scythia to Camelot, (10), the authors

sustain the the Arthurian cycle and tie Grail, are of Scythian
origin, product of migrations that came to Europe. For
them there is no doubt that Parsifal is an adaptation of
the Iranian song of glorious feats Barzu-Name and
Montsalvat, is nothing else but Sal-Wadshe, a sacred
Persian site. If this is so, the feats began in 1200 BC and
ended reaching Toledo via Arab hands and from there it
passed to Mainz where it becomes known to Wolfram
Von Eschenbach. He mair6s it quite clear that the lineage
of the guardians of the Grail springs from the joining of
families from the east and the west.

Jean Vernet, author of What Europe owes to Spanish

Islam, says the following:

The esoteric teachings of Ismaelism would have

been made clear via the explanation of the Quranic
versicles (24, 35/35 and 23 20/20), which would have
influenced the theme of murals in the primitive churches
in the Pyrenees and would also have been the cause of
the filtering of some ideas and arabisms in the Conte
du Graal de Chretien, de Troyes , and in Wolfram Von
Eschenbachs Parsifal.
THE GRAIL AND ISLAM
The Persian heritage of the Holy Grail came from Sufists
and from them to the Temple friars, we find it in the very
origin of The Fisher King, that Parsifal states is descended
from Mazadan, Persian name linked to Mazda (Ahura
Mazda) the great Persian di Another of these eastern
chalices is one called Jami-Jamshid or cup of Jamshid,
which was made of turquoise and held the nectar of life,
it could forecast the future and make a human immortal.

Arthur Edward Waite, speaks to us of the Sumerian

Grail, a fragment of which was brought to the University
of Pennsylvania by Dr. Waddell, it was discovered in the
oldest Temple of the Sun in Mesopotamia where it was
hidden by King Udu de Kish, king of the hidden vessel,

he was the great grandson of the first Sumerian king Dur,

who stole the chalice from the Chaldean aborigines
who worshipped the serpent.when he substituted
the serpentine cult with a solar one, he engraved its
genealogy on the vessel.

about al-Khadirf King of the World, the Green Man, the

priest king Melquisedec. Experiencing al-Khadir was
reached through hashish and in time, Juan G. Atienza
connected the possible use of the funeral Lanterns as
the inspiration for the shape of the octagonal temples for
Islamic initiations.
After the Khadir enigma, we find the word Khadar,
palm tree. The palm tree symbolizes the Baraka or vital
force for Arabs and that very root, khdr is related to
the khudrat, the sea, or water of life. According to the
Sufi Idris Shah, the Noble Order of the Vessel was a
copy of the Order of Saint Khadir, of the Middle East,
in his manifestation as Akhadar, the spirit of knighthood.
For Shah, there was no doubt, the Order of Khadir, was
the Order of the Guardians of the Holy Grail that were
overseen by the Sufis, who divided groups of 13 participants called Halkas. The red cross with the pointed
star of the Order of the Vessel even copied this symbol
from the Order of Khadir.

El Khadir, was the initiator, as the incarnation of the life

force and he kept the secret of the awakening of the
Kundalini (represented as Naga, the Cobra coiled and
slumbering within man) Khadir, in the human body,
symbolizes the power of Kundalini, the energy that
ascends through our spine via two serpents or currents
Of the Grail, it is said to reside in the octagonal Temple, represented by the Caduceus
and in Islam, 8 is an alchemistic number that represents It was through contact with with Hindu masters that
enlightenment and the joining of heaven and earth and the Sufis came to know the text that Epiphaneus quotes
is represented 14 the cube and the Kaaba, in which from in Great Questions of Mary, where it says that
Shah incorporated within its structure, 31 rows of Jesus and Mary practiced Tantra. The transmission of
stone and wood, to later add two more that symbolize the Baraka, could be done by touch, mantra, a kiss or just
heaven and earth. Thus they became 33, the number of by thought.
enlightenment.
The Sufis were able to transmit the Baraka (Kundalini)
One of the more interesting Islamic legends is the one that in water or bread that had been blessed and perhaps
speaks of paradise possibly being in another dimension. through the secret of transmission, arose the black legend
Besides the Kaaba, Muslims have another sacred of the Templars kisses that were but another form of
octagon and that is called evan ha shettiya or Dome opening the Chakra of neophytes. Once the Kundalini
of the Rock, the fundamental stone. Upon that rock, had ascended, the Templar was a human Grail.
Abraham attempted to sacrifice Isaac and it is the spot
where Mohammed ascended into heaven.
This place belonged to the Templars, who were initiated
by Sufis into its clues. According to them this place
iathe spiritual center of the earth, it is the axis mundi
par excellence,it is a ladderto transcend into divinity and
this place was used by Solomon as the foundation stone
of the Temple.
The alchemistic value of this place as a spot of universal
polarity was known to Caliph Abd al-Malik who
constructed the octagonal dome so as to intensify its
power. The Sufi monks who initiated the Templars in
the mysteries of the colors and symbols of the Dome,
belonged to a construction lodge called Al-Banna, (11)
after being initiated by them, the Templars built octagonal
churches in certain places. This lodge also spoke to them

THE GRAIL IN TOLEDO

possesses.Ahe gift of scribing, since from Mercurys

heaven (al-Katib) is from where orators and writers draw
inspiration, while poets get it from spiritual influences
from Venus (Zahrah). The Abdal, are connoisseurs of
what Allah has placed in the planets concerning the
order of things and secrets, to know ylof,jits movements
and positions in the celestial continuance. (12)

Neither Wolfram, Christian of Troyes nor Robert of

Boron presume that their tale is original, they affirm to not
having invented anything but only faithfully transcribed
what was found in a book; The Grail is the sign of
this Mystery transmitted in secrecy from the depths of
the ages, thus, we understand that they are refertIng to
no particular authority, but more to a unique teaching Felek-Thani, whose author we are told was a prophet,
and transmitted through all revealed traditions, the three astronomer and of Christic leanings, was partial to the
heirs of the great Abrahamic tradition.
bull, one of the four living creatures that support the
Throne of God, or the pillars of the world. This is to
Kyot, the well known teacher, discovered among some
sat that its knowledge rests upon Aisas heart. Ibn Arabi,
neglected manuscripts he found in Toledo, the tale of
speaks of Who caused the wisdoms to descend upon

this adventure written in Arabic script...where it tells

of a Pagan (Arab) named Flegetanis acquired great
renown for his wisdom. This great physicist (expert
on cosmological sciences) was of Solomons lineage:
his parents were part of a family in Israel that went
back many_ centuries...he is the one who penned the
adventure of the Grail. Flegetanis was born of an Arab
father...studying constellations, he discovered profound
mysteries of which he spoke only as he trembled. He
said that an object called a Grail existed.He clearly read
its name in the stars. A host of angels had deposited it
on earth, and afterwards they flew beyond the stars...
since that time, its care was entrusted to some men that
`anverted to Christianity through baptism and are as
pure as angels.

the hearts of the prophets, who are as celestial stones

that carry the traces of divine royalty, and who have
descended to settle upon the human condition and to
inditate the corresponding cycles. The Lapis Exilit,
the stone in exile of which Parsifal speaks, seen from
the texts of Ibn Arabi, would be the seal of universal
sanctity (Khatmul-wilaygtiammah) who is none other
than Aisa, Jesus.

The ones called to guard the Grail were always men of

great virtue. Thus Flegetanis expressed himself. Then
Kyot, the wise teacher, searched in the Latin books as
to where there could have lived a people pure enough
and with a propensity towards living ilife of voluntary
renouncement, so as to become a guardian of the GrailHe read the Chronicles of the kingdoms of Britain,
France, Ireland and many others until he found what he
was seeking in Anjou...
Of an Arab father, and of Solomons lineage, he speaks to
us of his dependence on prophetic wisdom, or esoteric,
since the wise Solomon, is venerated in Islam as a great
prophet, and his esoterism is considered the prototype
of a spiritual path linked to the sciences of cosmic order,
the ones studies by a physicist, just as explained by
Eschenbach in his text. Solomon is the builder of the
Temple, to which the builderand the Militia Templi are
bound. There are so many historians that speak of an
Arab book that is behind Flegetanis enlightenment, the
book is called Felek-Thani. This book holds a secret
teaching, linked to the second sphere or second
planetary heaven which is agreed upon by the Abdal
(reclusives).

The stone whose name Flegetanis read in the stars.

This stone is guarded by a celestial knighthood, unknown
to the west albeit Christian, whose esoteric ties with
Islam, are achieved with Kyots journey to Toledo.

And curiously enough, although Wolfram Von

Eschenbach, cites the protagonists with French names,
The Abdal, were only seven, so says Ibn Arabi. For the places that are recognizable in the poem are in Spain.
them, Allah watches over the seven earthly clines, to
In Titurel, Wolfram, tells us that he is an ancestor of
which the planetary heaven corresponds.
Parsifal who is originally from Asia, and who converts to
The second sphere is Mercury, and the pole of this heaven Christianity, and that during Vespasians reign, he settles
is Aisa (jesus Christ). The Badal that rules this sphere in north east Spain.

But let us retake Toledo and one of the places linked

to the Temple, the Church of St. Michael, which was
once an ancient mosque. There in the radiant octagon
according to the best experts in these matters, we have
an octagon and a baptismal font...who knows if it is
perhaps the grailic cup.

Herodotus, the historian Abul Hassan-al-Mas-Udi, born in 871,

who calls them Falasifa or, philosophers and recalls that they
had erected temples to honor intellectual substances (the Temple
of the First Cause and the Temple of Reason, among others) and the
facade of their meeting place bore a phrase by Plato in Syrian. This
curious philosophic ethnicity, a residual of native Helenization of
Mesopotamia. The cultured minorities of Harran played a decisive
role in that labor of translation and adaptation of Greek philosophy
that would later centralize al-Mamun in the Schobl of Wisdom of
Baghdad. But its intervention was not that of a simple stevedore of
the knowledge of others. Abed Yastri insists upon the geographic
and political fracture between two models or schools unequally
fertile: one eastern that, breaking with the original rationality of
Al-Kindi and Al-Farabi, would end up imposing with Avicenne, a
spiritualist and gnostic thoughrof Harrani and Persian inspiration;
and another western, located in Al-Andalus thatuwotid pave the
way for the development of science, independent of religion and
that, after Abentufail and Avempace, would find its expression
more structured and complete in Averroes. Abed Yabris conclusion
cannot be more provocative: After Averroes, and upon having the
Avicennian moment introduced to Islam by Algazel and precisely
because we clung to it, we Arabs have condemned ourselves to
living outside outside of history, while the Europeans were applying
themselves to living history precisely by having taken from us the
Averroism and living that moment.-
-
(3)ALMAZAN DE GRACIA, Angel, Esoterismo Templario
(Templar Esoterism) Sotabur Editions, Soria, 2003, pp. 48

(4)FRANZIUS, Enno, The History of the Order of Assassins, Funk

& Wagnalls, New York, 1969
(5)GUENON, Rene, Discourse of the Initiation, found on the
internet.
(6)The Ribat, according to Alain Demuger: Is a religious and
military center, fortified, installed on the frontiers of the Muslim
world. Service is voluntary and secular, it constitutes an_act of
devotion and is considered as an aspect of the duty of Jihad. Ribats
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND FOOTNOTES
were numerous in Spain....} A diffusion of characteristics of the
was produced during the formation of the military orders and
(1)Juan Garcia Atienza, La Meta Secreta de los Templarios (The Ribat
especially during the appearance of the Templars in Spain.

Secret Goals of the Templars) Martinez Roca Editions, Barcelona,

2000, pp12
(7)WASSERMAN, James, The Templar and the Assassins : The
Miitia of Heaven, Inner Traditions, Rochester, 2001

(2)The Quran, sacred book of Islam, mentions the Sabeans along

with Jews and Christians, as monotheists protected by divine (8)In 1925, a rebellion of Drusians in Damascus caused France to
evacuate the city.
tolerance and worthy of salvation. Who are these Sabeans?
They can be described as gnostics, but one can also associate
them with the emotional history of the ancient city of Harran, in
r10rt northern Mesopotamia, near present day Mossul. Surrendered
with-u out resistance in the first years of the Arab conquest, scarcely
70 years later a mosque was built there and two centuries after the
Mohammedan era, its inhabitants were still not Islamicized, and still
faithful to their own cults and customs.. But, what were their beliefs,
what did they worship, these !,!sagesof Harran? The so called Arab

(9)MALL() SALGADO, Felipe, Vocabularios de Historia Arabe e

Is1Smica, Akal Editions, Madrid, 1996
(10)LITTLE & MALCOR, From Scythia to Camelot, Garland,
N.Y.1994
(11)SHAH, Idris, The Sufis, Anchor Books, N.Y., 1964

(12)BN ARABI, Muhyddin, Los Engarces de la Sabiduria (The

Connections of Wisdom)

Maria de las Mercedes Izquierdo

Graduated in Art History at the UCLM.
Master in Management of tourist destinations.
Project Director Toledo bridge between cultures
Guide Toledo Templar and director of the project Between
the Cross and the sword.

I nvestiture of the P riory St. M artin de P orres

of

F lorida

OSMTJ-USA .

Conducted by Pryor Augusto Len-Braga

The South Florida Priory was formed on February 28th of the current year, as the Commandery of St. Martin de
Porres. Initially, it consisted of just two people, this writer and Brother Sergeant Daniel Torres, better known as
Danny, and myself as Knight Commander.
Since that time we immersed ourselves in the search
for new brothers and sisters, who unaware of their
destiny, felt a calling to the Temple. Finally, this
past November 1st, we held our first investiture in
a private room of the Double Tree Hilton Hotel in
Tampa Bay, Florida.
Ordained and elevated to full knighthood were.
Luis Antonio Coln-Arce and Dr. Mac Ivn
Rivera.
Ordained and appointed Knight Commander Jos
E. Vandervis, Commandery of St. Michael, Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
Ordained and appointed as Sergeants: Edna Tuiran Correa, Brian Olejniczak and Maurizzio Len-Braga.
As Companion at Arms : Elizabeth Malpartida and Alicia Daz.
Sergeant Danny Torres appointed as Knight Commander, Commandery of St. Lazarus-Tampa.
My humble self elevated to Prior, Commandery of St. Martin de
Porres of South Florida by gracious authority of Timothy Bryant
Jones, Grand Prior USA.
On November 25th we celebrated in the United States, the feast
of Thanksgiving and we carried out an activity that was conceived,
planned and directed by newly appointed Sergeant Maurizzio LenBraga.
This activity consisted of providing 100 Thanksgiving dinners to
those in need within the community, participants in this activity were:
Samira Otero,

Priory sergeants Maurizzio Len-Braga and Edna Tuiran, novice

Commander Danny Torres, two friends of Maurizzio and myself.

We have planned for each Commandery a minimum of one activity per month, and the Priory will help in any way it can in
these activities. We have also established a used clothing bank, which in case of a natural disaster, will be turned over

to the Red Cross or whatever entity is in charge of such aid.

Next Monday which is December 7th, we will celebrate our
second investiture in the Church of St. Barbara in South West
Miami.
His Excellency, Bishop Erick Frank Martnez, Pastor of
the Church of St. Barbara, will be invested and installed as
Priory Chaplain.
Sergio Gonzlez will be invested and appointed Commander of
the St. Barbara Commandery of Miami. Jeans Paladino is to
be invested and appointed as Sergeant. The Right Rev. Ciro de
Jess Alberne and the Right Rev. Jos M. Rivera Lpez,
both of the Church of St. Barbara and Esteban Reyes as
Companions at Arms.
At present we have several candidates for the investiture of April 2016. They are:
Rick La Pier, Mark Mora, Donald Kropp, Michael Vrana, Gary Revelt, Mike McCorristin, Rick Payne, Henry
Murphy, Robert B.J. Jackson, Justin Sanderson, and Samira Otero.
A total of 27 members between Prior, Commanders, Sergeants,
Knights, Companions at Arms and novices.
I feel that the present moment is of the greatest importance to the
Temple on a global level. The teachings of the Temple founders
are alive and vibrant at this crucial time in history.
In our Priory it is as critical to recruit as it is to act, this is
a mission for each and every one of us. Recruit and spread the
Templar philosophy, of practicing the teachings of
Jesus Christ and following through
Augusto Len-Braga, ESQ.
Prior OSMTJ-USA
The Knights Templar
Priory of Florida
International Coordinator of I.T.A.
International Templar Assembly

with same.

Photo Gallery

Translators Team
Luis Antonio Coln Arce

New Jersey USA

University of Santiago
BA History
University of Naples
Studied local art history and architecture.
Member of the Scientific Committee of the Grail

Maria de los Angeles Len Santiago

Valencia SPAIN

PhD in chemistry from the University of South , Argentina

Professor of chemistry and physics in middle education
Templar lady, Sovereign Brotherhood ladies and Gentlemen of
the Temple. OSMTJ. SPAIN.

Posting
Rules

The

Grail

The Grail is an electronic magazine that offers all historians and scholars
of Temple; a place to share information and disseminate their work
It is a result of everyone as an effort to spread the history of the Order in
all areas of the culture in which it was engaged and formed an active partThe content, of the Grail magazine, will be about the history of the Templars knights in the Middle Age, even to this day; as well as architecture,
art, symbolism, theology and economics.

A)

Sending work

D)

Previous evaluation of the submitted material

The author must submit to the direction of the magazine THE GRAIL your
text or original material (which, in turn, it will be sent to the scientific committee ), in word document. The work will be owned and published in its original format.
B) The works will have a length of five or six pages, in Times New Roman 12, spacing 1.5; the images will be free of copyright, and the right to
privacity will be respected if you include photos of people outside; in which
case there will be proper authorization.
C) The pictures will be numbered in jpg and in separate files. The texts
sent, are entirely the responsibility of the authors. In each collaboration shall
contain the name of the author or authors; the institution or the workplace
and address electronica. Sending of originals for evaluation and publication
implies acceptance of these conditions and its possible subsequent
diffusion in different media, provided the evidence of the authorship
of each article is maintained. The text should include footnotes
page and the corresponding bibliography at the end of work.
Upon receipt of the material, the editorial team checks that
all formal characteristics required are met. If not met,
the authors are communicated. Then articles are
evaluated by the Scientific Committee. Once received
both tests, if they are positive, the articles are
accepted for publication.

Fuensanta Santos.
Director.

Sovereign Brotherhood of Dames and Knights of The Temple

OSMTJ-SPAIN