Officially endorsed by the Roman Catholic Church around 1129, the Order became a favoured charity throughout Christendom and grew rapidly in membership and power. Templar knights, in their distinctive white mantles with a red cross, were among the most skilled fighting units of the Crusades. Non-combatant members of the Order managed a large economic infrastructure throughout Christendom, innovating financial techniques that were an early form of banking, and building fortifications across Europe and the Holy Land.
The Templars' existence was tied closely to the Crusades; when the Holy Land was lost, support for the Order faded. Rumours about the Templars' secret initiation ceremony created mistrust and King Philip IV of France, deeply in debt to the Order, took advantage of the situation. In 1307, many of the Order's members in France were arrested, tortured into giving false confessions, and then burned at the stake. Under pressure from King Philip, Pope Clement V disbanded the Order in 1312. The abrupt disappearance of a major part of the European infrastructure gave rise to speculation and legends, which have kept the "Templar" name alive into the modern day. (Wikipedia)
[EST]
Templiordu ehk Templirüütlite ordu oli usulis-sõjaline rüütliordu, mis eksisteeris 1118 aastast kuni 1307 aastani. Selle ordu rüütleid nimetati Templirüütliteks. Ordu asutati Palestiinas.
Templirüütlitele iseloomulikke otsast laienevate haaradega võrdhaarseid riste on Eesti kirikud ja kirikuaiad täis. Templirüütlite rist oli ka Saksa ordu rist, kuid kohalikus kontekstis siiski eelkõige Kristuse sõjateenistuse vendade rist. Templirüütleid kutsuti Kristuse rüütliteks, kohalikke Kristuse sõjateenistuse vendi Jumala rüütliteks. Templirüütlid, keda tunti peamiselt valgete mantlite järgi, millele kantud punane rist, olid kõige osavamad ja paremini varustatud ristisõdalased. Templirüütlid läksid pärast viimase suurmeistri Jacques de Molay tulesurma 1314 põranda alla ja ühinesid teiste ordudega, sh Saksa orduga.