who are the knights templar?

[raym]

are they those guys that belive in world dominationi need a breif summary abouth them please

[mwinslett]

Despite what you read in such books as the Da Vinci Code or find in movies like National Treasure, the Knights Templar are NOT interested in world domination. They don't even exist anymore as a group.Originally, the Knights Templar were a Catholic monastic order of European crusaders who were interested in protecting the pilgrimage routes from Europe to the Holy Land from marauding bands. They were based in the Al-Aqsah mosque, which Europeans believed, since it was on the Holy mount in Jerusalem, was the temple of Solomon from Antiquity. Hence the name. At any rate, they gradually grew until they were a fairly large group. They fought in numerous battles in the Crusades, including the Battle of Hattin (1189), when Saladin defeated the crusaders and was able to march in and take over Jerusalem. They also fought in the Reconquista in Spain.However, by the time that Acre (a city in modern-day Israel) fell in 1291, signifying the end of the Crusades, the Templars fell out of favor with the Church and Europeans in general. Their monastic rule was revoked, and they were branded as heretics and sodomists. Thus, they gradually ceased to exist.How they got this reputation of being this mysterious worldwide secret organization that was bent on worldwide domination is completely beyond me. Hope I answered your question. Cheers!