THE SCENE: In the passage below, Walter Map provides a brief history of the foundation of the society of warrior-monks known as the Templars.
THE TEXT: There was a certain knight called Paganus who went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. There he was told that at the horse-pool not far outside the city the pagans were in the habit of attacking the Christians who went there for water, and that the latter were often slain by the liers in wait. This excited his pity: in his zeal for righteousness he tried, so far as he had opportunity, to defend them, and often darting out from his concealmen at the nick of time to help them, he slew many of the enemy. The Saracens were amazed, and encamped on the spot in such numbers that no one could dream of facing them, so that the reservoir had to be abandoned.
But Paganus, who was no coward and was not easily beaten, thought out and procured a means from the Regular Canons for the Temple that a large hall within the precinct of the Temple of the Lord should be assigned to him, and there, sufficing himself with humble attire and spare diet, he devoted all his expenditure to arming and horsing a band of companions. By persuasion, prayer and every means in his power, he induced all such pilgrims as were men of arms either to surrender themselves for life to the service of the Lord in that place, or at least to devote themselves for a time.
Later on, kings and princes came to think that the object of the Order was good and its way of life honourable, and by the help of popes and patriarchs honoured them as the defenders of Christendom and loaded them with immense wealth.
– De Nugis Curialium, Walter Map, 12th Century AD
[Image Credit: Jerusalem by Jason Askey]
