Trials of the Knights Templar
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The downfall of the Knights Templar was initiated by King Philip IV of France. Philip, who was heavily in debt due to his lavish policies and military endeavours, saw the Templars as a way of alleviating his financial hardship and at the same time eliminating a powerful rival. In addition, the Templars were difficult to control by secular authorities due to their international networks and their special rights, which placed them directly under the Church, which Philip perceived as a threat. At the same time, Philip had been embroiled in a bitter conflict with Pope Boniface VIII over the question of the division of power between the Church and the Crown. After Boniface's death and the election of the French Pope Clement V, Philip saw his opportunity to further extend his control over ecclesiastical affairs.
On Friday 13 October 1307, Philip had numerous Templars arrested in France, including the Grand Master Jacques de Molay. The arrests came as a surprise and took place simultaneously, which was made possible by careful planning. The Templars were accused of serious offences, including heresy, blasphemy, idolatry, homosexual practices and financial corruption. These accusations were most likely contrived to mobilise public opinion against the order and secure ecclesiastical approval for its actions.
Pope Clement V was initially reluctant to take action against the Templars, as they were directly subordinate to the Church and had been loyal for centuries. However, under the strong influence of Philip IV and his threats, Clement felt compelled to act. In November 1307, he issued the papal bull Pastoralis praeeminentiae, which ordered the arrest of the Templars throughout Europe. In the following years, ecclesiastical and royal investigations took place in various countries to examine the accusations against the order. While some countries, such as England and Portugal, treated the Templars less harshly, the procedure in France was particularly rigorous, as Philip had control over the trials there.
In 1312, the Order of the Knights Templar was finally officially dissolved by the papal bull Vox in excelso. This decision was made during the Council of Vienne, where the accusations against the Templars were discussed. Although many of the accusations could not be clearly proven, Clement decided in favour of Philip and dissolved the order for political reasons in order to end the conflict with the French king. The Templars' enormous fortune was officially transferred to the Order of St. John, but much of it ended up in the hands of secular rulers, particularly in France.