1909 Denver Commandery No. 25 

Knights Templar Portrait Plate

"March through the Desert"

A popular portrait plate theme especially with the Knight Templars is the origin of their Order in the Crusades of the Middle Ages.   This plate was made for the Colorado State Conclave in Boulder on September 24 and 25, 1909 by the Knowles, Taylor & Knowles Co, Ramona.  It measures 8 1/4 inches in diameter.

Brief History of the Knights Templar

Shortly after the start of the twelfth century, a French knight named Hugh de Payens approached St. Bernard, then serving as Abbot of Clairvaux, France, for help in promoting an order of knights he had just organized. The project grew from de Payens’s grand vision of leading an armed force to patrol the road from Joppa to Jerusalem.

In those days, many pilgrims made a heroic effort traveling to the Holy Land, only to die of thirst or fall prey to bandits on the last 50 kilometers of the journey.  Hugh de Payens saw the need for protection on that final, short leg of the pilgrimage, but he had only a handful of followers and no financial resources. To make his plan work, he needed official recognition from the church, money for munitions and supplies, and new recruits. To secure all these, he needed help from high places.

That’s where Abbot Bernard came in.  When the issue was presented to him, he welcomed its challenge.  As one of the most influential men in the church, he could now have the vicarious pleasure of sponsoring a band of knights.  So he gave de Payens his complete support, using his eloquence to its fullest in arguing the knight’s case to the church hierarchy.  They naturally gave weight to Bernard’s words. The cause that he brought to their attention was certainly a righteous one, and his eloquent presentation spurred them to act quickly.

The new Order, now universally known as the Knights Templar, became one of the most famous organizations in the world.  It held sway in both church and military circles for nearly 200 years. Even now, centuries after its demise, it remains a centerpiece in the romance of the Crusades.

The details of the Templars’ story, their heroism, and piety, later tainted by pride and corruption; their glorious rise and tragic fall; and the epic struggles that spanned their career—dramatically combine the best and worst of the human condition. 

This story of the Knight Templar origin is told well in the book titled "Born in Blood" by Brother John Robinson. 

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