"Since their dissolution following accusations of heresy in the 14th Century, the Knights Templar have been associated with some of the most mysterious and intriguing legends in history. Stories of secret treasure and hidden agendas are told, with many theorists believing that the Templars hid themselves and their treasure after their suppression and carried on as a secret organisation. Scotland’s link with the Templar mysteries is through Rosslyn Chapel in the village of Roslin near Edinburgh. Even though the chapel was built over a century after the formal suppression of the order, many believe that the ornate carvings in the chapel hold the key to the secrets of the Templars, and that Rosslyn may hold some of the Templars’ fabled treasure, said variously to include the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy Grail, lost teachings of Jesus or even the mummified head of Christ.
Rosslyn Chapel was founded in 1446 by Sir William St Clair. Although the original plans for Rosslyn have not been found, it is thought that the chapel was originally intended to be part of a larger building, with the existing chapel intended to form the choir in a larger nave. The Chapel is famous for its striking and unusual carvings, which depict Christian imagery such as angels and devils along with icons associated with the pre Christian era, such as the Green Man. In his 1812 book 'Architectural Antiquities of Britain' John Britton wrote, that Rosslyn’s "variety and eccentricity are not to be defined by any words of common acceptation". The carvings undoubtedly add to the mystery of Rosslyn, but how did the church become associated with the Knights Templar? In order to appreciate the legends behind Rosslyn, we need to examine the story of the Templars and the legends and rumours surrounding their demise.
The Knights Templar were formed after the First Crusade to protect pilgrims in the Holy Land. On Christmas day 1119, nine knights took vows of poverty and chastity and obedience in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The knights included Hugh of Payns who had originally proposed the formation of a community of knights living under a religious Rule to protect travellers. They called themselves ‘The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Jesus Christ’ and resided in a room in the al-Aqsa mosque, known as the Temple of Solomon and hence came to be known as ‘The Knights of the Temple’ or Templars.
The Temple was awarded land all over Europe. The Templars were also given various privileges by secular and ecclesiastical rulers exempting them from various taxes and contributing to the growing wealth and power of the order. From 1139, the Templars were answerable only to the Pope, and not to any intermediary. They were trusted by nobles and Kings to provide counsel and to protect riches and treasure and also lent money, often to royalty. Paris Temple became a key European financial centre. Despite the high esteem in which they were held by many, the wealth and power of the Templars led to envy and resentment from many quarters, and the secrecy surrounding the order bred suspicion.
In 1307, Philip the Fair of France ordered the arrest of the Knights Templar in France after allegations of heresy and impropriety. His motives are likely to have been primarily financial. Philip had proposed a merger between the Templars and a rival order, the Hospitallers, which he would command and pass on the leadership to one of his sons. This move was opposed by the Templars, who were not keen to cede either their power or their money. The accusations of blasphemy against the Templars gave Philip a chance to act. Once arrested, the Templars were tortured, and nearly all confessed to a series of allegations including denying Christ, sodomy, and the worship of a demon called Baphomet. Philip persuaded the Pope to issue orders to arrest all members of the order, not just those in France. In 1312, the order was formally dissolved by the Pope. Although most of the Templars who had confessed and repented were pardoned, several retracted their confessions, including the Grand Master, Jacques de Molay. These relapsi were handed over to the secular authorities, and burned at the stake.
It is at this point that students of Templar history divide. In one camp are the traditional academics who conclude, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, that the order was successfully suppressed. On the other, there are those who believe that the order persisted as an underground organisation after 1312. A number of books have been written which offer a number of speculations on the fate of the Templars after this date, their treasure, and the nature of the secret knowledge that they might have guarded. There are several different theories, but many believe that the Templars’ mission to protect travellers in the Holy Land was a smokescreen, and their real purpose was to uncover the secrets of Solomon’s Temple. These secrets were subsequently discovered by the Templars and kept safely until the time of their arrest, when they were moved and hidden in a secret location for safekeeping.
The legend of the lost treasure of the Templars has its origin in documentary evidence from the trial. John of Châlons, a Templar sergeant, giving evidence at the trial, said that Gérard of Villiers had been tipped off about the arrests and managed to escape with eighteen galleys which he filled with Templar treasure. Throughout the centuries, several assertions regarding the destination of the fleet have been made. One of the first to link the Templar fleet to Scotland was in the 18th Century, when a Scottish exile in Germany, George Frederick Johnson, said that the Templars had sailed to Scotland. Later, one of his followers said that they landed on the Isle of Mull. Other writers have suggested that following the formal suppression of the Order in 1312, Templars fled to Scotland where they were welcomed by Robert the Bruce. These fugitive Templars are said to have aided the Scots at Bannockburn and found refuge at Rosslyn, where they hid their treasure.
Is there any truth behind these claims? The legend that the Templars fought at Bannockburn is a popular one and has been repeated so often that many consider it to be an established fact. However, historians agree that there is no evidence confirming the Templars’ participation in the battle. The source of the story comes from reports that the English were winning until an unknown force joined the Scottish side and forced the English to retreat. The unknown force is said to have been made up of the exiled Templars. Those who believe in the story have argued that there is no written evidence to support their claims because written records were later destroyed. However, sceptics argue that the story of the Templars at Bannockburn is a romantic myth, and goes back no further than the late 20th Century.
It is important to remember when considering the story of the fugitive Templars, that there had been a Templar presence in Scotland since David I granted the order lands. Temple in Midlothian was the main Scottish House of the Templars. Those who believe that the Templars fled to Rosslyn argue that the proximity of Temple to Rosslyn adds weight to their claims. It is possible that some Templars managed to escape arrest in France and fled the country. However, many of the Knights in France offered little or no resistance to their arrest, a fact that has been the source of much speculation to historians. One suggestion is that the Knights in France were the older members of the order who were essentially administrators. Indeed, in Cyprus, where many of the younger Templars in active service were stationed, there was resistance to the arrests and fighting took place. Others have seen a deeper motive to the Templars’ apparent willingness to give themselves up in France- they were sacrificing themselves to protect their secret. In any case, the majority of the order in France were captured, and the number of escapees is likely to have been small.
What about Templar links with Rosslyn? Many authoritative reports acknowledge that the Templars built Rosslyn, despite the order having been suppressed nearly two centuries earlier. The stories go that the Sinclair family were involved with Templarism, and Sir William Sinclair, using principles of sacred geometry, based the construction of Rosslyn on the Temple of Solomon.
Several of the carvings in the chapel are thought to have Templar connections, and there are Templar graves in the chapel. Some writers believe that the carvings form a secret message, which, if decoded, would reveal the Templar secrets. However, sceptics argue that a lot of the ‘Templar’ symbolism has been misinterpreted. Many of the symbols are biblical in origin, and are not necessarily proof of a Templar connection. As to the Templar graves, again, it is argued that the heraldic symbols on the stones have been misidentified as Templar.
The connection between the St Clairs and the Templars is also disputed by many. A Catherine St Clair is said to have married the founder of the Knights Templar, Hugh de Payens, and Hugh is said to have met with the family in Scotland. Hugh de Payens did embark upon a tour of Europe shortly after the establishment of the Templars, and did visit Scotland. The purpose of the trip was to raise money and support for the Temple, and the Templars were granted land by King David I, but there is no evidence that he met anyone connected to the St Clair family. As to a marriage with Catherine St Clair, there is no evidence of any Catherine St Clair having existed, let alone having married. The only reference to Catherine and the marriages comes from the ‘Priory of Sion’ documents which are regarded by many historians to be part of an elaborate hoax.
Whatever the truth of the Templars’ involvement in Rosslyn, it is unlikely that the speculation will end. The success of books written on the Templar mysteries and the number of websites devoted to the order shows that the public have a huge interest in their fabled secrets. Rosslyn receives a large amount of attention because of the Templars and the secrets that the chapel may hold. However, as Dorothy Wordsworth remarked when she visited in 1807, the chapel is “exquisitely beautiful”, and it would be a great pity if the architectural merit of the building was overlooked, and only the Templar legends remembered."
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