| The world is currently fixated on the international | | | | public recognized the special relationship they enjoyed |
| credit crisis and the role banking has played in this | | | | with the clerical hierarchy of the Church. |
| debacle. We take it for granted that commerce | | | | Many pilgrimage makers came to depend on the |
| flows quickly and accurately across borders and | | | | Knights Templar to hold their valuables in safekeeping |
| frontiers. A resident of Maine can purchase a tank of | | | | as they made the difficult journey. The order created |
| gas at home, or in Italy with the same credit card. | | | | secure safe storage facilities at strategic locations |
| The purchase will be accurately debited to their | | | | along the most used routes. They developed a type |
| account, their credit limit will be adjusted and the | | | | of written chit that verified that they held certain |
| merchant will receive an electronic transfer of the | | | | monies and valuables owned by the bearer. Upon |
| charge into their account almost simultaneously. This | | | | arrival in the Holy Land, the bearer could visit a |
| type of commerce happens many millions of times | | | | Knights Templar outpost, present their receipt and |
| each day and we take it's simplicity for granted. | | | | receive monies, bullion or goods in kind, the equivalent |
| The history of the rise of organized banking is a bit | | | | of that left behind in the order's care. |
| more plodding and evolves from a most unlikely | | | | This was the first form of bank cheque and was |
| source. Today our knowledge of the Knights Templar | | | | probably the earliest form of organized international |
| is garnered mostly from popular culture such as the | | | | banking. The system evolved as the Knights Templar |
| Indiana Jones movies. The history of this iconic | | | | gained vast new riches, even though they were still |
| fighting force, and their evolution into the first | | | | vowing to live a life of poverty. Previous to their |
| international commercial group of the middle ages is | | | | development of rudimentary banking products most |
| as amazing a tale as can be told in any fictional movie | | | | trade was accomplished by crude barter. They |
| or novel. | | | | became the richest entity in the world at that time |
| The Knights Templar was formed after the initial | | | | and began to suffer the increased scrutiny of their |
| Christian victory in the First Crusade to take | | | | historic protectors in the Catholic Church. |
| Jerusalem from the Muslims in 1099. Pilgrims from all | | | | By the 14th century, the church moved to disband |
| over the Christian world wanted to make the | | | | the Knights Templar and martyred many that were |
| pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the Holy Land. However, | | | | captured. The order became a secretive underground |
| travel at that time was exceedingly dangerous. The | | | | society and rumors of their activities and continued |
| Knights Templar was first organized as a monastic | | | | existence are legend to this day. The locations of the |
| order to protect the pilgrims as they traveled. They | | | | lost gold, silver, jewels, art and religious artifacts that |
| took a strict vow of poverty. | | | | the Knights Templar acquired and hoarded in their |
| Over the next 200 years the order flourished and | | | | many adventures is also the stuff of fables and lore. |
| developed into a renowned fighting force. With their | | | | The lost Holy Grail, and all of the fabulous tales |
| sturdy mounts, white hooded tunics displaying the | | | | attached to this famed relic from the Last Supper, is |
| Red Cross, and shiny armor, they lead the way into | | | | often connected to the Knights Templar. |
| numerous battles against the enemies of | | | | The commercial activity that the simple, novel |
| Christendom. The vow of poverty was strictly | | | | creation of a system for verifying bank guarantees is |
| enforced, but many royal and noble families delivered | | | | actually the Knights Templar's greatest contribution to |
| their sons to the Knights Templar to curry favor with | | | | mankind. This simple transactional device has proven |
| the Papacy of the Catholic Church. | | | | far more valuable historically than their military |
| The Knights Templar enjoyed favored status with | | | | conquests and reputation for living pious lives. It is |
| popes and archbishops from all over Europe and | | | | certainly not what they are best known for. But it is |
| North Africa, for their reverence, gallantry and | | | | an invention that has positively effected commerce |
| honesty. They were often rewarded with alms, | | | | and productivity to this very day. |
| farms, lands and livestock. Their power grew as the | | | | |