Rosslyn Chapel, the little church in Scotland that featured in the Da Vinci Code, is oftentimes represented as a link relating to the Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon (Templars, for short) and the Freemasonic Order.
The Knights Templars
The Knights of the Temple had been better known as Knights Templar, the Templars or to give them their full name, the Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon. Their particular tale starts during the Crusades, they were created as an order that turned out to be just about the most important and wealthy bodies in Europe following the Church of Rome. These people were granted the legal right to combat and spill blood in the name of the Church. These people ended up warrior monks that have tight ties to the Cistercian monastic order. These people had been a fierce fighting armed service, held with regard even by their own enemy the Islamic Assassins. Today however, many people view them in a more interesting way, thinking them to be the owners of a
fantastic secret.
For two centuries the Knights Templar kept the sway of strength all through Europe and Outremer (the Holy Land), but abruptly and swiftly were suppressed on charges of blasphemy, obscenity and heresy. The order to curb the Templars came from Philip IV (le Bel/Fair) whom told his soldiers to arrest each and every knight in France on Friday 13th October 1307. Following similar arrests across Europe, the Pope chose to eradicate the Knights Templar in 1312. A couple of years later, Jacques de Molay, the very last Templar Grand Master, was burnt on the stake in Paris.
There are numerous suggestions that the Knights Templar persisted to function clandestinely. At that time Scotland had been excommunicated and so became a safe haven for any fleeing Templars since it lay outside the order of the Pope.
The Templars,
Rosslyn Chapel and Freemasonry
Some people declare that Freemasonry is continuing in the customs of the Templars. This specific notion was first marketed by the Catholic Church, not Freemasonry. This was stated by Pope Clement XII in 1738 who declared Freemasonry an extension of the Knights Templar, who had been judged heretical 400 years before.
While viewed by many as fantastic, in more recent times evidence has come to light that does propose a continuation and that it took place Scotland. Several books have suggested that the traditions of Freemasonry evolved from the Templars and even more offer evidence for their escape to Scotland.
Rosslyn Chapel thus features prominently in this theory.
Hugues de Payens, one of if not the first Templar, married into the St Clair family plus it was the St Clairs who had been responsible for the construction of Rosslyn Chapel. Is it feasible that when the Templars fled to the excommunicated Scotland, they went directly to their relations, however remote, and asked the St Clairs of Roslin/Rosslyn for help? Perhaps as a sign of gratitude they may even have shared some of their secrets or wealth and maybe become based there as
Rosslyn Chapel Templars or Freemasons.
Carvings that illustrate symbols common with Templar seals can be located throughout Rosslyn, such as the Lamb of God (Agnus Dei). This seemed to be used to symbolize St John the Baptist. In addition the famous Templar symbol that shows 2 knights riding only one horse can also be found within the stonework of Rosslyn.
The St Clair/Sinclair cross that can be found throughout
Rosslyn Chapel has the Templar cross at its center. This is sometimes known as an Engrailed Cross. There is even a carved gravestone for Sir William de Sinncler that was relocated inside the chapel from the site of an earlier church at the present graveyard. The 2 main hypotheses are that this is the gravestone of either the 3rd Baron who fought at Bannockburn in 1314, or the Sir William who died while attempting to take King Robert the Bruces heart to the Holy Land in 1330. The gravestone represents a sword and floriated cross, often found on suggested Templar graves, yet what tends to make this even more interesting is that both of the candidates for the stone passed away after the order of
Knights Templar have been abolished.
