KNIGHTS TEMPLAR: Legacy in Switzerland, Portugal, and Scotland | |
Thor's Hamster (OP) User ID: 1248699 United States 10/05/2012 06:56 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Switzerland has always been a bit of an enigma. It's a loose confederation of various socioeconomic and language groups -- German, French, Italian, and Romansh. It's citizens are required to perform several years of military service and be armed. It's basically a country whose citizens double as a standing militia. Quoting: Thor's Hamster Switzerland is famous for being the seat of international banking (specifically Zurich), it's ferociously neutral, and it's curious flag. Let's examine the Knights Templar for a minute. The Knights Templar were formed in 1119 A.D. by 9 French knights, whose purpose was, ostensibly, to protect Christian pilgrims on the roads to the Holy Land. Nevermind that that seems an impossible task for merely 9 knights. Looking at a map of Europe, we see that at least some of those roads must've gone through Switzerland. So the Templars were became familiar with that area -- its rugged, mountainous, protected terrain, perfect for taking refuge. The Swiss flag is interesting. It's color are the exact opposite of the Knights Templar's tunics. The Templars wore white tunics with a red cross on it. The Swiss flag is a red flag with a white cross on it. And the Swiss flag is unique in that it's square, as opposed to the usual rectangular flags of other nations. Remember that the Templar legacy was passed down to the Freemasons. And the wisdom possessed by both esoteric groups harkened back to the building of King Solomon's Temple (by Hiram, the "master mason"). The "square" is a very important metaphoric symbol in western mysticism. It represents half of the symbol of the square and compasses that exists to this day in the fraternity of Freemasonry. Is the Swiss flag a uniquely square shape as a metaphor for the square of Hiram, the builder of King Solomon's Temple, the master mason? Another unique characteristic of Switzerland is its neutrality. The Knights Templar, too, were a neutral entity, not owing allegiance to any one nation, but rather to the Pope, who dominated the affairs of many nations. The Knights Templar were the first "international bankers" for lack of a better term. For example, if a Christian pilgrim from, let's say, France, wanted to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, but didn't want to take all his money with him on his travels (the roads were filled with bandits), he could go to the local Templar commandary, deposit his money there, receive a bill of credit to accompany him on his travels to the Holy Land. Then once in the Holy Land, he would present his bill of credit to the Templar commandery in the Holy Land, and receive his money there. Switzerland, too, is famous for its international banking and accounts. It's my contention that after King Philip IV's (of France) persecution of the Knights Templar on Friday October 13, 1307, some of the Knights Templar fled to Switzerland, a land and terrain and people they'd become familiar with over the last 2 centuries. Other Templars dispersed to Portugal (where they assimilated into the knights of the Order of Christ), and still others to Scotland, where they were taken in by Robert the Bruce in exchange for their aiding Robert against his enemies, which included the English in the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. The Templars had a large fleet of ships, used for trading and shipping men and supplies to and from the Holy Land. They regularly plied the waters of the Mediterranean, utilizing ports in southern France, Italy, Cyprus, Turkey, and elsewhere. Also, they plied the open ocean of the Atlantic. They main port on the Atlantic Ocean was at La Rochelle, France. Interestingly, after the surprise persecution of the Templars by King Philip IV of France on Friday October 13, 1307, the large and famous Templar fleet of ships "disappeared". There are no reliable accounts of exactly where, exactly, they went. But we can surmise Scotland and Portugal. Scotland I wrote about above. A fraction of the Templars going to Portugal where they blended in with the Order of Christ was interesting, because just over a century later, Portugal would become the most powerful and vast European maritime nation, sailing down Africa's immense western coastline, around Cape Horn, and all the way to India, in Europe's first maritime trade with that nation. Portuguese become renowned as great sailors. Prince Henry the Navigator started a "school" of navigators and map-makers in Portugal. One wonder why and how Portugal rose to such prominence. Not that it wouldn't have anyway, but the sea-faring Templars' influence couldn't have hurt. Also, the Templars erected at castle that still stands today (and can be visited as a wonderful tourist attraction) in Tomar, Portugal. Apollo astronauts couldn't have passed through Van Allen's Belt. Van Allen wore suspenders. |
Thor's Hamster (OP) User ID: 1248699 United States 10/05/2012 06:58 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | I think the main places the Templars moved to following their persecution in France in 1307, were Switzerland, Portugal, and Scotland. Each nation has a rich heritage/legacy of Templar-related activities, explorations, and symbolism. Apollo astronauts couldn't have passed through Van Allen's Belt. Van Allen wore suspenders. |
Thor's Hamster (OP) User ID: 1248699 United States 10/05/2012 07:03 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Incidentally, Christopher Columbus married Filipa Moniz Perestrelo -- a Portuguese noblewoman. She was the daughter of Bartolomeu Perestrelo, a Governor of the island of Porto Santo, and a navigator and explorer. That's Columbus' connection to Portugal. While Columbus was Italian, and officially sailed for Spain, he was privy to information, navigation charts, etc. from noble, famous, and connected Portuguese explorers, via his father-in-law. Apollo astronauts couldn't have passed through Van Allen's Belt. Van Allen wore suspenders. |
Thor's Hamster (OP) User ID: 1248699 United States 10/05/2012 07:15 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 25002683 Portugal 10/05/2012 07:19 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Switzerland has always been a bit of an enigma. It's a loose confederation of various socioeconomic and language groups -- German, French, Italian, and Romansh. It's citizens are required to perform several years of military service and be armed. It's basically a country whose citizens double as a standing militia. Quoting: Thor's Hamster Switzerland is famous for being the seat of international banking (specifically Zurich), it's ferociously neutral, and it's curious flag. Let's examine the Knights Templar for a minute. The Knights Templar were formed in 1119 A.D. by 9 French knights, whose purpose was, ostensibly, to protect Christian pilgrims on the roads to the Holy Land. Nevermind that that seems an impossible task for merely 9 knights. Looking at a map of Europe, we see that at least some of those roads must've gone through Switzerland. So the Templars were became familiar with that area -- its rugged, mountainous, protected terrain, perfect for taking refuge. The Swiss flag is interesting. It's color are the exact opposite of the Knights Templar's tunics. The Templars wore white tunics with a red cross on it. The Swiss flag is a red flag with a white cross on it. And the Swiss flag is unique in that it's square, as opposed to the usual rectangular flags of other nations. Remember that the Templar legacy was passed down to the Freemasons. And the wisdom possessed by both esoteric groups harkened back to the building of King Solomon's Temple (by Hiram, the "master mason"). The "square" is a very important metaphoric symbol in western mysticism. It represents half of the symbol of the square and compasses that exists to this day in the fraternity of Freemasonry. Is the Swiss flag a uniquely square shape as a metaphor for the square of Hiram, the builder of King Solomon's Temple, the master mason? Another unique characteristic of Switzerland is its neutrality. The Knights Templar, too, were a neutral entity, not owing allegiance to any one nation, but rather to the Pope, who dominated the affairs of many nations. The Knights Templar were the first "international bankers" for lack of a better term. For example, if a Christian pilgrim from, let's say, France, wanted to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, but didn't want to take all his money with him on his travels (the roads were filled with bandits), he could go to the local Templar commandary, deposit his money there, receive a bill of credit to accompany him on his travels to the Holy Land. Then once in the Holy Land, he would present his bill of credit to the Templar commandery in the Holy Land, and receive his money there. Switzerland, too, is famous for its international banking and accounts. It's my contention that after King Philip IV's (of France) persecution of the Knights Templar on Friday October 13, 1307, some of the Knights Templar fled to Switzerland, a land and terrain and people they'd become familiar with over the last 2 centuries. Other Templars dispersed to Portugal (where they assimilated into the knights of the Order of Christ), and still others to Scotland, where they were taken in by Robert the Bruce in exchange for their aiding Robert against his enemies, which included the English in the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. The Templars had a large fleet of ships, used for trading and shipping men and supplies to and from the Holy Land. They regularly plied the waters of the Mediterranean, utilizing ports in southern France, Italy, Cyprus, Turkey, and elsewhere. Also, they plied the open ocean of the Atlantic. They main port on the Atlantic Ocean was at La Rochelle, France. Interestingly, after the surprise persecution of the Templars by King Philip IV of France on Friday October 13, 1307, the large and famous Templar fleet of ships "disappeared". There are no reliable accounts of exactly where, exactly, they went. But we can surmise Scotland and Portugal. Scotland I wrote about above. A fraction of the Templars going to Portugal where they blended in with the Order of Christ was interesting, because just over a century later, Portugal would become the most powerful and vast European maritime nation, sailing down Africa's immense western coastline, around Cape Horn, and all the way to India, in Europe's first maritime trade with that nation. Portuguese become renowned as great sailors. Prince Henry the Navigator started a "school" of navigators and map-makers in Portugal. One wonder why and how Portugal rose to such prominence. Not that it wouldn't have anyway, but the sea-faring Templars' influence couldn't have hurt. Also, the Templars erected at castle that still stands today (and can be visited as a wonderful tourist attraction) in Tomar, Portugal. The facts are not as you describe. Portugal was founded by the Templars. Our first king Afonso Henriques referred to himself as a "brother" of the Order of the Temple. When the Templars were persecuted and the Pope ordered the extinction of the Order, our king Dinis pretended to do so. He extinguished the order of the Temple and at the same time created the Order of Christ, to which he transferred all the knights, goods and possessions of the former. He gave the new order a new seat, Castro Marim, but as sson as the dust settled he transferred the seat to Thomar, seat of the Order of the Temple. So, the Order of the Temple was not "blended" with the Order of Christ (which didn't exist before). The Order of Christ is the Order of the Temple with a new name and a new mission over the seas. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 25002683 Portugal 10/05/2012 07:30 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Incidentally, Christopher Columbus married Filipa Moniz Perestrelo -- a Portuguese noblewoman. She was the daughter of Bartolomeu Perestrelo, a Governor of the island of Porto Santo, and a navigator and explorer. That's Columbus' connection to Portugal. While Columbus was Italian, and officially sailed for Spain, he was privy to information, navigation charts, etc. from noble, famous, and connected Portuguese explorers, via his father-in-law. Quoting: Thor's Hamster Columbus connection to Portugal is that he was a Portuguese, operating under an alias for the king of Portugal João II. He gave the name Cuba to the Caribean island because he came from a Portuguese town which name is... Cuba. The names he gave to other Caribean islands are the names of Portuguese parishes in Cuba end around Cuba. You can see his statue in Cuba, Portugal, here: [link to www.google.com] His figure is even part of the logo of the Municipality of Cuba, Portugal: [link to www.cm-cuba.pt] |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 25002683 Portugal 10/05/2012 07:34 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Incidentally, Christopher Columbus married Filipa Moniz Perestrelo -- a Portuguese noblewoman. She was the daughter of Bartolomeu Perestrelo, a Governor of the island of Porto Santo, and a navigator and explorer. That's Columbus' connection to Portugal. While Columbus was Italian, and officially sailed for Spain, he was privy to information, navigation charts, etc. from noble, famous, and connected Portuguese explorers, via his father-in-law. Quoting: Thor's Hamster Columbus connection to Portugal is that he was a Portuguese, operating under an alias for the king of Portugal João II. He gave the name Cuba to the Caribean island because he came from a Portuguese town which name is... Cuba. The names he gave to other Caribean islands are the names of Portuguese parishes in Cuba end around Cuba. You can see his statue in Cuba, Portugal, here: [link to www.google.com] His figure is even part of the logo of the Municipality of Cuba, Portugal: [link to www.cm-cuba.pt] His real name was Salvador Fernandes Zarco. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 24999693 United Kingdom 10/05/2012 07:35 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Switzerland has always been a bit of an enigma. It's a loose confederation of various socioeconomic and language groups -- German, French, Italian, and Romansh. It's citizens are required to perform several years of military service and be armed. It's basically a country whose citizens double as a standing militia. Quoting: Thor's Hamster Switzerland is famous for being the seat of international banking (specifically Zurich), it's ferociously neutral, and it's curious flag. Let's examine the Knights Templar for a minute. The Knights Templar were formed in 1119 A.D. by 9 French knights, whose purpose was, ostensibly, to protect Christian pilgrims on the roads to the Holy Land. Nevermind that that seems an impossible task for merely 9 knights. Looking at a map of Europe, we see that at least some of those roads must've gone through Switzerland. So the Templars were became familiar with that area -- its rugged, mountainous, protected terrain, perfect for taking refuge. The Swiss flag is interesting. It's color are the exact opposite of the Knights Templar's tunics. The Templars wore white tunics with a red cross on it. The Swiss flag is a red flag with a white cross on it. And the Swiss flag is unique in that it's square, as opposed to the usual rectangular flags of other nations. Remember that the Templar legacy was passed down to the Freemasons. And the wisdom possessed by both esoteric groups harkened back to the building of King Solomon's Temple (by Hiram, the "master mason"). The "square" is a very important metaphoric symbol in western mysticism. It represents half of the symbol of the square and compasses that exists to this day in the fraternity of Freemasonry. Is the Swiss flag a uniquely square shape as a metaphor for the square of Hiram, the builder of King Solomon's Temple, the master mason? Another unique characteristic of Switzerland is its neutrality. The Knights Templar, too, were a neutral entity, not owing allegiance to any one nation, but rather to the Pope, who dominated the affairs of many nations. The Knights Templar were the first "international bankers" for lack of a better term. For example, if a Christian pilgrim from, let's say, France, wanted to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, but didn't want to take all his money with him on his travels (the roads were filled with bandits), he could go to the local Templar commandary, deposit his money there, receive a bill of credit to accompany him on his travels to the Holy Land. Then once in the Holy Land, he would present his bill of credit to the Templar commandery in the Holy Land, and receive his money there. Switzerland, too, is famous for its international banking and accounts. Thanks for posting i live in a area where they lived and 2 miles from there base |
Thor's Hamster (OP) User ID: 1248699 United States 10/05/2012 07:38 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Switzerland has always been a bit of an enigma. It's a loose confederation of various socioeconomic and language groups -- German, French, Italian, and Romansh. It's citizens are required to perform several years of military service and be armed. It's basically a country whose citizens double as a standing militia. Quoting: Thor's Hamster Switzerland is famous for being the seat of international banking (specifically Zurich), it's ferociously neutral, and it's curious flag. Let's examine the Knights Templar for a minute. The Knights Templar were formed in 1119 A.D. by 9 French knights, whose purpose was, ostensibly, to protect Christian pilgrims on the roads to the Holy Land. Nevermind that that seems an impossible task for merely 9 knights. Looking at a map of Europe, we see that at least some of those roads must've gone through Switzerland. So the Templars were became familiar with that area -- its rugged, mountainous, protected terrain, perfect for taking refuge. The Swiss flag is interesting. It's color are the exact opposite of the Knights Templar's tunics. The Templars wore white tunics with a red cross on it. The Swiss flag is a red flag with a white cross on it. And the Swiss flag is unique in that it's square, as opposed to the usual rectangular flags of other nations. Remember that the Templar legacy was passed down to the Freemasons. And the wisdom possessed by both esoteric groups harkened back to the building of King Solomon's Temple (by Hiram, the "master mason"). The "square" is a very important metaphoric symbol in western mysticism. It represents half of the symbol of the square and compasses that exists to this day in the fraternity of Freemasonry. Is the Swiss flag a uniquely square shape as a metaphor for the square of Hiram, the builder of King Solomon's Temple, the master mason? Another unique characteristic of Switzerland is its neutrality. The Knights Templar, too, were a neutral entity, not owing allegiance to any one nation, but rather to the Pope, who dominated the affairs of many nations. The Knights Templar were the first "international bankers" for lack of a better term. For example, if a Christian pilgrim from, let's say, France, wanted to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, but didn't want to take all his money with him on his travels (the roads were filled with bandits), he could go to the local Templar commandary, deposit his money there, receive a bill of credit to accompany him on his travels to the Holy Land. Then once in the Holy Land, he would present his bill of credit to the Templar commandery in the Holy Land, and receive his money there. Switzerland, too, is famous for its international banking and accounts. It's my contention that after King Philip IV's (of France) persecution of the Knights Templar on Friday October 13, 1307, some of the Knights Templar fled to Switzerland, a land and terrain and people they'd become familiar with over the last 2 centuries. Other Templars dispersed to Portugal (where they assimilated into the knights of the Order of Christ), and still others to Scotland, where they were taken in by Robert the Bruce in exchange for their aiding Robert against his enemies, which included the English in the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. The Templars had a large fleet of ships, used for trading and shipping men and supplies to and from the Holy Land. They regularly plied the waters of the Mediterranean, utilizing ports in southern France, Italy, Cyprus, Turkey, and elsewhere. Also, they plied the open ocean of the Atlantic. They main port on the Atlantic Ocean was at La Rochelle, France. Interestingly, after the surprise persecution of the Templars by King Philip IV of France on Friday October 13, 1307, the large and famous Templar fleet of ships "disappeared". There are no reliable accounts of exactly where, exactly, they went. But we can surmise Scotland and Portugal. Scotland I wrote about above. A fraction of the Templars going to Portugal where they blended in with the Order of Christ was interesting, because just over a century later, Portugal would become the most powerful and vast European maritime nation, sailing down Africa's immense western coastline, around Cape Horn, and all the way to India, in Europe's first maritime trade with that nation. Portuguese become renowned as great sailors. Prince Henry the Navigator started a "school" of navigators and map-makers in Portugal. One wonder why and how Portugal rose to such prominence. Not that it wouldn't have anyway, but the sea-faring Templars' influence couldn't have hurt. Also, the Templars erected at castle that still stands today (and can be visited as a wonderful tourist attraction) in Tomar, Portugal. The facts are not as you describe. Portugal was founded by the Templars. Our first king Afonso Henriques referred to himself as a "brother" of the Order of the Temple. When the Templars were persecuted and the Pope ordered the extinction of the Order, our king Dinis pretended to do so. He extinguished the order of the Temple and at the same time created the Order of Christ, to which he transferred all the knights, goods and possessions of the former. He gave the new order a new seat, Castro Marim, but as sson as the dust settled he transferred the seat to Thomar, seat of the Order of the Temple. So, the Order of the Temple was not "blended" with the Order of Christ (which didn't exist before). The Order of Christ is the Order of the Temple with a new name and a new mission over the seas. Correct, yes. Instead of "blended with", I should've said, they BECAME. What was "Portugal" before its first king Afonso Henriques? You're correct about the king of Portugal only pretending to persecute the Templars. In most European countries, that's what the rulers did. They paid only symbolic heed to the Pope's commands. Most rulers had no interest in persecuting an organization that not only was not a problem to them, but provided goods and services in the various nations in which they lived. Thanks for correcting my errors. I appreciate it. I'm very interested in that time concerning the Knights Templar and the various countries in which they lived. I think Portugal's prominence in navigation exploration in the late 15th century was a legacy from the Templars, at least partly. Apollo astronauts couldn't have passed through Van Allen's Belt. Van Allen wore suspenders. |
Thor's Hamster (OP) User ID: 1248699 United States 10/05/2012 07:39 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Incidentally, Christopher Columbus married Filipa Moniz Perestrelo -- a Portuguese noblewoman. She was the daughter of Bartolomeu Perestrelo, a Governor of the island of Porto Santo, and a navigator and explorer. That's Columbus' connection to Portugal. While Columbus was Italian, and officially sailed for Spain, he was privy to information, navigation charts, etc. from noble, famous, and connected Portuguese explorers, via his father-in-law. Quoting: Thor's Hamster Columbus connection to Portugal is that he was a Portuguese, operating under an alias for the king of Portugal João II. He gave the name Cuba to the Caribean island because he came from a Portuguese town which name is... Cuba. The names he gave to other Caribean islands are the names of Portuguese parishes in Cuba end around Cuba. You can see his statue in Cuba, Portugal, here: [link to www.google.com] His figure is even part of the logo of the Municipality of Cuba, Portugal: [link to www.cm-cuba.pt] His real name was Salvador Fernandes Zarco. Interesting. I just googled that name, and am reading about that theory. Thanks for the info :) Apollo astronauts couldn't have passed through Van Allen's Belt. Van Allen wore suspenders. |
Thor's Hamster (OP) User ID: 1248699 United States 10/05/2012 07:42 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Incidentally, Christopher Columbus married Filipa Moniz Perestrelo -- a Portuguese noblewoman. She was the daughter of Bartolomeu Perestrelo, a Governor of the island of Porto Santo, and a navigator and explorer. That's Columbus' connection to Portugal. While Columbus was Italian, and officially sailed for Spain, he was privy to information, navigation charts, etc. from noble, famous, and connected Portuguese explorers, via his father-in-law. Quoting: Thor's Hamster Columbus connection to Portugal is that he was a Portuguese, operating under an alias for the king of Portugal João II. He gave the name Cuba to the Caribean island because he came from a Portuguese town which name is... Cuba. The names he gave to other Caribean islands are the names of Portuguese parishes in Cuba end around Cuba. You can see his statue in Cuba, Portugal, here: [link to www.google.com] His figure is even part of the logo of the Municipality of Cuba, Portugal: [link to www.cm-cuba.pt] How sure are you that Columbus was Portuguese and not Italian (on a scale from 1% to 100%)? Is this conventional wisdom for most Portuguese? What was the purpose of pretending Columbus was Italian? Very interesting about Cuba. Great info! I didn't know that, nor a lot of the things you wrote. Excellent. Apollo astronauts couldn't have passed through Van Allen's Belt. Van Allen wore suspenders. |
Thor's Hamster (OP) User ID: 1248699 United States 10/05/2012 07:43 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Switzerland has always been a bit of an enigma. It's a loose confederation of various socioeconomic and language groups -- German, French, Italian, and Romansh. It's citizens are required to perform several years of military service and be armed. It's basically a country whose citizens double as a standing militia. Quoting: Thor's Hamster Switzerland is famous for being the seat of international banking (specifically Zurich), it's ferociously neutral, and it's curious flag. Let's examine the Knights Templar for a minute. The Knights Templar were formed in 1119 A.D. by 9 French knights, whose purpose was, ostensibly, to protect Christian pilgrims on the roads to the Holy Land. Nevermind that that seems an impossible task for merely 9 knights. Looking at a map of Europe, we see that at least some of those roads must've gone through Switzerland. So the Templars were became familiar with that area -- its rugged, mountainous, protected terrain, perfect for taking refuge. The Swiss flag is interesting. It's color are the exact opposite of the Knights Templar's tunics. The Templars wore white tunics with a red cross on it. The Swiss flag is a red flag with a white cross on it. And the Swiss flag is unique in that it's square, as opposed to the usual rectangular flags of other nations. Remember that the Templar legacy was passed down to the Freemasons. And the wisdom possessed by both esoteric groups harkened back to the building of King Solomon's Temple (by Hiram, the "master mason"). The "square" is a very important metaphoric symbol in western mysticism. It represents half of the symbol of the square and compasses that exists to this day in the fraternity of Freemasonry. Is the Swiss flag a uniquely square shape as a metaphor for the square of Hiram, the builder of King Solomon's Temple, the master mason? Another unique characteristic of Switzerland is its neutrality. The Knights Templar, too, were a neutral entity, not owing allegiance to any one nation, but rather to the Pope, who dominated the affairs of many nations. The Knights Templar were the first "international bankers" for lack of a better term. For example, if a Christian pilgrim from, let's say, France, wanted to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, but didn't want to take all his money with him on his travels (the roads were filled with bandits), he could go to the local Templar commandary, deposit his money there, receive a bill of credit to accompany him on his travels to the Holy Land. Then once in the Holy Land, he would present his bill of credit to the Templar commandery in the Holy Land, and receive his money there. Switzerland, too, is famous for its international banking and accounts. Thanks for posting i live in a area where they lived and 2 miles from there base In Scotland? Or England? Apollo astronauts couldn't have passed through Van Allen's Belt. Van Allen wore suspenders. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 25002683 Portugal 10/05/2012 07:45 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | (...) Quoting: Thor's Hamster Also, the Templars erected at castle that still stands today (and can be visited as a wonderful tourist attraction) in Tomar, Portugal. There are dozens of standing Templar Castles in Portugal, all over the territory, most of them north of the Tagus river. The history of Portugal is inextricably entwined with the order of the Temple. You just cannot separate them. |
Thor's Hamster (OP) User ID: 1248699 United States 10/05/2012 07:47 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Switzerland has always been a bit of an enigma. It's a loose confederation of various socioeconomic and language groups -- German, French, Italian, and Romansh. It's citizens are required to perform several years of military service and be armed. It's basically a country whose citizens double as a standing militia. Quoting: Thor's Hamster Switzerland is famous for being the seat of international banking (specifically Zurich), it's ferociously neutral, and it's curious flag. Let's examine the Knights Templar for a minute. The Knights Templar were formed in 1119 A.D. by 9 French knights, whose purpose was, ostensibly, to protect Christian pilgrims on the roads to the Holy Land. Nevermind that that seems an impossible task for merely 9 knights. Looking at a map of Europe, we see that at least some of those roads must've gone through Switzerland. So the Templars were became familiar with that area -- its rugged, mountainous, protected terrain, perfect for taking refuge. The Swiss flag is interesting. It's color are the exact opposite of the Knights Templar's tunics. The Templars wore white tunics with a red cross on it. The Swiss flag is a red flag with a white cross on it. And the Swiss flag is unique in that it's square, as opposed to the usual rectangular flags of other nations. Remember that the Templar legacy was passed down to the Freemasons. And the wisdom possessed by both esoteric groups harkened back to the building of King Solomon's Temple (by Hiram, the "master mason"). The "square" is a very important metaphoric symbol in western mysticism. It represents half of the symbol of the square and compasses that exists to this day in the fraternity of Freemasonry. Is the Swiss flag a uniquely square shape as a metaphor for the square of Hiram, the builder of King Solomon's Temple, the master mason? Another unique characteristic of Switzerland is its neutrality. The Knights Templar, too, were a neutral entity, not owing allegiance to any one nation, but rather to the Pope, who dominated the affairs of many nations. The Knights Templar were the first "international bankers" for lack of a better term. For example, if a Christian pilgrim from, let's say, France, wanted to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, but didn't want to take all his money with him on his travels (the roads were filled with bandits), he could go to the local Templar commandary, deposit his money there, receive a bill of credit to accompany him on his travels to the Holy Land. Then once in the Holy Land, he would present his bill of credit to the Templar commandery in the Holy Land, and receive his money there. Switzerland, too, is famous for its international banking and accounts. It's my contention that after King Philip IV's (of France) persecution of the Knights Templar on Friday October 13, 1307, some of the Knights Templar fled to Switzerland, a land and terrain and people they'd become familiar with over the last 2 centuries. Other Templars dispersed to Portugal (where they assimilated into the knights of the Order of Christ), and still others to Scotland, where they were taken in by Robert the Bruce in exchange for their aiding Robert against his enemies, which included the English in the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. The Templars had a large fleet of ships, used for trading and shipping men and supplies to and from the Holy Land. They regularly plied the waters of the Mediterranean, utilizing ports in southern France, Italy, Cyprus, Turkey, and elsewhere. Also, they plied the open ocean of the Atlantic. They main port on the Atlantic Ocean was at La Rochelle, France. Interestingly, after the surprise persecution of the Templars by King Philip IV of France on Friday October 13, 1307, the large and famous Templar fleet of ships "disappeared". There are no reliable accounts of exactly where, exactly, they went. But we can surmise Scotland and Portugal. Scotland I wrote about above. A fraction of the Templars going to Portugal where they blended in with the Order of Christ was interesting, because just over a century later, Portugal would become the most powerful and vast European maritime nation, sailing down Africa's immense western coastline, around Cape Horn, and all the way to India, in Europe's first maritime trade with that nation. Portuguese become renowned as great sailors. Prince Henry the Navigator started a "school" of navigators and map-makers in Portugal. One wonder why and how Portugal rose to such prominence. Not that it wouldn't have anyway, but the sea-faring Templars' influence couldn't have hurt. Also, the Templars erected at castle that still stands today (and can be visited as a wonderful tourist attraction) in Tomar, Portugal. The facts are not as you describe. Portugal was founded by the Templars. Our first king Afonso Henriques referred to himself as a "brother" of the Order of the Temple. When the Templars were persecuted and the Pope ordered the extinction of the Order, our king Dinis pretended to do so. He extinguished the order of the Temple and at the same time created the Order of Christ, to which he transferred all the knights, goods and possessions of the former. He gave the new order a new seat, Castro Marim, but as sson as the dust settled he transferred the seat to Thomar, seat of the Order of the Temple. So, the Order of the Temple was not "blended" with the Order of Christ (which didn't exist before). The Order of Christ is the Order of the Temple with a new name and a new mission over the seas. Did the Templars help kick out the Moors from Portugal and become "Christian" once again? About what year did that happen, do you know? I know the "official" Reconquista of Spain was 1492. Interesting that that was the year Columbus set sail for the New World. Do you think Columbus thought he was sailing on a western route to India? Or do you think he knew that there was an enormous, as-yet unexplored land mass far to the west that he was commissioned to find? I value your opinions and comments, as you're Portuguese, and know firsthand about these things. Thanks :) Apollo astronauts couldn't have passed through Van Allen's Belt. Van Allen wore suspenders. |
Thor's Hamster (OP) User ID: 1248699 United States 10/05/2012 07:48 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | (...) Quoting: Thor's Hamster Also, the Templars erected at castle that still stands today (and can be visited as a wonderful tourist attraction) in Tomar, Portugal. There are dozens of standing Templar Castles in Portugal, all over the territory, most of them north of the Tagus river. The history of Portugal is inextricably entwined with the order of the Temple. You just cannot separate them. I see. That's really interesting. I HAVE to visit there soon. Hopefully next summer. Is there also Moorish architecture left over from their presence in that part of Iberia? Apollo astronauts couldn't have passed through Van Allen's Belt. Van Allen wore suspenders. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 16712898 Netherlands 10/05/2012 07:55 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Thor's Hamster (OP) User ID: 11311245 United States 10/05/2012 08:14 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Darn it, i can't bring that link up for some reason. Can you type out the title of that YouTube video link, and then I can just type it out on my screen here to view it on YouTube. Thanks. :) Apollo astronauts couldn't have passed through Van Allen's Belt. Van Allen wore suspenders. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 24821273 United States 10/05/2012 08:22 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 16712898 Netherlands 10/05/2012 08:23 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Thor's Hamster (OP) User ID: 11311245 United States 10/05/2012 08:26 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Thor's Hamster (OP) User ID: 11311245 United States 10/05/2012 08:26 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Darn it, i can't bring that link up for some reason. Can you type out the title of that YouTube video link, and then I can just type it out on my screen here to view it on YouTube. Thanks. :) channel is called chatzefratz Ok. Thanks very much. :) Apollo astronauts couldn't have passed through Van Allen's Belt. Van Allen wore suspenders. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 16712898 Netherlands 10/05/2012 08:30 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Darn it, i can't bring that link up for some reason. Can you type out the title of that YouTube video link, and then I can just type it out on my screen here to view it on YouTube. Thanks. :) channel is called chatzefratz Ok. Thanks very much. :) |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 16712898 Netherlands 10/05/2012 08:44 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 24708051 New Zealand 10/05/2012 09:02 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 16712898 Netherlands 10/05/2012 09:15 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Klink User ID: 24821273 United States 10/05/2012 09:31 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Nope, didn't say that. Just showing the parallels with the Templars and Switzerland. Their banking houses are there, the BIS. But the Templars were founded by Rome. They come from Rome. The Egyptians moved the sun cult to Rome. The empire itself has been ran by different kingdoms within Rome's empire (many nations) at different times. France ran it, Spain, England. Venice. All ran by Rome's Templar. "The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and a staging area for the Crusades and the Battle of Lepanto, as well as a very important center of commerce (especially silk, grain, and spice) and art in the 13th century up to the end of the 17th century." [link to en.wikipedia.org] |
Klink User ID: 24821273 United States 10/05/2012 09:34 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | No matter, Phelps is an awful preacher. The worst! His beliefs on race separation are not only unrealistic fantasy but plays right into the pope's plans for a race war, instead of religious unity. The Templars created the KKK and Phelps sounds like one. He could be a Jesuit. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 24708051 New Zealand 10/05/2012 10:28 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Thor's Hamster (OP) User ID: 1248699 United States 10/05/2012 09:49 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Thor's Hamster (OP) User ID: 1248699 United States 10/05/2012 11:15 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |