Today in History

March 18, 1314

The Last Templar Grand Master

On this day the Inquisition burned Jacques de Molay at the stake, the 23rd and last official Grand Master of the Knights Templar. The Templars were the warrior monks of the Crusades. The Roman Church provided the Knights Templar with enormous power, and they were subject to no authority other than the Pope. The Order became extremely wealthy, and in many places in Europe, began to act as bankers. It was this position and power that lead to their downfall.

Phillip IV of France was financially indebted to the Templars. On Friday, October 13, 1307 (the origin of the bad luck associated with Friday the 13th), Phillip ordered the arrest of all Templars. They were tortured into confessions of heresy. Eventually the order was disbanded. Jacques de Molay, however, recanted his confession. As a result, Phillip ordered him executed by burning at the stake on the Île de la Cité in Paris and his ashes scattered into the Seine so that no relics would be found. Today, there exists a marker on the site of his execution, located by the stairs from the Pont-Neuf bridge.