Knights Templar were members of a medieval religious and military order officially named the Order of the Poor Knights of Christ and popular known as the Knights of the Temple of Solomon, or Knights Tempar, because their first quarters in Jerusalem adjoined a building called Solomon’s Temple. The order developed from a small military band formed in Jerusalem in 1119 by two French Knights, Hugues de Payens and Goddeffroi de St. Omer, to protect pilgrims visiting Palestine after the first crusade. Military in purpose from its beginning, the order thus differed from the other two gretonic Knights, which began as charitable institutions and only subsequently developed into military organizations.

The natural desire of visiting those holy places which have been sanctified by the presence, and rendered memorable by the sufferings of the founder of the Christian religion, drew during the early ages of Christianity crowds of devout worshipers and pilgrims to Jerusalem. To such a height did this religious enthusiasm arrive that in 1064 not less than 7000 pilgrims assembled from all parts of Europe around the holy sepulcher.

The year following, Jerusalem was conquered by the wild Turcomans, 3000 of the citizens were massacred, and the command over the holy city and territory was confided to the Emir Ortok, the chief of a savage pastoral tribe. Under the iron yoke of these fierce northern strangers, the Christians were fearfully oppressed; they were driven from their churches and plundered, and the patriarch of the holy city was dragged by the hair of this head over the sacred pavement of the Church of the Resurrection and cast into a dungeon to extort a ransom from the sympathy of his flock. The intelligence of these cruelties aroused the religious chivalry of Christendom; "a nerve was touched of exquisite feeling, and the sensation vibrated to the heart of Europe."

Then arose the wild enthusiasm of the Crusades, and men of all ranks, and even priests and monks, were animated with the "pious and glorious enterprise" of rescuing the holy sepulcher of Christ from the foul and polluting abominations of the heathen.

When the intelligence of the capture of Jerusalem by the Crusaders (AD 1099) had been conveyed to Europe, the zeal of pilgrimage blazed forth with increased fierceness. The infidels had, indeed, been driven out of Jerusalem but not out of Palestine. The lofty mountains bordering the seacoast were infested by warlike bands of fugitive Musselmen, who maintained themselves in various impregnable castles and strongholds, from whence they issued forth upon the high roads, cut off the communication between Jerusalem and the seaports, and revenged themselves for the loss of their habitations and property by the indiscriminate pillage of all travelers.

To alleviate the dangers and distresses to which they were exposed, nine noble gentlemen, who had greatly distinguished themselves at the seige and capture of Jerusalem, formed a holy brotherhood in arms, and entered into a solemn compact to aid one another in clearing the highways, and in protecting the pilgrims through the passes and defiles of the mountains, to the Holy City. Warmed with the religious and military fervor of the day, and animated by the sacredness of the cause to which they had devoted their swords, they called themselves the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Jesus Christ.

In 1118 Baldwin II, King of Jerusalem, granted them a place of habitation within the sacred enclosure of the temple on Mount Moriah; thenceforward, they became known by the name of "The Knightood of the Temple of Solomon." The views and exertions of the Order now became more extensive, and it added to its profession of poor pilgrims that of defending the kingdom of Jerusalem and the whole eastern church from the attacks of infidels Huges de Payens was chosen by the Knights to be the superior of the new religious and military society, by the title of "The Master of the Temple," and he has, consequently, generally been called the founder of the Order. The name and reputation of the Order spread rapidly through Europe, and many princes, nobles, and gentlemen of the best houses of France, Germany, Italy, and England became members of it.

In 1128, they received rules and regulations for their governance from the Pope, which had been expressly arranged for them by St. Bernard. The illustrious Order of the Temple has, through many vicissitudes, survived to our times; and indeed, of late years a great (and we may say astonishing) influence has been exercised in the Masonic Craft by this brotherhood in England, on the continent of Europe, and in the United States.

The Knights Templar degree is highly valued in all countries, and its ritual is nearly identical. There is not a vestige of Freemasonry, as such, in the degree, save the absolute necessity of candidates having been admitted into the Royal Arch. As such he presents himself at the Commandery, as the bodies are called, in the character and garb of a pilgrim, or "palmer" as they were designated in the Holy Land; he figuratively undergoes seven years travel, and then seven years warfare, when (having conducted himself courageously through his trials) he is finally admitted into the Order.

Commanderies are dedicated to Saint John the Almoner. The Candidate receiving this Order is said to be "dubbed and created a Knight of the valiant and magnanimous Order of Knights Templar." The motto of the Order is In hoc signo vinces – in this sign we conquer.