Old Blackwater
By David Willey
BBC News, Rome
The Knights Templar, a military order of the Roman Catholic Church, are back in the news again, almost 700 years after they were suppressed by papal edict.
They were originally formed to protect Christians in the Holy Land during the early Crusades.
The Templars are the stuff of legend, and their exploits have provided the plots for many films and popular novels.
The Knights, who wore a distinctive white mantle decorated with a red cross, became very wealthy, owned property all over Europe and the Middle East, and started up a primitive international banking system.
They caused deep controversy, even in their own time. They helped to finance wars waged by several European monarchs.
Some believe the Templars were the custodians of the fabled Holy Grail.
Disentangling fact and fiction about them is difficult.
In France, a Grand Master of the Order and other knights were burned alive by order of King Philip IV, after the Order was accused of heresy, blasphemy and sexual misconduct.
-I just can't wait 700 hundred years for all the shit about our modern day Knights Templar to come out...
Labels: Blackwater, Doobie Brothers, Knights Templar
I think that there is plenty to come out. Also, I think the fear in the back of a lot of people's minds is that these mercs will eventually be deployed here at home.
Posted by
navyswan |
October 15, 2007 at 9:18 AM
I hope we don't have to wait 700 years.
Posted by
Aaron A. |
October 15, 2007 at 8:48 PM