Brief history of the Knights Templar

At one time the Templars numbered about 20,000 knights. They acquired many farms throughout France, which they ran as self-contained communities. They owned around 870 properties throughout Western and Southern Europe, and they built several major castles in the Holy Land in order to defend the pilgrim routes.

The income from these enterprises helped to pay for the military operations in the Holy Land, and they are also said to have created the first banking system. Rather than carry money on their hazardous journey, pilgrims were able to deposit their money with the Templars on departure, and to collect the money at their destination.

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