The Templar Code of 1150 AD The Code of the Knights Templar The Reconstructed and Restored Templar Code from a Source Translation of the Temple Rule of 1129 AD as Amended ca. 1150 AD Translation and Commentary by: Prince Matthew of Thebes Grand Master, Order of the Temple of Solomon Prince Matthew is an accredited International Judge registered with a Ministry of Justice, a Professor of Law holding a Doctor of Science in Jurisprudence (D.S.J.), and a Professor of Ancient and Medieval History holding a Doctorate (Ph.D.) in Archaeology, enhanced by a Bachelors Degree (B.A.) with a Major in Foreign Languages. He is a historian for various United Nations NGO institutions. Translation and Annotation © 2015, Sovereign Magistral Order of the Temple of Solomon. All International Rights Reserved. www.knightstemplarorder.org Academic Source Reference: Prince Matthew of Thebes, The Templar Code of 1150 AD: The Code of the Knights Templar, Sovereign Magistral Order of the Temple of Solomon (2015); excerpts from: Temple Rule of 1129 AD, translated from: Henri de Curzon, La Règle du Temple, La Société de L’Histoire de France, Paris (1886), in Librairie Renouard; Restored from amendments ca. 1150 AD. 1 Introduction to the Templar Code The legendary Code of Chivalry was practiced by all Chivalric Orders of knighthood, and was most famously upheld and advanced by the Order of the Temple of Solomon, the 12th century historical institution of the Knights Templar. In addition to the Code of Chivalry, the Templar Order also followed its own Templar Code, as a code of honor, and as a way of life, rooted in the best values of humanity since ancient times. Just as the Knights Templar were a rare form of knighthood, unique among other contemporary Chivalric Orders, the Templar Code was unique to the Templar Order. As with the Code of Chivalry, the Templar Code was also never consolidated into any one single historical document, although it was actively taught by the living example of the Templar Knights, who lived by its principles, demonstrating their Code through their actions. The Code of Chivalry was diligently reconstructed from the historical record by the prominent French historian Emile Leon Gautier in 1891 AD. Through analysis of excerpts of historical manuscripts and literature from the Medieval and Renaissance periods, Gautier developed the first “popular summary” of the original 11th-12th century “Ancient Code of Chivalry”, presenting it as organized into Ten Commandments. Applying the same scholarly approach and methodology as Gautier, the present edition reconstructs a full restoration of the authentic Templar Code, through analysis of the Temple Rule of 1129 AD, in the context of other relevant facts of Templar history. As a result, it develops the first comprehensive presentation of the Code of the Templars, in a form which has great relevance and practical application in the modern era. Accordingly, the newly revealed Templar Code, suitable for diverse real-world use in modern times, is developed here through the commentaries. Excerpts of the Temple Rule Revealing the Templar Code This edition presents selected excerpts of the authenticated text of the historical Temple Rule of the founding Knights Templar. Excerpts are selected as those relevant to the underlying core principles of the Templar Code as a way of life. The Temple Rule of 1129 AD is considered to be based upon the Benedictine Rule, modified by the Cistercian Rule, as used by Saint Bernard for his own Cistercian Order. Also known by historians as the “Latin Rule” or the “Primitive Rule”, it is essentially the “constitution” of the original Order of the Temple of Solomon, as the historical institution of the Knights Templar from 1118 AD. 2 Accordingly, the Temple Rule is perhaps the best evidence in the historical record of the authentic doctrines of the Knights Templar which form the Templar Code. After the Temple Rule was translated into Old French ca. 1138 AD, its original 72 Rules were expanded with additional “Hierarchical Rules” which increased it to 609 Rules by ca. 1149 AD. It was then further expanded up to 685 Rules during the 12th and 13th centuries (ca. 1150-1300 AD). All of those later Rules remained within the context and general framework of the original 72 Rules, which continued to serve as the core principles of the way of life in the Templar Order. The present edition benefits greatly from two of the later Rules (Rule 630 and Rule 679, supported by related historical facts). Therefore, the resulting reconstruction of the Templar Code can be reasonably dated to ca. 1150 AD, not earlier. (It is thus academically appropriate to reference it as the “Templar Code of 1150 AD”.) Authoritative Translation of the Temple Rule Meticulous translation and careful analysis of the Temple Rule is necessary to look beyond popularized misconceptions of the Knights Templar, and to correct mistranslations which inevitably result from contemporary cultural biases. This edition contains excerpts of the authoritative English translation of the Temple Rule by Prince Matthew of Thebes. It was translated directly from the scholarly translation from Latin into Old French by Henry de Curzon in 1886 AD. This translation was also made with reference to the original Latin manuscripts as preserved by La Société de L’Histoire de France in the Librairie Renouard in Paris. The present translation of excerpts of the Temple Rule generally follows the sentence structures of the original manuscripts. Accordingly, some degree of wordiness is tolerated, in favor of preserving many linguistic nuances which substantially contribute to authenticity and accuracy of the original meaning of the rules. This painstaking precision allows for the most reliable analysis, by quoting a translation which has best preserved the true intent of the medieval authors. 3 Many key parts of this translation include the original words [in brackets] from the source languages, indicating Old French (“Fr.”) or Latin (“Lat.”). This is used wherever the authenticated translation reveals a surprising or unexpected meaning, or where it significantly differs from other popularized translations. This provides full transparency to allow easy verification of the authenticity of this translation. The original text of the Latin Rule is presented in colored font (dark red). Editorial emphasis (underline) is added for reference of significant parts. Annotations (in black font) are added for relevant explanations and academic commentary. Reconstructing the Templar Code The present restoration of the Templar Code, as reconstructed through this edition, is based upon the authentic Chivalry of the Order of the Temple of Solomon, as practiced by the Knights Templar during the 12th and 13th centuries. Although many of the Rules superficially appear to be outdated, key details and nuances of their Old French and original Latin texts reveal that they hold more relevance in modern life than we might expect. Indeed, when brought back into the context of their more fundamental underlying principles, many of the Rules actually embody core concepts which are compatible with modern practice. Accordingly, much of what we would want to “modernize” in the Temple Rule is already found within its authentic medieval Rules. Several major themes are expressed and repeated throughout the Temple Rule, which have mostly gone unnoticed by historians and translators. Such themes can only be detected, and understood, in the context of essential areas of “lost history”, which go to the core of the fundamental essence of the original Templar Order. Awareness of the relevant historical facts causes those major themes to be revealed, suddenly appearing as self-evident. Accordingly, certain areas of “lost history” serve as the “keys” to “unlock” the richness of many surprising secrets which were buried within the Temple Rule. Those historical facts relevant to reconstructing the Templar Code are briefly presented in this edition (backed by academic source references), to provide the necessary clarity of context. 4 Many essential themes emerge from a detailed study of the Temple Rule, which are developed throughout that historic document. Such themes evidence certain doctrines and principles, which are established by different aspects contained within various Rules. When their interrelated parts are simply combined, each theme is revealed with full clarity of its substance. The predominant themes are presented in this edition, reconstructed from each key topic of related Rules, in order to recover, restore and reveal the authentic Templar Code. The historically authentic Templar Code emerges as, and is best revealed as, Twelve “Pillars” of Templar Chivalry, thereby consolidated in a popular form so that they may be more easily understood. It was in such a form that the original Twelve Apostles of Jesus each wrote their respective Gospels as were collected in full by the 1st century Essenes. These fundamental principles of the Templar Code are best called “Pillars”, as each of them are core doctrines of the Order of the Temple of Solomon, and thus are metaphorically the “Pillars” of the Temple of Solomon itself. These same essential principles, forming the basis for the Templar way of life, are also the “Pillars” which can effectively hold up humanity, and hold together human civilization. Indeed, by all objective accounts, in the modern era we are witnessing (and suffering from) nothing less than the collapse of modern civilization, precisely as a direct result of these Templar Pillars having been neglected. Accordingly, it is primarily by resurrecting, promoting, and living by these same Twelve Pillars of the Templar Code, that we can best revitalize civilization, and restore humanity and prosperity to modern society. 5 1. Preserve the Ancient Origins of Religion and Spirituality The historical institution of the legendary “Knights Templar” was properly named the Order of the Temple of Solomon, because it was entirely based upon the archaeological excavation and discoveries by the founding Knights in the Temple of Solomon.