1265 A.D. – Beaune House, France – Induction

It was a beautiful spring morning. The tall young man had wide shoulders, a narrow waist, long flowing hair and a full brown beard. He was encased in new chain mail, and was sitting purposefully astride his newly acquired warhorse. He’d only recently been knighted and was brim full of enthusiasm for his fledgling career.

As a ten-year-old boy, many long evenings had been spent in front of roaring fires, at his home in Burgundy, listening to the stories of his paternal uncle. Tales of combat and glory in the Holy Land. His relative was the Marshal of the Templar Order in the East, in command of all the armed forces of the fighting monks. Second in importance only to the Grand Master himself. From that winter onwards, there was only one ambition in the boy’s life. It was a career in the Order for him, as a Templar Knight, a defender of Christendom.

And so it was that eight years later he found himself on the way to the most important meeting in his young life. He was desperately hoping to be inducted into the Templars. His father had arranged for him to attend an assembly of fellow knights at Beaune House. He knew that at least one of the people attending, Humbert de Pairaud, was a Templar. And he was an influential member at that, the Visitor General of the Order for the whole of France.

The young knight’s name was Jacques de Molay. And he was intrigued to find out, that before his induction to the Templars, he would be required to have a private meeting with Humbert. Apparently, it was to probe his religious upbringing. Jacques went to Church as regularly as the rest of his family. And obeyed all the traditions. He considered himself a good Christian, if not especially pious.

Reaching the small chapel, Jacques dismounted, and could see through the lingering morning mist, that Humbert de Pairaud was waiting for him at the door. The older man gestured to him and ducked his head as he went through the low arch of the church entrance. Jacques followed him. Once inside, he took a seat next to Humbert on the stone bench at the side of the vaulted room.

“I believe you have spent time with Guillaume de Molay, our Master in the East.”

The young man nodded his head, with a gesture he hoped conveyed a sage and wise disposition.

“Indeed. He is the younger brother of my father. I spent much time with him when I was younger.”

“And you wish to join him in our Order?”

“I do.”

“Very well. But before we go through the details of the rule by which we live, I am obliged to explain to you our religious beliefs. Many applicants find they cannot live within our code of worship. And so they choose to take the process no further. But these understandings of ours, must be kept secret, as we have no desire to allow our enemies to portray us as heretics. So before I continue, you must give me your word, as a knight, that you will reveal nothing of what I am to tell you. Whether or not you wish to eventually join our ranks.”

Jacques was intrigued and eager for an explanation.

“I give you my solemn oath. I will tell nothing of what you say this day.”

Humbert gave him a long hard stare. The young man held his look and returned it coolly. The Templar seemed satisfied and launched on his prepared speech, which he had in actuality delivered many times, to many potential recruits.

He could usually tell, by the applicant’s reaction within the first few minutes, as to whether he was facing a new addition to the Templar ranks. Jacques was listening calmly, with the occasional nod. Humbert was pretty sure they would be moving on to the initiation ceremony later in the day. He was correct in his assumption.

Humbert explained the beliefs that the Templars held and how they differed from those of the Church. Jacques was focused solely on gaining entry to the Order and had never been particularly interested in religious theory.

The exact nature of Christ’s ministry was of little matter to him. However, even Jacques raised an eyebrow at the fact that the Templars despised the worship of the cross, which apparently they regarded as idolatry. Nonetheless, he was comfortable accepting the argument and his initiation therefore passed off smoothly. Within weeks he was a full member of the Order of the Knights Templar.