Anti-Templar Sentiment

Anti-Templar sentiment refers to the widespread distrust and hostility towards the Knights Templar, a medieval Christian military order active between the 12th and 14th centuries. This animosity peaked in the early 1300s when King Philip IV of France, seeking to seize their wealth, accused them of heresy and other crimes. The subsequent arrests and trials led to the order's dissolution. Public opinion was swayed by sensational accusations, fostering a negative legacy that painted the Templars as corrupt or sinister figures, which has influenced cultural depictions and historical narratives ever since.