State of Knights Templar (The)

The State of the Knights Templar refers to the political and military power held by the Knights Templar, a medieval order of warrior monks, from the 12th to the 14th centuries. Established to protect pilgrims in the Holy Land during the Crusades, they became wealthy and influential, managing vast estates and engaging in banking. Their strongholds included fortifications across Europe and the Middle East. However, their power led to envy and suspicion, culminating in their suppression by King Philip IV of France in 1307, when many members were arrested and the order was disbanded by the Pope in 1312.