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The Knights Templar
Unto the people of Atlantia. does Master Niall Dolphin send
greetings!
Coming in June 1999, there is to be an event in Ponte Alto
called "Siege of Acre", in which the soldiers of Christ will fight the
army of Islam over the fate of the holy land. Upon arrival in camp gentles will
be asked to choose a side to fight on, after which they will camp either in
Christian or Muslim lands. There is to be an independent "enchanted
ground" encampment organized for the brothers of the Knights Templar, where
we will try to re-create a late 12th century Templar encampment as much as is
practical. The purpose of this is to do something very spiff, learn something
about medieval history, to have a good time, and to look good doing it.
For those of you who do not know what the Knights Templar were,
I will make a quick synopsis. The Templars organized themselves in the early
12th century to guard pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem in the newly conquered
lands of Outreamer. Eventually they were given papal support and they became one
of the most important fighting forces that protected the kingdom of Jerusalem.
They were a new class of warrior-monk that lived by a rule that included
doctrine not only on day to day life, but outlined an order of discipline and
drill that made them the best soldiers of their time. When Salidin defeated the
Christian forces at the Horns of Hattin, he had all captured Templars killed
because they were to dangerous to leave alive. They were severely punished if
they fled in battle where the odds were any less then 4 to 1. To die in battle
was a straight ticket to heaven. Templars were found all over Christendom, were
advisors to great kings and gathered more wealth then even some kingdoms had at
the time. They were responsible to no one except the Pope. Their own priest
could work beyond the precepts of the Catholic church, even to give Christian
burial to the excommunicated.
Why the Templars? They would time after time take on impossible
odds and usually came out victorious. Atlantia, like the Templars, has one of
the most feared and disciplined armies in the known world. And we, like the
Templars, determine who wins the war.
We plan to make a Templar camp , displaying the appropriate
heraldry and livery of the order. As such only period tents will be allowed in
camp. If you do not have one, space will be found for you. We plan to have
standard surcoats in Templar colors, white for knight brothers ( for those in
the order of Chivalry) and black for sergeant brothers (squires and unbelted
fighters) emblazoned with the cross of the order. We will ask you to put aside
your normal persona for the day and adopt one of a Templar. There will be a
standard pattern for creating the garb of the order if you wish to do it
yourself, and there will be individuals who will make the livery for commission.
Non fighters are welcome as well, for not all Templars had a fighting
role.
If you are interested in this project, we plan to have an
organizational meeting at kingdom 12th night, or you can contact Bryce de Byram
or myself for more details. It is my hope to teach a history of the Templars at
university before the event in June. I can be reached at qusnjt@am1.ericsson.se , or
919-361-2801 for any questions or insights.
Non nobis domine, sed nomine tuo da gloriam,
Master Niall Dolphin, OL