Modern Templars and other Orders

[The Kiat]

What would the Knights of the Temple be doing today if they still existed? The Knights Hospitaller run some charity work and humanitarian aid, including hospital trains in World Wars. What about the Templars? Would they be charity or would they stick with the banking route and be financial giants? And what of other monastic orders that died out?

And please no Assassin's Creed conspiracy nonsense.

 

[LSCatilina]

First, they need to be less powerful TOTL, at least in western Europe. They ended by being a "state within the state" with allodial if not sovereigns rights coupled with being increasigly rich, and if it annoyed the people (that didn't saw why they should, when they failed to keep the Temple in first place), it pissed Capetians. A lot.

Second, they would need to maintain a lasting presence in Eastern Mediterranean, at least to justify of their existence : Cyprus, Crete, anything.

Eventually, I think they would devolve in more honorific orders (Hospitalers being turned in a real mockery of chivalry orders, with little wars about trinkets) than real actors. Admittedly they could have a different role than Hospitalers today, but their origins prevent them to open really to popular admission and therefore limit their impact.

 

[Vingilótë]

I've heard some reference to the Templars being the first modern multinational corporation (in practice if not according to the strict legal definition). So...maybe, like, modern day Templars Inc.?

 

[Sir Chaos]

I've heard some reference to the Templars being the first modern multinational corporation (in practice if not according to the strict legal definition). So...maybe, like, modern day Templars Inc.?

Not sure about "corporation"... but they did operate what was in effect a bank.

Pilgrims could deliver their valuables to a Templar "branch" in their homeland, receive a note stating how much they deposited, and withdraw the money in another branch - such as in the Holy Land - when needed... minus a fee, of course.


Also, the German protestant branch of the Hospitallers are still up and running; in fact, back in the 90s I used to work for one of their organizations for about a year: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe

 

[Space Oddity]

Yep. And the Portuguese branch of the Templars disbanded, then formed ANOTHER knightly order that was the Templars with the serial numbers filed off. Aside from a brief interlude at the beginning of the 20th century, they're still around.

 

[The Kiat]

Yep. And the Portuguese branch of the Templars disbanded, then formed ANOTHER knightly order that was the Templars with the serial numbers filed off. Aside from a brief interlude at the beginning of the 20th century, they're still around.

What's that one called?

 

[Municipal Engines]

I've heard some reference to the Templars being the first modern multinational corporation (in practice if not according to the strict legal definition). So...maybe, like, modern day Templars Inc.?

So like Abstergo?

 

[jetpack]

Yep. And the Portuguese branch of the Templars disbanded, then formed ANOTHER knightly order that was the Templars with the serial numbers filed off. Aside from a brief interlude at the beginning of the 20th century, they're still around.

I'm just looking at Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_Orders_of_Chivalry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Order_of_Christ

Are you referring to the Supreme Order of Christ, which in the 20th century was an award that a pope could give to a head of state? According to Wikipedia, the last member of that order died in 1993, but the Pope can still name new members.

Does anyone have a "where are they now" list of crusader knight orders? I know the Order of the Holy Sepulchre does charity work in the Holy Land. And I'm under the impression that the Knights of Malta are a fraternal organization similar to what the Knights of Columbus are in the Americas.

 

[Rich Rostrom]

I'm under the impression that the Knights of Malta are a fraternal organization similar to what the Knights of Columbus are in the Americas.

Well, in the sense that deep-dish pizza is similar to a grilled cheese sandwich.

The KoC are open to any Catholic that applies and pays dues. They have clubhouses scattered around, and do a little charity work.

The Sovereign Military Order of the Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem is rather different. Though it no longer has any territory, it retains some of the aspects of a sovereign state, including the power to issue passports and diplomatic credentials. (Not everyone recognizes them. but most countries do.)

The head and leadership of the Order (First Class Members) are all vowed to chastity, poverty, and obedience. Until the 1990s, First Class membership was restricted to persons of noble birth.

Membership is by invitation only. There are 13,000 members and 80,000 volunteers. There are also 20,000 medical personnel providing health care in 120 countries.

 

[chornedsnorkack]

First, they need to be less powerful TOTL, at least in western Europe. They ended by being a "state within the state" with allodial if not sovereigns rights coupled with being increasigly rich, and if it annoyed the people (that didn't saw why they should, when they failed to keep the Temple in first place), it pissed Capetians. A lot.

And the Templars were unlucky in being too scattered in the kingdoms of other rulers. Which is why they could be arrested - once the various kings had decided to obey Pastoralis Praeeminentiae that Philip had extracted from his Avignon pope.

The Teutonic Ordrer COULDN´T be dissolved as thet proved in 1309 by defeating King of Poland and sacking Danzig.

So suppose that:
1) One or more king, other than that of France, decide to disobey Pastoralis Praeeminentiae full stop
or
2) By 1307, Templars, like Teutonic Order or Hospitallers, have their own lands, so no one is in position to arrest them there
or
3) Some king, on attempt to apply Pastoralis Praeeminentiae, actually loses.

What next? Significant presence of Templars in open defiance of France - how would the other kingdoms react?