The Old World Order: Knights Templar and the Middle Ages

While the Order of the Knights Templar is still around (you never know when you're going to need a good crusade), the Knights' personal best was as one of the orders created after the First Crusades to protect pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land and to guard various relics associated with the early days of Christianity, such as the crown of thorns worn by Jesus (I'd love to see the provenance on that one). On this Dutch site, you'll find a narrative essay detailing the founding of the order in the early 12th century; learn how they've kept busy over the millennium; browse a timeline ranging from their founding in the year 1119 to their eventual dissolution as a paramilitary organization in the 14th century; and read about rival gangs from the same period, along with links to other websites about the Middle Ages. <http://www.veling.nl/anne/templars/>