Founding of the Knights Templar

 

Fun Fact:

Acre and Jaffa in 1125 were the most important ports for the Crusaders. Baldwin II, King of Jerusalem, visited Acre in May and awarded a charter to Domenico Michiel, Doge of Venice, to establish a Venetian colony at Tyre. Baldwin was endeavoring to establish overseas connections to call on for military support. The witnesses to the charter included Hugh of Payns, founding master of the Knights Templar. Hugh was from France and by 1119 had settled in Jerusalem. At that time, the area around Christ's tomb was a meeting place for pilgrim soldiers seeking service in the crusader states. Hugh and many others decided that they would devote themselves to a strict communal life, devoting themselves to poverty, chastity, and obedience to the patriarch of Jerusalem to keep the roads safe and protect the pilgrims to Jerusalem. Hugh appealed to every fighting man to join the order for a life of service to the Lord.

Baldwin leased apartments at Al Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount to Hugh and from thence the Templars took their name. Baldwin remained a staunch supporter of the Templars ever after. He sent Hugh back to Europe to petition the princes for assistance--planning an assault on Damascus. Hugh was also to assist William of Bures in offering Baldwin's daughter Melisende in marriage to Fulk of Anjou at Le Mans. Hugh and William persuaded Fulk to move to Jerusalem to marry Melisende. He would leave Anjou in the hands of his fifteen year old son Geoffrey "Le Bel." Geoffrey was to be married to Matilda, daughter of Henry I, who also contributed treasure to the crusader endeavor. Hugh gathered support in recruitment and funding wherever he went, and the Templars also received papal recognition, becoming the church's first military order. Among the new supporters was Bernard of Clairvaux--who become Saint Bernard.  

Although the expedition for support was a fabulous success, the succeeding campaign was not. Waiting for the Hugh and Fulk to arrive, Baldwin passed up an opportunity to attack Damascus when Tughtakin, ruler of Damascus died and the transfer of power to his son Taj Al-Muluk Buri. November 1129, Baldwin at last rode out with 2,000 knights and many infantry and other crusader nobility. The force setup at at a wooden bridge near Darayya, about six miles south of Damascus. 

When the crusader knights split into foraging parties, Taj saw his chance. He sent out a contingent of Turks and other allies who fell on a force of knights near al-Buraq and slaughtered them.  The avenging counterattack met a storm of rain, thunder, and lightning that made the roads impassable. Unable to recover from the the setback, Baldwin had to retreat. 

The above is condensed from chapter 12 of Crusaders by Dan Jones.