In the early 12th century, a monastic military order developed in the Middle East with the express intent of protecting Christian pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land.

Despite its rather modest mission statement, over the next 200 years, this organization became one of the most powerful entities throughout the Middle East in Europe.

However, its success and power eventually planted the seeds of its own destruction.

Learn more about the Knights Templar, their rise and spectacular fall on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. The Knights Templar are one of the groups from history that people have kept a fascination with for hundreds of years.

There have been many stories, movies, TV shows, and computer games about the Knights Templar,

and there are probably many more that will still be created. TV shows and computer games about the Knights Templar,

and there are probably many more that will still be created.

The story of the Knights Templar, and how they rose to prominence

began with the first crusade in the year 1099.

The Fatimid Colophate controlled much of the Holy Land, particularly Jerusalem.

The Crusades and their causes will be the subject of a future episode, but suffice it to say

for now, Pope Urban II answered the call from the Byzantine Emperor Alexios

the First Kalmanos descended armed pilgrimage to liberate the Holy Land from the Muslims.

In 1099, they captured Jerusalem and the crusader set up a Western-style Christian kingdom.

Now that Jerusalem was under Christian control, it became a popular destination for European

pilgrims.

The trip to Jerusalem was a dangerous one for pilgrims. Once they

arrived in the port city of Jaffa, the trip to Jerusalem was filled with danger even

though the distance was rather short. There were constant threats from bandits and there were cases of entire groups

of pilgrims numbering over a hundred people who were all slaughtered.

To help remedy this situation in 1119 a French knight by the name of Hugh de

Payon's petition King Baldwin II of Jerusalem,

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