Were Templars Burned at the Stake?
The question of whether Knights Templar were burned at the stake is one of the most frequently asked questions about the Order. The answer is yes, but the burning of Templars was relatively rare. The most famous such burning was that of the Grand Master Jacques de Molay and the Preceptor of Normandy Geoffroi de Charney in 1314. Other Templars were also executed, but in much smaller numbers.
This article examines the executions of Templars during the suppression of 1312-1314. It is a companion to The Trial of Jacques de Molay and to The Trial and Suppression of the Knights Templar.
The Executions of 1314
The most famous execution of Templars was that of Jacques de Molay and Geoffroi de Charney on March 18, 1314. The two men were burned at the stake on a small islet in the Seine just downstream of the royal palace in Paris, near the present Square du Vert-Galant — sometimes called the île aux Juifs in contemporary chronicles.
The execution was the culmination of a long, complex trial. The two men had been found guilty of relapsing into heresy, and they were sentenced to be burned at the stake. According to legend, de Molay, while the flames were rising, summoned both Philip IV of France and Pope Clement V to appear before the judgment of God within the year.
The story of de Molay’s execution is told in detail in The Trial of Jacques de Molay.
Other Executions
In addition to de Molay and Charney, several other Templars were executed during the suppression. The most notable include:
- Aymon d’Aux, the Preceptor of the Dauphiné, who was burned in 1314.
- Several other Templars who were executed in France in 1314 and 1315.
The exact number of Templars who were executed is unclear. The historical record is incomplete, and many of the executions were carried out in secret. The most likely number is that fewer than 100 Templars were executed in France between 1307 and 1314.
For the broader context of the trial, see The Trial and Suppression of the Knights Templar.
The Executions in Other Countries
The executions of Templars were much rarer outside of France. The English Templars were treated relatively leniently, and most brothers were eventually pensioned off rather than executed. The Master of the English Templars, William de la More, was imprisoned in the Tower of London and died in captivity in 1310, but he was not executed.
In Cyprus, the last Templar preceptor on the island was murdered by his own men in 1313, but he was not executed by the authorities. In Iberia, the Templars were absorbed into other orders, and few if any executions took place.
The variations in treatment are examined in The Trial and Suppression of the Knights Templar.
The Method of Execution
The Templars who were executed were burned at the stake, in the standard medieval method of execution for heretics. The execution typically involved:
- Binding to a stake: The condemned was bound to a wooden stake, often with chains.
- Application of fire: The fire was lit, and the condemned was slowly burned to death. The fire was often built of green wood, which produced a slow, smoky fire.
- Death by smoke inhalation: In many cases, the condemned died of smoke inhalation rather than from the fire itself.
- Recovery of relics: The medieval authorities often collected relics of the condemned, such as bones and pieces of clothing, which were considered to have miraculous properties.
The execution of de Molay is the most famous example of this kind of execution in Templar history.
The Symbolic Significance
The execution of de Molay was of enormous symbolic significance. The Grand Master, who was the head of the Order, was the most prominent person to be executed in the suppression, and his death became a powerful symbol of the Order’s resistance. The famous legend of his last prophecy, in which he summoned Philip and Clement to the judgment of God, was taken up and elaborated in the years that followed.
The story of the prophecy. See The Trial of Jacques de Molay.
The Executions in Templar Mythology
The executions of Templars have been a major element of the modern Templar mythology. The mythology includes:
- The idea that the execution of de Molay was a martyrdom, and that the Grand Master is to be venerated as a saint.
- The idea that the prophecy of de Molay was fulfilled with the deaths of Philip and Clement, and that the Order will be restored.
- The idea that the burning of de Molay is a symbol of the persecution of the Order, and that the Order’s memory should be preserved.
These ideas are examined in detail in Templar Mythology, Symbolism and Hidden Knowledge.
The Modern Significance
The execution of de Molay is still remembered as one of the most dramatic events of the Middle Ages. The image of the Grand Master at the stake, with his final prophecy, has become a powerful symbol in the modern legacy of the Order. The story is told in countless novels, films, and documentaries, and it remains a major part of the popular mythology of the Order.
The story is told in The Modern Legacy of the Knights Templar and in Templar Mythology, Symbolism and Hidden Knowledge.
Conclusion
Knights Templar were indeed burned at the stake, but the executions were relatively rare. The most famous such burning was that of the Grand Master Jacques de Molay and the Preceptor of Normandy Geoffroi de Charney on March 18, 1314. Other Templars were also executed, but in much smaller numbers. The execution of de Molay is still remembered as one of the most dramatic events of the Middle Ages, and it remains a major part of the modern legacy of the Order.