What Does the Red Cross of the Templars Mean?
The red cross of the Knights Templar is one of the most recognizable symbols in Western history. Worn on the left breast, on the back, and on the shoulders of the white mantle of the Order, the cross was the principal identifying mark of the Templar knight. The cross was granted to the Order by Pope Eugenius III in 1147 and became, over the following centuries, one of the most powerful symbols in the medieval world.
This article examines the symbolism, history, and meaning of the Templar red cross. It is a companion to The Templar Cross and Mantle and to The Meaning of Beauseant.
The Symbol
The Templar red cross was a simple, equal-armed Greek cross — that is, a cross with four arms of equal length. The cross was sewn on the white mantle in a contrasting red color, and it was typically rendered in a bold, simple form that was easily recognizable at a distance.
The use of the Greek cross (rather than the Latin cross with a longer descending arm) was a distinctive feature of the Templar symbol. The Greek cross was the more ancient form of the cross, and it was the form used in the Byzantine Empire and in the Eastern Churches. The choice of the Greek cross may have been intended to emphasize the Order’s connection to the Byzantine and Eastern Christian traditions, in addition to the Latin tradition of Western Europe.
The Grant by Pope Eugenius III (1147)
The red cross was granted to the Templars by Pope Eugenius III in 1147, just before the Second Crusade (1147–1149). Eugenius’s bull Militia Dei authorized the Templars to wear the cross on their mantles, and the practice quickly became universal.
The grant was made at a critical moment. The Order was preparing to participate in the Second Crusade, and the cross served as a uniform of the Order, identifying the Templars in the field and on the march. The cross was also a powerful symbol of the Order’s commitment to the cause of Christ, and it gave the Templars a visual identity that was the envy of other military orders.
For the historical context, see The Military Orders of the Crusades.
The Symbolism
The red cross was rich in symbolism. The cross itself is the central symbol of Christianity, representing the crucifixion of Christ and the salvation of humanity. The red color of the cross was associated with the blood of Christ and with martyrdom. Together, the red cross symbolized the Templar knight’s willingness to shed his blood for the cause of Christ.
Medieval commentators, including Bernard of Clairvaux in his De laude novae militiae, saw the red cross as a sign of the knight’s dedication to the cause of Christ. The knight, Bernard wrote, had “taken up the cross of Christ” by wearing the red cross, and he was bound to live in a manner worthy of the symbol.
For more on the symbolism, see The Templar Cross and Mantle.
The Cross in Battle
The red cross on the white mantle was, in the words of one modern historian, “the most recognizable symbol in the medieval world.” It was a powerful rallying point in battle, and it gave the Templars a visual identity that was the envy of other military orders.
The cross is recorded in many of the most famous battles of the Crusades. At the Battle of Hattin (1187), the Templars fought to the death in defense of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. At the Siege of Acre (1291), the cross was a mark of the Templars’ determination to hold the city to the end. The story of Hattin. See The Battle of Hattin.
The Battle Standard: Beauseant
In addition to the red cross on the mantle, the Templars were also distinguished by their battle standard, the famous Beauseant. The Beauseant was a square banner divided diagonally into two equal triangles, one black and one white. The black symbolized the harshness of the judgment the Templars would show to their enemies, while the white symbolized their purity before God. The Beauseant. See The Meaning of Beauseant.
The Modern Legacy of the Cross
The red cross of the Templars has had a long afterlife in modern culture. The flag of Switzerland, which features a white cross on a red background, is sometimes claimed to have been inspired by the Templars’ symbol, but the claim is not supported by mainstream historians; the Swiss flag most likely evolved from the cantonal banner of Schwyz in the late 13th century. The International Red Cross, founded in 1863 by Henry Dunant, uses a red cross on a white background, but the symbol is the Swiss flag with colours inverted — it has no direct connection to the Templars.
In modern neo-Templar orders, the cross and mantle are the most commonly worn symbols. The Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem (OSMTJ) and the Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani (OSMTH) both use the red cross on a white mantle as their principal symbol. These orders are discussed in Do the Knights Templar Still Exist Today?.
The Cross in Modern Mythology
The Templar cross has also been a central symbol in modern Templar mythology. In the Holy Grail romances, the cross is sometimes interpreted as a symbol of the Grail itself. In Freemasonic ritual, the cross is a central symbol of the Knights Templar degree. In the video game franchise Assassin’s Creed, the Templars wear a distinctive red cross on a white background as the symbol of their sinister order.
The mythology of the Order. See Templar Mythology, Symbolism and Hidden Knowledge.
Conclusion
The red cross of the Knights Templar is one of the most recognizable symbols in Western history. The cross symbolized the knight’s willingness to shed his blood for the cause of Christ, and it gave the Order a powerful visual identity that was recognized across Christendom. The cross has had a long afterlife in modern culture, and it remains the most important visual symbol of the Knights Templar.