Witches, Spies and Stockholm Syndrome by Finbar Dwyer

Author:Finbar Dwyer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: New Island Publishing
Published: 2013-10-15T16:00:00+00:00

The Rise of the Templars in Ireland

The Templars’ presence in Ireland had begun as it would end, in the midst of scandal. Shortly after the Norman invasion of Ireland, King Henry II was embroiled in the shocking murder of Thomas Beckett, the Archbishop of Canterbury. In an act of atonement for his guilt, Henry made large endowments to the Church, including the grant of lands in Ireland ‘to the brothers of the Temple to defend the Holy Land of Jerusalem’181.

As the Norman colony in Ireland was established, many other powerful landowners followed in Henry’s footsteps and granted the Knights Templar lands. Over time the Knights Templar came to possess some of the most strategically important and valuable lands in Norman Ireland. In the south-east, they controlled lands on either side of the Barrow River estuary, commanding an important position overlooking what was the most important waterway in Anglo-Norman Ireland. Templar preceptories and houses were also a common feature in major settlements in colonial Ireland. With members constantly on the move across Europe, and in some cases on military expeditions to Palestine, they needed numerous lodging houses to house them. Known as frank houses, the Knights Templar operated what were in effect hostels for members of the order who were engaged in such travel. The Templar properties in the port towns of Drogheda and Wexford182 almost certainly filled this role.

This presence in ports and towns across Ireland and every kingdom in western Europe gave the Templars a distinct advantage in terms of international trade and in particular the lucrative wine trade between western France, England and Ireland, which they dominated.183 While they accrued large amounts of property and were involved in trade, it was unquestionably their financial operations that were the most innovative, lucrative and ultimately the most controversial. It was their financial operations that would ultimately bring the order to ruin.

As we have seen throughout this book, travel in the medieval period was hazardous at the best of times, due to both natural and human perils (see chapter 10, p. 71). This made the transportation of physical wealth and valuables time-consuming, difficult and dangerous. Through the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, the origins of the modern banking system began to emerge from an increasing need to transfer wealth across the continent, not least to the conquered lands of the Middle East. In the absence of electronic communication, the Templars’ geographical spread and wealth enabled them to take advantage of this need. In order to facilitate easier and safer movement of wealth, they allowed travellers to deposit sums of money in one Templar preceptory in return for a written receipt. The traveller could then produce this receipt along the route at another preceptory in return for money, thus avoiding the difficulties involved in transportation of valuables. Through these activities the Templars became one of the earliest medieval transcontinental banks.

As they grew in wealth and were increasingly involved in other financial services, the Templars also began to lend money to the aristocracy and monarchs, who needed large sums to go on crusade.

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