Conclusion

The papers in this volume give a panoramic view of the background to the trial of the Templars, the events of the trial across Catholic Christendom and the fate of both the Templars’ properties and reputation. The contributors have explored various possible motivations for the attack on the order including the evidence for the charges brought against it, the procedures used during the trial and the evidence given by the brothers. They have also considered various aspects of the government of King Philip IV of France which illuminate his attack on the Templars in October 1307 and the trial which followed. The papers here cover virtually every part of Christendom where there were Templars in 1307. ¹