About order rules
Chapter 6 from the work “From the history of the Knights Templar.”
Prepared by Noble + Brother Wolfgang AKUNOV
Crimes (theft, murder, rebellion, escape, blasphemy, cowardice in the face of the enemy, communication of decisions of the Chapter to a “brother” not allowed to participate in Chapter meetings, simony and sodomy) were punishable by exclusion from the Order of the Temple, and less serious offenses (disobedience to superiors, slander of a “brother”, insult by the action of a “brother” or another Christian, communication with corrupt women, denial of food to a “brother” and drinking) - temporary deprivation of the right to wear order clothes. Expulsion from the Order of the Temple meant for the exile the deprivation of a source of livelihood - after all, upon joining the Order, the Templar contributed all his property to it, which never returned.
Anyone who was deprived of the order's cloak was obliged to work together with slaves, eat on bare ground and not dare to touch weapons. Even after the order’s cloak was returned to him, he could never reach the highest position in the Order of the Temple or testify against any of the “brothers” in the Order.
Any person who wanted to join the Templar Order as a full member (“white cloak”) had to be in excellent health, come from a legal marriage and from a knightly family. It also had to satisfy the following requirements:
- not be married
- not to be excommunicated from the Church,
- not be bound by oath to any other spiritual Order and
- do not seek admission into the Order of the Temple by means of promises or gifts.
Before the ceremonial reception into the Order of the Temple of a candidate who had successfully completed a year of preliminary probation (novitiate, or novitiate), 2 “brother knights” took him to a special room at the order’s temple for an interview about the seriousness of his intentions and the burdensomeness of the responsibilities that he was going to take on. If the candidate, despite everything, remained firm in his decision, then, with the permission of the Chapter, he was led into the temple, sworn in on the Holy Gospel and, with solemn ceremonies, dressed in a white order cloak.
It was strictly forbidden to leave the Order of the Temple without permission. If a templar who had left the Order of the Templars wanted to return to it again, he had to stand in any weather with his head uncovered at the entrance to the “Order House” (“Temple”) and, kneeling before each templar entering and leaving, tearfully beg for forgiveness.
After a certain time, the Almsgiver offered the repentant outcast refreshment with food and drink and informed the Chapter that the apostate “brother” begged to show mercy and accept him back into the Order of the Temple. If the Chapter agreed, the penitent petitioner, naked to the waist (or, in modern military parlance, “bare-chested”) and with a hemp rope (“rope”) around his neck, appeared before the Chapter meeting, on his knees and with tears of heartfelt contrition, begged for admission and declared his readiness to suffer the most severe punishment. If he then, within the appointed period, bore “worthy fruit of repentance,” the Chapter returned to him his former order clothes.
As mentioned above, the Grand Master of the Templars did not make important decisions individually, but only after consulting with the “General Chapter” (in especially urgent cases - with the Jerusalem Convention, that is, with the general meeting of all Templars serving in Jerusalem) and only with their consent could declare war, make peace, carry out trade transactions, etc.
The General Chapter consisted of the highest officials of all order areas and the most experienced “brother knights” invited to the council by the Grand Master. This Chapter was convened only in particularly important cases due to the extraordinary expenses associated with it. Order matters concerning a particular province were discussed at a meeting of the provincial chapter chaired by the preceptor of the given province.