Templars were Recognized by Council of Troyes

For almost a decade, the local recognition of Knights Templar appeared to be acceptable (in terms of its objectives); however, by the end of 1120s it became obvious that a global (for the whole Christendom) recognition by the Holy Roman Catholic Church is in order.

This recognition was granted on 13 January 1129 by the Council of Troyes which was a joint venture (no surprise here either) by Bernard of Clairvaux and Hugh of Champagne. The former provided the place (he was the Count of Troyes); the latter convened the Council.

Unlike the Council of Nablus that gave initial (local) recognition to Knights Templar, the Council of Troyes was a purely ecclesiastical gathering and was convened specifically to provide the global recognition to the order of the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (formally to hear a petition by Hugues de Payens, then nominal Grand Master of the order).

Pope Honorius II did not attend the council (he was already quite ill – he died a year later); however, he sent the papal legate, Matthew, cardinal-bishop of Albano, to represent him. Pope provided his official recognition a few weeks later.

Bernard convened the council on 13 January 1129. The attendees were mainly French clerics (no surprise here): archbishops Renaud of Reims and Henry of Sens, ten bishops, four Cistercian abbots, a number of other abbots, and the clerical scholars, Alberic of Reims and Fulger (a prominent historian).

De-jure Grand Master of Templars Hugues de Payens, officially petitioned the council to approve the Rule for the Templars (co-authored by Bernard of Clairvaux and Hugh of Champagne) – and thus to provide official recognition of the order by the Church. Thanks to the influence pf Bernard, the Rule was approved – and the Templars got their absolutely vital global recognition.

Bowing to the request by Pope Honorius II and Patriarch Stephen of Jerusalem, the Council required Templars to wear a white habit (the famous red cross was added eighteen years later).

In addition to providing official recognition to the Templars, the council addressed the dispute between the bishop of Paris and king of France. Oh, irony of Fate – the order of Templars was officially born with the dispute between secular and ecclesiastical rulers of France… and died with the dispute between these powers.

Not surprisingly, this recognition radically increased both donations to the order and the number of individuals requesting to join the Knights Templar.