The Templar's Seafaring Secrets: What Boats Did They Use?

The Knights Templar, officially known as the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, were a military order founded in the 12th century to defend pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. They were highly trained, well-equipped, and forbidden from retreating in battle. The Templars were also shrewd tacticians, and their success on the battlefield brought them considerable wealth and influence.

The Templars owned and operated a number of ships, which they used to transport personnel, pilgrims, and supplies across the Mediterranean. These ships included war galleys and caravels, which were often rented or leased out to private merchants. The Templars also owned a handful of merchant ships or caravels, which they used for trade and transport.

The Templars' naval expertise played an important but little-known role in the formation of the English navy under King John and Henry III. The Templars provided ships, financing, and administrative support to the English fleet, which played a crucial role in defending against French invasions in the early 13th century.

The Templars' fleet at La Rochelle

The official records from the time of the Templars' demise state that they only possessed a couple of short-distance cargo ships at La Rochelle. However, it is speculated that they could have secretly owned more vessels, as they had the wealth and organisational capabilities to do so. Some believe the Templars had a fleet of around half a dozen ships, while others claim that 18 galleys departed from La Rochelle, carrying knights and treasures, just before the arrest warrant for the Order was issued in October 1307.

The ultimate fate of the Templar fleet remains unknown. One popular theory suggests that the ships went to Scotland, but with few vessels and little wealth. Another theory posits that the fleet first went to Cyprus, a safe haven for the Templars, before heading to the Holy Land. A more tragic theory suggests that the fleet was sunk in the English Channel due to bad weather or pirate attacks.

The disappearance of the Templar fleet at La Rochelle has fuelled conspiracy theories and captured the imaginations of historians, writers, and filmmakers alike.

Templar ships were galleys and caravels

The Templar fleet was a combination of galleys and caravels, with a few cogs. Galleys were the warfighting vessels, caravels were used for commerce raiding, and cogs were merchant ships. Templar ships were rented on an as-needed basis to transport pilgrims, knights, and supplies to the Holy Land. The Templars also owned a handful of galleys and at least four caravels or cogs.

The Templar fleet was based at La Rochelle on the French Atlantic coast, with other naval facilities at Marseille. Templar ships were involved in several notable naval engagements, including the Siege of Damietta in 1217, where Templar galleys and caravels took part in the fighting.

The Templars played an important role in the formation of the English navy under King John and Henry III, providing ships, administrative support, and logistical expertise. They also lent and rented ships to King John and provided financing for the English fleet.

The Templars' involvement in naval operations was not limited to the Mediterranean. They also had shipping links with the Continent and were experienced shipowners. The Templars' ships were flexible and could be used for military, commercial, and pilgrimage transport purposes.

The Templars' naval power contributed to their influence and wealth, which, in turn, made them a target for King Philip IV of France, who moved against the order in the early 14th century. The disappearance of the Templar fleet at La Rochelle has added to the mystery surrounding the order's demise.

The Templars' role in the English Navy

The Templars played a crucial, yet largely unknown, role in the formation of the English Navy under King John and Henry III. Medieval navies were transient and fragile, and ships were often built for specific expeditions. King John, with his commitments on the European continent, needed a fleet, and the Templars were instrumental in creating one for him.

In 1213, a threatened French invasion of England was thwarted by the Templars, who had partly funded the English fleet. The Templars were experienced shipowners and were able to provide ships for the fleet. They also offered their administrative and logistical skills to help build up the navy. The Templars owned ships that were military vessels but were also flexible and could be used for commerce.

The Templars' international presence meant they had close shipping links with the continent, particularly with Marseille and La Rochelle, their main maritime link between Britain and France. The Templars were also able to provide the means for King John to acquire ships, lending him money to buy a Spanish vessel in 1214.

The Templars' involvement with the English Navy continued to increase, and in 1215, a Templar, Brother Roger the Almoner, took over the duties of one of John's admirals, who had deserted the royal cause. Roger took command of the royal harbours and fleet and was involved in handling naval finances, paying sailors' wages, and organising freight transfers. He also arranged the transportation of troops from France to England to support King John's war effort.

The Templars' skills in building and managing military shipping meant they remained in demand even after King John's death. In the 1220s, a Templar brother, Brother Thomas, became one of the leading administrators of the new royal fleet and was put in charge of a vital naval construction and refurbishment project for the crown at Portsmouth. Thomas was deeply involved in Henry III's campaigns to retain control of Gascony and was given the task of organising the muster of the royal ships at Portsmouth.

The Templars' influence on the early years of the English Navy was significant, and their skills in shipbuilding and naval administration were highly valued by the English monarchy.

Templar ships were used for commerce

The Templars were a powerful organisation in the Christian world, with a fleet of ships used for commerce and military purposes. They were experienced shipowners, renting and lending vessels to kings and other powerful figures, and even owned a handful of oared warfighting galleys and merchant/fighting caravels or cogs.

The Templars' ships were used to transport new knights, pilgrims, and supplies, including horses, to the Holy Land. They also transported troops and mercenaries, and played a role in the formation of the English navy under King John and Henry III. The Templars' ships were also used for commerce, with the order owning ships that doubled as merchant vessels and military vessels. These ships were used to transport trading goods, such as wine, and the Templars were given valuable trading rights in return for their service to King John.

The Templars' fleet was based at La Rochelle on the French Atlantic coast, with naval facilities at Marseille. The Templars also had close shipping links with the Continent, particularly with the ports of Marseilles and Barcelona. The primary port of debarkation for their ships was the fortified Crusader port of Acre, now Akko in Israel.

The Templars' own caravels, such as the Falcon, were also used as commerce raiders along North Africa throughout the 1200s and 1300s. These caravels were highly successful in transporting, trading, and raiding.

Templar ships were used for pilgrimages

The Knights Templar, officially known as the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, were a military order of the Catholic faith, founded in 1119 to defend pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. They were also used in the Crusades against non-Christian forces which desired control of the Holy Land.

The Templars were secretive and it is not known exactly how many ships they owned. However, they did have their own fleet, based at La Rochelle on the French Atlantic coast, which was their main maritime link between Britain and France. Templar ships were rented on an as-needed basis, generally to transport new knights, pilgrims, and supplies, including horses, to the Holy Land. Most were "caravels," similar to the cogs of northern Europe, but built with flush hull planks and rigged with lateen sails. The Templars also owned a handful of oared warfighting galleys and at least four merchant/fighting caravels or cogs.

Templar ships were used to transport pilgrims to the Holy Land. In 1150, the Order's original mission of guarding pilgrims had evolved into a mission of guarding their valuables through an innovative way of issuing letters of credit, an early precursor of modern banking. Pilgrims would deposit their valuables with a local Templar preceptory before embarking, receive a document indicating the value of their deposit, then show that document upon arrival in the Holy Land to claim treasure of equal value to their funds. This kept the pilgrims safe since they were not carrying valuables, and further increased the power of the Templars.

The Templars' involvement in banking grew over time, and they became increasingly involved in banking activities. Their holdings were necessary to support their campaigns. By the late 12th century, the Templars were also politically powerful in the Holy Land. Secular nobles in the Kingdom of Jerusalem began granting them castles and surrounding lands as a defence against the growing threat of the Zengids in Syria. The Templars were even allowed to negotiate with Muslim rulers independently of the feudal lords.

The Templars' ships were mainly for commerce rather than military purposes. However, Templar warfighting galleys and caravels were part of the fleet that besieged the sea tower and city of Damietta on the Nile in 1217. The Templars sank one of their own vessels during the Siege of Damietta, taking their attackers down with them.

The Templars' fleet at La Rochelle is believed to have gone to Scotland, but it was not a massive armada. Those who believe the remaining Templars fled to Scotland speculate that only a few ships made it to the area, as the ships were not designed for long-distance transport.

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