Friday the 13th – Why it is Considered an Unlucky Day. A Quick History Lesson.

Hey Donna,

Yes Dan Brown did use this actual historic event to dramatise his excellent piece of fiction.  It is also loosely referred to in the movie National Treasure.  While these books and movies make for good entertainment, I can assure you, the actual history of these events is far more compelling.  The Knights Templar were a very real religious order of warrior monks.  They were also the preeminent bankers of Europe in their day and as such King Phillip of France owed them huge sums of money.  Phillip had borrowed from The Knights Templar to finance his ongoing war with King Edward I of England and had two aims in betraying the Templars.  One; he would not have to pay them back what he owed and two he would take control of their land and wealth.  He also alluded to Pope Clement V that he wanted the Templars to be merged with the The Knights Hospitallers and for that order to be placed into his control.  As both of these orders were full of trained and seasoned fighters, Phillip would have strengthened his fighting force substantially had this occurred.  The Pope proved to be more resilient then Phillip had anticipated and while allowing Phillip his betrayal of the Templars, the Catholic Church retained the lands of Templars and control of The Knights Hospitallers.  The Hospitallers was the order that took possession of the Templars land.  More likely then not, this was done so the Hospitallers would remain as a standing army capable of deterring King Phillip from assaulting the Pope physically.  Pope Clement V was know to be a physical coward and bent to the will of Phillip quite frequently (as Phillip was responsible for him obtaining the Papacy in the first place) but in this he was able to thwart Phillip.

In all honesty I could go on all day about this but as my lunch is ready I will leave the story off here.

Hey Shirley,

Spelling correction noted and fixed.  Thank you.

Hey Esko,

It was Phillip who acted first.  The Pope didn't issues the Papal Bull titled "Pastoralis Preeminentae" until November 22, 1307 in which he praised Phillip and called on the remaining rulers of Europe to arrest and torture the Knights Templar in their countries.