Seals of the Knights Templars

Officials of religious Orders had their own seals to validate documents approved by the Order. The seal was equivalent with modern days signatures.Futhermore, in a time with a majority of lliterate people, the seal was an acknowledgment of a document's authenticity. Afixing a seal was a declaration that the person or group whose seal was affixed validate the content of the document, even if they couldn't sign their names. The Templars, like any other individual or group, would have needed a seal whose imagery expressed something positive and fundamental about their organisation. The Master of the Temple's great seal was double-sided and showed the picture of The Dome of the Rock (some opinions are that the picture represent circular dome of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre) on one side and the Orders's symbol of two knights on one horse on the other. There was also a smaller, single-sided seal, which showed the Dome of the Rock (or the circular dome of the Holy Sepulchre). Every Grand Master seal has a common distinctive characteristics. In order to avoid the misuse of the seal specials measureses were taken regading the seals.It was kept in a locked compartment which required three keys to open. The Grand Master himself kept one of these keys, and two of his high officials held the others.The forgery of the seals was a very difficult process each seal was unique and hand made. Dome of the Rock in center of Temple Mount The Dome of the Rock (Arabic: قبة الصخرة Qubbat As-Sakhrah) is a famous Islamic shrine in Jerusalem. ... Main Entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, called Church of the Resurrection (Anastasis) by Eastern Christians, is a Christian church now within the walled Old City of Jerusalem. ... Dome of the Rock in center of Temple Mount The Dome of the Rock (Arabic: قبة الصخرة Qubbat As-Sakhrah) is a famous Islamic shrine in Jerusalem. ... The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, called Church of the Resurrection (Anastasis) by Eastern Christians, is a Christian church now within the walled Old City of Jerusalem. ...

Zonal Distribution of Knights Templars seals

According to a bull issued by Innocent IV in 1251 it was customary for successive provincial masters to use the same seal. When the province of Provence and certain parts of Spain was divided into two some change were made. The master of Provence contined to use a agnus dei seal, but the seal of the Aragonese master William of Cardoona, although round (29 mm. indiameter) and of black or dark-green wax, depicted a knight on horseback, carrying a lance and shield, on which was a cross; it bore the legend: S. MINISTRI TEMPLI 1 ARAGON 7 CATALON. This form of seal was also used by later Aragonese provincial masters. The Agnus Dei, the figure of a lamb bearing a symbol of Jesus as the Lamb of God. ...

Templars Seal Themes

Dome of the Rock and Al Aksa

Evrard de Barres Dome of the Rock in center of Temple Mount The Dome of the Rock (Arabic: قبة الصخرة Qubbat As-Sakhrah) is a famous Islamic shrine in Jerusalem. ... The Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem is not to be confused with the Dome of the Rock The Al-Aqsa Mosque (Arabic: المسجد الاقصى, Masjid Al-Aqsa, literally farthest mosque) is part of the complex of religious buildings in Jerusalem known as either the Majed Mount or Al-Haram ash... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

Regnaud de Vichier Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

MILITIE TEMPLI SALMO -This seal -Templi Salomonis-represent most probably actually Al Aksa mosque the place where the Templars were living. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem is not to be confused with the Dome of the Rock The Al-Aqsa Mosque (Arabic: المسجد الاقصى, Masjid Al-Aqsa, literally farthest mosque) is part of the complex of religious buildings in Jerusalem known as either the Majed Mount or Al-Haram ash...

MILITIE TEMPLI SALMO Artistic representation Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

The reverse of Bertrand de Blancafort's seal, Master of the Temple 1168 in Staatsarchiv Amberg

reverse of Grand Master William de Chartres seal from 1214 also depict the Dome of the Rock

Agnus Dei

In heraldry, a lamb of God (or paschal lamb, or agnus Dei) is a lamb passant proper, with a halo or charged with a cross gules, and the dexter forelimb reflexed over a cross staff from which a pennon of St. George (Argent a cross gules) is flotant. The seals of the Masters of the Temple in England: of Aimery de St Maur, 1200, Robert of Sandford, , 1241, Richard of Hastings, 1160-85, and William de la More, 1304, showed the agnus Dei the lamb of God. The Agnus Dei, the figure of a lamb bearing a symbol of Jesus as the Lamb of God. ...

SIGILLVM TEMPLI The obverse of a seal used by William de la More, master, 1304, resembles the above text . The reverse, a small oval counter-seal, with beaded borders, shows on the right a couped bust of a bearded man wearing a cap. and have the legend:— TESTIS SVM AGNI William de la More, styled 'frater Willelmus de la More miliciae. The seal is called 'commune sigillum capituli'. The seal symbolic of their vow of poverty, showing two knights riding on one horse appears only to have been used by the order in France; there is no example of its use in England.

Some of the seals of the English Templar was a semi-typical Pascal lamb bearing sometimes, not the flag of Saint George (or the the cross), but the Beauseant, the battle banner of the Order. The motto accompanying the seal reads TESTIS SUM AGNI, (not Agnus as it is correct), being the lamb of God. The translation of the Latin word AGNI raises several areas of contention, however a similar word AGNITIO translates to 'of the nature of the mind or Wisdom. The Lord AGNI is the Lord of fire and light. If this conjecture is correct "TESTIS SVM AGNI" would translate from (SUM)Exist to (TESTIS)Witness (AGNI)the Lamb of God, to "Exist to Witness Wisdom".

Other seals: Durham Cathedral Muniments, Medieval Seal G&B reference number: 3388 Knights of the Temple 1304 Description: Round. The Holy Lamb with banner.

The Two Riders

Pierre de Montaigu Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...	Bertrant de Blancquefort Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...	Bertrant de Blancquefort Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...	Geoffroy De Vichier Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...
Gilbert Erail Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

The Symbol

The Templar Seal showing two knights (Hugh de Payens and Godefroi Sant Omer) on one horse. There are many interpretations of the symbolism of this seal.

• A symbolic representation to the Templars' vow of poverty, (and of course not a representation of an real occurrence). Contemporary legend held that the symbol represented the initial poverty of the Order; that they could afford only a single horse for every two men. Still, the Rule of the Order from the outset permitted three horses and no more for each knight.

But at the height of the Templar's prosperity, even with all the funding they were able to collect, they were only able to put a few hundred men on horseback, though there were many more foot soldiers among the sergeants of the Order.

• A riddle because the Rule forbids two riders on the same beast.
• A symbol showing the dual nature of the knighthood. The brothers were two things at once and, in a way, two people at once--two men on the same horse. They were warriors, but they were also monks. By their vows they were poor, but in practice the Order was wealthy. They were worldly men, but in many ways withdrawn from the world.
• an image of one knight carrying his wounded comrade from battle.
• A symbol showing the sexual orientation of the knights, very doubtfull that the Grand Master of the Temple has openly endorse such a practice by adopting a symbol of it as his official seal, considering that this have been an affront to the authority and beliefs. of the Church, not to mention a deliberate transgression against the Order's vow of chastity. Other reasons that make this symbol doubtful are embeded in Templar's rules:
  • the brothers were encouraged not to bathe, so that no one would see their naked bodies
  • they were to sleep with the lamps lit so that shameful acts could not be hidden by darkness
  • the brothers should sleep dressed, and that their sleeping area is to remain lit
• A symbol of Pegasus the only one argument is the shape.
• A symbol showing the belief of the templars in Jesus: "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew)suggesting that Christ rides with each of the brothers.

Several masters have adopted this seal from the begining of the order till al least 1298. It is known since 1167. In Greek mythology, Pegasus, or Pegasos was a winged horse that was the foal of Poseidon, in his role as horse-god and the Gorgon Medusa. ...

The two knights on the horse was evocated in: Matthew Paris in Chronica Majora cca 1250 English monk and chronicler from St Albans in Historia Anglorum This image of two men on horseback originally is at least dated in 1158 as the seal of the Grand Master of the Temple , Bertrand de Blanchefort, and is the earliest known seal for the Grand Master of the Temple forty years after the Order was formed. Use of this symbol continued under subsequent Grand Masters for as long as the Order survived, however the seal went through more than one incarnation. The Reynaut de Vichiers , who was Master of the Temple from 1255-1259 depict same images , but it is obviously not the same seal. For the British newspaper columnist and MP, see Matthew Parris. ...

The Legend

Regarding the text of the seal differences can be clearly seen between the seals of the Grand Masters: Blanchefort's seal: SIGILLUM MILITUM obverse;CHRISTI DE TEMPLO reverse Vichiers' seal: SIGILLUM MILITUM XPISTI Although the phrase is written using the Latin alphabet, the first two letters of Christ's name are the Greek XP (Chi Rho) rather than the Latin CHR. The XP symbol's origin lies in the early roots of Christianity, but came into popular use after the Emperor Constantine had a vision of it and converted to Christianity in the early fourth century.From the time of Constantine, it became one of the most significant symbols of Christianity, surpassed only by the cross itself. Its early associations with the military make it the more apt of the two symbols for the Templars. In fact the Chi Rho can also be seen on the shields of the knights on de Vichiers' seal

The Eagle

Bertram von Esbeck, Master of the Temple in Germany, 1296 depicts an eagle with two six pointed stars. The Eagle: Single and Double-Headed (Bicephalous) At the base of Ab-ú’s statue, found in the Old Sumerian shrine of Eshnunna (Tell Asmar), his symbols of a lion-headed eagle, with outstretched wings and talons, is shown as diving down upon his prey, arranged mirror-symmetrically. ...

A heraldic bird of the first order, symbolises courage, determination, the soaring toward great heights, power, grandeur. One of the commonest medieval charges on heraldic shields, often denoting imperial sovereignty. The eagle is generally borne displayed; that is, upright, breast to the front, and legs, tail and wings expanded (commonly called a "spread eagle"). One eager or hot in the pursuit of an object much desired. Double Eagle and Eagle - Signifies a man of action, ever more occupied in high and weighty affairs, and one of lofty spirit, ingenious, speedy in apprehension and judicious in matters of ambiguity. Emblematical of fortitude and magnanimity of mind. The Romans used the figure of an eagle for their ensign, and their example has been often followed. It is the Device of Russia, Austria, Germany, the United States of America and the Emperors of France. In Blazon, when the talons, or claws and beak, are of a different tincture to the other part, it is said to be armed of such a colour. When the claws or talons are borne in arms, they should be turned towards the dexter side of the escutcheon, unless expressed to the contrary. An eagle displayed with two heads is commonly called a Spread Eagle, symbolical of the Eastern and Western Roman Empire. An eagle's leg erased at the thigh is termed á la quise.

Paris Temple

Cross

Aragon;Tortosa; Late thirteenth century. Depicting a cross. Legend: SIGILLUM MILICIE TEMPLI IN DERTOSA Aragon; Alfambra; 1248. Brown wax, round, 30 mm. in diameter, depicting a cross. Legend:......LUM CASTRI....

Cross pattée

A cross having arms narrow at the inner center, and very broad at the other end. A cross having arms narrow at the inner center, and very broad at the other end. ...

Cross pattée and fleur-de-lis

A seal from Provence : the Templars from Roaix, Sérignan ... This knight, Giraud de Chamaret, hoists the templar cross and the "fleur-de-lis". 1234. Fleurs-de-lys on the flag of Quebec The fleur-de-lis (also spelled fleur-de-lys; plural fleurs-de-lis or -lys) is used in heraldry, where it is particularly associated with the France monarchy (see King of France). ...

Knight on the Horse

The seal of Brother Roustan de Comps, commander of the Order of the Temple at Richerenches, 1232, shows a single knight on horseback, bearing a shield with a cross: probably St. George. For alternate uses, see Saint George (disambiguation) Saint George on horseback rides alongside a wounded dragon being led by a princess, late 19th century engraving. ...

Head

Seals of Brother Widekind, Master of the Temple in Germany, 1271, and Brother Frederick Wildergrave, 1289, showed Christ's head (or John Head on Other Opinions)

Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

Tower or Castle

The seal of Templar officials in Yorkshire c.1300 shows a tower with a pointed roof.

Aragon ;Monzón;Early fourteenth century. Round, depicting a castle with three towers, with a griffin on each side. Legend: S. CASTELL........ONI. Aragon; Huesca; Round, depicting a castle. Legend: S. DOM. TEMPLI DE OSCA Aragon; Barbará Early fourteenth century. Yellow wax, round, 29 mm. in diameter, depicting a castle between two fishes. Legend: S. COMAND.....BARBERA

Abraxas

The word Abraxas (or Abrasax or Abracax) was engraved on certain antique stones, called on that account Abraxas stones, which were used as amulets or charms by Gnostic sects.Amulets and seals bearing the figure of Abraxas were popular in the second century, and were used also in the thirteenth century in some of the seals of the Knights Templar. By medieval times, Abraxas was relegated to the ranks of demons. The image most associated with abraxas is that of a composite creature with the head of a rooster, the body of a man, and legs made of serpents or scorpions. He carries a whip and shield, called wisdom and power. Occasionally Abraxas is depicted driving a chariot drawn by four horse, probably representing the elements. Engraving from an Abraxas stone. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

• Tertullian, talking about of Basilides' description of Abraxas:

"Afterwards broke out the heretic Basilides. He affirms that there is a supreme Deity, by name Abraxas, by whom was created Mind, which in Greek he calls Nous; that thence sprang the Word; that of Him issued Providence, Virtue, and Wisdom; that out of these subsequently were made Principalities, powers, and Angels; that there ensued infinite issues and processions of angels; that by these angels 365 heavens were formed, and the world, in honour of Abraxas, whose name, if computed, has in itself this number. Now, among the last of the angels, those who made this world, he places the God of the Jews latest, that is, the God of the Law and of the Prophets, whom he denies to be a God, but affirms to be an angel." Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, anglicized as Tertullian, (b. ... Basilides (circa 117-138) was an early Christian religious teacher who lived in Alexandria, Egypt. ...

The Dove

SUN and Moon

Lion

Seals of Brother Otto of Brunswich, commander of Supplingenburg, shows a lion; A seal of one Knight Templar, England, 1303 is showing the Lion of England and the cross pattée and the crescent moon of the Mother Goddess with stars. Aragon; Miravet; 1278, 1287. Depicting a lion

Griffen

William, Master of the Temple in Hungary and Slovonia, 1297, depicts a winged griffen

Horse

Unusual uncertified early Templar insignia

References

1. Hopkins, M, Simmans, G. & Wallace-Murphy, T., Rex Deus, Element, Shaftesbury, Dorset, 2000, 177
2. F. de Sagarra, Sigillografía catalana, iii (Barcelona, 1932), 473
3. R. de Huesca, Teatro histórico de las iglesias del reyno de Aragón, vii (Pamplona, 1797), 121
4. The Templars in the Corona de Aragón ,Alan John Forey [1] (http://libro.uca.edu/forey/templars.htm)