| Templar | n. [ OE. templere, F. templier, LL. templarius. See Temple a church. ] 1. One of a religious and military order first established at Jerusalem, in the early part of the 12th century, for the protection of pilgrims and of the Holy Sepulcher. These Knights Templars, or Knights of the Temple, were so named because they occupied an apartment of the palace of Bladwin II. in Jerusalem, near the Temple. [ 1913 Webster ] ☞ The order was first limited in numbers, and its members were bound by vows of chastity and poverty. After the conquest of Palestine by the Saracens, the Templars spread over Europe, and, by reason of their reputation for valor and piety, they were enriched by numerous donations of money and lands. The extravagances and vices of the later Templars, however, finally led to the suppression of the order by the Council of Vienne in 1312. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. A student of law, so called from having apartments in the Temple at London, the original buildings having belonged to the Knights Templars. See Inner Temple, and Middle Temple, under Temple. [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ] 3. One belonged to a certain order or degree among the Freemasons, called Knights Templars. Also, one of an order among temperance men, styled Good Templars. [ 1913 Webster ] |
