Knights Templar

The Knights Templar, or Knights of the Temple of Solomon, were a Christian military order active from the 12th to 14th century, central to the Crusades.

Nature
They were set up by the Canavitchi (PROSE: The King of Terror) with the purpose of securing Christian control of the "holy lands" across the Mediterranean Sea. The Templars took various vows as part of entering the order. Although technically men of the cloth, most Knights were not priests in any real sense, but warriors, scholars and traders. Indeed, the popular reputation of the Templars in England was primarily as "usurers". (AUDIO: The Green Man)

History
The Doctor rode with the Templars in Palestine. At some point, the Templars captured the Imagineum. (COMIC: Endgame) Bernice Summerfield once encountered agents of the order, including former member Guy de Carnac. (PROSE: Sanctuary, The Sword of Forever) In the alternate timeline caused by the Ccracks in Time, the Knights Templar possessed the Pandorica, which was guarded by the Lone Centurion, in 1120. (TV: The Big Bang)

During the reign of King Richard I of England, Templar-run hospices existed in England itself. After returning from "outre-mer", Henri d'Arrée, a Templar who was originally from Brittany, was posted at one of them, as was Moses of Tyre. (AUDIO: The Green Man)

By the late 20th century, the Templars were no longer knights, but accountants. Marwood and Felix were Templars. (COMIC: Endgame)

In Jeremiah Bash Henderson's sob story, Delilah likened Torchwood to the Knights Templar. (AUDIO: The Torchwood Archive)