Pope Clement V
Philip IV of France would not have found it so easy to destroy the Knights Templar if the pope of the period had been a strong character interested either in righteousness -- or his own independence and power. Whether idealistic or merely self-interested, a man with backbone could have stood up to Philip IV -- and turned the Templars into his army. Clement V, however, was a Frenchman with an apparent admiration for Philip IV. Very probably he owed his election to the papacy to Philip and thereafter lived in fear of displeasing the powerful French monarch.
In the excerpt below, Lord Geoffrey of Najac, at the end of an audience with the Pope on another topic, raises the issue of the Templars.
“Is that all, Monsieur?” thePope enquired of Geoffrey.
“No.”Geoffrey surprised them all — not least Louis and Marie, who had been preparedfor everything up to now. “Your Holiness, I was myself a Templar novice, and Ifought beside Saint Louis in Egypt. At Damietta, I was wounded and at Mansourah,I was knighted by Saint Louis himself.” He thrust his leg forwards andindicated the spurs with the lilies of France. “I did not join the Temple, butI fought and lived with hundreds of Templars. I am convinced that the chargesagainst them are groundless...." Theroom was deathly still, and Geoffrey could sense that he had managed to movemost of the men around him.
“Itis...” the Pope started rather hesitantly, “certainly possible that the ... poison of heresy, sodomy and corruption hasnot yet spread across the Channel or the Pyrenees. But am I to believe that allthe hundreds of confessions — including that of the senior officers of theTemple —are all lies?”
“Ican remember the feel of Greek fire upon my skin, Your Holiness, and I knowthat I would have said anything to make the burning stop. Anything!” Geoffreystressed. He was staring straight at the Pope, their eyes fixed on one anotherand the rest of the room was forgotten.
“Leaveus!” the Pope ordered abruptly, sitting up and gesturing irritably to all thecardinals, bishops and abbots.
“Your Holiness —” FatherElion tried to intervene.
“Especially you,Father!” Clement hissed.
Geoffreyturned to Louis and gestured for him to withdraw as well. Muttering andwhispering, they all withdrew through one of the various doors until the Popeand Geoffrey were utterly alone. The Pope then gestured for him to come closer.
Geoffreymounted the first two steps of the papal throne and waited. He was separatedfrom Clement by no more than a yard. He could see that the Pope wore whitepowder on his face and a touch of rouge. He smelled of sweet bath water. Heremembered that this was a man who openly kept a mistress, a noblewoman thirtyyears younger than himself.
“Monsieurde Preuthune,” Clement opened slowly, “you are a courageous man. You foughtagainst the Saracen for your faith—"
“Asdid the Knights Templar for nearly two hundred years!” Geoffrey’s fervourcombined with the unexpected hope that he might be able to influence this weakman made him forget himself. Ardently he argued, “I was trained in the Temple,Your Holiness. More God-fearing and devout men cannot have been born. Theyabhorred greed and vanity and simple pleasures and devoted themselves only tothe service of God. It is impossible that these charges of heresy and idolworship are anything more than false accusations designed to discredit them.”
The Popescowled and lifted his hand in startled reproach. He had not expected the sameimpudence from this nobleman he had had to suffer from the King and his ministers.Geoffrey bit his tongue. “As we were saying, you fought against the Saracen forthe sake of your faith, and we know that the Saracens outnumbered the army ofSaint Louis many, many times. You are undoubtedly courageous,” the Popeconceded. Geoffrey sensed, however, that this was not entirely a compliment. Clementcontinued, “You are also a man of simple, straightforward faith. A man of thesword, you are not used to intrigue and the need for discretion. So let us helpyou, my son.” He paused, looked Geoffrey straight in the eye, and then saidslowly and deliberately. “You are a subject of the King of France, and if youdo not wish to hang for treason, then you would do well to forget your Templarpast.”
Geoffreycould not tell if he were being warned or threatened.
The Popeleaned towards him and whispered. “We too are in great danger. We are the King’sprisoner. The King would not hesitate to charge us with the same crimes as the Templarsas he did our predecessor. We are powerless against him. Neitherexcommunication nor any other spiritual sanction impresses him. Do you think wehaven’t tried? Haven’t you noticed how the city swarms with his soldiers?”Since the arrival of the King in Poitiers, Pope Clement lived in daily fear ofkidnapping or outright murder. and driven him to an early grave? Probablywith poison.
Geoffreysaw the fear in the Pope’s eyes and the trembling of his thin hands. Thisself-indulgent, frightened old man was supposed to be Christ’s vicar?Geoffrey’s disbelief gave way to contempt. This old man cared only for his ownsurvival — and his comfort and the trappings of power. He was not evenwilling to fight for the substance of his authority. He was prepared to live asham. He would be content as long as all his creature comforts were met andpeople pretended to respect him.
Geoffrey chose his wordswith deliberation, and he spoke softly but distinctly, his eyes fixed on thewatery, pale eyes of the Pontiff, “If you had not allowed the King to arrestall the Knights Templar in this kingdom, you could have called upon an army!”
The Poperecoiled. His pointed nose was running and a drop of water hung between thenostrils. “What —"
“TheTemplars owed their allegiance to no king, only to you. You could havesurrounded yourself with the best-trained knights in Christendom, and then youcould have challenged Philip — or any king — to any test of strength you liked.They would have died for you, Your Holiness, with the same elan and devotionwith which they died for Jerusalem and Acre. You could have made kings dance toyour tune or set them aside — instead of letting them treat you like a pawn.”
Clementhad gone pale as he stared at Geoffrey. Hastily, he brushed the drop from hisnose with the back of his gloved hand and looked away. He swallowed. Geoffreycould see the Adam’s apple bobbing in his scrawny throat.
“Withyour permission,” Geoffrey said coldly, and he backed off the dais.
“Wait!”Clement cried, and Geoffrey waited, but it was too late. They both knew it wastoo late.
The Popeswallowed and wiped again at his running nose. Finally, he muttered in a toneof defeat, “Go with God.” Clement hastily gave a hint of blessing, and Geoffreymade a suggestion of a bow. Then he turned his back on the frightened manoccupying the Shoes of the Fisherman and strode out of the audience chamber.
The Tale of the English Templar is available in paperback and ebook format from all major online retail platforms.
An escaped Templar,an intrepid, old crusader, and a discarded brideembark on a quest for justice inthe face of tyranny. Find out more at on my website Buy on amazon.com Buy on Barnes and Noble
