Timelines of the Order of the Temple Part 3

1118 - Current

1808

Jacques De Molay's death commemorated on March 11 at St. Paul's Church in Paris. This marks this Order's first public emergence since its official reestablishment.

1830

The modern Order is flourishing. The are many houses and commanderies around Western Europe and North America.

1838

Br. Bernard-Raymond dies and Fr. Sindney Smith is referred to as Regent of the Order. Some years before, the Grand Master had wanted to demonstrate the Order's Johannite beliefs which differs from doctrine. This split the Order in 2 and Bernard-Raymond was rebelled against. He resigned and left, disgusted, departed from Paris.

1840

Bernard-Raymond's successor, Regent Admiral Sindney Smith, dies. Under the newly appointed Regent Jean - Marie Raoul, the Order's new ranks are reconciled.

1841

The French translation, commissed by Regent Sidney Smith, of the 1705 Statues & Rule are well received at General Chapter. Previously, Br. Bernard-Raymond had forbidden the translation of the Latin Rules & Statute. At this point, the Order still does not have a Grand Master as no suitable candidate could be found. The King of Sweden was offered the Grand Mastership but he subsequently declined due to advancing years.

1845

The Prince of Chimay accepted the proposal to negotiate with the Vatican in acknowledging the Order's continued existence and repealing the 1313 edict. These negotiations lasted until 1848 but were subsequently abandoned due to the 2nd French Revolution. The Pope was open to the proposal but demanded complete submission of the Order and that absolute Catholicism was followed. 

1848

Legislation from the French revolutionary council forbade the secrecy of sects and institutions. The Order fell under suspicion once more of a governing French body and, as a result, the Magisterial Council was forced to cease work (despite the protests of many priories). The seat was moved to Brussels to escape this legislation but did return to Paris after a while.

1850

The new Regent Valleray readdressed the Order's request to the Vatican but no decision was made.

1857

May 28: The Magisterial Council instructs Count Szapary to negotiate with King Georges IV of Hanover with the view of him becoming the next Grand Master.

The pluralist structure of the Order were the only Obstacles since the king was consecrated. 

1857

June 20: The Magisterial Council degrees that the King of Hanover is to become the Order's next Grand Master. The archives and "treasure" of the Order is to be transferred over to the new Grand Master via Count Szapary. It was proclaimed at General Chapter "Vive Dieu, Saint Amour, Vive le Roy d'Hannovre, vive le Grand Maître de l'Ordre du Temple!”.

However, the King of Hanover never did become Grand Master. The archives were never transferred to Hanover. No one knows what went wrong. Following the decree, instead of transferring the archives to Hanover, Br. Vernois, Grand Order and Cross of the Order, transferred them to Mr. Maury, Director General of the National Archives of Paris. An act without the agreement of General Chapter. Br. Vernois immediately left the Order.

After this unexpected turn, the German Templars choose Willem II as Grand Master and the English Templars, the Prince of Wales. Neither Grand Master was Internationally recognised however.

1894

After the prosperous period from 1705 to the end of 1871, the Order found itself in a very poor state.

From 1894, the seat of the TEMPLARS INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIATIS was established in Brussels until 1934. 

1932

The newly elected Grand Prior of Belgium, Br Emmanuel Ferdinand ALVES-GUERRA, Baron of Saint ANNA, established the "CONSEIL DE REGENCE" from the International Secretariat. First led by COVIAS and succeeded as Regent Grand Master Emiel ISAAC, alias VANDENBERG. They changed the name of the Order to "Ordre Souverain et Militaire du Temple de Jérusalem" or OSMTJ. 


Johannite refers to beliefs demonstrated by some medieval Templars and Knights Hospitallers (Johannite later Malta).
 Johannism (German Protestant Order +/- 1800) differs from religious policy, namely:
• Godliness includes all natural elements; The Son represents the action and the Holy Spirit the intelligence.
• Jesus would have appointed John as Head of the Church and not Peter.
• The resurrection of Jesus Christ has no religious basis since John does not speak of it in his gospel.