Knights Templar Arrested: Friday the 13th Origins
King Philip IV of France ordered sealed arrest warrants opened simultaneously across the country at dawn on Friday, October 13, 1307. Hundreds of Knights Templar were seized from their commanderies and thrown into prison. Under torture, many confessed to heresy, spitting on the cross, idol worship, and homosexual practices. Philip owed the Templars enormous sums, and their international banking network controlled vast wealth. Pope Clement V, under heavy French pressure, dissolved the order in 1312. Grand Master Jacques de Molay was burned at the stake in Paris on March 18, 1314. The popular association between Friday the 13th and bad luck has been traced to this event, though the direct connection was popularized only in the twentieth century. The Templars' actual banking records suggest they were creditors, not heretics.
October 13, 1307
719 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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