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Templars
or Knights Templars. Nine French knights bound
themselves, at the beginning of the twelfth century, to protect
pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land, and received the name of
Templars, because their arms were kept in a building given to them for
the purpose by the abbot of the convent called the Temple of Jerusalem.
They used to call themselves the “Poor Soldiers of the Holy City.” Their habit was a long white mantle, to which subsequently was added a
red cross on the left shoulder. Their famous war-cry was
“Bauseant,” from their banner, which was striped black and white,
and charged with a red cross; the word Bauseant is old French
for a black and white horse.
Seal of the Knights Templars
(two knights riding on one horse). The first Master of the Order
and his friend were so poor that they had but one horse between them, a
circumstance commemorated by the seal of the order. The order
afterwards became wealthy and powerful.
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894 More on Templars from Infoplease:
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