Trial Against the Templars

Trial against the Templars

The Vatican Secret Archive (renamed the Vatican Apostolic Archives in 2019) is a centuries-old guardian of the world's largest documentary heritage, which comprises 35,000+ volumes dating back to the 8th century. Its name is somewhat inaccurate: Archivum Secretum Vaticanum more accurately translates as the “Private Vatican Library”, meaning it was intended for the Pope’s sole use and served as his personal archive, distinct from the archives of other church authorities. Nevertheless, the holdings are currently (since 2020) accessible only up to the year 1945; the contemporary records from the period thereafter are still kept classified and are thus, for the time being, “secret” in a certain sense. The archived holdings consist primarily of diplomatic documents, ranging from state papers and official documents, to correspondence and account books. A series of documents stored under the shelf marks A.A. Arm. 208, 209, 210 and 217 deal with one of the most infamous and mysterious events in history: the trial of the Knights Templar, which began in 1307 and lasted until 1314.

Medieval Court Records

The first three documents (208, 209, 210) are the surviving specimens of an original corpus of five parchment rolls, including the confessions of seventy-two knights questioned by Pope Clement V (ca. 1264–1314) between June 28th and July 2nd, 1308. The fourth document (217) is the legendary Chinon Parchment, which was rediscovered in 2001 and caused a major sensation when it was first published in 2007. It records the interrogations of five high-ranking Knights Templar, including the last Grand Master, Jacques de Molay (ca. 1243–1314), and proves that the Order’s dignitaries were granted absolution by the papal commission. Thus, from a religious standpoint, the Order was acquitted of all charges of heresy, such as homosexuality and idolatry. This did nothing to prevent them from falling victim to secular power: At the instigation of King Philip IV of France, known as “the Fair” (1268–1314), who had unleashed the slander against the Templars because he owed them enormous debts and sought to seize their wealth and possessions, they nevertheless met their end at the stake. Finally, the facsimile edition includes a document contained in the file Registrum Avenionense 48 by Pope Benedict XII (1285–1342): it is a summary of the hearings of all Knights Templar—commissioned by Pope Clement V and compiled by representatives of the Holy See involved in the trial.

The facsimile edition features:

• Three fragments of originally five documents recording the confessions of 72 Knights Templar who were interrogated by Pope Clement V in Poitiers from June 28 to July 2, 1308. (ASV A.A. Arm. 208, 209, 210)
• A fragment of the Chinon Parchment containing the acquittals of Jacques de Molay and other Templar leaders. (ASV A.A. Arm. 217)
• Abstracts of the Templars’ hearings with extensive notes by Clemens V. (Registrum Avenionense 48, fols. 437–460)