Pope Clement V, owing Philip for his position in the church, granted Philip permission to persecute the Templars. On Friday, October 13th 1307 a warrant of arrest of all the Templars was issued. In today's society Friday the 13th is considered unlucky, and this is why. Many Templars were arrested, they did not resist, but that was only in the area of France. Knights Templars elsewhere had enough time to take their riches on their fleet of ships and sail away. Philip took Templar lands, buildings, and churches; but he couldn't find the riches. The inquisition tortured the members in prison, killing hundreds, but there were no confessions. Jaques de Molay, the Grand Master, was arrested. He confessed to the monstrous charges to the inquisition. He was to confess in public, but in front of a large crowd he denounced all his confessions. He stated that he confessed only to escape torture. On March 18th, 1314, Jaques de Molay was burnt at the steak for heresy and treason. With his last words he cursed both Philip IV and Pope Clement V. Within a year both were dead. The Holy Order of the Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon was destroyed. Philip the Fair wanted the Templar wealth, and to avoid his debts. The Templars are still said to be in existence today. The Templars that escaped capture probably went underground. The Templars are said to exist under a different name. Freemasonry today shows similarities of the Knights Templars. Christopher Columbus sailed the seas with the Templar insignia on his sails. The skull and crossbones of pirates is another Templar symbol. Lacking in supplies, they turned to theft of other ships for survival. It is a true mystery as to weather the Templars possessed great relics, but the conspiracy was the cause of their downfall....
