Scottish Knights Templar

The Eight Pointed Cross from the Scottish Knights Templar

In 1128 the cousin of St Bernard of Clairvaux, Hugues de Payens, who served on the First Crusade with Henri St Clair, First Earl of Roslin, and is sometimes connected to Catherine St Clair, met King David I in Scotland. The Order established a seat at Balantrodoch, now Temple, Lothian on the South Esk (River Esk, Lothian). In 1189 Alan FitzWalter, the 2nd Lord High Steward of Scotland was a benefactor of The Order. In 1311 Bishop Lamberton of St Andrews (St. Andrew's Cathedral, St. Andrews) Guardian of Scotland gave the Templars his protection.

There are myths, legends and anecdotes connecting Knights Templar in Scotland to the Battle of Bannockburn, with suggestions that Templars fleeing the suppression in France in 1307 found refuge in Scotland, whose King, Robert the Bruce, had been excommunicated by the Pope. Degrees in Freemasonry like the Royal Order of Scotland allude to the story of Rosslyn and the Scottish Knights Templar. Even today the direct decendant of Robert the Bruce, Andrew Douglas Bruce 11th Earl of Elgin presides as its current Grand Master. The Sinclair Earls of Rosslyn have well documented connections with Scottish Freemasonry. William St Clair, (William Sinclair) 3rd Earl of Orkney, Baron of Roslin and 1st Earl of Caithness built Rosslyn Chapel. A later William Sinclair of Roslin became the first Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland.

While Knights Templar Internationally use the Cross pattée, the Scottish Knights Templar use the Eight Pointed Cross more commonly known as the Maltese Cross, associated with the Knights Hospitaller or Order of St. John, the white changed to the blood red of The Order. This, it is said, is because they were given refuge by the Order of St John in Scotland.

It is said that Bonnie Dundee, John Graham of Claverhouse, was found to be wearing the Grand Cross of the Order when he was killed at the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689. Prince Charles Edward Stuart gave a soirée for the Chivalry of the Order in Edinburgh in 1745 during the Jacobite Rising. (1)

The Modern non Masonic Order began in 1810 when Alexander Deuchar became the Master, opening Templarism to non Freemasons, not without criticism, a title he held for 25 years (2). Today The Order is Christian, ecumenical and open to both Women and Men, and seeks to promote Christian chivalric ideals and advances the knowledge of Scottish History and Culture both at home and in the world. The Order holds ceremonies at Rosslyn Chapel but shares no history with the Templars of 1118 or the Masonic Templars of Robert the Bruce.

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References

Leaflet published by Strathclyde Preceptory May 1998(Strathclyde Preceptory is no longer extant)

History Royal Order of Scotland(1)

Piers Paul, The Templars, Weidenfeld & Nicholson history; ISBN: 1842121421

Gardner, Laurence (Foreword), The Forgotten Monarchy of Scotland Element Books Ltd; ISBN: 1862042349 particularly p243/244 in respect of Alexander Deuchar (2)