Writer, Publisher, Scientist, Statesman, Co-author of the Declaration of Independence and Fire Chief, he was a man of a great many talents. Templar Knights being burned at the stake by King Philip IV of France, 1310 c.e.ĭespite the similarity of shape, we could dismiss the Templar Cross out of hand if it were not for one very tenuous connection to the Fire Service: The Father of the American Fire Serviceīenjamin Franklin is generally acknowledged as the founder of the first true fire department in what would become the United States. Apparently firewood was easier to procure than gold. Phillip IV owed them a significant amount of money, and, being a King, when he did not want to pay his debt, he simply set them alight. Unfortunately, there is no actual historical connection to the Fire Service, excepting of course, that their leaders were burned at the stake by the King of France in the 14th century. While the Maltese Knights eventually became the Land Barons of Europe, the Templars became its first bankers. Note the non-bifurcated arms on the cross.Īlas, the Templar Knights share a common history with the Hospitallers, though their martial recognition was slightly earlier than the Order of St. With their portrayal in modern books and movies as mystical heros, there is a certain attraction to using their symbols as a basis for our own. If you like you myths knightley, The Firefighter’s Cross, or Cross pattée, is far more similar to the Templar Cross than to the Maltese. Even the earliest forms of the Firefighter’s Cross do not reflect this shape. The four arrowhead shape has remained to this day. Of course, one of the many problems with the Maltese Cross myth is the shape of the cross itself. In fact, they were much more likely to have used fire, delivered by flaming arrow, siege engine or fire ship, as a weapon than otherwise. No where in the historical record, in the scholarly works of historians, nor the tradition of the order itself exists any trace of an association with firefighting. From security guards, they now became mercenaries, albeit somewhat religious ones, and continued in that enterprize until the time of Napoleon. Kingdom of Amalfi coinage from the time of the founding of the Knights Hospitallers with the arrowhead cross symbolĭu Puy’s militia was later hired out to the newly formed Kingdom of Jerusalem in return for lands and income. The Amalfi standard was four arrowheads arranged with their tips touching to form a cross-like symbol. This militia took on the Standard of their financial sponsors, the merchant kingdom of Amalfi, Italy, who provided their early funding, simply adding it to their traditional black robes. Du Puy organized a militia of unattached secular knights 1 and common soldiers in about 1120 C.E. Under their second grand master, Raymond du Puy, their role expanded to providing security to their guests travelling between their hostels. While they retained their black robes, they now had official status as a separate order. John was formed by Papal orders in 1113 C.E., separating them from the original Benedictine monks. Rather than Johnny and Roy rushing you off to Rampart Emergency, The original role of the Knights Hospitaller was the equivalent of a security guard at a cheap hotel. What they offered was a bed, water, food and prayer. What the forerunners of the hospitallers (who were black robed Benedictine monks) ran was inexpensive inn, a place to rest for travellers on their way to Jerusalem. The word, which derives from the latin for hospitality, actually meant what we would call a hostel now, or maybe a medieval cheap motel. The Real Knights HospitallerĪ significant part of the myth is based on a mistranslation and misunderstanding of what a “Hospital” or more properly “Hospice” was during the time of the crusades. The real story is both more interesting and more “American”. It has been embellished endlessly, changing over time, as has the symbol itself. No one knows who invented this story, but it was created from whole cloth. The problem, of course, it that this is all just a fable, and not even a very good one. Somehow that then transformed into the Firefighter’s Cross we identify with today. They then became the noble Knights of Malta after the crusades, then the Order of St John, the ambulance service of England. They would have gotten the girl too… but alas, they were monks. The Maltese Cross became the fire service symbol by way of the Knights Hospitaller, who, in true Disneyesque fashion, battled flames with their own smouldering robes, honorably fought off hordes of Barbarian Arabs with only their swords, expertly treated burned comrades, all while helping little old ladies across the street. It appears on fire service websites all over the the U.S.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |