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Jacques de Molay, the last grand master of the Knights Templars, burnt alive as a lapsed heretic in Paris. Wood engraving by J. David. Wellcome Collection. Public Domain Mark. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Jacques de Molay (1243-1314), last grand master of the Knights Templars, an order of knighthood founded during the crusades that had attained extensive power and wealth. He failed to exercise effective leadership at the time of the suppression of the order by King Philip IV the Fair of France and Pope Clement V. In 1307, all Templars in France, including Molay, were arrested and interrogated by command of Philip IV, who was intent on crushing the order and seizing its wealth. Molay confessed under torture to the charges of blasphemy, but denied charges of sodomy. Pope Clement suppressed the order in 1314, and condemned Molay to perpetual imprisonment. On hearing his sentence, Molay retracted his confession and as a final punishment was burned as a relapsed heretic by Philip IV's officers
The military order of "soldiers of the Temple", to protect pilgrims, was founded in 1118 by Baldwin II, king of Jerusalem and confirmed by Pope Honorius II in 1128. The Templars were numerous in several countries, and came to England before 1185. Their wealth having excited the cupidity of the French kings, the order was suppressed by the council of Vienna, and part of its revenues was bestowed upon other orders about 1312. Numbers of the order were tried, condemned and burned alive or hanged in 1308-1310. Pope Clement V abolished the order in 1312 and the grand master Molay was burnt in Paris in 1314. Their property in England was given to the Hospitallers, and the head of the order in England died in the Tower
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