7. The Knights Templar Formed One of the First Known Banks
But what is the purpose of becoming one of the most powerful forces in the world if you aren’t going to make money off of your skills? Historically, many trained soldiers have made money by offering their services as mercenaries, essentially soldiers for hire. But the Knights Templar weren’t for hire. They were fighting for the sake of Christendom, defending the Kingdom of Jerusalem and Christian pilgrims who wanted to visit its holy sites. They figured out how to make money by beginning a system that we would today recognize as an international bank.
Here’s how it worked. Command posts were set up throughout Europe, all the way to the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Noblemen who wanted to embark on a pilgrimage could deposit a large sum of money, sometimes including the deed to their property, at one of these command posts. In return, he would receive a document detailing how much money he had deposited. The report was written in a cipher, the secret of which was known only to the Knights Templar. As he passed various command posts along the way, he would present the document, and funds for the things he needed to procure, including protection, would be deducted. When he reached the Holy Lands, he would display the final document and be presented with his remaining funds.