4. The Knights Templar Were Accountable Only to the Pope
The Knights Templar were arguably not only the first international bank but also the first multinational corporation. Multinational corporations are notorious for having more power, functionally speaking, than the national governments. Consider Apple, which dared to tell the federal government that it would not provide the key to unlocking its phones, even as part of a shooting investigation. Historians argue that functionally, the Knights Templar existed as not only a church within a church but also as a state within a state, meaning that they had more power than the kings.
To solidify that power, in 1139, Pope Innocent II issued a papal bull, an authoritative statement from the Vatican, that claimed that the Knights Templar were accountable only to the pope. Some believe that this bull was a form of “hush money” to keep them silent on secrets about the church that they had uncovered. They could travel freely across international borders and would not have to pay any taxes on the money that they earned. They were also immune to local laws, though the Latin Rule prohibited them from engaging in egregious conduct. However, their wealth and power proved to be a threat to some kings and ultimately led to their demise.