Chapter 27: The Situation in the Holy Land
Chapter 27: The Situation in the Holy Land
"Knight Lothar, do you intend to join the Knights Templar or the Knights Hospitaller?"
After the friar finished his sermon, he spoke enthusiastically to Lothar, "Listen to me, a devout and valiant knight like yourself would be perfectly suited to join the Knights Templar. The Templars are brave and skilled in battle, never compromising with the infidels. Compared to the more conservative Hospitallers, they are more suitable for you to achieve great merit!"
"My apologies, Father Beckett, but I do not intend to take lifelong vows. My father once served His Majesty King Baldwin and participated in the famous Battle of Montgisard, defeating the Ayyubid king. I too hope to continue this tradition, serving the king loyally as a feudal lord."
"No wonder the surcoat you wear resembles the old style of a Royal Knight of Jerusalem! So your father once achieved such distinguished honor. My deepest respects." Father Beckett said thoughtfully. "However, Knight Lothar, please forgive my directness, but you do not understand the situation in the Holy Land. In my humble opinion, choosing to directly serve His Majesty is not a wise move. His Majesty may not even have the mind to see you, let alone grant you a fief."
"The Knightly Orders are indeed a good place to go, especially the Knights Templar. Joining an order does not prevent you from serving His Majesty the King."
Beckett then began to describe to Lothar the prominence of the Knightly Orders in this era and their terrifying influence in the Holy Land.
The Knights Templar, though nominally just a military religious order, possessed thousands of manors and castles throughout the Catholic world, and a dozen or so territories of varying sizes scattered in various places. In addition, they frequently received enormous donations from all quarters. Furthermore, the Templars’ lands enjoyed tax exemption; they themselves were representatives of divine authority and had no need to worry about anyone collecting tithes from them.