Two Knights on Horseback

Some Explanations

The traditional seal of the Knights Templar depicted two knights riding a single mount and was used by several Grand Masters over the Templars’ 200 year history.

The image of the two knights astride a single mount was said to represent their vow of poverty – the original members who founded the order being so poor that each knight could not afford his own horse. This seems to have been little more than a poetic tradition, for as early as the Council of Troyes, when the Latin Rule was composed an individual knight was permitted to have three horses and a Grand Master was permitted to own even more.

Some have theorized that the dual knights riding a single mount was a reference to the homosexuality that the knights were accused of practicing. This theory most certainly came into existence after the accusations brought against the order during and after their arrest in 1307.

There has been some thought that the Templar seal’s two knights is a representation of the duality or conflict that existed in the order:

•They were poor by vow, yet rich beyond belief (in their assets);

•They were introspective, yet well versed in the matters of the world;

•They were monks on one hand, yet feared as warriors on the other.

Others have cited the Gospel of Matthew as the source of the seal’s symbolic meaning claiming that the one knight represented a Templar while the other depicted Christ. This comes from the passage in Matthew where Jesus Christ says:

“Wherever two or more of you are gathered in My name, there am I, in the midst of them.” (Logically, then, should there not be 3 figures on horseback?)

There is another plausible explanation and an actually recorded event, which is found by studying the “surprise” tactics of Richard Lionheart, which he employed against Saladin during the Third. Crusade in 1192.

In The Life of Saladin a translation of which was published in Delhi, India, 1988, Saladin’s chronicler Bahaed-Din Ibn Shaddad records: “On 7 June 1192, the Crusader army marched to attack the Holy City, (then occupied by Saladin). Richard’s spies reported a long-awaited supply train coming from Egypt to relieve Saladin’s army…..…when Richard received information that the caravan was close at hand …. a thousand horseman set out, each of whom took a foot soldier (on his horse) in front of him. At daybreak, he took the caravan unawares. Islam had suffered a serious disaster ... The spoils were three thousand camels, three thousand horses, five hundred prisoners and a mountain of military supplies. Never was Saladin more grieved, or more anxious….”

Another more mundane explanation is that the seal is totally symbolic in conveying the notion that there were two types of Templar warrior, one of noble birth, but another, professional warrior, very experienced, too good for infantry, who was also permitted to fight on horseback. In this latter case, his horse would not be owned, but borrowed.

A more mystical explanation is that one knight represents the body of the warrior, the other his soul.

•Was it simply the medieval version of car-sharing?

•Was Rolf Harris’s hit record actually written originally in the 12th Century?

This is not, and never can be an exhaustive list of explanations of the two knights on horseback.

There will be simpler and also more complicated and outrageous theories

If you have any thoughts, why not contact the Webmaster?

Bro knights - I'm not for advertising on our site, but this email was sent to me, and I know there are many knights in the Province who collect such things. I've been on their website and seem genuine enough, but if any knight has dealt with this company perhaps they can post a message the benefit of other knights. The Province does not endorse or accept any responsibility for this company.

Dear Sir
We at Sculptured Crafts are about to launch a 10.5 inches tall (270 mm) individually produced, hand painted figure of Jacques de Molay, 23rd and last Grand Master of the Knights Templar. This figure will complement our new Knight Templar figure which is part of our Knights of the Faith series, which includes all the Crusading Christian Orders.

We are presently updating our website to accommodate these new figures and I will happily forward images of such should you request them.

Thank you for you time.

Kind regards
James M. Wilkins
Founder; Sculptured Crafts