The Knights Templar were the most famous of the medieval military knight orders connected with the Crusades, whose sudden and violent disappearance continues to fascinate millions of people. Since the 18th century, Freemasonry incorporated Templar symbolism into their rituals, and their legends and secrets have been connected to the Holy Grail and the Ark of the Covenant.

Popular novels such as The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol, and Foucault’s Pendulum, modern movies as National Treasure and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and video games such as the Assassin’s Creed and Broken Sword have added fictional embellishments to the Templar story.