AN ISLAND BOUGHT FOR A PRICE!
A HUGELY UNPOPULAR RULE
The rule of the Knights Templar in Cyprus was an unhappy and tumultuous affair. It saw the island descend into a constant turmoil of conflict. Richard the Lionheart, who conquered Cyprus in 1191, introduced a feudal taxation system that made the island very profitable. This in turn, however, made his administration hugely unpopular and the king of England had to put down several revolts during his brutal tenure in charge. Although he managed to maintain control, Cypriot resistance to his rule proved to be a constant thorn in his side. Eager to depart for the third crusade, he eventually sold the island to the Knights Templar. They sought to continue the unpopular but very profitable form of taxation, creating a recipe for distaster.
PROTECTERS OF HOLY PILGRIMS
Founded in 1119, the organisation surrounding the Knights Templar was created for the main purpose of protecting pilgrims travelling to the Holy Lands. Loyal to their Latin Christian faith, the warrior monks had, by the time of their acquisition of Cyprus, evolved into a wealthy and powerful organisation. They often sought to spread, not only their faith, but the extent of their wealth beyond their existing boundaries. The Knights Templar in Cyprus believed that they could easily recoup their investment and they set about trying to extract as much wealth as quickly as possible from the island.Â
HIGH TAXES FOR ALL
The Knights Templar wanted to recoup their investment and generate as much new funds as possible for their ongoing crusading activities. They began extracting whatever wealth they could from Cyprus, aggressively implementing higher taxes and tolls on key trade routes that ran through the island. Descent began to fester amongst the local Cypriots and they would eventually declare an open revolt just as they did under the previous rule. The Knights Templar, in true Crusader fashion, met local resistance with violent force, leading to yet more civil war and strife on the island.Â
A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH
It is fair to say that the Knights Templar underestimated the zeal of the Cypriots, who had spent centuries staving off Saracen and pirate attacks. They had also just spent the best part of a year fighting Richard the Lionheart’s crusader armies, gaining valuable military experience. The Cypriots had become familiar with Crusader tactics, becaming a worthy military adversary to the Knights Templar and a force to be reckoned with.Â
A WHOLESALE MASSACRE
After several negotiations broke down, spies reported that a local Cypriot militia was arming itself. They were planning to attack a Templar garrison during the period of Easter in 1192. The Knights, however, created unprecedented carnage in the form of a wholesale massacre. Their pre-emptive strike went on to kill anyone who had the misfortune of crossing their path during the subsequent rampage that followed. Â
A FULL-SCALE REBELLION
Although the Templar massacre managed to quell this single revolt, seeds were firmly sown for a full-scale rebellion. Hatred for the monks was rife and blood vengeance became the renewed rallying call for all Cypriot men of fighting age. Several Cypriots regarded the warrior monks as an occupying force and a full scale civil war soon took hold on the island. This would eventually force the Templar administration to take steps to aleviate the situation. They slightly eased taxation, which brought an uneasy peace for a while, but their control of the island had already began to wane. Several Cypriots continued to fight on and it soon became evident that although the Knights Templar were highly skilled warriors, there were not enough of them to properly police the whole island. Local Cypriot militias often had the upper hand and they went on to win several battles across the island. This ultimately led to the Templar administration becoming untenable on the island.Â
GUY DE LUSIGNAN
The eventual departure of the Knights Templar from Cyprus came after control of the island was transferred to the deposed King of Jerusalem, Guy De Lusignan. The forces of Saladin had just defeated the king and after losing his kingdom of Jerusalem, he promptly sought to established a new Kingdom in Cyprus. His administration introduced a much fairer system of taxation and this effectively ended the civil war. He went on to rule the island in relative peace for several years.
INTERESTING FACTS OF CYPRIOT TEMPLAR LEGACIES
The Templar administration in Cyprus significantly influenced Cypriot society through military power, economic development, and cultural integration. Their legacy on the island continues to be a subject of fascination with many suggesting that their tenure on the island directly reflects their complex role in medieval society.Â
It was the Knights Templar who largely introduced Latin culture and religion to certain sections of Cypriot society. This directly led to a unique blend of Latin and Greek cultures that helped to produce a new Cypriot identity. They went on to introduce Western art, and the Templar commanderies often served as centres of knowledge, preserving manuscripts and promoting education. The Knights Templar also largely introduced Western Christian practices and rituals to the island, building several churches and monasteries. This contributed to the architectural heritage of Cyprus and several ruins of Templar structures still remain all over the island, particularly in the district of Larnaca.
The Knights Templar also played a vital military role, defending Cyprus against Muslim forces and pirates. They also used Cyprus as an important strategic base for launching further Crusades to the east. The Templars maintained a significant presence in their capital city, Nicosia and they established commanderies and military bases throughout the island. Kolossi and its castle, in the district of Limassol, was used as a major garrisoned commandery and the port city of Famagusta, in the east, became a crucial Templar base for trade and military operations. They were also instrumental in fortifying coastal cities against pirate raids developing a naval presence that helped to protect maritime trade in the whole of the Eastern Mediterranean. They also often collaborated with other Latin Christian orders, such as the Knights Hospitaller. These collaborations led to further shared defence and administration that helped to maintain ties with several European monarchs. This enabled them to to gain support for their causes and allowed Cyprus to become a significant stop for pilgrims travelling to and from the Holy Land.Â
The Knights Templar often lived in communal settings that were characterised by strict rules and duties. Their hierarchical structure included knights, clerics, and sergeants, with each fulfilling specific roles. They gained significant estates from notable local Cypriot families by confiscation, allowing them to become influential landowners all over the island and this, along with the unpopular taxes, led to several conflicts with Cypriot nobles, eventually fuelling rebellion and civil war.
