Friday, January 14, 2011

Today In History: The Making of Dan Brown's Fortune.

On January 14th, 1129AD, at the Council of Troyes, the Catholic Church formally recognized the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon.

On January 15th, 1129AD, at a tavern in Troyes, the first tinfoil beanie wearer spread the first wild rumors about secret conspiracies involving the Knights Templar.

16 comments:

Anon E Moose said...

There is a T shirt on a cafe press site that says something to the effect of

'If there really was a vast Templar conspiracy wouldn't the world be less lame than it is?'

Anon E Moose said...

Ah, here it is

http://www.zazzle.com/chaucer_blog_general_series_ii_templars_tshirt-235056887754392714

TBeck said...

You left out the part where Merlin presented them with the Pendragon crown for safekeeping.

og said...

maybe it's a conspiracy to keep the hoipoloi in a perpetual state of lame. "Sir Laramok: Set phaser to lame"

wow, how many metaphors did I mix there?

Joanna said...

In my (admittedly short, limited experience), the conspiracies with robes and muttering and candles are the ones we should worry about the least. It's the ones carried out openly by ordinary men in beige suits and bright offices that cause problems.

Stretch said...

I work in a new age store (Hum ...I see a book in there somewhere.)
I hear LOTS of conspiracy theories.
One lady brought in her fathers Masonic sword. She didn't want it in the house were its Templar roots "might influence the children."
Sent her to local antique store run by my buddy Eric. He made a tidy profit on it.
Pity we all can't profit from the stupidity of others.

Tam said...

Stretch,

Once had a guy bring in an I'm-not-kidding 99% Colt M1911, produced in 1914, complete with the flap holster with "Lt. Somebody, Quartermaster Corps" written on the inside of the flap.

It was his g-grandpa's and had just been left to him in his father's stuff. He wanted us to sell it on consignment, because he just didn't want it anywhere in the house with his kids.

It sat in the showcase next to a brand-new Colt WWI reproduction and you couldn't tell which was which.

What kind of "man" sells a family heirloom like that?

NotClauswitz said...

Oh those Johnny-come-lately Templars, the real Secret Society of At_ *gurrrKK!*...

og said...

"What kind of "man" sells a family heirloom like that?"

None. No man ever has, and no man- absent starvation of his family- ever will. But you knew that.

Even starvation- I'd much more likely use the Colt to solve THAT problem, than sell it. You can keep solving the problem of starvation with a sidearm.

Chas S. Clifton said...

Back in the 12th century, you had to beat your own foil out with a hammer from a lump of tin, so you really had to be committed to your conspiracy theories.

Geodkyt said...

And now, the Freemasons are advertising for recruits on cable TV. . .

No kidding -- they directed you to www.askafreemason.org and everything.

Secretive cabals of power hungry Illuminati just aren't what they used to be. . .

Will Brown said...

And Chas takes the Internets! :)

Anonymous said...

What kind of "man" sells a family heirloom like that?

A contemptible one.

Jim

Ancient Woodsman said...

Meh. I live the next town over from Mr. Brown. We've been in this county for at least 344 years - family tree of Sinclairs & Robinsons (Roslyns). Yawn.

The fiction is just that, and laughing material for those who have been ficitonalized to be more than ordinary.

Makes me wonder what conspiracies will be invented to sensationalize what transpired in the volunteer fire halls and garden club meetings of today, some centuries from now.

Netpackrat said...

>What kind of "man" sells a family
>heirloom like that?

That wasn't a man, that was a thief. Sadly, with him for a role model, those kids are unlikely to ever realize the magnitude of what has been stolen from them.

Anonymous said...

They may be back .... !

http://www.ordo-militiae-templi.org/the-poor-knights-of-christ-P-38.html

Perhaps not as much fun as the old order, but, give them time ...

:)

Ulises from CA