# Knights Templar founded (c. 1119)

URL: https://christianity-history.com/timeline/1119-knights-templar-founded
Location: Jerusalem
Themes: War

The Knights Templar are formed to protect pilgrims in the Holy Land. At this point in the timeline (c. 1119), the Bishop of Rome was Pope Callixtus II (2 February 1119 – 13 December 1124). His claim was contested by Antipope Gregory VIII.

## Why it matters
Knights Templar founded mattered because it shows how warfare and conquest affected Christian communities and the relations between faiths.

Pope at the time: [Pope Callixtus II](https://christianity-history.com/popes/pope-callixtus-ii)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Knights Templar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_Templar)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Knights Templar founded](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Knights+Templar+founded)
- [Wikipedia — Medieval Church (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Catholic_Church#Middle_Ages)