More than one symbol: a guide to the Templar cross types
The iconic red cross: understanding Templar symbols
Picture a Knight Templar. What comes to mind? For most, it is the striking image of a warrior in a white mantle, emblazoned with a bold, red cross over the heart. This symbol has become synonymous with the Order, an icon of medieval faith, wealth, and military prowess. But to truly understand the legend stitched into the Templar uniform, we must look closer. The cross worn by the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon was not a single, monolithic design. Its story is woven with variations, regional influences, and profound symbolism.
While the Cross Pattée is the most famous, other significant designs like the Cross Potent and the Jerusalem Cross were central to the world in which the Templars lived and fought. Each tells a different part of their story. This guide will delve into the most significant Templar cross types, exploring their origins, their powerful symbolism, and their place on the hallowed uniform of the Order. Join us as we decode the sacred geometry that defined these knights of Christ.
A mark of the crusader: why the cross was paramount
Before we dissect the specific designs, it’s crucial to understand the immense power of the cross in the medieval world. In 1095, when Pope Urban II called for the First Crusade, he urged the knights of Christendom to “take up the cross” and reclaim the Holy Land. This was not merely a turn of phrase. Crusaders literally stitched crosses of cloth onto their garments, marking them as soldiers of the church, pilgrims on a holy mission. The cross was a public vow, a symbol of piety, and a mark of divine protection.
As the Crusades evolved, this practice became more formalized. The cross transitioned from a simple pilgrim’s badge to a heraldic device. It became a way to distinguish between different military orders, noble houses, and kingdoms. For the Knights Templar, founded in Jerusalem around 1119, the cross was more than just a crusader’s mark; it was the very essence of their identity, granted by the highest authority in Christendom.
The Cross Pattée: the official emblem of the Order
When people speak of the “Knights Templar cross,” they are almost always referring to the Cross Pattée. Its elegant and powerful design is the quintessential symbol of the Order.
What does a Cross Pattée look like?
The term “pattée” comes from the French word for paw, and it describes the shape of the cross’s arms. A Cross Pattée features arms that are narrow at the center and flare outwards towards the ends. The ends themselves can be straight, forming a trapezoidal shape, or they can be curved, creating a more gentle, petal-like appearance. Both variations are historically associated with the Templars. This simple, yet visually striking design was easily recognizable on a chaotic battlefield.
A gift from the Pope: the history of the red cross
For the first few decades of their existence, the Templars wore a simple, unadorned white mantle. The white color was chosen to represent the purity and chastity required of the monks of the Order. The iconic red cross was a later addition, a mark of immense prestige granted by Pope Eugenius III. At the Council of Paris in 1147, as the Second Crusade was being launched, the Pope granted the Templars the right to wear a “red cross, single and straight” permanently on their habits.
This was a significant honor. The symbolism was profound:
- The white mantle: Represented the purity of their monastic vows and their new life, leaving behind worldly sin.
- The red cross: Symbolized the blood of Christ and their willingness to suffer martyrdom in the defense of the Holy Land. It was a constant reminder of the ultimate sacrifice.
The cross was typically worn on the left side of the mantle, directly over the heart. This placement was deliberate, signifying that their love for God and their commitment to the Order came from the very core of their being. It also appeared on their white surcoats worn over their armor and, most famously, on the upper canton of their fearsome black-and-white battle banner, the Beauchéant.
The Cross Potent: a symbol of the crusader kingdom
While the Pattée was the Templars’ unique identifier, it was not the only cross they would have encountered or used. The visual landscape of the Crusader States was rich with Christian heraldry, and among the most prominent was the Cross Potent.
Defining the Cross Potent
The Cross Potent is a cross with a perpendicular bar at the end of each arm. The name “potent” derives from an Old French word for a crutch, which the shape resembles. It’s a strong, angular, and architecturally solid-looking cross. Sometimes referred to as a “crutch cross,” its rigid form gave it a distinct heraldic identity separate from the more common Latin or Greek crosses.
A connection to Jerusalem’s first rulers
The Cross Potent is most famously associated with the coat of arms of the first ruler of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, Godfrey of Bouillon. Although he famously refused the title of king, his heraldry set a precedent. This makes the Cross Potent a foundational symbol of the very kingdom the Templars were established to protect. For the knights, this cross would have been a constant presence—seen on the shields of the kingdom’s knights, on coins, and on official seals. While not their personal emblem, it was the emblem of their home and their primary sphere of operation.
There is some debate among historians about whether the Templars themselves ever used the Cross Potent on their equipment. While no official statutes mandate it, it’s plausible that regional variations existed or that individual knights, particularly those with strong ties to the Kingdom’s nobility, may have incorporated it into personal designs. At the very least, it was an integral part of their world.
The Jerusalem Cross: emblem of the holy city
Perhaps the most complex and symbolically rich of all the crusader crosses is the Jerusalem Cross. It was not the cross of the Templar Order, but the cross of their mission’s ultimate objective: the Kingdom of Jerusalem itself.
The anatomy of a sacred symbol
The Jerusalem Cross, also known as the Crusader’s Cross, is a heraldic masterpiece. It consists of a large central cross—most often a Cross Potent—surrounded by four smaller Greek crosses (crosses with arms of equal length) in each of its four quadrants. The design is unique and immediately recognizable.
It famously breaks a primary rule of heraldry by placing a metal (gold, or or) on another metal (silver, or argent). This was a deliberate choice, intended to make the arms of the Kingdom of Jerusalem exceptional and to signify its supreme holiness.
Unpacking the profound symbolism
The meaning of the Jerusalem Cross has been interpreted in many ways, with each layer adding to its sacred power. The most common interpretations include:
- The Five Wounds of Christ: The large central cross represents the wound in Christ’s side from the spear, while the four smaller crosses represent the wounds in his hands and feet.
- Christ and the Four Evangelists: In this reading, the central cross is Christ, and the four smaller crosses are the authors of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) who spread his message to the four corners of the world.
- The Crusader States: Some historians have suggested the five crosses represent the five primary Crusader polities: the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the Principality of Antioch, the County of Edessa, the County of Tripoli, and the Crusader state of Cyprus.
For a Knight Templar, the Jerusalem Cross was the symbol of what they were sworn to die for. They were the protectors of the Christian kingdom and the pilgrims who flocked to it. They would have fought alongside knights carrying this emblem on their shields and served kings who used it on their royal seal. It was the flag of their homeland and the visual representation of their sacred duty.
The enduring legacy of the Templar crosses
The Knights Templar were officially disbanded in the 14th century, but their symbols have shown remarkable resilience. The Cross Pattée, in particular, has lived on, forever associated with the mystery and legend of the Order.
Today, you can see these Templar cross types in numerous contexts:
- Modern Chivalric Orders: Many modern organizations inspired by the Templars, such as the Social Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem (SMOTJ), use variations of the Cross Pattée or the Jerusalem Cross as their emblems.
- Historical Reenactment: Reenactment groups meticulously research and recreate Templar uniforms, ensuring the correct placement and style of the Cross Pattée on their mantles and surcoats.
- Popular Culture: From video games like Assassin’s Creed to films and novels, the red Cross Pattée is used as a powerful visual shorthand for the Knights Templar, instantly evoking their crusading legacy.
A story in every symbol
The red cross on a white field is far more than a simple logo. It is a key that unlocks a deeper understanding of the Knights Templar. The Cross Pattée was their identity, a Papal seal of approval that marked them as an elite fighting force in the service of God. The Cross Potent was the symbol of their environment, the mark of the early Crusader nobility in the Holy Land. And the Jerusalem Cross was their purpose, the complex and sacred emblem of the kingdom they were sworn to defend with their lives.
By understanding these different Templar cross types, we can more clearly read the story woven into the very fabric of their uniform. It is a legend of faith, sacrifice, and an unshakeable duty to protect the holy places of Christendom—a legend still powerful today.