- This topic has 4 voices and 4 replies.
-
Posts
-
Get a load of this – the Knights Templar (or heirs thereof) are suing the Vatican for its part in the dissolution of the order and seizure of its assets in 1307.Knights Templar heirs sue VaticanCould you imagine what discovery in such a case would be like? I would hate to be the attorneys on either side going through document after document attempting to find violations of law! (actually, come to think of it, that would be a researchers dream to dig deep into perhaps hundreds of thousands of documents from the annals of time) But anyway, I think it's probably a sign of the times that people think our legal systems can and should address historic disputes. I'm guessing the statute of limitations will prevent this claim from going too far... 😮
From what I know of the history, this claim will go nowhere simply on the merits. There were some violations by the Templars and it was well within the Pope's power to dissolve the Order and seize its assets since the Order only existed through the Pope's grant. What he gave he could simply take away without any reason.
From what I know of the history, this claim will go nowhere simply on the merits. There were some violations by the Templars and it was well within the Pope's power to dissolve the Order and seize its assets since the Order only existed through the Pope's grant. What he gave he could simply take away without any reason.
True - I don't know what argument the Templars would have in challenging the dissolution of their order by the Pope. Challenging the seizure of the property they acquired might have more merit, but with a modern legal argument would still seemingly fall flat since the property was probably "owned" by their employer, the Catholic Church. From what I recall, there is one claim that says that the Templars were dissolved because Philip the Fair wanted their wealth and so conspired against them to have the Vatican reject them. I'm not sure if that is just a conspiracy theory or a theory based on legitimate historical research. The Templars had amassed a fortune with property holdings and operations throughout Europe, making them an early, if not the first, international "corporation".
This has to be the craziest case I've heard of yet…oh wait, the “twinkie defense” ranks first probably. Anyway, I agree; delving into the documents would be a dream for me. I'm soooo interested in the Templars.
I think there is some merit to the claim that Philip wanted their land and wealth. It seems clear from the known facts that many of the charges were trumped up. But I still think that the Pope was well within his right in dissolving the order. You are probably right in thinking that the lands and wealth of the order belonged to the Church and were only held by the order.I remember reading something last year about the legal issues involved in the disposition of church land if the Anglicans split over gay priests. It said that church land is a lawyers dream case because the law is not clear on which side would have ownership.
...I think it's probably a sign of the times that people think our legal systems can and should address historic disputes.
How true. How sad. I see it as being fundamentially unjust to make somebody pay for the actions of another. The whole concept of a statue of limitations is there comes a time that wrongs cannot be righted.
