Dear Melusine


Sorry I am a little new to the site so if I say anything out of turn or put my comments in the wrong part of the thread then please bear with me. Also my spelling is appalling so I apologize in advance! I am afraid that my comments won't be on a mystical nature either although I think that side of it is fascinating too.

I have read quite a few books on subjects that get interwoven with the Templars including the role of women, the Magdalene Cult, Isis cults, Prieure de Sion, Rennes Le Chateau etc etc. I am no expert though. I would like to say though that I am not taking this from a religious point of view nor I am saying that these are completely my opinions. The information out there is way too fuzzy for me to start stating things like they are given facts!

I have not come across the Daughters of God before although I am not surprised that such an organisation existed. Thank you for directing me to them. The Templars were a fascinating lot and there are lots of hints that women were more important than it seems at first glance. I need to quickly expand that with some general history if you don’t mind.

The role of women has always played an important if understated part in English history which, of course, (English history that is) is not the be all and end all. English history has been somewhat clouded by Victorian values which was a reaction to the Regency period that preceded it. The latter being a rather risqué time of Lord “mad bad and dangerous to know” Byron and his many open affairs. The reason why I brought this up is that the traditional view of women in the middle ages is one of submissive pawns in a power game which is not wholly accurate. Two examples to counter this spring to mind; Richard II of England made a court lady (sorry can’t remember her name) a Duchess in her own right and then of course there is Eleanor of Aquitaine. She went on the 2nd Crusade, ruled her sons, Richard the Lionheart and John (Magna Carta) with an iron fist and led a rebellion against her husband Henry II of England. She also came from a court in France that was positively trend setting. Her father blazed the trail for the fashion of Courtly Love and troubadours where women were put on a pedestal and worshiped from afar (how nice….). Incidentally the Grail stories began to flourish at about the same time.

Back to the Templars – If one goes with the theory (and there are many variations on this theme) that they were the physical arm of Prieure de Sion; that they believed/believe that Jesus was married to Mary and had a daughter who grew up in what is now France; she, in turn, started a line of kings (of whom some people argue Eleanor’s father was one descendent) whose blood line is still alive and well, then the role of women for those “in the know” was vital. I know that this smacks of The Da Vinci Code and the Holy Blood and the Holy Grail but if (and only if) they are right in some of their theories then a similar female order in “sister hood” to the Templars is not all that surprising. Admittedly the article in question is more about the spiritualism and symbols of the Orders and the link between the two seems to be suggested rather than definite. However, it does fit in with in with the importance of women and the role they played in these theories.

Okay that’s it for my little spiel, thanks for reading and I am now ducking for cover.

Smetters

P.S. Don’t get me started on the Freemasons!