Templar insignia: Difference between revisions
imported>NoMoreVillains No edit summary |
imported>Gener4l Cl4ank4 No edit summary |
||
| Line 21: | Line 21: | ||
===High Middle Ages=== | ===High Middle Ages=== | ||
During the High Middle Ages, the Knights Templar were a fully public order as the [[Levant]]ine [[Levantine Rite of the Templar Order|Rite]], and their [[Crusaders|Crusader]] [[soldier]]s wore the insignia freely on their uniforms.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref> | During the High Middle Ages, the Knights Templar were a fully public order as the [[Levant]]ine [[Levantine Rite of the Templar Order|Rite]], and their [[Crusaders|Crusader]] [[soldier]]s wore the insignia freely on their uniforms.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref> | ||
===Renaissance=== | |||
During the [[Renaissance]], necklaces in the shape of the Templar cross became common pieces of jewelery worn by many members of the Order, including the [[Portuguese Rite of the Templar Order|Portuguese Templar]] [[Nuno Caro]],<ref name="ACSH">''[[Assassin's Creed: Shadows]]''</ref><ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Shadows – Tales of Iga]]'' – [[Assassin's Creed: Shadows – Tales of Iga Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]</ref> and the [[Roman Rite of the Templar Order|Italian Templar]] [[Paulino Massa]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Shadows – Tales of Iga]]'' – [[Assassin's Creed: Shadows – Tales of Iga Chapter 9|Chapter 9]]</ref> As the Templars expanded their reach to new territories like [[Japan]], this practice was quickly adopted by several of the Order's new recruits, like [[Kimura Kei]] and [[Imagawa Tomeji]], who proudly displayed the Order's insignia on their clothing.<ref name="ACSH"/> | |||
===Golden Age of Piracy=== | ===Golden Age of Piracy=== | ||
By the time of the [[Golden Age of Piracy]], the Templars had long developed into a secretive society. The [[Grand Master of the Templar Order|Grand Master]] [[Laureano de Torres y Ayala]] relied on this near-global ignorance to subtly include a cross on his belt.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]''</ref> | |||
This period of time also saw the greatest usage of [[Templar ring]]s, small pieces of jewelry displaying the Order's insignia. Typically bestowed upon new Templar recruits during their [[Initiation into the Templar Order|induction]] into the Order,<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]'' – [[Mister Walpole, I Presume?]]</ref> these rings were designed to be inconspicuous to regular [[civilian]]s, but not to those already aware of the Templars' existence.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple]]'' – [[Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple Episode 12|Episode 12]]</ref><ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Syndicate]] – [[The Last Maharaja]]'' – [[A Good Shot]]</ref> | |||
===The Americas=== | ===The Americas=== | ||
During the [[Seven Years' War]]<ref name="ACRG">''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]''</ref> and subsequent [[ | During the [[Seven Years' War]]<ref name="ACRG">''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]''</ref> and subsequent [[American Revolutionary War]],<ref name="AC3">''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''</ref> the Templars remained a secretive organization, and as such continued the tradition of displaying their insignia on relatively small and inconspicuous items, like belt buckles, sash ends,<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]'' – [[The Color of Right]]</ref> and rings.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed III]]'' – [[The Braddock Expedition (memory)|The Braddock Expedition]]</ref> Still, there were exceptions, as [[Shay Cormac]] would occasionally have his {{Wiki|sloop-of-war}} the ''[[Morrigan]]'' proudly fly black sails with a prominent red cross.<ref name="ACRG" /> | ||
===French Revolution=== | ===French Revolution=== | ||
By the [[France|French]] [[French Revolution|Revolution]], the Templars maintained their practice of hiding the symbol from the public by limiting its use to small items such as [[Templar pin]]s or only displaying it behind closed doors, such as the secret Templar office in [[François-Thomas Germain]]'s shop. Like in America, there were exceptions where individuals openly displayed the symbol, as was the case with [[Chrétien Lafrenière]]'s religious regalia, which relied on the Catholic | By the [[France|French]] [[French Revolution|Revolution]], the Templars maintained their practice of hiding the symbol from the public by limiting its use to small items such as [[Templar pin]]s or only displaying it behind closed doors, such as the secret Templar office in [[François-Thomas Germain]]'s shop. Like in [[United States|America]], there were exceptions where individuals openly displayed the symbol, as was the case with [[Chrétien Lafrenière]]'s religious regalia, which relied on the Catholic Church's wide usage of the symbol to deceive people on the true meaning of his crosses.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]''</ref> | ||
===Industrial Revolution=== | ===Industrial Revolution=== | ||
During the [[Industrial Revolution]], the Templars once more displayed the insignia in public in the form of the logo for [[Crawford Starrick]]'s corporation [[Starrick Telegraph Company]], which used an ''alésée'' cross pattée, and an alternate sign for the Templar-affiliated [[Blighters]] | During the [[Industrial Revolution]], the Templars once more displayed the insignia in public in the form of the logo for [[Crawford Starrick]]'s corporation [[Starrick Telegraph Company]], which used an ''alésée'' cross pattée, and an alternate sign for the Templar-affiliated gang, the [[Blighters]]. High-ranking Templars wore the insignia in the form of mantels and arm bands, while Starrick himself kept an jeweled ''alésée'' cross pattée for ceremonial purposes.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Syndicate]]''</ref> | ||
===Modern times=== | ===Modern times=== | ||
| Line 39: | Line 44: | ||
==Renditions== | ==Renditions== | ||
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" widths="180"> | <gallery captionalign="center" position="center" widths="180"> | ||
Mark of Cain.png|The Mark of Cain, as depicted in [[Glyphs|Glyph]] #6 | |||
Cross of the Knights Templar.png|The cross as depicted in Glyph #8 | |||
In Hoc Signo Vinces.png|A stylized {{Wiki|Maltese cross}} bearing the first letters of the Templar motto | |||
Knights.png|The Levantine Templars' insignia | |||
AC1 Flags Acre Templar.png|The flag of the 12th-century Knights Templar | AC1 Flags Acre Templar.png|The flag of the 12th-century Knights Templar | ||
ACI Insignia Templar Order.png|A Templar badge | |||
ACRogue - Ship Visual - Templar's sails.png|The ''Morrigan'' with Templar sails | ACRogue - Ship Visual - Templar's sails.png|The ''Morrigan'' with Templar sails | ||
ACS Starrick Telegraph Company Logo.jpg|Logo of Starrick Telegraph Company | ACS Starrick Telegraph Company Logo.jpg|Logo of the Starrick Telegraph Company | ||
Templar_necklace.png|Templar necklace | Templar_necklace.png|A Templar necklace | ||
Starrick's Templar Necklace.png|The necklace worn by Crawford Starrick | Starrick's Templar Necklace.png|The necklace worn by Crawford Starrick | ||
ACS Rexford Templar Pin.png|A Templar pin worn by [[Rexford Kaylock]] | ACS Rexford Templar Pin.png|A Templar pin worn by [[Rexford Kaylock]] | ||
Revision as of 19:13, 22 December 2025
The Templar insignia, based on the Mark of Cain, is the symbol of the Templar Order. It typically consists of a red cross pattée on a black or white background, and as such, is often called the Red Cross, or simply the Cross.
History
Prehistory
The Children of Cain, the earliest known incarnation of the Knights Templar, used what they believed to be Cain's branding mark as their insignia after it was given to him as punishment for killing Abel.[1]
5th century BCE Greece
The Persian branch of the Order of the Ancients used the likeness of the Faravahar as their insignia.[2]
Ptolemaic Egypt
The Egyptian branch of Order of the Ancients used a version of the Mark of Cain stylized as an ankh accompanying a serpent wearing the pschent double crown as their insignia.[3]
Tang China
The Chinese branch of the Order during the Tang dynasty used a Golden Turtle as their insignia.[4]
Early Middle Ages
The Anglo-Saxon branch of the Order of the Ancients used the symbol of Yggdrasil as their insignia.[5]
High Middle Ages
During the High Middle Ages, the Knights Templar were a fully public order as the Levantine Rite, and their Crusader soldiers wore the insignia freely on their uniforms.[6]
Renaissance
During the Renaissance, necklaces in the shape of the Templar cross became common pieces of jewelery worn by many members of the Order, including the Portuguese Templar Nuno Caro,[7][8] and the Italian Templar Paulino Massa.[9] As the Templars expanded their reach to new territories like Japan, this practice was quickly adopted by several of the Order's new recruits, like Kimura Kei and Imagawa Tomeji, who proudly displayed the Order's insignia on their clothing.[7]
Golden Age of Piracy
By the time of the Golden Age of Piracy, the Templars had long developed into a secretive society. The Grand Master Laureano de Torres y Ayala relied on this near-global ignorance to subtly include a cross on his belt.[10]
This period of time also saw the greatest usage of Templar rings, small pieces of jewelry displaying the Order's insignia. Typically bestowed upon new Templar recruits during their induction into the Order,[11] these rings were designed to be inconspicuous to regular civilians, but not to those already aware of the Templars' existence.[12][13]
The Americas
During the Seven Years' War[14] and subsequent American Revolutionary War,[15] the Templars remained a secretive organization, and as such continued the tradition of displaying their insignia on relatively small and inconspicuous items, like belt buckles, sash ends,[16] and rings.[17] Still, there were exceptions, as Shay Cormac would occasionally have his sloop-of-war the Morrigan proudly fly black sails with a prominent red cross.[14]
French Revolution
By the French Revolution, the Templars maintained their practice of hiding the symbol from the public by limiting its use to small items such as Templar pins or only displaying it behind closed doors, such as the secret Templar office in François-Thomas Germain's shop. Like in America, there were exceptions where individuals openly displayed the symbol, as was the case with Chrétien Lafrenière's religious regalia, which relied on the Catholic Church's wide usage of the symbol to deceive people on the true meaning of his crosses.[18]
Industrial Revolution
During the Industrial Revolution, the Templars once more displayed the insignia in public in the form of the logo for Crawford Starrick's corporation Starrick Telegraph Company, which used an alésée cross pattée, and an alternate sign for the Templar-affiliated gang, the Blighters. High-ranking Templars wore the insignia in the form of mantels and arm bands, while Starrick himself kept an jeweled alésée cross pattée for ceremonial purposes.[19]
Modern times
By the modern era, the Templars had largely removed themselves from the public eye completely, with only certain members of their Inner Sanctum wearing rings with the insignia displayed on them, even when amongst their brethren.[15]
Renditions
-
The Mark of Cain, as depicted in Glyph #6 -
The cross as depicted in Glyph #8 -
A stylized Maltese cross bearing the first letters of the Templar motto
-
The Levantine Templars' insignia -
The flag of the 12th-century Knights Templar -
A Templar badge -
The Morrigan with Templar sails -
Logo of the Starrick Telegraph Company -
A Templar necklace -
The necklace worn by Crawford Starrick -
A Templar pin worn by Rexford Kaylock -
Modern Templar insignia -
Templar cross
References
- ↑ Assassin's Creed II – Glyph #6: "Brothers"
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Origins
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Dynasty
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Birthrights
- ↑ Assassin's Creed
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Assassin's Creed: Shadows
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Shadows – Tales of Iga – Chapter 2
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Shadows – Tales of Iga – Chapter 9
- ↑ Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
- ↑ Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag – Mister Walpole, I Presume?
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple – Episode 12
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Syndicate – The Last Maharaja – A Good Shot
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Assassin's Creed: Rogue
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Assassin's Creed III
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Rogue – The Color of Right
- ↑ Assassin's Creed III – The Braddock Expedition
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Unity
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Syndicate
