The Latin Rule was a document with 72 clauses attributed to
Bernard de Clairvaux and
Hugues de Payens. It is also known as the "Specific Behavior for the Templar Order". It outlines the ideal behavior of a knight.
The rule borrowed from the ''
Rule of Saint Augustine
The Rule of Saint Augustine, written in about the year 400, is a brief document divided into eight chapters and serves as an outline for religious life lived in community. It is the oldest monastic rule in the Western Church.
The rule, develop ...
'', but was mostly inspired by the ''
Rule of Saint Benedict
The ''Rule of Saint Benedict'' () is a book of precepts written in Latin by St. Benedict of Nursia (c. AD 480–550) for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot.
The spirit of Saint Benedict's Rule is summed up in the motto of th ...
'' (
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
: ''Regula Sancti Benedicti''). It was, however, adapted for use by active, primarily military, knights, rather than cloistered monks. For example, the fasts were less severe so that they did not interfere with combat.
The original rule was written in 1128 and added to the minutes of the
Council of Troyes in 1129. However, in about 1138 under the direction of
Robert de Craon, second grand master of the order (1136–1149), the rule was translated into French and modified. Later, it was expanded to include 609 articles, notably covering such things as hierarchy and justice within the order.
See also
*
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a Military order (religious society), military order of the Catholic Church, Catholic faith, and one of the most important military ord ...
*
Rule of Saint Augustine
The Rule of Saint Augustine, written in about the year 400, is a brief document divided into eight chapters and serves as an outline for religious life lived in community. It is the oldest monastic rule in the Western Church.
The rule, develop ...
*
Rule of Saint Benedict
The ''Rule of Saint Benedict'' () is a book of precepts written in Latin by St. Benedict of Nursia (c. AD 480–550) for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot.
The spirit of Saint Benedict's Rule is summed up in the motto of th ...
*
Rule of the Master
*
Rule of Saint Basil
*
Columban Rule
*
Rule of St. Albert
References
*{{Cite book , title=The rule of the Templars: the French text of the Rule of the Order of the Knights Templar , date=2005 , publisher=Boydell Press , isbn=978-0-85115-701-6 , editor-last=Upton-Ward , editor-first=Judith Mary , edition=Repr. in paperback , series=Studies in the history of medieval religion , location=Woodbridge , editor-last2=Curzon , editor-first2=Henri de
Knights Templar