Larmenius Charter
Encyclopedia
The Larmenius Charter or Carta Transmissionis ("Charter of Transmission") is a manuscript purportedly created by Johannes Marcus Larmenius (Fr.: Jean-Marc Larmenius) in February 1324, giving in Latin a list of 22 successive Grand Masters of the Knights Templar
after Jacques de Molay
, ending in 1804, the name of Bernard-Raymond Fabré-Palaprat
appearing last on the list (who revealed the existence of the Charter in 1804). The document is written in a supposed devised ancient Knights Templar
Codex. Actually in Freemason custody, the document is kept at the Mark Masons Hall in London. Based on analysis of the deciphered code as well as of the circumstances of the finding of the charter, most researchers have concluded that it is a forgery.
An English translation of the Larmenius Charter was published in 1830.
Order was verbally transmitted to him ten years earlier (March, 1314) by the imprisoned Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar. Larmenius was a Palestinian-born Christian who became a member of The Order of the Temple during the waning years of the Crusades. He was later the Templar Preceptor on the island domain of Cyprus after the Templar exodus from the mainland of the Holy Land to Cyprus after the fall of Acre in 1295. In this position, Larmenius was left in charge as Templar Seneschal (second highest rank in the Order) of the large remaining "exited" Templar forces in the Mediterranean in 1305 when de Molay was tricked into coming to Paris for meetings with Philip IV of France
and the Pope Clement V.
In the document, Larmenius states he has become too aged to continue with the rigorous requirements of the Office of Grand Master, and "transfers" his Grand Mastership of the Templar Order to Franciscus Theobaldus, the Prior of the Templar Priory still remaining at Alexandria, Egypt. With this declarative Charter, Larmenius protects the Order for perpetuity by continuing the legitimate line of Grand Masters of the Templar Order, which continues the "Second Phase" of the Order through the "Dark Period" through to its semi-private unveiling at the Convent General of the Order at Versailles in 1705 by Philippe, Duke of Orléans, elected Grand Master of the Templar Order, and later also Regent of France.
in 1705 to fabricate the document, to re-establish the 'Societé d’Aloyau' ("Society of the Sirloin"), who claimed to be a continuation of the Knights Templar, and also an attempt to gain recognition with the Order of Christ
in Portugal. This Order was dissolved in 1792 during the French Revolution by the death of its Grand Master, the Duke Timoléon de Cossé Brissac, massacred at Versailles. An item of his furniture was bought by Brother Ledru, the son of Cossé Brissac's physician, whereupon he discovered the Charter of Larmenius hidden inside it, and showed it to Fabré-Palaprat in 1804. Peter Partner believes the document was fabricated by Ledru.
ISBN 1162835303, ISBN 9781162835303. Extracted from Volume 1 of his book The Secret Tradition in Freemasonry (Rebman: London, 1911).
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
after Jacques de Molay
Jacques de Molay
Jacques de Molay was the 23rd and last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, leading the Order from 20 April 1292 until it was dissolved by order of Pope Clement V in 1312...
, ending in 1804, the name of Bernard-Raymond Fabré-Palaprat
Bernard-Raymond Fabré-Palaprat
Bernard-Raymond Fabré-Palaprat , founded a self-styled neo-Templar order called l'Ordre du Temple in 1804 and the Johannite Church in 1812, and proclaimed himself Grand Master of the Templars and Sovereign Pontiff of the Primitive Christian Catholic religion, opposing the Church of Saint...
appearing last on the list (who revealed the existence of the Charter in 1804). The document is written in a supposed devised ancient Knights Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
Codex. Actually in Freemason custody, the document is kept at the Mark Masons Hall in London. Based on analysis of the deciphered code as well as of the circumstances of the finding of the charter, most researchers have concluded that it is a forgery.
An English translation of the Larmenius Charter was published in 1830.
Contents
In the document, Larmenius, then a very aged man in his 70's, states that the Grand Mastership of the Knights TemplarKnights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
Order was verbally transmitted to him ten years earlier (March, 1314) by the imprisoned Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar. Larmenius was a Palestinian-born Christian who became a member of The Order of the Temple during the waning years of the Crusades. He was later the Templar Preceptor on the island domain of Cyprus after the Templar exodus from the mainland of the Holy Land to Cyprus after the fall of Acre in 1295. In this position, Larmenius was left in charge as Templar Seneschal (second highest rank in the Order) of the large remaining "exited" Templar forces in the Mediterranean in 1305 when de Molay was tricked into coming to Paris for meetings with Philip IV of France
Philip IV of France
Philip the Fair was, as Philip IV, King of France from 1285 until his death. He was the husband of Joan I of Navarre, by virtue of which he was, as Philip I, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1284 to 1305.-Youth:A member of the House of Capet, Philip was born at the Palace of...
and the Pope Clement V.
In the document, Larmenius states he has become too aged to continue with the rigorous requirements of the Office of Grand Master, and "transfers" his Grand Mastership of the Templar Order to Franciscus Theobaldus, the Prior of the Templar Priory still remaining at Alexandria, Egypt. With this declarative Charter, Larmenius protects the Order for perpetuity by continuing the legitimate line of Grand Masters of the Templar Order, which continues the "Second Phase" of the Order through the "Dark Period" through to its semi-private unveiling at the Convent General of the Order at Versailles in 1705 by Philippe, Duke of Orléans, elected Grand Master of the Templar Order, and later also Regent of France.
History
The Charter has long been suspected to be a forgery - it was suggested it was the work of of a Jesuit named Father Bonani, who assisted Philippe II, Duke of OrléansPhilippe II, Duke of Orléans
Philippe d'Orléans was a member of the royal family of France and served as Regent of the Kingdom from 1715 to 1723. Born at his father's palace at Saint-Cloud, he was known from birth under the title of Duke of Chartres...
in 1705 to fabricate the document, to re-establish the 'Societé d’Aloyau' ("Society of the Sirloin"), who claimed to be a continuation of the Knights Templar, and also an attempt to gain recognition with the Order of Christ
Order of Christ (Portugal)
The Military Order of Christ previously the Royal Order of the Knights of Our Lord Jesus Christ was the heritage of the Knights Templar in Portugal, after the suppression of the Templars in 1312...
in Portugal. This Order was dissolved in 1792 during the French Revolution by the death of its Grand Master, the Duke Timoléon de Cossé Brissac, massacred at Versailles. An item of his furniture was bought by Brother Ledru, the son of Cossé Brissac's physician, whereupon he discovered the Charter of Larmenius hidden inside it, and showed it to Fabré-Palaprat in 1804. Peter Partner believes the document was fabricated by Ledru.
The code
While the charter actually is written in some code, a number of researchers have claimed that the codex, once deciphered, appears to be a more modern, scholarly Latin, and not ecclesiastical Latin used during the period of its supposed origin.Further reading
A. E. Waite, The Masonic Charter of Larmenius (Kessinger Publishing, LLC, 2010).ISBN 1162835303, ISBN 9781162835303. Extracted from Volume 1 of his book The Secret Tradition in Freemasonry (Rebman: London, 1911).
External links
See also
- Bernard-Raymond Fabré-PalapratBernard-Raymond Fabré-PalapratBernard-Raymond Fabré-Palaprat , founded a self-styled neo-Templar order called l'Ordre du Temple in 1804 and the Johannite Church in 1812, and proclaimed himself Grand Master of the Templars and Sovereign Pontiff of the Primitive Christian Catholic religion, opposing the Church of Saint...
- Johannite ChurchJohannite ChurchThe Johannite Church, properly known by its full name, l'Église Johannites des Chretiens Primitif , is a Gnostic Christian denomination founded by the French priest Bernard-Raymond Fabré-Palaprat in 1804...
- Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani
- Self-styled ordersSelf-styled ordersPseudo-chivalric orders or self-styled orders are organizations which falsely claim to be chivalric orders. Most self-styled orders arose in or after the mid-eighteenth century and many have been created in the present day, though most are short-lived and endure no more than a few decades.A...