Continuity of the Brunswick Templar
Introduction: The Significance of the 1321 Agreement
The 1321 Agreement between Duke Otto of Brunswick, a former Templar commander, and the Order of St. John (Hospitallers) stands as a cornerstone document in the history of the Templar Order in Europe. This agreement not only outlines the transfer of key Templar properties, such as the principality of Supplingenburg, but also reveals the intricate interplay of sovereignty, family lineage, and medieval geopolitics that allowed the Templar legacy to endure in Brunswick.
View the agreement in PDF here.
Supplingenburg: An Imperial Stronghold
Supplingenburg was not merely a landholding but the historic home of the Holy Roman Emperors of the Supplingenburg dynasty. This principality was inherited by Henry the Lion through his mother, Gertraut of Brunswick and Supplingenburg, heiress of Emperor Lothaire III of Supplingenburg. Gertraut married Emperor Henry the Proud, Duke of Bavaria and Saxony, the sixth Saxon Duke elevated to the rank of Emperor since Witukind, although his imperial election was blocked by the Pope. Henry the Lion, their son, granted the entire principality of Supplingenburg to the Brunswick Templar Order.
The region remained an imperial stronghold. In 1198, Otto IV of Brunswick was made King of Germany, and in 1209, he ascended as Holy Roman Emperor. Later, during the Templar suppression, members of the Brunswick monarchy again reached the imperial throne, with Frederick I crowned as Holy Roman Emperor in 1400, though he was killed before consolidating power. The claims to these lands, originally part of the greater Imperial Saxony, persist in the heraldry of the House of Brunswick, represented by the white horse as a coat of arms of pretension. The imperial lineage of the Brunswick family is commemorated on the altar of St. Blaise at the Brunswick capital, symbolizing their enduring legacy.
Additionally, the 1321 Agreement mentions Brother Paul of Modena, the Grand Master of the Hospitaller house, which held authority in Saxony, the Mark (likely the Margraviate of Brandenburg), and Wendland. Gebhard von Brotfelde, described as a “cleric brother,” likely represented these broader family interests. These roles suggest an inter-family agreement between branches of the Brunswick-Este dynasty, reinforcing that this arrangement was revocable under specific conditions.
Reversal and Reinstatement of Templar Holdings
The Tempelhof in Brunswick (1367, 1408–1409)
As early as 1367 the land records show the Hospitallers (via their Saxony Commander) had to sell the Templar Preceptories back to “Tempelherren / Templar”. (vgl. v. Ledebur a.a. D. S. 114 flgd.) The Tempelhof in Brunswick—originally a Templar property—underwent a significant transition. Initially transferred to the Kaland, a lay religious brotherhood, the Tempelhof and its associated church, St. Matthew, were later restored to the “Tempelherren” (Templars). As noted in “Der Tempelherren-Orden in Deutschland” (pp. 87–93):
View the full referenced pages in PDF here.
“Nach der Auflösung des Ordens kamen aber die Höfe zu Braunschweig und Supplingenburg nicht sogleich an die Johanniter.” (“After the dissolution of the order, the estates in Brunswick and Supplingenburg did not immediately pass to the Hospitallers.”)
This demonstrates that the transfer of properties was contested, with the Dukes of Brunswick maintaining control over key Templar assets. By 1409, documents describe the Tempelhof as:
“Das Gotteshaus zu Sünt Matthewese zu dem Tempelhoue genannt.” (“The House of God at St. Matthew’s, referred to as the Temple Court.”)
The continued reference to “Tempelherren” underscores the persistence of Templar identity within Brunswick. The Temple Court was in full operation at the Ducal capital city.
Tempelhaus Braunschweig
The Brunswick Parliament till the end of World War II fully protected the Regency seat of a rightful duke of their independent sovereign state. Through the 1960s the Guelph party, or Deutsche Party, did strive for returning the Dukes of Brunswick back to power within their Monarchy of Brunswick, with all it’s rights. The Dukes continued using the title of Grand Master of the Templar Order. After 1918, the cadet branch of Wolfenbuttel-Brunswick kept the same alive via other treaties, house law and international laws.
The iconic Tempelhaus at the state capitol of Brunswick survived world war II. However this “Temple Court” in the end of the 20th Century was destroyed by a wrecking ball, to make way a new parking lot for the Schloss Arkaden, former state capitol, now turned into a shopping mall (right):
The Role of the Dukes of Brunswick
Sovereign Reinstatement of the Templar Order
The Dukes of Brunswick were rightful heirs of Angevin and Aquitanian capitals, asserting rights to restore aspects of the Templar Order. By the 15th century, Brunswick sovereigns styled themselves as Templar Grand Masters, merging this role with their political authority. This was further facilitated by the region’s adoption of Lutheranism, which diminished concerns about excommunication by Rome.
The Brunswick dynasty’s role as senior members of the Este-Guelph lineage further reinforces their authority over inter-family agreements. The junior branch, which remained in Italy as rulers of Modena and other regions, continued to operate under the senior house’s oversight. The inclusion of Brother Paul of Modena in the agreement demonstrates this dynamic, linking the Templar properties in Saxony to the broader Este-Brunswick family network.
Examples of Sovereign Actions
- Duke Otto (early 14th century): Protected Templar properties, retaining control over Supplingenburg and Tempelhof until his death. As Grand Commander of the Brunswick Templar before ascending the ducal throne, Otto exemplifies the interplay between Templar leadership and Brunswick sovereignty.
- Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (1721–1792): As Grand Master of the Templar Order and all German Freemasonry, Ferdinand chaired the Congress of Wilhelmsbad (1782), officially severing ties between the Templar Order and Illuminati influences.
These actions reinforced the notion that Templar traditions continued under sovereign authority, legitimized by historical and religious claims.
Key References Supporting Continuity
1. “Der Tempelherren-Orden in Deutschland” (pp. 87–93)
“Herzog Otto von Braunschweig, der zuletzt Templercomthur von Süpplingenburg gewesen war…” (“Duke Otto of Brunswick, who was the last Templar commander at Supplingenburg…”)
2. Agreement of 1321 (Pflugk-Hart Urk.)
“Ok ne schole we sunder der brodere und des orden…” (“Neither we nor the brothers of the Order may act without mutual consent.”)
3. The Tempelhof Transfer to the Kaland (1367)
“So hatte im j. 1367 der Johanniter-Ordens-Meister von Sachsen den Tempelhof in Braunschweig dem kaland daselbst uberlassen: den ‘hof to sunte Mattewese de do licht in der stadt Brunswich in dem Haghene unde ichteswanne was des ordens van dem Tempele…'” (“So in 1367, the Hospitaller Master of Saxony transferred the Tempelhof in Brunswick to the Kaland there: the ‘court at St. Matthew’s, located in the city of Brunswick in the Hagen district, which had previously belonged to the Templar Order…'”
vgl. v. Ledebur a.a. D. S. 114 flgd.
4. The Tempelhof and St. Matthew’s Chapel (1409)
“Nach der Auflösung des Templerordens… wurde der Hof weiterhin Tempelhof genannt.” (“After the dissolution of the Templar Order… the estate continued to be called Tempelhof.”)
5. Supplingenburg and the Este-Brunswick Connection
“Das Haus Supplingenburg war die Heimat der Kaiser des Heiligen Römischen Reiches.” (“The House of Supplingenburg was the home of the Holy Roman Emperors.”)
6. Charter of Transmission and Templar Freemasonry
The “Charter of Transmission” further highlights the continuation of Templar traditions within European nobility. Legal registries and public books recorded thousands of Templar members, including nobles, lawyers, and scholars, who took masonic forms and were supported by sovereign houses. The Brunswick monarchy’s role in Freemasonry as protectors and Grand Masters solidified this legacy.
7. Lutheranism and Sovereignty
The rise of Lutheranism provided Brunswick’s rulers with a theological basis to challenge Rome’s authority, further legitimizing their role in reinstating Templar practices.
Conclusie
The Templar Order’s continuity in Brunswick exemplifies the interplay of sovereignty, religious reform, and historical claims. The Dukes of Brunswick leveraged their Angevin heritage and sovereign rights to reclaim Templar assets and titles, establishing a legacy that persisted through Freemasonry and regional governance. The resurgence of the Templar Order in 1409—and its continued presence under Brunswick’s patronage—highlights the enduring influence of medieval traditions in shaping modern institutions.
The inter-family agreements, such as those with the Este lineage and the Hospitaller Order, underscore the Brunswick monarchy’s central role in maintaining Templar traditions. The Charter of Transmission and the region’s heraldry reinforce this continuity, making Brunswick a cornerstone in the evolving history of the Templar Order.
Actual Sovereign Knighthood was Required for Eligibility to Apply to the Knights Templar
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