The Cathars, Knights Templars and Modern Fantasies – Disentangling Reality and Pseudohistory in Holy Blood, Holy Grail

I gate a little talk on Thursday about the real and fake history behind the 1980s book, Holy Blood, Holy Grail, by Michael Baigent, Henry Lincoln and Richard Leigh, which inspired the Dan Brown novel The Da Vinci Code. This claimed that Jesus had secretly married Mary Magdalene, and the holy couple had moved to France and had children. This holy blood line became the Merovingian kings of early medieval France. Guarding this secret were the Cathars, the Knights Templars and a mysterious monastic organisation, the Priory of Sion. It’s nonsense, as the Cathars and their predecessors the ancient Gnostics and the Bogomil heretics in the Balkans certainly did not believe in any such thing, and the material about the Priory of Sion came from the bizarre fantasies of Pierre Plantard. Plantard was a strange figure who self-published a series of tracts proclaiming the existence of a series of secret monastic organisations with himself as their leader. At one time he claimed to be a count, as well as putting himself forward to be king, not just of France, but of a united Europe. Despite being pseudohistory and conspiratorial fantasy, Holy Blood, Holy Grail was massively popular, spawning a number of books continuing and expanding on its ideas, while the Dan Brown novel was filmed. The Cathars themselves are interesting, and there have been a number of serious historical works on them. Here are my notes for the talk, in which I demolish Lincoln, Leigh, and Baigent’s pseudohistory and talk about the reality behind it.

From Ancient Gnostics to the Cathars and the Priory of Zion: Disentangling History from Conspiracy Theories and Neo-Feudal Fantasies

Many of us can still remember the controversy from the 1980s to the beginning years of this century about Baigent, Leigh and Lincoln’s book, Holy Blood, Holy Grail. This claimed that orthodox Christianity was a lie, and that Jesus had married Mary Magdalene and moved to Gaul, where His children then went on to found the Merovingian dynasty of early medieval Frankish kings. This secret was known and preserved by the Cathars,, a heretical Christian sect attacked and wiped out in the Albigensian Crusades of the 13^th century, the Knights Templars and a mysterious modern secret society, the Priory of Zion. It also included speculation about the activities of a French priest, Berengere Sauniere, who decorated his north door with a sculpture of the demon Asmodeus. The Baigent, Lincoln and Leigh alleged that he had got his money from buried Visigothic treasure and was the leader, perhaps, of a Satanist coven.

Henry Lincoln

Michael Baigent

Henry Lincoln

None of this is true. The Cathars were a dualist sect who believed that matter was evil and the creation of an evil god, and so Christ and the Virgin were both spiritual beings. Their beliefs are very well known to scholars, having been studied for decades. One of the earliest works on them is Sir Stephen Runciman’s The Medieval Manichee. They are ultimately derived from ancient Graeco-Roman Gnosticism. The ideas about a secret feudal organisation, the Priory of Zion, ultimately comes from the bizarre fantasies of Pierre Plantard. Plantard wrote a series of self-published books claiming the existence of a series of secret monastic orders, of which he was, naturally, one of the leading members. The interpretation of the head of the demon over the de Sauniere’s north porch door as indicating Satanic allegiance is also completely mistaken, and ignores the function of this part of the church in orthodox, catholic Christian belief and practise. And the stuff about Christ’s bloodline is just something that the three made up themselves in order to make the conspiracy hang together.

Pierre Plantard

Gnosticism

Ancient religious system mixing Platonic and Zoroastrian elements. Zoroastrianism ancient religion of Persia, founded by Zoroaster/Zarathustra. Faith still survives in Iran and India, where Zoroastrians known as Parsees. Zoroastrians now seen as monotheists, but previously regarded by religious scholars as dualists. Believed in two gods: Ahura Mazda, a god of good and light, and Ahriman or the Druj, the god of darkness, and evil. Ahriman responsible for evil in the world and created the evil or unpleasant animals, like scorpions. At the end of time the saviour, the Saoshyant, will come and there will be an apocalyptic war between good and evil in which evil will be vanquished.

Different sects of Gnosticism, some Christian – Marcion, Valentinus, or include Christian elements, such as Manichaeanism after Mani of Babylon. Others pagan, such as Simon Magus, Poimandres. Gnostic gospels and scriptures discovered in 1947, but these already known about through writings of early Christian church fathers.

Gnosticism states 2 gods – one of world of light, spirit and good; other of matter, darkness and evil. Humanity’s true home is in the world of spirit. However, war between good and evil gods, humans fall from world of spirit into prison of material world, where ruled by the evil archons. Good god sends prophet, such as Mani or Jesus, to instruct people in the teachings and rituals through which they can escape world of matter after death and return to the world of light. Dualist Christian sects continued to appear – Messalians in 4^th century Edessa and Armenia; Priscillianists in Spain; Paulicians in 6^th century Armenia, enter Byzantine Empire 640. Formed warrior class between Byzantines and Arabs.

Ancient Gems depicting the Gnostic Demiurge, the creator of the world of matter.

The Bogomils, The Cathars’ Precursors

10^th century emergence of Bogomils. Founded by priest Bogomil, ‘Beloved of God’ or ‘Worthy of God’s Pity’ or ‘One Who entreats God’, founds sect in Macedonia. Believed world created by Satan, who was the rebellious elder son of God. Satan also author of the Old Testament and Mosaic Law. The good God sent his younger son, Jesus, to redeem humanity. However, Christ only human in appearance, performed no miracles. Only New Testament and Gospels true word of God. Reject Church ritual, including feast days, veneration of the Cross and saints, use of vestments. Meat and wine forbidden, along with marriage. Bogomil community divided into two classes, ordinary believers and the Elect. Only prayer used Lord’s Prayer. Bulgaria conquered by Byzantium 1018, heresy spreads into Byzantine Empire. Second Bulgarian Empire founded 1218, Bogomils prosper, becomes state religion in Bosnia.

Question of connection between Gnostic sects, Bogomils and Cathars. Possible that Cathars result of independent Dualist speculation in West following general tendencies towards asceticism and belief in the evil of this world in Christianity. Groups of heretics begin appearing in 10^th century onwards. First group that are recognisably Cathar, although not called that, appear in Cologne in 1143. Cathars not just in France, but spread to Lombardy and Tuscany in Italy. 1163 apprehension of another group of Cathars in Cologne, doctrines described by monk Eckbert of Schonau in 13 sermons, describes them as ‘Cathars’, ‘Piphles’ or ‘Weavers’. During Albigensian Crusade allegations of devil worship and orgies, including homosexuality. Connection with Bulgaria resulted in them being called Bougres in France, which became Buggers in English.

Cathar beliefs and practices known through series of works by churchmen and lay people, such as The Higher Star of Salvo Burci of Piacnza, A Debate Between a Catholic and a Patarene, Summa Against Manichaean Heretics, also works by James Capelli, Moneta of Cremona, Rainerius of Sacconi, heretic who converted to Catholicism, Anselm of Alessandria, Bernard Gui, In 13^th and 14^th centuries Cathars adopt a numb er of Bogomil books: The Ascension/Vision of Isaiah, The Secret Supper, Cathar ritual texts in Latin and Provencal, A ‘Manichaean’ Treatise, The Book of the Two Principles, A Vindication of the Church of God  and A Gloss on the Lord’s Prayer.

Different sects of Cathars with different names, but generally Cathars believed in two spiritual powers: the good God, the God of Jesus Christ and the spiritual world, and evil god, the god of matter. One group believed that only one God, the son of whom was Satan. Lucifer rebels, is cast out of heaven, and creates world of matter. Places in this world bodies of Adam and Eve, and imprisons angel in the body of Adam. Human souls either spirits derived from first prisoner, or souls which had already been created and introduced into human bodies as these created. Good God sent Jesus with message of salvation. But possibility all would be saved, as people repeatedly reincarnated. Rejection of the Old Testament as work of evil god, viewed John the Baptist as agent of Satan.

Absolute Dualists believed two distinct gods ruling separate universes, spirit and matter, good and evil. Lucifer, son of the evil god, made way to universe of good god, becomes steward over the angels, urges them to rebel against God. Battle in heaven, resulting in expulsion of souls of angels, although their bodies remain in heaven. Christ comes to save the souls of the fallen angels on Earth, which Cathars viewed as hell. Events of Christ’s life happened in other world, Christ never appeared in this world except, perhaps, as St. Paul. Souls could be reincarnated to achieve final salvation. Some Cathars objected to killing of animals, as these could contain reincarnated souls. God of Old Testament seen as evil, but this mixed with respect for Prophets. Absolute Dualists saw Christ, Mary and John the Baptist as angels, mitigated Dualists saw her as human woman. Also believed Christ really incarnate.Community divided between ‘perfecti’ and ordinary believers. Perfecti extremely austere, vegetarians abstaining from meat, milk, eggs, cheese and sex. Reject sacraments as matter evil, replaced by the consolamentum, the laying on of hands. Fasted on certain days of the week, and for three forty day periods during the year. Cathars led by bishops, aided by elder and younger sons, who would succeed him. Below them deacons, responsible for hospices for the perfecti, general pastoral care and ritual confessions of believers.

Medieval illustration of Knights Templars fighting Saracens

The Knights Templars

Military order of warrior monks founded during the First Crusade with sister order, the Knights Hospitallers. Dissolved on the orders of the Franch king on charges of homosexuality and worshipping demonic idol, Baphomet. But Knights Templars rich and unpopular. Did not pay taxes on their land to the king, rich from banking. Lived as country gentlemen after expulsion of the Crusaders from the Holy Land. French monarchy bankrupt and needed money. Edward II also pressured into dissolving the order, but originally did not believe the charges against them.

Templars acted as a law unto themselves. One of the Kings of Jerusalem had also demanded their dissolution after defeat by Muslims in battle caused by Templars attacking too early.Possible that Templars had picked up weird Gnostic beliefs in Holy Land, but unlikely. Reported activities do not sound similar to Mandaeans, surviving Gnostic sect in Iraq, or Yezidis, for example

Pierre Plantard

Born 1920.1942 editor of free magazine, Vaincre claiming to be organ of neo-medieval chivalric order, the Alpha Galantes, dedicating to creating true socialism, 1^st issues discusses Atlantis, Celtic wisdom and other esoteric subjects. 1941 police report stating that ‘Plantard, who boasts of having links with numerous politicians, seems to be one of those dotty, pretentious young men who run more or less fictitious groups in an effort to look important and who are taking advantage of the present trend towards taking a greater interest in young people in order to attract the government’s attention.’ Plantard arrested and tortured by Gestapo 1943, but released 1944. Married Anne-Lea Hisler 1946, 1947 moves near Lake Leman in Switzerland. Possible at this time joined Masonic Grande Loge Alpina. 1956 starts publishing Circuit and details of the constitution of future Priory of Zion. June 1956 public announcement of the existence of Priory of Zion to sub-prefecture of Saint-Julien-en-Genevois. No evidence that it has any members apart from Plantard. 1958 – Plantard writes letter on behalf of Paris Central Committee of Public Safety urging people to vote for de Gaulle. Circuit resumes publication with articles on Atlantis, Astrology etc. 196os Plantard and wife publish large number of books and pamphlets, although possible that these only exist as the copies in the Bibliotheteque National. Possible Plantard owned land around Rennes-le-Chateau. Comes into contact with Gerard de Sede, writer of popular non-fiction books, publish The Templars Are Among Us in 1942.

Berengere Sauniere, Rennes-le-Chateau’s priest

1962 publication of Robert Charroux’s Treasures of the World. This had chapter on Berengere Sauniere and Rennes-le-Chateau. Question of where Sauniere got his immense wealth – Charroux concluded he had probably uncovered trove of medieval Treasure. Mystery of Rennes-le-Chateau and Sauniere first appeared in Depeche du Midi in 1956. From the end of 50s Plantard visiting the area. 1960s Plantard publishes A Merovingian Treasure at Rennes-le-Chateau, but this plagiarised from Charroux’s book. Plantard also claimed Sauniere had found parchments and Biblical texts with encoded genealogies, Rennes-le-Chateau major town in Middle Ages, and home to Dagobert II, king of Austrasia. Dagobert regained throne, but assassinated in 679 with no descendants. Plantard then claimed Dagobert’s son, Sigisbert, had survived, and bloodline continued to present day. This intended to promote Plantard as king of France and United States of Europe. Plantard deposits folder Dossiers Secrets d’Henri Lobineau, complied by Phillippe Toscan du Plantier, at Bibliotheque National, claiming that Priory of Zion founded 1099 as group within Knights Templars, from whom they separated in 1188. Grand Masters included Robert Fludd, Leonardo da Vinci, Victor Hugo, Claude Debussy and Jean Cocteau. Comparison with Plantard’s other publications and works suggest common authorship with Lobineau. Further publications by Plantard claiming that series of deaths connected with Rennes-le-Chateau, but Plantard alters times and other details to make it all fit.

Enter Henry Lincoln.

Lincoln BBC scriptwriter, read de Sede’s book on Rennes-le-Chateau, decided it would make good 20 minute feature, intrigued by hidden message about Dagobert. Contacted de Sede, who supplied him with photographs from Plantard, introduces Lincoln to Bibliotheque National, reads La Vraie Langue Celtique by Sauniere’s friend Henri Boudet, work of eccentric philology, claimed Adam and Eve spoke English. Plantard writes preface to 1978 reprint, claims that this contained hidden message about Rennes-le-Chateau. De Sede deciphered hidden message of second coded parthment, which is anagram of inscription on 18^th century tomb at Rennes-le-Chateau. 1979 Lincoln meets Plantard, who tells him that parchments faked by his friend and collaborator Phillippe de Cherisey for a TV programme.

First documentary by Lincoln, The Lost Treasure of Jerusalem?, broadcast 1972 simply argues Templars had taken treasure from Holy Land to France, where it was later discovered by Sauniere. 1974 Lincoln follows this up with The Priest, The Painter and The Devil, claims proportions of tomb used in Poussin’s Les Bergers d’ Arcadie showing tomb similar to one at Rennes-le-Chateau the same as inverted pentagram, Sauniere therefore leader of Satanic sect. Lincoln later met Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, who were interested in the Templars. For 3^rd film, The Shadow of Templars, try to contact the Priory of Zion and Plantard, but researcher got contradictory and conflicting results. Eventually got meeting with Plantard and his entourage in Paris cinema. About same time Plantard gives himself fake feudal titles Pierre Plantard de Saint-Clair, count of Saint-Clair and Count of Rhedae. About this time Lincoln formed idea that real treasure was Christ’s bloodline, as described in 1982 Holy Blood, Holy Grail – ‘San Greal’ really referred to Sang Real, holy blood. This taken up by other paranormal writers and researchers. Lionel Fanthorpe speculated that the Grail could be alienated artefact, David Wood thought that geometry around Rennes-le-Chateau showed alien race, the Elohim, who came from Sirius, had established base on Mars. Had interbred with ape-like human females to creature modern humans as slave race. The inscription ‘Et in Arcadia Ego’ can be translated as ‘Even in Arcadia I, death, am present’ – reminder of omnipresence of death.

1977 appearance of the tract, The Circle of Ulysses by Jean Delaude claiming that after Cocteau’s death, he was succeeded as Grand Master by Abbe Ducaud-Bourget, French traditional bishop and opponent of reform.

From April 1982 onwards Lincoln had meetings with Plantard in Paris. At May 1983 meeting Plantard claimed that three very distinguished Englishmen had imported into England in 1956 Sauniere’s parchments showing that the House of Plantard was the descendants of Dagobert II. Supplied photos, which were found to be forgeries. January 1984 Plantard sent Lincoln copy of official Priory of Zion document accusing Jan-Luc Chaumeil, author of critical work on Priory of Zion which attacked Plantard, of receiving documents about the Priory stolen from de Cherisey in 1967. This supposedly signed by four directors of the First National Bank of Chicago. But one of them was dead, and another one had never heard of the Priory. Further research indicated that their signatures had come from an official stamp from the Bank that had somehow got in the possession of Plantard. Three weeks later Plantard sent Baigent, Lincoln and Leigh letters to the Priory announcing that he was resigning because of ill health. This later followed by tract, The Scandals of the Priory of Zion by ‘Cornelius’, linking Plantard to Italian Mafia, the P2 Fascist Masonic lodge and the assassination of Roberto Calvi of the Banco Abrosiano.

Not the end of stories about Priory of Zion. In the trio’s second book, The Messianic Legacy, they talk about reception of Holy Blood, Holy Grail, and questions by readers about possible connections to Shroud of Turin. October 1988 carbon 14 dating suggested the Shroud late medieval forgery, interviews given about this on radio by Lynn Picknett, who was having affair with Ian Wilson, best known of Shroud’s supporters. Picknett then received series of letters from ‘Giovanni’ claiming Shroud really pioneering alchemical daguerreotype by Leonard da Vinci.’Giovanni’ claimed to be member of dissident faction of Priory de Zion, advised her to read Holy Blood, Holy Grail. Hints that ‘Giovanni’ connected to Plantard. Idea that da Vinci forged the Shroud suggested a few month earlier by Anthony Harris in The Sacred Virgin and the Holy Whore, who claimed Christ really a woman. Picknett eventually met Giovanni, who wanted research passed to Ian Wilson. But affair had ended. Nevertheless it was included in book she wrote with Clive Prince, Turin Shroud: In Whose Image?

2003 appearance of Dan Brown’s thriller based on Holy Blood, Holy Grail, The Da Vinci Code. This filmed, and Brown also sued by Lincoln Baigent and Leigh for plagiarism. But spawns series of books supporting the Da Vinci Code, with names like Breaking the Da Vinci Code, Cracking the Da Vinci Code, The Da Vinci Code Decoded.

The statue of the demon Asmodeus in Rennes-le-Chateau’s church

Conspiracy theory also sent up in Private Eye with skit asking ‘What is the connection between the inscription in Poussin’s Les Folles de Engleterre, ‘Et in Burlington Arcadia Ego’, and a sect of Merovingian Templars who drank the blood of gerbils?Question of figure of demon Asmodeus over north door of the church at Rennes-le-Chateau, with inscription ‘Terribilis est locus iste’ ‘This place is terrible’. In church architecture, north seat of Satan and demons, as stated in Isaiah 14: 13. During baptism children traditionally exorcised, during which small north door opened to let the Devil out. Medieval clerestory windows at Fairford in Gloucestershire how tyrants and demons on north side, saints and angels on the south. Continental Catholic churches often have figure of demon over north doors. Latin phrase ‘terribilis est locus iste’ said by Jacob after dream in which he saw angels going up and down ladder to heaven. Used as Introit to the benediction consecrating a church

Conclusion

Conspiracy and claims about bloodline of Christ in Holy Blood, Holy Grail and related books has zero to do with what the Cathars and the Knights Templars actually believed. TV series and book part of general trend in western culture after the War of scepticism towards traditional society and religion. Interest in Gnosticism as alternative forms of Christianity suppressed by Roman Catholic church. Interest also in the Cathars through Arthur Guirdham and his book about group of people remembering having been Cathars in a previous life. Holy Blood, Holy Grail also become part of wider conspiracy speculation about aliens, though these also influenced by ideas of Erich von Daniken about alien gods creating human race.However intriguing, and whatever the value of Dan Brown’s book as a thriller, this is all very much pseudo-history and archaeology, based essentially on Plantard’s weird fantasies. The Cathars and the Gnostics are interesting in themselves, and should be studied for what they were, not because of the conspiracy theories of late 20^th and early 21^st century writers. Their books tell us more about the paranoia and spiritual needs and urges of our time than theirs.