The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Latin: Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Salomonici), commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of Solomon's Temple (French: Ordre du Temple or Templiers) or simply as Templars, were among the wealthiest and most powerful of the Western Christian military orders and were prominent actors in Christian finance. The organisation existed for nearly two centuries during the Middle Ages.
Officially endorsed by the Roman Catholic Church around 1129, the Order became a favoured charity throughout Christendom and grew rapidly in membership and power. Templar knights, in their distinctive white mantles with a red cross, were among the most skilled fighting units of the Crusades. Non-combatant members of the Order managed a large economic infrastructure throughout Christendom, innovating financial techniques that were an early form of banking, and building fortifications across Europe and the Holy Land.
The Templars' existence was tied closely to the Crusades; when the Holy Land was lost, support for the Order faded. Rumours about the Templars' secret initiation ceremony created distrust, and King Philip IV of France, deeply in debt to the Order, took advantage of the situation. In 1307, many of the Order's members in France were arrested, tortured into giving false confessions, and then burned at the stake. Under pressure from King Philip, Pope Clement V disbanded the Order in 1312. The abrupt disappearance of a major part of the European infrastructure gave rise to speculation and legends, which have kept the "Templar" name alive into the modern day.
The Hyperion Cantos is a series of science fiction novels by Dan Simmons. The title was originally used for the collection of the first pair of books in the series, Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion, and later came to refer to the overall storyline, including Endymion, The Rise of Endymion, and a number of short stories. Within the fictional storyline, the Hyperion Cantos is an epic poem written by the character Martin Silenus.
Of the four novels, Hyperion received the Hugo and Locus Awards in 1990;The Fall of Hyperion won the Locus and British Science Fiction Association Awards in 1991; and The Rise of Endymion received the Locus Award in 1998. All four novels were also nominated for various science fiction awards.
An event series is being developed by Bradley Cooper, Graham King, and Todd Phillips for Syfy based on the first novel Hyperion.
First published in 1989, Hyperion has the structure of a frame story, similar to Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron. The story weaves the interlocking tales of a diverse group of travelers sent on a pilgrimage to the Time Tombs on Hyperion. The travelers have been sent by the Church of the Final Atonement, alternately known as the Shrike Church, and the Hegemony (the government of the human star systems) to make a request of the Shrike. As they progress in their journey, each of the pilgrims tells their tale.
Arrogant Temple
Of iron and blasphemy
Psychocalls for human plug-ins
Gathering in Ecstasy
We are
The New Templars
Crusaders against life
Hatred
Prophets of DrugZ MysticisM
Abducted by the Iron Icon
Raised
Strict individuals on a Mission
Our Strength is the Meaning
Our Faith is the Sign
New breed of mystics
Spawn
Acid faith
Warrior will
Discipline of Hell
Strictly alone
Fire teknoshamans 666
Third Eye is our weapon
We are preparing the dawn of the Kult
Our Art is the Totem
Our Master is SataN
Morbid strife
Astral process
Forbids life
Altar access
Throwing deathly flames of SataN
New aeons Fire threat
Concrete of the Apocalyptical Beast
Relay of the Luxifer Meme
Guardians of His Temple
LSD leads to
Pledging allegiance
Without begging for favours
Our reward is His triumph
Our value is our action
Alone
Wandering on Earth
We stare at the Sun
Gate which gave life on Earth
Gate which will bruise it
We are