MagnaCartaisprobablythemostimportantdocumentinEnglishhistoryasit establishedtheconceptofindividualfreedom;thatnooneIsabovethelaw.Itwassealed(not'signed'aspopularmythsupposes)atRunnymedeon15 June 1215.Oneofthereasonsforcreatingthispageisbecause,ofthefewindividuals whomKingJohnnamesasoneofthe'venerablefathers'whoadvisedhimin drawingitup,oneman was:"fratris Aymericimagistrimilicie Templiin Anglia" -BrotherAymeric,MasteroftheKnightsoftheTempleinEngland-the Templars'thenGrandPriorofEnglandand,clearly,oneofthemostimportant men in the Kingdom.Similarly,thefirstinthelistofthe 'illustriousmen'mentionedbytheKing was: "WillelmiMariscallicomitisPenbrocie"-theEarlofPembrokeshire,William Marshall-aTemplaratheart.AndbeforehediedWilliamensuredthathe wouldbecomeaTemplarKnight.Hewasburiednexttohisgreatfriend Aymeric(whodiedafewdaysbeforeWilliam)infrontofthemainaltarinthe churchassociatedwiththeOrderinEngland,namelyTheTempleChurchoff FleetStreet,London.TodaythatchurchisthechurchofInnerandofMiddle Temple, two of England’s four ancient societies of lawyers - the Inns of Court.An effigy of William Marshall, and others, can be seen in that church.
OSMTH and the Grand Priory of England is a chivalric non-denominational Christian organisation whose objects are the Christian values of Faith, Hope, and Charity.We are not a political organisation, are not associated with any political organisation and have no political aims or ambitions.We emphatically denounce all those who seek to besmirch the honourable reputation of the Knights Templar for any political, subversive or unlawful activity.