During his reign and his dispute with Thomas Becket.King Henry II relied heavily on many occasions on the advice of the Templars.
The Templars and the Vexin, Custody of Gisors Castle
Gisors castle was given to the French King Louis VII in 1144. Gisors was to be given to back to England when the young children -three and five years old- of the kings were to get married. In the meantime it was held in trust by the Templars from 1158. In 1161 the children were married and Gisors was taken back by the King of England Henri II Plantagenet who completed its construction.
It was by this act that the loyalty and partiality to Henry II of the Templars was demonstrated, when they transferred the Vexin castles to him, following the marriage of Princess Margaret of France to Prince Henry of England (the Young King). However for this treachery they were banished from France by the French king.
Diceto i 303
Templars' involvement at the Council of Clarendon, January 1164
Richard of Hastings and Hostes [Hoston] of St-Omer.
These two Templars were present at the council of Clarendon in January 1164.
Both were Grand Priors of the Temple in England
Hoston de Saint-Omer (1153–1155)
Richard de Hastings (1155–1185)
During the proceedings at the Council of Clarendon 1164 they were sent by Henry to Becket. Richard de Hastings throwing himself on his knees before Becket and with profuse tears and entreaties attempted strongly to reconcile the differences between Henry II and Thomas Becket. They begged him to give his adherence to the
Customs that the King had drawn up.
Charles G. Addison (1842). The history of the Knights Templars, The Temple Church and the Temple. Longman S. S. S. S. pp. 110–.
William Holden Hutton. Thomas Becket. Cambridge University Press. pp. 87–. ISBN 978-1-107-66171-4.
Hoston de St-Omer
[Aka Osto de Saint-Omer, Toston de St. Omer]
Becket 1170
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As they did for the papacy, Templars regularly acted as messengers for kings and nobles. Like the friars in the thirteenth century and later, the Military Orders could be conveniently used for secret missions because they were inconspicuous. Templars and Hospitallers were always on the road, preaching and collecting alms from the faithful, and because they were religious men they were less likely than secular messengers to be stopped by an enemy and searched or even imprisoned. In 1170 one of Archbishop Thomas Becket's correspondents warned him that the Templars who brought him news were not simple and trustworthy religious men but were actually the agents of his enemy, King Henry II of England.
...
MTB Epistola 673
Correspondence of Thomas Becket Volume 2, Letter 296
Written from Normandy by a well-informed supporter (possibly Master Ernulf, formerly keeper of Becket's seal):
...
but even to God himself, rather than to make peace with you. Therefore do not set your hope in justice or believe those Templars, who do not walk in simplicity, but in fact, desiring to follow the king's will rather than yours, they bring nothing but falsehood from the king and the father of lies to deceive you. For whatever the king does in your regard is deception and villainy; but , if I may say it by your leave, he decievs the foolish with empty words, so that he may meanwhile make better provision for himself and lay greater traps and stronger nets for you with the passing of time. What therefore will you do, most unfortunate of men, if that which you have sighed for so long should be taken from you in a short space of time?
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1155 the Knights Templar build their Temple Church in Fleet Street
In 1154 under King Henry II of England, the Grand Master of Knights Templar (André de Montbard) superintended the Masons. The Knights Templar built their Temple in Fleet Street. The Knights Templar moved their London temple to the new site between Fleet Street and the Thames in 1161.
King Henry II granted the Templars land across England, including some territory by Castle Baynard on the River Fleet, where they built a round church, patterned after the Knights Templar headquarters on Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Later a chapel dedicated to St. Thomas is also erected near to this site.
archaeological excavations in Church Court & Hare Court
by Jonathan Butler (2005)
Pre-Construct Archaeology Limited Monograph No. 4
Knights of Saint Thomas, Acre
Knights of Saint Thomas - Wikipedia
Henry II's Will and Last Testament
Throughout his reign Henry II held a very high regard for both the Templars and Hospitallers. A number of clauses in his Will and Last testament confirm this.
Barlow, Frank. (1988)
Wilfred Lewis Warren (1973).
Henry II. University of California Press. pp. 148–.
ISBN 978-0-520-02282-9.
Foedera, conventiones, literæ, et cujuscunque g...
Henry II and Financial Relations with the Templars
King Henry II of England primarily used the Order to accumulate crusading funds in Jerusalem.
The Financial Relations of the Knights Templars to the English Crown
Eleanor Ferris
The American Historical Review
Vol. 8, No. 1 (Oct., 1902), pp. 1-17
Published by: Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Historical Association
Book - The Knights Templar
Others
The Templars and the Murder of Becket - Medievalists.netASPECTS AND PROBLEMS OF THE TEMPLARS' RELIGIOUS PRESENCE IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE FROM THE TWELFTH TO THE EARLY FOURTEENTH CENTURY | Traditio | Cambridge CoreMore References
The narrative traces the early establishment of the Knights Templar in London and their transition from their original site to the current "Temple" area.
Historical Foundations
The Grant by Henry II: King Henry II (reigned 1154–1189) was a significant benefactor to the Templars. He granted or confirmed their possession of land on the River Fleet near Castle Baynard (British History Online, n.d.). This site was located to the east of their later, more famous headquarters.
The Round Church: Following their tradition, the Templars built a round church on this site. These structures were specifically patterned after the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, though they are also frequently associated with the order's headquarters on the Temple Mount (Inner Temple, n.d.).
The Transition to "New Temple": In the mid-1160s, the order moved from this "Old Temple" (near Holborn/Castle Baynard) to a larger site further south, which is the current location of the Temple Church between Fleet Street and the Thames (London on the Ground, 2022).
The Chapel of St. Thomas
The "chapel dedicated to St. Thomas" mentioned in your text likely refers to the Chapel of St. Thomas on the Bridge or a related structure nearby.
St. Thomas Becket: Following the murder of Thomas Becket in 1170, Henry II performed extensive penance, and many chapels were dedicated to the martyr.
Location: A prominent chapel dedicated to St. Thomas was built on the nearby London Bridge (completed by 1209), which was a central site for pilgrims (St. Magnus the Martyr, n.d.). Additionally, the hospital of St. Thomas the Martyr (the precursor to St. Thomas' Hospital) was founded in Southwark, just across the river from the City of London, shortly after Becket's canonization in 1173 (Layers of London, n.d.).
British History Online. (n.d.). Houses of military orders: The Temple. Victoria County History - A History of the County of London: Volume 1. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/london/vol1/pp485-491
Inner Temple. (n.d.). The Knights Templar. https://www.innertemple.org.uk/who-we-are/history/the-inner-temple-history/the-knights-templar/
Layers of London. (n.d.). St. Thomas Street. https://www.layersoflondon.org/map/records/st-thomas-street
London on the Ground. (2022). Knights of the Round Church at London's Temple. https://www.londonontheground.com/post/temple-the-knights-and-lawyers-of-the-round-church
St. Magnus the Martyr. (n.d.). Chapel of St Thomas À Becket - London. https://www.stmagnusmartyr.org.uk/chapel-of-st-thomas-a-becket/