Knights Templar in England
An inventory by Geoffrey Fitz Stephen reveals that by 1185, the Order of the Knights Templar had extensive holdings in London, Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Salop, Oxfordshire, Cornwall, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. The involvement of Templars in financial matters is highlighted by Walter of Coventry's story of Gilbert de Ogrestan, the Knight Templar accused of embezzling taxes collected in the Saladin tithe of 1188. He was severely punished by his contemporary Master.
The Knight Templar
At the age of 27, Arn is already a veteran in the Crusader army, when he faces the strangest experience a Knight Templar can have. While pursuing a band of saracen thieves, he comes across Saladin, the leader of the Muslim forces, and saves his life. They become close friends, but great enemies at the same time. During the conversation with Saladin, Arn learns and deduces that Saladin is preparing an attack on the Kingdom of Jerusalem from the south and brings this information back to Jerusalem. As Arn is the commander of the Templar fort at Gaza, he prepares to take the first blow of Saladin's force, hoping to at least delay Saladin, so that Jerusalem maybe saved, as the King's army at the time is busied with a campaign in the far north. After a short siege Saladin spares the city, in part due to Saladin's life being saved by Arn earlier, as he is going for a bigger prize, the city of Jerusalem. Arn is given the order to march with all manpower to break the siege of Ascalon. Arn and his men manage a surprise attack, and together with the knights inside the city they completely crush the siege force. Even though both the Grand Master and two senior Templars are present in Ascalon, command of the Templar forces to pursue Saladin is given to Arn, due to his recent battle luck, seen as the will of God. Saladin still unaware of the broken siege is taken completely by surprise as the Templars charge on his center force in cover of dense fog, and trap the bulk of the Mamluk cavalry in a trench, utterly defeating Saladin's army at the Battle of Montgisard. When Arnaud de Toroge is named Grand Master of the Knights Templar, Arn is summoned to Jerusalem to become Master of the city where he and the Grand Master pursue a religiously tolerant policy with the goal of creating a lasting peace between Christians and Muslims.