The Blade of Gilgamesh. Jeff Edwards

brought back by a Viking returning home after a term in the Varangian Guard. Many wondered if this was the true power that had enabled the Empire in the East to survive while its cousin in the west had failed.’

      ‘The Italian peninsular at that time consisted of many city states, and the only unifying influence was the mother church in Rome. Some here looked upon the eastern empire and lusted not only for the power it continued to exert but upon the centuries of accumulated treasures, including the Sword of Gilgamesh.’

      ‘All that was required was an excuse to wage war.’

      ***

      ‘The schism between the Western Catholic church and the Eastern Greek Orthodox Church had grown over the years. However, matters took an altogether different course when a letter was received by Pope Urban II. It was from the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, Alexius I in Constantinople requesting mercenaries to help him resist Muslim advances into his territory.’

      ‘Alexius had hoped for a positive response but it came as a much larger and far less helpful answer than he wanted.’

      ‘Not only had the Pope called for a large invasion force to protect the Byzantine Empire but to retake Jerusalem from the Muslims.’

      ‘The resulting decades of fighting became known as the Crusades and were renowned for their barbarity.’

      At the mention of the word ‘Crusade’, Heidi’s interrogators looked at one another and scowled. After almost a millennium the wounds were still being felt, and she hastened to move on with her story.

      ***

      ‘In 1119 a group of fighting monks was established with the aim of helping to protect pious pilgrims on their way to the holy city of Jerusalem. They called themselves The Knights of the Temple of King Solomon.’

      ‘In the beginning they were few in number, and it is said that they gained their name because their headquarters was located in a wing of the royal palace in Jerusalem that had been built on the foundations of the Temple of Solomon.’

      ‘Rumours abound about the Templars and the real reason for their establishment. Some say that they had been sent to locate precious religious treasures which supposedly had secreted beneath the Temple in the last days before Jerusalem was sacked and destroyed by the Roman Empire in 70 AD.’

      ‘If they did find anything they never revealed what it was, but a clue to how important these men had become to Pope Innocent II was that in 1139 he made the Order totally responsible to him alone. That meant that they were no longer controlled by their lords and no king was able to make them pay taxes or force them to bow to their authority.’

      ‘This autonomy allowed the Order to flourish. They accumulated vast properties in the east as well as Europe. Despite their vows of poverty, the Order became the first international business house specializing in providing banking services to pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land.’

      ‘Then, on the 4th April, 1204, the moment many in Europe had been waiting for arrived. Crusaders in the 4th Crusade stormed Constantinople and sacked the palaces.’

      ‘It was the Templars who led the charge, and as a result came away with much of the city’s treasure, including the Sword of Gilgamesh.’

      ‘Many of the religious relics they seized were brought back to Europe and were given to the Church in Rome, but they kept many significant items for their own churches, and the Sword was amongst the many non-religious items that were taken to their headquarters in Paris.’

      ‘There it remained, securely locked away in their vaults as the Order became wealthier and ever more important in the world of finance.’

      Chapter 9

      Dr Schmidt,’ Professor Ilman interrupted, ‘Your story is most entertaining but Professor Samal and I are not here for the telling of a legend.’

      Heidi nodded, ‘As an academic I agree entirely. Legends are wonderful things that tell us nothing but and sometimes they prove to have such a solid basis in fact that they can lead us to great finds and a wider understanding of the past. Homer’s ‘Iliad’ led to the discovery of Troy.’

      ‘One example out of thousands.’

      ‘And this is another.’

      ‘That is your belief entirely, but I am not of the same opinion.’

      Heidi reached into her brief case and extracted one of her grandfather’s diaries. ‘My grandfather stumbled across references to the sword when he was in the Vatican’s vast libraries. Once he made that initial discovery he knew what document sources he needed to read, and could follow the clues that revealed the hidden history surrounding it. The information I have supplied to you so far can now be substantiated by the records kept by those who now follow. Their later writings are the basis of the story, and records of their actions since that time have survived to this day. From this point on we can actually hear the words of those in possession of the sword.’

      ‘Very well Doctor. Let us hear those words.’

      ***

      In early August, 1308, Jacques de Molay, the leader of the Knights Templar gathered his most senior members to a secret meeting in their Paris headquarters.

      The mood in the meeting hall was sombre, and after prayers were offered up, their leader rose to address the assembled knights.

      ‘Our Order is in immediate danger. I have received word from friends close to King Philippe who now laughingly calls himself ‘The Fair’ to say that he is now able to move against our order and that even as we speak he is gathering his forces to do so.’

      ‘But we are under the protection of the Pope,’ called out one of the men.

      ‘I’m afraid that protection is now a thing of the past. Philippe’s power has grown to the extent that he no longer fears the Papacy. It is well known that this madman was responsible for the abduction of Pope Boniface and it is rumoured that he ordered the poisoning of Pope Benedict. With those esteemed people out of the way he has successfully seen to it that Clement V has ascended the Holy Throne, and that Clement will do whatever Philippe demands.’

      ‘But surely Pope Clement will side with us, after all, he is the son of Ida de Blanchefort from the same family as one of our Order’s own Grand Masters.’

      ‘The man who now calls himself Pope is weak and owes his position to Philippe. He knows that if he crosses the King, Philippe will not think twice about killing him.’

      ‘What are we to do?’

      Jacques de Molay remained silent for a time. He stood tall at the head of the long table and surveyed the men arrayed before him. ‘We are doomed. There is no way out for us,’ he said calmly.

      ‘Surely not!’

      ‘Charges are being drawn up, and I have been told that they include the adoration of idols, namely heads, and that we have items that we believe can make us rich, the trees flower, the land germinates, and that we indulge in the sacrifice of children, commit abortions and other abominations.’

      ‘We can defend ourselves against such false charges.’

      ‘Not against Philippe, besides, there may be written proof of a part of those charges.’

      ‘What sort of proof?’

      ‘When our Order took part in the overthrow of Constantinople one of the items that were brought back by our victorious brothers was a sword. It is called the Sword of Gilgamesh and is believed to deliver great power to whoever possesses it. Some believe that the strength of our Order comes from the power of this sword.’

      ‘I’ve never heard of this magical sword,’ said a brother.

      ‘Few have been told. It lies within our Treasury here in Paris, but our predecessors did inform the Pope of its existence. Philippe’s new Pope has probably learned of its existence and told the King. Now it seems Philippe is not only after our wealth,