The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, also known as the Order of Solomon's Temple, the Knights Templar, or the Templars, was a military order of the Catholic faith, and one of the wealthiest and most popular military orders in Western Christianity. distinctive white mantles with a red cross. The Templars were closely tied to the Crusades. heavily armoured knights on their warhorses. favoured charity throughout Christendom, receiving money, land, businesses. year 1100's