http://www.tsj.org/f13.htm
Early Friday morning October 13th 1307, agents of the King of France arrested all Templars that could be found at the their Preceptories, chateau, and outlying areas. There was a total dragnet in France to apprehend each and every one of them. Supposedly 15,000 Templars were rounded by the King.
This act had been carefully planned for close to a year. King Philip, had some experience with this huge type of undertaking, he had previously had his marshals descend upon all the Jews of France, confiscated their property, and had them deported.
It would appear that the Templars had some idea as to what was about to transpire, because on the previous day the Grand Master, de Molay, had them gather and destroy as many of the records of the Order as was possible. He, or someone else had also sent a message to all Preceptories that no member was to divulge or mention the secrets, customs or rituals of the Order. De Molay also advised them not to resist arrest.
Philips intent it seems was to confiscate the wealth and lands of the Order in order to pay his huge debts, and no doubt to cancel any debt he may have had with the Templars. He had also at one time attempted to join the Order, and he had been denied. He wanted the Order destroyed.
What is certain is that the Treasury of the Templars did indeed elude Philip. The Templar fleet had left their port and set sail prior to the arrest that morning. There were no real riches to be found at the Preceptories.
It is believed that half of the eighteen ships went north to Scotland and the other half south to Portugal. Those Templars arrested in France were about to undergo a harrowing time of excruciating terrible torture to extract the confessions necessary to convict the Order. The atrocities committed upon them by the Inquisition did indeed extract the confessions necessary to build a case by the King of France, and have the Order disowned by the Pope.
The Templars in the other Templar Provinces faired much better. Several were arrested in England but by and large they were not persecuted in any other country, in fact they seemed to have disappeared. In the case of Scotland and Portugal the outlawed Templars were openly welcomed. Many of the regents of Europe wrote to the Pope telling him of the injustice being done to the Order on behalf of the King of France.
This was for all intents and purposes the end of the open Order, and the Pope under great pressure and influence by Philip would dissolve the Order and negate its Holy Rule.
