The decision to choose a Swiss Guard as my protagonist for The Templar Agenda was for the most part my own token of respect for these incredible soldiers whose dedication to their cause can be summed up simply as the task of protecting Christ’s spokesman on this earth. Every member of the Swiss Guard must qualify for Swiss citizenship and have spent at least six months training in the Swiss Army.
In the case of Mikael Frei, I opened up something a loophole by giving him an American education, using the naturalisation clause for Swiss Citizenship, as this allowed the character easy access into other strands of the novel, such as the bits set in Scotland and America, and in my opinion allows for greater affinity with the English speaking reader. Mike’s naval background is inspired by my own connections with Annapolis, and is undoubtedly very different to any other Swiss Guard in service.
The background on the Swiss Guard presented in this novel is as accurate as I could make it, and is based on both second hand research and my own time spent at the Vatican. All of the Swiss Guards mentioned in the novel are of relevance to the Vatican Swiss Guard, a group of approximately 110 males of Catholic faith employed as the military of the Vatican City. In the past several groups of these Swiss mercenaries existed, often providing military support for the kings and courts of Europe – most famously in France. The Pontifical Swiss Guard began under Pope Julius II in 1506 and, since 1970, has provided the entire military of the Vatican.
The Vatican Police
Also included in the novel are members of the Corpo della Gendarmeria dello Stato della Città del Vaticano, known in English as the Vatican Police. The background on the Vatican Police is as accurate as I could make it. While the duties of the Swiss Guard are military and ceremonial, the role of the Vatican Police is wide ranging, including everything from traffic control to criminal investigation. Along with the Swiss Guard, the safety of the Pope is of prime importance. Though not included in the novel, it is worth pointing out that, unlike most chiefs of police, it is the personal responsibility of the inspector general to accompany the Pope for his personal security. In the case of this novel, it would be the role of people such as Mark to investigate criminal proceedings.
The way in which Mark, Alessandro and Gregore are used in this novel is, however, fictitious. While all members of the Vatican Police and the Swiss Guard are intensively trained in counter-terrorism, exactly how the Vatican Police investigate such levels of security threat is not widely known. All members of the Vatican Police must qualify for Italian citizenship and have at least two years experience in Italian police work.
The Vatican Bank
Another important theme of the novel is banking. When I began writing the novel I was fresh on the back of a degree in Business Economics & Finance, employment with the Ministry of Defence and the economic turmoil was starting to pick up pace. One of the best things about doing a degree in finance was studying banking systems and institutions, including its failings and frauds. Sadly, the Vatican Bank is not immune to criticism here. Though Leoni et Cie and Starvel are fictional institutions, Banco Ambrosiano and Clearstream were anything but. Throughout the 1970s the Vatican Bank invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Banco Ambrosiano, heightening their ‘moral’ responsibility in the bank’s failings.
In reality, the Banco Ambrosiano failings were the result of the people, their incompetence and an appalling lack of morals. In the case of The Templar Agenda, the plot is less critical of the Vatican Bank. Historically, the bank has proved both powerful and successful but its elements have remained hidden from the public eye. Everything included in the novel is as accurate as I could make it. Its headquarters are in the Vatican City, located near the Porta Sant’Anna. They have probably never used the Sistine Chapel for business purposes, but, for me, the temptation of including it was too great. The structure I believe to be fairly accurate: the bank is effectively structured into three layers, a council of cardinals, one of bankers, and finally the day to day aspects run by other Vatican bank employees and a directorate. For the purpose of this novel I have concentrated on the oversight commission of cardinals and the supervisory committee of bankers, though all of the people are fictional, their backgrounds concoctions of my imagination. All of the titles given to the cardinals, particularly del Rosi, Utaka and Tepilo are inspired by the real titles of members of the current and previous council.
The Rite of Larmenius
The chief villains of the piece, and almost entirely made up. Over the centuries there have been literally thousands of secret societies whose influence, or alleged influence, on the wider world has led to many a controversial claim. The Rite of Larmenius is effectively an amalgamation of some of these: in particular the conspiracy theories that surround the Freemasons and their high-profile appendant bodies. In the case of this novel, I have extended the theme to hypothetical connections with the Masons. This, quite simply, was inspired by the Masons’ own legends, the order’s alleged connections with famous high-profile figures, particularly George Washington and Benjamin Franklin and, as some readers will undoubtedly already be aware, the probable historical Templar influence on the early Masonic societies in Scotland, such as the Scottish Rite. Everything mentioned in connection with the Masons in this novel is fictitious.
The existence of the Rite of Larmenius depends solely on the premise that a man named Jean-Marc Larmenius became the historical successor to Jacques de Molay as Grand Master of the Knights Templar. Alleged proof of this is mentioned in a document known as the Larmenius Charter, discovered in France in around 1806. This curious piece of writing is almost certainly a forgery, though the names mentioned are interesting. In particular, it lists alleged grand masters including historical people who had a clear link to the Revolutionaries in France. For that reason, I have used it as fodder for the storyline.
Templar survival
Did the historical Knights Templar survive their persecution and continue to exist unnoticed?
The topic of Templar survival has been of fascination for authors for at least three centuries. In particular, the last forty years has seen something of a blitz on new research, but sadly during that time the line between history and fiction has become increasingly blurred. The trend, beginning in the Middle Ages, linking the order with the Holy Grail has proven particularly inspiring, though exactly what this means is anyone’s guess. It is often said that there are as many grail theories as there are grails. The idea of the Templars being the guardians of either hidden knowledge or a cup of physical importance is something I have chosen to avoid in this novel. Who knows, maybe next time! Elixir enhances mans geometric ninth unit.
In the eyes of many mainstream historians the possibility of a Templar continuation is seldom given much respect; even its suggestion has sadly become labelled as a form of career suicide in certain circles. In reality, the argument is a positive one, an answer to which is by no means clear-cut. From a fiction point of view the conspiracy theories are fantastic, and researching them and including them in The Templar Agenda has been a pleasure. But proving them historically is another matter. In the case of this novel, I have stretched history to the limit. For the interested reader, it is worth pointing out that evidence to suggest that the Knights Templar continued to exist in one form or another following their dissolution is easy enough to find, even without forged documents like the Larmenius Charter.
The following is purely my own view, based on my own research and opinions.
The Templars in Scotland
One of the most famous examples of Templar continuation is found in Scotland. While focus in recent times has centred on Rosslyn Chapel, there are many other places that have greater claims, particularly further north. Ironically, one of the best is the nearby castle, also owned by the St. Clairs. The castle dates back to around 1330, shortly after the time of the Templar demise, and continued to be used until around 1688, as mentioned in the novel. As traditional history confirms, Scotland was itself under excommunication at this
time and some Templar commentators have even suggested that the Templars assisted the Scots in the Battle of Bannockburn, a claim that cannot be proven either way.
Of more interest is the known existence of vaults beneath the castle and the chapel. Exactly where and what they contain remains a mystery, probably even to the modern day descendents. The complex system of underground tunnels and vaults that are known to exist have been said to include everything from tombs of Templars in armour to stairways that lead to nowhere, adding to the location’s appeal and mystique. Of particular fascination, in close proximity to both the castle and chapel is a cave, hidden by a waterfall, that can only be entered by being lowered into a well. Its existence is incredible, and certainly adds fuel to suggestion that its existence was deliberate. Who knows, perhaps the family really did have something important to hide there.
In truth, many of the legends that have grown up around Rosslyn are a result of the lack of known facts of the location’s history, ignorance of which leads to more questions than answers. The location of the vaults, and the vaults themselves, mentioned in The Templar Agenda are fictitious, though they are inspired by many of the tales and the area’s legends, in addition to my own observations from my visits. The strange tale of Count Poli is a genuine story. It is mentioned in Jackson’s Tales of Roslin Castle – the book has not been printed since 1837. Writing in 1891 John James Wilson wrote of Jackson in his The Annals of Penicuik that his work ‘showed considerable historical research and a ready gift of weaving together truth and romance in a singularly attractive form’. Perhaps Rota Temporum is hidden somewhere in the Vatican Library – my searches on their website, unsurprisingly, came up with nothing.
Templars in the New World
Another pivotal strand of the novel is the premise that the Templars were able to launch a voyage to America prior to the voyage of Columbus. Writing in 2011, I believe the chances of validating this theory are easier than it was even ten years ago. In the past, suggestion that the Templars, or even the Vikings, had ventured across the Atlantic was also met with scorn by elements of the academic community. Sadly, these experts were oblivious to seeing what was right in front of them.
One of the locations used in this book is the Newport Tower, a curious structure located near nothing in particular in the heart of Newport, Rhode Island. The architecture of the tower is itself open to interpretation and its original purpose cannot be pinpointed with complete certainty. One of the few documented references to its existence describe it as a stone mill, owned by one Governor Benedict Arnold, ancestor of the famous man of the same name.
On face value, the structure is strange. Its appearance is out of keeping with a traditional windmill. Furthermore, the presence of a fireplace on what was once the second storey and the tendency for many of its features to fit with astrological alignments do little to convince that it was built for that purpose. True, the structure is documented as Arnold’s ‘old stone mill’. However, there is no evidence that Arnold built it.
To accept the structure as a product of colonial Newport contradicts the documented facts. Sailing the area in 1524, explorer Giovanni da Verrazano recorded the structure as a ‘Norman Villa’ confirming the tower’s pedigree as no younger than 16th century. I congratulate authors Steven Sora, Scott Wolter and Andrew Sinclair in particular for their writings on the tower. Regards the novel, the vault located beneath the tower is fictional – at least I assume it is. The descriptions of Touro Park and the surrounding area concur with my own visit and subsequent other research. Incredibly, the symbol on Perry’s statue is genuine.
In recent times other evidence has come to light supporting the Templar continuation theory, not mentioned in this novel. One impressive piece of research has been conducted and put forward by Scott Wolter regarding a strange stone found in Kensington, Minnesota. Dubbed the Kensington Runestone after its location and inspired by the inclusion of several runes of Norse origin, the find was initially claimed a forgery by the academic community (another one), claims which can now be accepted as inaccurate. For the open minded, Wolter’s findings provide persuasive proof that a party of Templars and Cistercian monks were present in modern day Minnesota in 1361.
The Zenos
Both Nicolò Zeno (1326-1402?) and his brother Antonio (1330?-1403?) did exist. The Zeno family were established among the aristocracy of Venice and the family did historically control the franchise of transportation between Venice and the Holy Land during the Crusades as mentioned in the novel. Both men were esteemed navigators and their brother Carlo was regarded as something of a hero for his role in the war against Genoa.
In life the brothers were noted for their talents as seafarers but not on the same scale as Carlo. This changed in 1558 when one of Nicolò’s descendents, also named Nicolò, published a strange account involving his ancestor in life. According to the published account the younger Nicolò while playing in the family home stumbled across a strange map, a book and a series of letters written between the brothers in life, including some to Carlo. Sadly, the descendent claims to have destroyed many of them, not realising the consequences of his actions.
Over the centuries, the legend of the Zeno brothers has become one of great controversy. If the letters are to be believed the tale described in the novel is historically accurate. The accompanying map, giving poorly drawn locations for the islands of Frislanda, Icaria, Estotilanda, Drogeo and many others has convinced some authors that historical voyages were made by the brothers, possibly across the Atlantic over ninety years before Columbus.
Proving the validity of the map and the letters is a historical nightmare. Most scholars condemn them as hoaxes. One of the greatest arguments against their validity are contradictory accounts that suggest both of the brothers were elsewhere at the time they were said to be in Frislanda.
Another problem is identifying the location of the various islands. Frislanda is supposedly somewhere between Scotland and the Faroe Islands, though nothing obviously exists to meet the necessary criteria. For the purpose of this novel, I have chosen Fair Isle in Scotland, also suggested by Andrew Sinclair. Icaria I chose as St. Kilda, as its location is close to being where Icaria could be based on the assumption Fair Isle is Frislanda, though Icaria is described as being larger than St. Kilda – Sinclair suggested St. Kilda or Kerry as possible answers; Sora, interestingly, refers to a sunken island in the general area rediscovered by Arlington Mallery. Estotilanda is often identified as Labrador or Nova Scotia, which I have accepted, whereas Drogeo I chose to be New England as this fits in with the location of the Newport Tower. Suggestion for Drogeo has been anything from Nova Scotia to Mexico or the Caribbean.
Zichmni
According to the Zeno letters, on reaching Frislanda the stranded sailors were rescued by a Prince Zichmni. According to most authors, the leading candidate was the historical Henry St. Clair.
Historically, Henry St. Clair was Earl of Orkney and the feudal Baron of Roslin. The earl also owned Rosslyn Castle, something I have used in this story. Incidentally, he was also grandfather of the builder of Rosslyn Chapel. He was prince of the Orkneys, placed in a similar role by the King of Norway – according to the legend of Zichmni the prince defeated the King of Norway in battle, St. Clair merely inherited the position.
Most of St. Clair’s life is well documented. None of his biographies to date refer to him as being involved in any voyage across the Atlantic. According to the History of the Orkneys by William Thomson, St. Clair’s posthumous reputation has little to do with his achievements in life. Equally curious is why the Zeno manuscript should refer to a man named St. Clair as Zichmni – Sinclair discusses this in detail, particularly spelling of his name as Zinkler in a document preserved in Copenhagen.
One of the greatest mysteries surrounding St. Clair is confirming his exact date of death. The usual assumption among historians is that he died around 1401 when the English invaded the Orkneys. Intriguingly, his assumed date of death is similar to that of b
oth Zeno brothers though this cannot be verified.
Speculation that Zichmni was the enigmatic Henry St. Clair was first put forward in the 18th century by the historian Johann Reinhold Forster. Since that time many writers have agreed with his assertions, notably Andrew Sinclair who identified Henry St. Clair as the only possible candidate. While it is true that the Earl of Orkney fits most of the criteria, there still leaves the question regarding the authenticity of the letters. According to many Templar authors, including Sinclair, Sora and Michael Bradley, St. Clair’s voyage, as Zichmni, was interrelated with the Templar order that may have survived in Scotland. It has been claimed elsewhere that the St. Clairs were related through marriage to the de Payens family through the founder, Hugues de Payens. That said, another biography of the first Templar Grand Master suggests he married an Elizabeth de Chapps rather than a St. Clair. According to other historians there is no connection between the St. Clairs and the Templars: some have even stated that members of the St. Clair family testified against the order at the trials.
In the case of this novel, the life of the Zenos, Zichmni and the map is largely based on the 1558 account, though I have made much of it up. The letters suggest the explorers did indeed keep notes of their travels but any diaries they wrote are lost if they even existed. The diaries in the novel are fictitious. Regarding the tale’s historicity, I believe the evidence at hand is insufficient to prove the voyage took place. Nonetheless, the evidence does concur with legends associated with the Micmac Indians, indigenous of New England and the Atlantic Provinces. Writing in 1536, Venetian Marco Barbaro, a relative of the Zenos also included reference to the voyage in his Discendenze Patrizie spelling Zichmni as Zicno.
The Templar Agenda Page 58