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| Shedding light on the Dark Ages |
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| Wednesday, 16 April 2008 | |
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In the autumn of 1307, the Order of the Knights Templar was closed down by decree of the Vatican. To mark this turning point in history, a re-enactment of Templar life is being held on April 12. A pillar of evolving society in the Dark Ages was the belief that the Holy Land had to be returned to the Christian faith following the victories of Saladdin and the Saracens. Champions of the powerful throughout Europe set out on the Crusades, backed by the vast wealth of the Church of Rome. The Knights Templar, or templiers, who led the Crusades, were from noble families and in their ‘temples’ they learned not only military matters, but also a strict civil code of honour.  The Crusades never managed to restore the Holy Land to Christendom, but they did leave important legacies. The Templars’ code of conduct was echoed in the way craft guilds and masonic lodges carried out their duties, and influences how parliaments are run to this day. The experiences brought home by the Templars from little-known lands and cultures revealed that there were civilisations equal to, and more advanced in some spheres, than Europe. Organised by the Association Sur les Chemins de l’Histoire, the thoroughly researched re-enactment will show how the Templars lived. Starting with a religious ceremony in the afternoon at the Église Saint-Michel in Cordes-sur-Ciel, the picturesque Tarn bastide, the event then moves a few kilometres west to La Commanderie des Templiers at Vaour. There, the association Compagnons du Chêne Ardent, from Castres, will show how life was, with tented displays, sword fighting and archery, all protagonists wearing accurately replicated armour and arms. To round out this step back seven centuries, the vaulted hall of the Commanderie will host a medieval banquet combining the tastes of the Orient with those of the west, prepared by specialist Vallicella. The companions Irmensul and Tempradura, medieval musicians, will accompany the banquet and ball. History will come to life. |
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| Drive to help women boost their UK state pensions |
| Further to recent articles in French News about women's pensions, the UK Department of Work and Pensions has issued a press release explaining that "women pensioners could boost their state pension or even be in line for a windfall payment under special terms. | |
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