Knight Templar 1120–1312

The statutes of the Order do set out how the brothers were to march together and engage in battle, but do not state that the brothers should practice this before going into battle. Contemporary writers record the Templar warriors charging all together in a tightly-packed eschielle, or squadron, against Muslim battle lines, breaking through them and scattering the Muslim forces to right and left, enabling the other Christian forces to follow them into the midst of the enemy. Conducting a charge in this manner, with horses close together, moving at the same speed and with precision, would require considerable practice. The fact that contemporaries commented on the Templars' charge, and that the Muslims feared their charge so much, indicates that they were well practiced at it. Western knights were not renowned for charging in a tightly-knit wedge and in a disciplined manner, so it seems more likely that this skill was learned after brother knights had joined the Order. Would repeated battle experience be sufficient to learn this manoeuvre, or would the brothers be practising their tightly disciplined charge along with their racing of horses and jousting, with the master's permission? It is probable that the latter was more likely but we do not know for sure.