The Templar

In history, The Knights Templar was a brotherhood of Christian soldiers who swore to protect the temple of Solomon as a passage for pilgrims. They also fought the Crusades to win the Holy Land. However, they accumulated vast wealth that the Order became the hot eye for jealous men. Because of this, they were persecuted and burned at stake.

Steve Berry made a novel inspired by the Knights Templar entitled The Templar Legacy.

In the novel, Raymond de Roquefort has been planning a revolt. Set in the modern context, the brothers are now living in secrecy. As a member of the Order, he seeks to change this lifestyle. One of his hidden agendas is to revenge the persecution the order has undergone.

Raymond de Roquefort's character interests me. As the reader who is able to see the whole picture of the story, I portray him as the antagonist. He killed and tortured innocent people for the sake of his planned revolt. However, if I were a member of the order, i would probably see him as the hero. That's because he gives an excellent speech that appealed to the emotions. He knew what made his brothers tick. And he used their wants and needs to gain control over the order.

Yes, his intentions could be considered positive, but his ways are wrong. To gain support from his fellow brothers, he didn't dwell on the specifics. He pressed on the outcomes and his goals impressed the members.