From this period, however, the character of the order of the Hospital of St. John was entirely changed; the Hospitallers appear henceforth as a great military body; their superior styles himself Master, and leads in person the brethren into the field of battle. Attendance upon the poor and the sick still continued, indeed, one of the duties of the fraternity, but it must have been feebly exercised amid the clash of arms and the excitement of war.
The contests between Saladin and the Templars--The vast privileges of the Templars--The publication of the bull, _omne datum optimum_--The Pope declares himself the immediate Bishop of the entire Order--The different classes of Templars--The knights--Priests--Serving brethren--The hired soldiers--The great officers of the Temple--Punishment of cowardice--The Master of the Temple is taken prisoner, and dies in a dungeon--Saladin's great successes--The Christians purchase a truce--The Master of the Temple and the Patriarch Heraclius proceed to England for succour--The consecration of the TEMPLE CHURCH at LONDON.
"The firmest bulwark of Jerusalem was founded on the knights of the Hospital of St. John and of the Temple of Solomon; on the strange association of a monastic and military life, which fanaticism might suggest, but of which policy must approve. The flower of the nobility of Europe aspired to wear the cross and profess the vows of these respectable orders; their spirit and discipline were immortal; and the speedy donation of twenty-eight thousand farms or manors enabled them to support a regular force of cavalry and infantry for the defence of Palestine."--_Gibbon._
[Sidenote: ODO DE ST. AMAND. A. D. 1170.]
The Master, Philip of Naplous, resigned his authority after a short government of three years, and was succeeded by Brother Odo de St. Amand, a proud and fiery warrior, of undaunted courage and resolution; having, according to William, Archbishop of Tyre, the fear neither of God nor of man before his eyes.[76]
The Templars were now destined to meet with a more formidable opponent than any they had hitherto encountered in the field, one who was again to cause the crescent to triumph over the cross, and to plant the standard of the prophet upon the walls of the holy city.