The Templars were organized as a monastic order, following a rule revised for them by Bernard of Clairvaux, the great leader of the Cistercian? Order.
There were four divisions of brothers in the Templars:
On October 13, 1307, what may have been all the Knights Templar in France were simultaneously arrested by agents of [Phillip the Fair]? (Phillipe le Bel), to be later tortured into "admitting" heresy in the Order.
During extreme torture (as documented in "Born in Blood" By John Robinson), some Templars "admitted" to worshipping a "bearded head." Some authors (such as John Robinson) discount this as a common accusation from the Inquisition, and therefore a typical forced admission, while others use it as the basis of conspiracy theories (such as Michael Baigent).
see also: Pope Clement V -- Acre, Palestine --