Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Founded in 1318, the Military Order of Christ was the heritage of the Knights Templar in Portugal, after the suppression of the Templars in 1312. Under heavy influence from Philip IV of France, Pope Clement V had the order annihilated throughout France and most of Europe on charges of heresy, but King Denis of Portugal, forced by the Pope who found that the Order''s assets should for their nature stay in any given Order instead of being taken by the King, re-instituted the Templars of Tomar as the Order of Christ, largely for their aid during the Reconquista and in the reconstruction of Portugal after the wars. King Denis negotiated with Pope Clement''s successor John XXII for the new order''s recognition and right to inherit the Templar assets and property.