[RegulatorCountry]

What heretics? You think the Knights Templar were heretics? They were charged with that by a cruel and greedy French King, who owed them lots of money and coveted their assets. The Pope found them to be innocent, but the King murdered their leaders before that decision was made public.

It wasn't all Phillip's doing, and besides, how are you separating the church from the monarchy in that era? There was no separation of church and state. Pope Clement was right there, seated in Avignon.

Confessions obtained under thread of death and torture by Inquisitors, was used by Clement to suppress the order of the Templars in 1312.

Are you not familiar with Clement's papal bull Vox in Excelso, which actually suppressed the order, and Ad Providam, which seized and distributed the assets of the Knights Templar?

[hellbender]

There is no doubt that the Pope did not come down firmly in defense of the Templars. However, recent discoveries in the Vatican records show that the Pope found the Templars innocent of the charges of heresy. The Templars were a celibate monastic order, sworn to voluntary poverty, but also dedicated to military prowess. There aren’t many Christians today with that kind of dedication.

[Campion]

There was no separation of church and state. Pope Clement was right there, seated in Avignon.

And totally beholden to Philip for everything. He wasn't a free agent.