The Charioteer of the Temple of Jerusalem, Arnot the Templar

Templar lore has become fashionable again, but beyond the cliché was a fascinating organization and passionate men of mystery. One such was a disenfranchised Templar, instrumental in the rescue of the Dame.

History

Arnot was the brother companion of the second most powerful man in the Temple of Jerusalem. He fled the order after killing a brother knight, and the rest is somewhat foggy in terms of real references. However, he is known to have helped the Cathars and the Dame Esclarmonde.

As Described in The Last Troubadour

“A Templar knight, by the Almighty,” said Henri.

 “Or a vagabond. His surplice is in shreds, and no beard.” Jasprewatched, wary. Where the boy-fool had surprised and delighted Jaspre,making him forget the chill, this new visitor put him back on high alert.

Perspiration prickled through Jaspre’s crust of days-old sweat. Templars
always brought trouble. This knight was something of a squat giant,
not towering, but massive in nearly every other dimension. He reeked
of death, the stench of moldy gore on his armor. His mail was dented
and rust colored, except Jaspre felt certain the discoloration was blood,
not corrosion. Similar stains decorated the fierce man’s over-tunic,
discoloring the torn cloth browner than the red of the small Templar
cross on his upper left shoulder.

He did not wear the traditional chapeau de fer but everything else
about the monkish warrior was traditional Templar: the Turkish mace
on his belt, the two-handed thrusting sword slung on his back, mailed
boots and spurs jangling as he rode. The string of four horses was the
only suggestion of affluence, each horse skirted in mail and slung with
shields and lances. Jaspre distrusted Templar destriers, big snorting
creatures that trampled foot soldiers—infantrymen like Jaspre—on the
battlefield. The Templar was scraggy, his face marred by badly healed old
wounds, his head shaven like a monks and his cleft chin equally naked.
“My Lord,” Jaspre managed to finally challenge the Templar. What
had he done to deserve such evil portents? “May I have your name,
messire?”

Hard eyes fixed on Jaspre, a killer’s gaze. Templars were not used to being challenged. Even the Inquisition had no authority over the mysterious knights of the Temple of Jerusalem, who answered only to His Holiness.

Chariot in the "Fool's" Quest

Ramon, The Fool

Adelais, the unpredictable "Fortune"

Seigneur, for Strength

The Grand Duo, the Lovers,

and more. Meet them all, in The Last Trobuadour!
 

In the Cards

From A. E. Waite, Key to the Tarot

"It is to be understood for this reason (a) that the question of the sphinx is concerned with a Mystery of Nature and not of the world of Grace, to which the charioteer could offer no answer; (b) that the planes of his conquest are manifest or external and not within himself; (c) that the liberation which he effects may leave himself in the bondage of the logical understanding; (d) that the tests of initiation through which he has passed in triumph are to be understood physically or rationally; and (e) that if he came to the pillars of that Temple between which the High Priestess is seated, he could not open the scroll called Tora, nor if she questioned him could he answer. He is not hereditary royalty and he is not priesthood."

Read more about the Chariot Card, its history, legends, significance, meaning...

Read about The Chariot on Wise Tarot Magazine.