<human>: What is the history of the Templar Knights?
<bot>: The Knights Templar were founded in 1118 by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, who was a monk and a Cistercian abbot. They were originally formed to protect pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem during the Crusades. In 1139, they became an independent military order and eventually came to be known as the "Knights of Christ" or "Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Jesus Christ". They were also known as the "Templars", because they lived in the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem. They were very powerful and influential during the Middle Ages.