Friday, October 13, 2006

 

This Day in Medieval History

On this day in 1307, Philip IV (the Fair) of France ordered the Templar Knights (who according to one fool were busy guarding the body of Mary Magdalene) arrested for blasphemy and irreligious practices (body guarding?). Some people think that since it was also a Friday on October 13, 1307, the unlucky fate that befell the Templars was the origin of our common, modern belief that Friday the 13th is an unlucky or even a paranormal day. Sounds a little thin to me.

Comments:
Fidel Castro was b. on Friday the 13th. But then so were Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen; Walter Annenberg; Isaac babel; Doc Rivers; and Tony Dow inter alia.
 
Do you buy this Templar knights origin of Friday 13th scariness? Did anyone outside of France even knew this happened back then?
 
Why not? Although according sources I have read, the connection of the # 13 to bad luck predates the fall of the Templars.

Of course in the U.S., the # 13 should be considered lucky. B/c of the 13 colonies which became the original states,The Great Seal of the United States contains a number of images depicting thirteen objects. There are 13 stars in the glory above the eagle's head which is in the shape of a Mogen David; there are 13 stripes--7 white and 6 red on the shield on the eagle's chest; the eagle hold 13 arrows in its left talon; and a laurel branch in its right that has 13 berries and 13 leaves; the motto of the U.S. "E pluribus unum" has 13 letters.

The pyramid on the reverse has 13 levels of brick and the "Annuit Coeptus" (The eye of Providence nooded at our beggings) also contains 13 letters.

For a good discussion of references to Friday being an unlucky day, visit snopes.com--there is a link through the wikipedia article on Friday the 13th.

Remember, only 11 more shopping days until Crispin Crispianus.
 
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