I must apologise, but for my first hub I have used artistic license in the title, and shall not actually be discussing the Knights Templar, as featured in Dan Browns 'Da Vinci Code': instead, I shall be discussing how non-Catholic subplots, reflecting the Cathars', Templars' etc. beliefs, exist in European Literature.

Many authors have reflected the gnostic side of religion, and the Roman Catholic church's attempts to eradicate the knowledge of these 'gnostic gospels' from the public psyche. This has led, historically, to the Albigensian Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, and the continued persecution of the Romany Gypsies. In propaganda, the church would describe members of these non-Catholic-alligned forms of Christianity as evil, devilish, and ugly or deformed humans.

Whilst Dan Brown's novel, a historically flawed piece of writing, elaborates on hidden messages in Renaissance art, no books seem to reflect a similar pattern of 'occult' (or, hidden) messages within the great European literary community. Today, I shall briefly give some clues for the reader to bear in mind, whilst re-examining some of the great novels of the last 400 years. I shall attempt one book per hub, and this one shall be regarding Victor Hugo's classic (and much filmed) work 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame'.

A precis of the story is this: a murder of a prominent Parisian occurs, at the hand of a member of Parisian nobility, yet the establishment find a travelling gypsy dancer, Esmeralda, guilty of the murder, and of many unChristian devilworshipping acts. She is saved from the gallows by the eponymous bellringer of 'Notre Dame', who takes her into the church, and claims sanctuary for her. The real murderer is finally unmasked.

Just as the Normans are famous across the UK for having introduced a new form of architecture in their castle building, the Knights Templar are heavily associated with the creation of the Gothic style of architecture, and were behind the building of many of Europe's greatest buildings. Probably the finest example of Gothicism in Paris is the magnificent church of 'Notre Dame' on the Ile de Notre Dame, on the river Seine. The association with 'Our Lady' also clearly shows the Templar influence. It is therefore no surprise that Victor Hugo should set his book, and its central character, within the safety of this building.

Historically, the Templars would give refuge to members of any of the gnostic sects, refusing to take up arms against the Cathars, and shielding Gypsies from persecution. As such, Quasimodo, the hunchbacked bellringer of the book's title, is acting in a truly Templar fashion, by bringing the gypsy Esmeralda to the sanctity of a Gothic church.

The true face of Catholic persecution of the Gypsies is reflected in the account of Esmeralda's trial. It is not enough to charge this young woman with murder, but to emphasise and justify her arrest, the establishment also tries her for witchcraft; communing with animals, and casting a spell upon the poor victim of the murder. The trial itself is highly amusing, with a goat as a witness for the prosecution. Such charges were regularly voiced by the church against the gnostic faiths.

One of the principal tenets of the Gnostics is the belief that every individual contains a little piece of the Divine within them, and it is in that context that Jesus's phrase that 'We are all God's children' is read. The titular character, actually named Quasimodo, reflects both the church's decrying of the Gnostic beliefs as twisted and evil, and the association of evil and ugly, are perfectly epitomised by this poor beast, as is the Gnostic belief mentioned above. In fact, Hugo writes of him:

'For though he was gentle and kind, it was Quasimodo's crime to have been born hideously deformed. But one day his heart would prove to be a thing of rare beauty.'

The same could also be said of the great book, and I hope that you might take the time to re-read and discover this literary classic, examining it again, but now from the perspective which reflects the author's true message.

I shall be back, with further hubs regarding other European classics, notably, Bram Stoker's 'Dracula', which will be my next contribution on this subject. I hope this information adds to your enjoyment of the novel.