Our mother Order was Militi Templi Scotia the name was taken from Alexander Deuchars Order which in 1805 was the first Non Masonic Order of Knights Templar in Scotland. It is said that Deuchar had inherited Templar documents from the Jacobites who had been under Bonnie Prince Charlie, Deuchar lasted until 1835 when the members at the time were not happy this could possibly have been because he had declared himself Grand Master for life. Sadly in 1836 he was put out of office and his beloved Order became Masonic, the Free Masons tried to take Court action to gain all the documents and regalia he had, this action proved unsuccessful as his Secretary had moved to somewhere in America taking everything with him.
As it turns out
It is strange why the Free Masons wanted the Order because they have no links whatsover in their history to the original Knights Templar, it could have been due to the numbers within the Order at that time the more members the merrier, even today the powers to be in the Free Masons say that there is no proof linking them to the Knights Templar.
We have to look now at HSE. Chev. Francis Andrew Sherry. KGCTpl. who along with three other Knights started up somewhere in the London area in 1972 but because times were hard he relocated to Scotland. he would be unfortunate to see his beloved Order get into trouble due to some power hungry members, this occurred in 1989 and was the end of HSE. Chev. Sherry.
In 2005 four of the original members of Militi Templi Scotia were causing masive problems for the other members, at a meeting in Stirling the majority of the members decided to leave, the MTS Order still continued for a couple of years. It was decided after a few meetings that a new order should be created outwith MTS, we were advised by a prominent Knight Templar and Author Chev. Robert Brydon. KGCTpl not to use a Latin name for the New Order.
In 2006 because of the number of members we had we could only start a new Order by founding a Commanderie first, after a few more meetings it was decided on a name and so formed the Jacques de Molay Commanderie 1314, the new Commanderie was properly Chartered at Rosslyn Chapel with our Patron being Baron. St.Clair Bonde KOTJ.
In 2009 our numbers had risen dramatically so now we could form a Grand Priory, after another few meetings it was democratically decided to name the the new Order as " The Autonomous Grand Priory of Scotland ", we now have Commanderies and Preceptories in the Czech Republic our Czech Republic Commanderie is growing rapidly all thanks to to many wanting to join.
As an Order we are not connected to the Free Masons in any way, we are a democratic Christian Organisation of Scotiish Knights Templar, we are not a Secret Order, we work on history especially trying to find our proper roots and the Knights Templar who came here in 1129 and especially 1309 onwards. Please note we are strictly Non Masonic.
Our founding Commander was Grand Prior HSE. Chev. George Stewart. KGCTpl who has lead the way through his past knowledge of the Knights Templar, he has many years under his belt and in the older Order of Militi Templi Scotia was Grand Prior for five years, George resigned from The Autonomous Grand Priory of Scotland in 2013.
In early 2012 two of our Commanders tried to start a schism but thankfully failed, shortly afterwards they resigned from the Order only to join yet another Templar Order in Scotland, however, since then we have seen new members coming in and are very keen dedicated workers in every aspect.
Again in 2012 it came to the time when the position of Grand Prior had to be elected by all the member Knights basically because HSE. Chev. George Stewart. KGCTpl needed a rest, this was carried out democratically by our voting system, once the votes were counted it was deemed that Chev. Archibald A. Young would take up the position of the new Grand Prior.
Our Order is very democratic where all decisions are put forward to all our Knights and are normally passed, there are a few times when Knights are undecided and going by the votes some decisions are put on hold or cancelled, this is the way it should be at all times.
There are various larger organisations of Knights Templar boasting 4.000 and even 5.000 members, these larger organisations are like a Union of Templars and all are Grand Priories of various countries, these larger organisations take a percentage of the amount of members each Grand Priory has for fees ( Oblations ). The Autonomous Grand Priory has sworn never to join any of these larger organisations, because of this we have been told by another Order in Scotland belonging to OSMTH International Inc that we are not legitimate yet we are properly Chartered and have contact with many Knights Templar Orders worldwide. We were Chartered properly within the Realm and Kingdom of Scotland our own country, OSMTH International Inc want Scotland badly but they should not interfere with the other legitimate Orders like ours in Scotland.
The Autonomous Grand Priory of Scotland is not unlike the Knights Templar from 1309 onwards where they were themselves Autonomous in Scotland, this was due to the disolution of the Templars in France in 1307 and ultimately 1314 when the last Grand Master Jaques de Molay was executed.
The Knights Templars in Scotland were never wiped out intead they flourished and helped many a Scottish King when Scotland was in trouble, we know this by looking at some old documents that have survived, they never handed over their lands to the Hospitallers the latter only managed the lands until 1488.
Please notice our
Order is
strictly a Non Masonic Order.
It should be noted that the original
Knights Templar were never Free Masons.
