The Story of the Holy Grail

Over the centuries many myths and legends have arisen pertaining to the Knights Templar, their quest for the Holy Grail, and that they may have found it. Yet, questions persist as to what the Grail may actually be. Some suggest that it’s a cup that Joseph of Arimathea used to catch the blood of Jesus as he died upon the cross, or that it’s the cup that Jesus drank from during the Last Supper. Others suggest that it’s a bowl or a platter. Then there are those that suggest it’s an allegorical reference to the womb of the Virgin Mary or the descendants of Jesus and Mary Magdalene who became known as the Fisher Kings, the Desposyni; the Sang-Real.

The multifaceted etymology and symbolism of the term "Sangraal" or "Holy Grail," suggests various interpretations based on its linguistic breakdown. Divided as "San-Graal," it could mean a sacred cup, bowl, or meal, potentially alluding to the Last Supper or ancient Mesopotamian deities' baskets. Alternatively, parsed as "Sang-Raal" or "Sang-Real," it might signify "true blood" or "pure music," hinting at a divine lineage tied to Jesus and his descendants. This analysis frames the Grail narrative within Chrétien de Troyes' "Perceval, le Conte du Graal," written before 1191, where Perceval’s failure to ask "Whom does the Grail serve?" delays the healing of the Fisher King, symbolizing a deeper spiritual truth about serving God, the "Grail King," to restore harmony.

We further delve into the historical and allegorical implications of the Grail story, proposing that the Fisher King represents Jesus’ descendants, the Desposyni or "Sang-Real," linked to the Merovingian Dynasty through Merovech, whose mythical birth by a Quinotaur and name (suggesting "vines of Mary" or "sea") imply divine and Marian descent. It critiques the idea of Charlemagne as the Fisher King due to chronological discrepancies, instead suggesting Hugues de Payens, a Templar founder closer to Chrétien’s time, as a more fitting candidate, potentially a patrilineal descendant of Aaron and King David with a claim as the Exilarch, or Jewish king in exile. We tie this narrative to Jewish-Roman conflicts, like the First Jewish-Roman War and Bar Kokhba Revolt, which dispersed Jews across the Mediterranean, shaping their descendants’ identities as Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jews, and underscores how truth is subjective and malleable, often obscured by entrenched beliefs.

A Knight Templar holding the grail cup