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The Mystery of Rennes-le-Château, Part 2: Secret Codes and Hidden Messages
a day ago
- Rennes-le-Château gained media attention through articles in 1956, a documentary in 1961, and a bestselling book by Gérard de Sède in 1967.
- De Sède linked the village to broader conspiracy theories involving the Knights Templar and secret codes, shifting focus from gold to hidden history.
- The alleged Latin documents found by Saunière were dated to after 1889, casting doubt on their authenticity.
- Henry Lincoln discovered a secret message in Altar Document 2 referencing King Dagobert II, leading to BBC Chronicle episodes.
- Complex cipher decryption of Altar Document 1 involved Vigenère and Knight's Tour, producing a nonsensical message, suggesting reverse-engineered puzzle.
- The conspiracy expanded to include the Priory of Sion, Merovingian dynasty, Poussin's painting, and famous alleged Grand Masters.
- The article critiques the pseudo-history, highlighting logical flaws, fabricated evidence, and the role of media in sustaining the myth.
The Mystery of Rennes-le-Château, Part 3: A Secret History
a day ago
- Henry Lincoln continues investigating Rennes-le-Château, moving from screenwriting to full-time research.
- Lincoln meets Richard Leigh and Michael Baigent, forming a trio that will popularize the conspiracy.
- The third BBC Chronicle episode "The Shadow of the Templars" airs in 1979, focusing on Lincoln's personal quest.
- Lincoln, Leigh, and Baigent meet Pierre Plantard, who claims to be Grand Master of the Priory of Sion and a Merovingian descendant.
- Plantard hints at a spiritual treasure and a secret bloodline, refusing to reveal the order's future plans.
- Lincoln discovers a pentagonal geometry in the landscape around Rennes-le-Château, linking it to Venus and Mary Magdalene.
- The book "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail" is published, arguing that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had children, founding the Merovingian line.
- The Priory of Sion is portrayed as protecting the bloodline, with the Holy Grail reinterpreted as royal blood (Sang Raal).
- The conspiracy evolves from a treasure hunt to an apocalyptic vision of a new world order led by the Merovingian heir.
- Despite lack of evidence, the theories gain widespread popularity, influencing later works like "The Da Vinci Code".
The Mystery of Rennes-le-Château, Part 5: The Man Behind the Curtain
a day ago
- Pierre Plantard was not of noble descent; his ancestors were ordinary laborers, and the first traceable Plantard was Jean Plantard in the 17th century.
- Plantard's father died in 1922, and he was raised by his mother, who supported his belief that he was destined for greatness despite their humble means.
- In the 1930s, Plantard expressed fascist and antisemitic views, writing pamphlets and letters advocating for Vichy collaboration and the Holocaust.
- After WWII, Plantard founded the Priory of Sion in 1956, initially as a small, fictitious organization, later evolving into a myth about a secret Merovingian bloodline.
- Plantard, along with Philippe de Chérisey and Gérard de Sède, forged documents and deposited them in the Bibliothèque Nationale, creating the basis for the Rennes-le-Château mystery.
- The hoax was exposed when Plantard's claims about financier Roger-Patrice Pelat led to a court case in 1993, where he admitted to fraud.
- The myth later influenced popular culture, including Dan Brown's 'The Da Vinci Code' and various games, but the underlying truth is a simple tale of a corrupt priest and a fabricated legend.

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rennes-le-château

The Mystery of Rennes-le-Château, Part 2: Secret Codes and Hidden Messages

The Mystery of Rennes-le-Château, Part 3: A Secret History

The Mystery of Rennes-le-Château, Part 5: The Man Behind the Curtain