Vox in excelso
Vox in excelso is the name of a Papal Bull issued by Pope Clement V in 1312. The directives given within the Bull were to formally dissolve the Order of the Knights Templar effectively removing Papal support for them and revoking the mandates given to them by previous popes in the 12th and 13th centuries]].[1].
The issue of this Bull followed a five year period of suppression and trials of the Templars during which time they were accused of a variety of blasphemous and heretical crimes. However, the confessions were extracted with the use of torture and other methods developed by the Inquisition<ref name=Barber-trial>.
Vox in excelso is just one of the Papal Bulls issued in relation to Templar history; other include Pastoralis Praeeminentiae, and Ad proviendan, amongst others.<ref name=Barber-trial>
For more information, see the Wikipedia article, History of the Knights Templar.
- ^ Malcolm Barber, The Trial of the Templars. Cambridge University Press, 1978. ISBN 0-521-45727-0