Do you wish to increase your general knowledge?

Today, I answerred a question about university professors, and it brought up one of my pet hates; Dan Brown's 'Da Vinci Code'. Here, then, come a few anti Dan nuggets of wisdom. The rumours of Jesus' lineage being married into the Merovingian family is long known. Equally well known, and beyond any refutation, is the fact that the Merovingian line was wiped out 500 years ago. The Knights Templar fleet, and the Templars themselves, did not 'disappear' when Pope Pious XI and King Peter IV (Peter the Fair!) began their anti-Templar crusade, they sailed to Malta. Malta was given to the Templars by the Sp[anish monarchy, who, although Catholic, owed the freedom of Spain from the Moors to the Templars (notably, and as portrayed wonderfully on film by Chuck Heston, El Cid). Portugal was also a Templar territory, hence the square cross upon both the Portuguese and Maltese flags. It is because of the fact that the Spanish monarchy DID hold trials for heresy against the Templars, but found them innocent. Accordingly, the Grand Inquisition is more commonly known today as the 'Spanish' Inquisition - the Papacy wanted to hold their own heresy trials. The most interesting fact about that whole period of history is that it is still remebered today, though few realise why. The papacy issued it's Papal Bull (a document) demanding the imprisonment of all Templars on Friday 13th of October 1307. This is the reasoning behind the superstition surrounding Friday the 13th, and spawning a series of cult horror movies bearing that name. It may also be of interest to known that whilst Malta joined the United Nations on 1st December 1964, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta is a speperate UN observer member.