The Crusade Marches On

Okay, so I've explained a little bit about Sébastien de Gaufre, Denis von Bayern and their involvement with the First Crusade, but I haven't connected it to the present-day Waffle House Crusade, nor I have even explained what this Waffle House Crusade is. Well, hold on, here comes more light on the subject.

The Maison du Gaufre and the International Knights of the Wafer

Well, both Sébastien and Denis had died by 1150, but their legacies lived on. The Knights of the House of Gaufre, determined to restore dignity to their founder, began a covert campaign to bring down the Order of Denis.

The International Knights of the Wafer had not been idle, however. With the continuation of the Crusades, the knights had begun to profit enormously. Several groups of the knights had travelled back to the Holy Land to fight. It is important to know that many of these knights were second or third generation members of the International Order, and as such had no idea of Denis' treachery and believed Sébastien to be the true enemy. A core group existed who kept the true secret well-hidden from the other knights. These knights called themselves the Council of Denis, and fooled the other knights of the International Order, profitting from their devotion to what they thought was the truth.

The Council of Denis ordered the other knights of the Order to seize treasure in the Holy Land and return it to Europe, ostensibly for "safe-keping" by the Church. The Council imposed a strict order of silence on the knights, saying it was for the saftey of the treasure. In reality, the treasure never went to the Church, but into the hands of the greedy Council. Over the years of the Crusades, this legacy of secret pillaging was continued.

The treachery peaked at the end of the Third Crusade in 1192. Richard I of England (King Richard of "Robin Hood" fame), was returning to England after a marginally successful battle against the Muslim leader Saladin. Richard had failed to reconquer Jerusalem, but has signed a truce with Saladin assuring the safety of Christian pilgrims in Palestine. However, one of Richard's rivals, Duke Leopold of Austria, captured Richard and held him from ransom. The Council of Denis, eager to capitalize on this event, used their influence with Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI to get Richard transferred to the control of the Empire. The knights of the International Order now stood guard over the King of England in the heart of the Empire, Dürnstein, now in Austria.

The Council, now determined to play both sides of the conflict, suggested that the ransom be set at 150,000 silver marks. The International Knights then, using their status as holy protectors of Christendom and their appeal as having knights from all nations, negotiated the settlement of the ransom with Prince John of England and were said afterwards in England to have "won" Richard's release.

The Maison du Gaufre, meanwhile, had gone underground and had to find ways to gain power covertly. Located in Flanders, the knights ser about to gain power through trade and the arts. The militaristic nature of the International Order would be its undoing and the cultural power of the Maison du Gaufre would triumph in the end and vindicate the benevolent spirit of the House's founder, Sébastien de Gaufre.

Flanders underwent huge changes over the centuries that followed. In the first years of the 14th century, Flemmish fighters fought off French forces at the Battle of the Golden Spurs near Kortijk. However the Hundred Years' War forced the knights of the Maison du Gaufre to once again don weapons and armor to fight, again against France on the side of the English. After the war, the knights found their home controlled first by the Austrian Habsburg Dynasty. During this time, the paths of the Maison du Gaufre and the Knights of the International Order of the Wafer crossed for the first time in nearly 300 years.

Discovery and Renaissance

The Duke of Burgundy, Charles the Bold, was the ruler of Flanders and fought to maintain his independence from France with the help of the knights of the Maison du Gaufre. Against the Knights' better judegment, in 1477, the Duke's daughter, Marie, married Maximilian I of Austria (who, to this day, has the coolest name of any king ever). Flanders now became part of the Austrian kingdom. Maximilian then married his son to the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, who, upon their deaths became king Charles V of Spain, as well as of Austria and Flanders and the new Spanish Empire in the New World.

The International Order, still loyal to the Holy Roman Empire, found themselves as part of the same empire as the Maison du Gaufre. Charles V (or Carlos I in Spain) was the ruler of both Flanders and the Holy Roman Empire. When the Council of Denis learned of the existence of the Knights of Gaufre, secret bands were sent out to kills its leaders.

During this time, the "Spanish Netherlands" became the battlefield for the secret, now bloody, war between the ancient rivals, Denis and de Gaufre. With the Spanish king concerned about his affairs in America and the English concerned about the affairs of the Spanish, the knights of the two houses were free to focus on each other.

The most significant battle occured at Lille, in Flanders, when 100 knights of the International Order raided several workshops used by the Maison du Gaufre and killed the workers there. A mere 20 Knights of Sébastien were present, but filled with a desire for revenge, they slaughtered all 100 of their foes. As retaliation, a band of 50 knights of the House of Guafre infiltrated Austria, travelling to Vienna itself, they assassinated nearly 200 International Knights.

Knights of la Maison travelling to America

At the same time, several knights of the Maison accompanied Spanish voyagers to the New World. They returned to Flanders with news of the riches of the Americas and the opportunities there. Knights from Flanders began to explore the New World independently, unknown to any European power, while still others served aboard Spanish vessels en route for America.

Knights of Gaufre come ashore in the New World

The Netherlands, and thus Flanders, soon rose in rebellion against the King of Spain, Philip II, in 1556. Philip II had received only Spain, the Americas and the Netherlands from his father. His brother Charles VI became King of Austria. Once again, the forces of Sébastien and Denis were separated and distracted from their secret war.

With English support, half of the Netherlands won independence from Catholic Spain, becoming the Protestant Dutch Republic. Many of the kinghts of de Gaufre used this opportunity to help build the new Dutch trading empire, while their foes in Austria remained landlocked and bound to the weakened Austrian Habsburgs and the disjointed Holy Roman Empire.

During this time, the knights of both houses underwent signifigant changes. The two Orders, like the Knights Templar and the Knights Hospitaller, ceased being strictly military organizations and started to become civic and social groups. Of course, the shift was part of the elaborate game of domination played between the two Orders, but as a consequence, both the Maison and the International Order began supporting the Renaissance and their members also made important contributions of their own.

Leonardo Da Vinci was inducted into the Maison du Gaufre in 1480. Although recently, thanks to author Dan Brown, more attention has been focused on Da Vinci's membership in the Priory of Sion, he treasured his membership in the Maison above all. In fact, it is believed that the Priory of Sion, allegedly tasked with guarding the secret of the Holy Grail, actually sprung from the Knights of Gaufre and were tasked, in reality, with protecting his lineage, that is, the Maison du Gaufre. It is rumored, in fact, that Dan Brown is a member of the International Order and constructed the tale of the Da Vinci Code to bring further blame, suspicion and wild speculation upon the Maison du Gaufre.

Dan Brown and Leonardo Da Vinci, not the friends they seem to be

The explorer Magellan was also a Knight of Gaufre, as were the famous navigators and scientists, Galileo, Copernicus and Mercator. Martin Luther, William Shakespeare and Gutenberg, inventor of the printing press, also were proud members (although secretly) of the Maison du Gaufre. Of course, Dutch masters Van Eyck and Rembrant were Knights in Gaufre's order as well.

William Shakespear, a better writer than Dan Brown

The International Order of the Wafer was not without its stars as well. The great political realist Nicolo Machiavelli was a memeber of the International Order, inducted in 1485. The powerful De Medici family were reputedly all International Knights, to include, it is rumored, family matriarch Catherine. The infamous Cardinal Richelieu, advisor to Louis XIII and villain of Dumas' The Three Musketeers, was himself a knight of the International Order.

Knights of the Wafer: Catherine de Medici, Machiavelli and Cardinal Richelieu

Flanders, still under Spanish rule, soon found itself flourishing, but not for long. Louis XIV went to war to capture Flanders, made gains, and ultimately was beaten by the Dutch, the Austrians and the English. The Austrians took control of Flanders once again in 1713.

At the same time, the Dutch Knights had convinced Prince William of Orange to seek unification with England. Wed to Mary, grand-daughter of England's Charles I, he became king of England, replacing the unpopular James II. Now, at the beginning of the 18th Century, the knights of de Gaufre had a foothold in England as the Knights of the International Order once again held control of Flanders.

The English Knights had meanwhile begun to focus on building the empire they had long sought, to restore the dignity of their name and to bring the downfall of their foes. They had begun colonizing America.

From Crusaders to Colonists

There's more to the story. But for now, the Maison du Gaufre has begun to move to America, but not without the knowledge of their ancient enemies. Meanwhile, the Flemmish followers of de Gaufre have endured a series of conquerors and their Order has been weakened as much as their English comrades have been strengthened.

The International Order has control of Flanders now, but what can they do about the invasion of America by their foes? And what about the secret of the Council of Denis? Have they really duped everyone for, by this point, nearly 800 years?

And what the heck does any of this have to do with a freakin restaurant?

Well, I'll tell you later.