Charland wrote:

It seems unusual that there is no definitive history of that. It would make sense that they sailed to Scotland and settled there. But there is a huge gap in their history from that time until the later versions appeared. Perhaps archaeology will find the link someday?

Agreed, we can only hope so Charland. Archaeologists are not done finding clues to where the Templars ended up. I’m encouraged that there is enough interest in the Templars to keep the search alive.

Oakley wrote:

Is the story of the fleet true or myth? I am looking for the historical documentation for that. It seems likely that they would sail to a friendly country like Portugal.

What I’ve learned, according to several sources that I’ve referenced below, the Templars had 18 ships left that they sailed out of France at the time when the King of France was persecuting them. From one of those sources:

“Actually, it is doubtful that the surprise attack on the Templars was unexpected. Considerable evidence suggests that the order knew that catastrophe was imminent. In any case, precautions had been taken. There is persuasive evidence to suggest that the order’s treasurer and a group of knights, took the “treasure of the temple”, along with almost all of the order’s documents and records, and smuggled them by wagons to the coast — presumably to the order’s naval base at La Rochelle — and loaded everything aboard eighteen galleys, which were never heard of again. [In later traditions, the significance of a Navy has never been lost on the inheritors of the Templar traditions.]” From: 5 paragraphs down: http://www.halexandria.org/dward222.htm

Another source also listing 18 Templar ships: http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=55569