My Fellow Knights & Quest Companions,
Though the Knights Templar were officially disbanded in the early 14th century, (1312) some believe that the Templars, who are claimed to have possessed a sizable fleet of ships at La Rochelle, may have fled to the New World by following old Viking routes. In Portugal, the Knights Templar did not disband, but simply changed their name to "The Knights of Christ." In 1492, this group is alledged to have provided the navigators for Christopher Columbus' journey, and the Order's Cross was featured prominently on the sails of his ships.
It is also believed, by some, that Christipher Columbus' father-in-law was a Grand Master of The Order of The Knights of Christ. Truth or speculation? Perhaps, we shall never know. Arete'