Black Madonnas and Templars

Black Madonnas are among the most intriguing and enigmatic images in medieval Christian Europe. Found in hundreds of cathedrals and chapels, particularly in France, these dark-skinned representations of the Virgin Mary carry echoes of ancient goddess traditions reaching back to Isis and beyond. Most surviving French examples date from the 11th to the 13th century, with the majority of the oldest ones predating the Crusades. What role did the Knights Templar play in their spread across the continent?

Black Madonnas in France

From 1100 A.D. to 1300 A.D., hundreds of Gothic Cathedrals were constructed all over Europe. These great Gothic cathedrals, such as the ones at Chartres, Paris, Salisbury, St.Denis, and Cluny were dedicated to Notre Dame, Our Lady. Our Lady is usually thought to be the Blessed Virgin Mary, but by some Mary Magdalene.

Most cathedrals were also home to Black Madonnas, of which about 400 to 500 are present in Europe, depending on how they are classified. There are at least 180 Vierges Noires in France, and there are hundreds of non-medieval copies as well.