Stratfor and the Crusaders: A Drug Cartel, a Manifesto and “Legitimized” neo-Templars

Terry Melanson

Webmaster/editor of Conspiracy Archive; author of Perfectibilists: the 18th Century Bavarian Order of the Illuminati.

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11 Responses

  1. But you’re article leaves the impression that the OSMTH.org, made up of retired U.S. Military Officers and called The Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem (SMOTJ.org in the USA) is the same as the OSMTJ.

    Nothing could be further from the truth. The Order you trace the history of is the OSMTJ.net with Grand Master Zdrojewski, Philip Guarino, and Alfred Zappelli.

    The two Orders have been completely separate since 1970. The OSMTH.org did not recognize the election of General Zdrojewski as Grand Master, they stayed with Grand Mater Fernando de Sousa Fontes until they split from him in 1995.

    This would be like saying you had a bad experience at Walmart so don’t go to Kmart.

  2. Splitting hairs. You’re all part of the fold now, ever since the ECOSOC acceptance. One big family. Walmart drinks coffee with Kmart and helps each other peddle its wares; and, in fact, they came from the same daddy to begin with.

  3. Vince Zubras says:

    “Prince” Crolian William Edelen de Burgh 1966-1978 Grand Master #5 Sovereign Order of St John of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta.

    “Prince” Crolian William Edelen de Burgh, according to the real Order of Malta’s web site, was the 5th Grand Master of a fake, self-styled Order of Malta: http://www.orderstjohn.org/selfstyle/shicksh.htm

    This spurious “Order of Malta” was created by a con-man and close associate of “Prince” Crolian William Edelen de Burgh, who had spent time in jail for dealing narcotics: Charles Pichel. The site for this Fake Order of Malta still exists: http://www.orderofmaltaosj.com/historical-summary-6.html

    I have tried to research how “Prince” Crolian William Edelen de Burgh became a “Prince,” and I have failed to find any evidence of authenticity. I have to conclude that Crolian William Edelen de Burgh crowned himself as a fake “Prince”.

    “Prince” Crolian William Edelen de Burgh is also given credit for being the founder and first Grand Prior of the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem (SMOTJ.org) in the USA. Only it seems they’ve forgotten that he was a “Prince”:
    Grand Prior I:
    Chev. Crolian William Edelen (Deceased)
    Served 1962-1965
    http://smotj.org/grand_priors/index.html

  4. What’s the difference if someone calls someone a Prince or a knight? Both are meaningless titles in today’s age, whether they derive legitimately or not. Perhaps the “fake” order meant to say “prince regent.” I don’t know. I do know, however, that that’s the only place that “prince” was put in front of his name.

    More interesting to me is the fact that Crolian William Edelen was involved with the Sons of the American Revolution. During my research into OSMTJ for the writing of this article, I came across many members who were simultaneously involved with that group. Even some of the foundations they were involved with had shared memberships in both groups, as well as military and NATO.

  5. Vince Zubras says:

    I just find it interesting that this whole order, The Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem, (Knights Templar International, KTI / SMOTJ) was founded by this conman “Prince” Crolian William Edelen de Burgh. A conman who so clearly lead a false Order of Malta for 12 years of his life (1966-1978 Grand Master #5) and who’s closest associate was Charles Pichel who had spent time in jail for dealing narcotics. Even the “de Burgh” part speaks of his belief that he’s royalty as these added names are reserved for royalty.

    Doesn’t that speak volumes about this Order if it was founded by a conman?

    • Vince, I believe your 100% wrong here. For the record, I’m not part of Knights Templar International, I just believe in honesty.

      As Terry said, that is the only spot where Crolian Edelen used the word “Prince,” and it appears to me that the word was used in relation to his title in that Knights of Malta Order only. Maybe that Knights of Malta order referred to their Grand Master as “Prince?” There are several Orders that do that.

      Most importantly, you left out the key fact from your source. When Crolian Edelen reflected back on this Order of Malta he was in, he expressed sorrow and doubt as to its legitimacy. Far from being in cahoots with Charles Pichel, he admitted to being duped by him.

      Crolian Edelen de Burgh. In a letter addressed to Harrison Smith, the Historian to the King Peter Order in Malta, Mr Edelen, wrote on January 22, 1980;

      “My problem with the history is that all seems to be false from 1908 to 1932 as published by Pichel. I know his Minutes are false. Dr Bulloch was never Grand Chancellor of the Order. He was the Archivist of the old Scottish-American Order of St John and kept these records at Lancaster, Pennsylvania. When he was old and blind, in the early 1950’s, Pichel went to him with a story that he was writing a history of the Knights of Malta and needed some records from the Archives. Dr Bulloch let him borrow whatever he fancied and then obligingly died while Pichel had the most important records. We took the material, twisted it around, took names of noblemen from the Times Index and created an Order stemming from the Grand Priory of Russia, all a hoax…. The Scottish-American Order went out of business in New York about 1909 following a suicide of the Grand Chancellor, as well as a scandal involving payment (or non-payment) of life insurance policies on the lives of members. Some members in New Jersey tried to save the situation by securing a charter as the “Knights of Malta” in Trenton in 1911. Their effort failed and by 1912 was abandoned. Then Pichel came along in the 1950’s and claimed to be the duly elected officer of that Corporation to give his Order some evidence of antiquity and to substantiate the false Minutes”.

      – Brett-Crowther M.Sc., Ph.D., D.I.C. S.Th. , Dr. Michael Richard. Orders of Chivalry under the Aegis of the Church. Lambeth Diploma of Student in Theology (S.Th.) Thesis, 1st December 1990, pages 102 & 103 . http://www.orderstjohn.org/selfstyle/shicksh.htm

  6. Not the same order that I wrote about in my article.

    OSMTJ/OSMTH come ultimately from Fabré-Palaprat’s Order in 1804, another con artist who was sent to prison. So what’s the difference?

  7. This is the REAL Vince Zubras speaking from my office in the Dallas, Texas, area. Someone… whoever this is… is using MY name in this line of comments above. I did NOT write these comments, and, although I knew who Crolian William Edelen was (historically, his being a senior functionary with the early Grand Priory USA of the now-schismatic American “SMOTJ)”, I did not know him personally, and can not/could not/would not even begin to make such statements as this impostor Vince Zubras has done above. I don’t know why someone else would use my name, other than possibly to set themselves up as a legitimate Knight Templar senior Official… and therefore, people would believe what the IMPOSTOR Vince Zubras was saying, thinking that it eminated from me, the LEGITIMATE Vince Zubras.
    I rarely ever make ANY comments in these on-line historical/ bitch sessions, as they have very little Truth in them, and I wish to not EVER be misquoted…. so, believe me when I tell you that this person is NOT me!
    If any person doubts what I am saying here, they are welcome to contact me, and I’ll confirm that I am NOT the one speaking here. Whoever the SOB is who has used my name can go rot in hell. NOW you know this is the true VZ speaking, for only a real Texan speaks his mind in print as I have just done here.

    • Unfortunately there’s no way to confirm who is or who isn’t someone solely through the internet. Both of you could have told me you were George Bush if you liked.

      • I checked the IP addressed from both of your comments. You, it seems really are commenting from Dallas, Texas, while the other Zubras posted from Seabrook, New Hampshire. That’s about as far as can be verified, other than the email address given. The first Zubras gave the email address of “preceptor@knighttemplar.org”

  1. December 19, 2021

    […] Utilizing internal documents and archives of the Order, Jean-Pierre Bonnerot, in “Deodat Roche et L’Eglise Gnostique,” was more specific regarding Péladan’s regency: 1892-1894; which would correspond with the Belgian branch taking the reins afterwards through the “Secretariat International des Templiers” (source: the blog of Terry Melanson). […]

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