The Baphomet myth originated partly from rigged trials and fake artefacts

Evidence

On the basis of the records of trial proceedings, which had been rigged to bring in the verdict desired by the Templars’ enemy, Philip IV of France, plus some rather dubious (i.e. fake) archaeological artefacts, Hammer-Purgstall concluded that the Knights Templar were indeed guilty as charged of heresy and blasphemy. They were apostates from Christianity who worshipped the demon Baphomet. If this was not enough, they also worshipped the Grail, which was a Gnostic object of adoration. A skewed reading of Wolfram von Eschenbach’s medieval epic poem, Parzival, provided evidence of this. — Robert Irwin, For Lust of Knowing, 270

Categorization

• CANDY: Great party fact: the Baphomet/mystic Templar story rests on rigged trial records and forgeries, not real Templar practice.
• XREF: connects to: Deception and fabrication inhered in myth from its origin