There are two important facts that has been strangely overlooked
by the current influx of Templar/Masonic history of recent years.
It has been suggested, and evidence does support, that the Templars fled, in their fleets, from the port of La Rochelle. It is stated that they fled to Portugal and Scotland. Scotland was governed by an excommunicate king, (Bruce), which meant that papel rule did not feature and Scotland would become a haven for excommunicate malignants. Any Christian country would have had the right to launch a crusade against the Scots.
However, (and heres the first point that has been missed), when the Templars were at the hight of their power, they recieved soldiers and other men from all over western europe, including Scotland. They were already living and operating in Scotland and their military methods were ours to use.
This would mean that the Templar army would be comprised of people from all countries in the "civilised west".
To flee a country to return home is not as juicy as fleeing home and wandering aimlessly across the globe.
Finally, and this is a clincher, when the Templars were at their most powerful, be it banking for europes kings or attempting to set up a principality of their own, they were granted the "free gifts" that todays rich celebrities recieve.
"They were awarded land in all the Royal Burghs in Scotland.
They lived here for nearly two hundred years!!!!!!!!"