A. Royden D'souza

In 1307, King Philip IV of France moved with a deadly purpose. On Friday, October 13, a date that would echo through history, his agents swept across France, arresting hundreds of Knights Templar.

Oil prices surge past $100, spiking toward $126 at the peak. By every textbook definition, this is the kind of geopolitical chaos that should send investors sprinting toward gold. Instead, gold has dropped roughly 17% since the war began. Silver plunged more than 13% in a single stretch.