1510-1519

The years 1510 to 1519 represent a pivotal decade in the secret history of the Priory of Sion, during which Leonardo da Vinci served as the brotherhood's Grand Master. This period is the decisive link between the novel's central mystery and its historical foundation, as Da Vinci's leadership of the Priory explains the pervasive presence of his art and symbolism in the clues left by Jacques Saunière. The Priory of Sion, founded in Jerusalem in 1099 by King Godefroi de Bouillon, was charged with protecting a powerful secret—the location of the Holy Grail, which the novel reveals to be not a cup but the royal bloodline of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene. Da Vinci's tenure as Grand Master from 1510 to 1519 places him at the heart of this guardianship, and his artistic legacy becomes the medium through which the secret is encoded and transmitted.

Da Vinci's Role as Grand Master

According to the Priory's historical records, known as Les Dossiers Secrets, Da Vinci presided over the brotherhood during this nine-year period. His position as Grand Master meant he was one of the highest-ranking members, entrusted with the knowledge of the Grail's location and the responsibility of passing it on to future generations. The novel's symbologist, Robert Langdon, explains that the Priory's membership has included some of history's most cultured individuals, and Da Vinci's leadership is a key example of this tradition. The bond between Da Vinci and the Priory is further reinforced by the fact that the cryptex—the keystone that contains the map to the Grail—was designed based on blueprints from Da Vinci's secret diaries, a hobby of Jacques Saunière, the novel's murdered Grand Master.

The Keystone and Da Vinci's Blueprints

The keystone, a stone cylinder with lettered dials, is a direct product of Da Vinci's inventive genius. Sophie Neveu, Saunière's granddaughter, explains that her grandfather crafted models of Da Vinci's inventions as a hobby, and the cryptex was one of his favorites. The device is designed to self-destruct if forced open, with a glass vial of vinegar that would dissolve the papyrus scroll inside. This mechanism reflects Da Vinci's cryptologic ingenuity, as he invented one of the first rudimentary forms of public key encryption centuries ago. The keystone's password, revealed through a series of clues, ultimately spells "SOFIA"—the Greek word for wisdom—and leads to a second, smaller cryptex that contains the final verse pointing to the Grail's location.

Da Vinci's Art as Encoded Message

Da Vinci's paintings, particularly The Last Supper and Madonna of the Rocks, are central to the novel's decoding of the Grail secret. In The Last Supper, the figure to Jesus' right is identified as Mary Magdalene, not the Apostle John, and the composition forms a hidden "M" and a V-shape symbolizing the chalice and the female womb. These elements, according to the British Royal Historian Sir Leigh Teabing, are Da Vinci's way of revealing the truth about Jesus' marriage to Mary Magdalene and the royal bloodline. The painting Madonna of the Rocks also contains hidden pagan symbolism, including a threatening gesture by the Virgin Mary and a cutting motion by the angel Uriel, which allude to the Church's suppression of the sacred feminine. Da Vinci's art thus serves as a visual code, preserving the Priory's secret for those who can read the symbols.

The Priory's Charge and the End of Days

The Priory of Sion, under Da Vinci's leadership and that of subsequent Grand Masters, was charged with protecting the Sangreal documents—the proof of Jesus' bloodline—and the tomb of Mary Magdalene. The brotherhood also had a plan to unveil the truth at a specific historical moment, often associated with the End of Days, the transition from the Age of Pisces to the Age of Aquarius. This plan, however, was never executed, and the novel suggests that the Priory's decision to remain silent was influenced by external pressures, including the Church's murder of Saunière's family. The keystone, created by Saunière, was meant to ensure that the secret could be passed on to a worthy successor, and its design, rooted in Da Vinci's blueprints, ties the present-day quest directly to the Renaissance master's legacy.

Thematic Significance

The period 1510-1519 represents the convergence of art, history, and secret knowledge that drives the novel's plot. Da Vinci's role as Grand Master legitimizes the idea that his works contain hidden messages, and his cryptex design provides the mechanical means for the Grail's protection. The decade also underscores the Priory's long tradition of secrecy and the weight of responsibility carried by its leaders. For the characters, understanding Da Vinci's involvement is essential to deciphering Saunière's clues and ultimately discovering that the Holy Grail lies beneath the Louvre's inverted pyramid, a site that combines the blade and chalice symbols in the Star of David floor pattern. The revelation that the Grail is not a physical object but a bloodline and a story to be told completes the novel's argument that the sacred feminine has been suppressed and must be restored.