The Knights Templar
Published on 23. September 2009
Book
Paperback/Softback
160 pages
978-1-84243-332-4 (ISBN)
Description
The Knights Templar were the most powerful military religious order of the Middle Ages. Formed to protect pilgrims in the Holy Land, they participated in the Crusades and rapidly gained wealth, lands and influence and were answerable to none save the Pope himself.
In addition to having a fearful military reputation, they were also Christendom's first bankers - inventing much of the modern banking system that is still in use today - and were also involved in exploration and engineering.
Seemingly untouchable for nearly two centuries, the Templars fell from grace spectacularly after the loss of the Holy Land: in 1307, all Templars in France were arrested on charges of heresy, homosexuality, denial of the cross and devil worship. The order was suppressed by the Pope in 1312, and Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master, was burnt at the stake as a heretic two years later.
The myth of the Templars was born and in the ensuing seven centuries, they have exerted a unique influence over European history: orthodox historians see them as nothing more than soldier-monks whose arrogance was their ultimate undoing, while others see them as occultists of the first order, the founders of Freemasonry, possessors of the Holy Grail and the Turin Shroud.
Sean Martin considers both the orthodox and speculative version of events, and includes the latest revelations from the Vatican Secret Archives.
In addition to having a fearful military reputation, they were also Christendom's first bankers - inventing much of the modern banking system that is still in use today - and were also involved in exploration and engineering.
Seemingly untouchable for nearly two centuries, the Templars fell from grace spectacularly after the loss of the Holy Land: in 1307, all Templars in France were arrested on charges of heresy, homosexuality, denial of the cross and devil worship. The order was suppressed by the Pope in 1312, and Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master, was burnt at the stake as a heretic two years later.
The myth of the Templars was born and in the ensuing seven centuries, they have exerted a unique influence over European history: orthodox historians see them as nothing more than soldier-monks whose arrogance was their ultimate undoing, while others see them as occultists of the first order, the founders of Freemasonry, possessors of the Holy Grail and the Turin Shroud.
Sean Martin considers both the orthodox and speculative version of events, and includes the latest revelations from the Vatican Secret Archives.
Reviews / Votes
a well written and easily enjoyed introduction to the history of this extraordinary crusading Order of military monks whose account still manages to fascinate even after all this time -- Michael Baigent * Freemasonry Today * ...do not be deceived by the book's seeming brevity. For this book contains more information than many recent books on the Templars weighing in at three to four times this one -- Stephen Dafoe * Templar History Magazine *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Harpenden, Herts
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Oldcastle Books Ltd
Product notice
With flaps
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-84243-332-4 (9781842433324)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Sean Martin is a writer, poet and filmmaker. He is the author of The Knights Templar, The Cathars, The Gnostics, The Black Death, Alchemy and Alchemists, A Short History of Disease and, for Kamera Books, Andrei Tarkovsky and New Waves in Cinema. His films include Lanterna Magicka: Bill Douglas & the Secret History of Cinema ('a fine documentary' - Guardian), Folie a Deux, and a series of documentaries on Tarkovsky: Tarkovsky's Andrei Rublev: A Journey and The Dream in the Mirror.