Product Description

'The Templar is a fearless knight, who, as the body is covered with iron, so the soul is the defence of the faith. Without doubt, fortified by both arms, he fears neither man nor demon.' St Bernard of Clairvaux. Much has been written about the Knights Templar in recent years, most of it highly speculative and with no historical foundation. They have been associated with everything from Freemasonry to the Holy Grail, the pyramids, the Shroud of Turin and space travel. A leading specialist in the history of this legendary medieval order now writes a full account of the knights of the Order of the Temple of Solomon, to give them their full title, bringing the latest findings to a general audience There is no other accurate popular history of the Templars currently available aimed at a general audience. Helen Nicholson is excellently qualified to write this book, since she has a specialised knowledge of the medieval legends of the Templars in the contemporary romantic and epic literature.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #321609 in Books
• Published on: 2004-05-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

From the Author
This book is primarily based on my own research on the Templars, but in order to produce a truly new history I have also contacted scholars from all over Europe. There is material from France, Spain and Portugal, Italy and Ireland, Croatia, Poland and Germany, much of which English-speaking readers will never have seen before. I made the decision to avoid historical narrative which did not actually involve the Order, which gave additional space to consider aspects of the Order's history in much more detail than is usually possible. I hope that this approach will give readers a more complete picture of the Order. And talking of pictures, this book has many illustrations relating to the Templars - so if you ever wondered what Templars looked like without their armour on, look on pages 125-7. There are also pictures of Templar sites from across Europe and the Middle East, and two of St Euphemia (pp. 146-7). As for why St Euphemia (and who she is), you'll have to read the book....

About the Author
Helen Nicholson is Senior Lecturer in History at Cardiff University. She has published extensively on the Templars and the other Military Orders, including 'Templars, Hospitallers and Teutonic Knights: Images of the Military Orders, 1128-1291' (Leicester University Press, 1993) and more recently 'Love, War and the Grail: Templars, Hospitallers and Teutonic Knights in medieval epic and romance, 1150-1500' (Brill, 2000). She edited the proceedings of the second Clerkenwell conference on the Military Orders: 'The Military Orders', volume 2: 'Welfare and Warfare' (Ashgate, 1998) and her 'Chronicle of the Third Crusade' (Ashgate, 1997) has become the standard translation of a major source for that crusade.

Customer Reviews

Highly descriptive.
A very informative depiction of how the Knights Templar lived during their 200 year period and why they were so highly regarded of by all in Europe even by the Kings and Nobles who queued up to make huge donations to the order, essentially the reason why they were so wealthy, and how they put to use these donations. Her description to the Fall of the Order goes into great depth also, including the final trials of its brave members.

One good point of this book is that Helen Nicholson sticks to the facts quoting historical sources and tends to steer clear of the myths surrounding the Templars such as the Turin Shroud, Ark of the Covenant and the much debated Holy Grail or "Sang-reale" and she isn't afraid to point out that some of these myths are merely bed-time stories.

I would of liked to have seen a bit more info regarding some of the battles and crusades, and in particular the Templars formation during the first 20 years. Some knowledge of the Templars would help before reading but not essential. Not a book that you can just flick through. Miss a page and you'll be lost.

Ever get the feeling you're not getting the whole picture?
The fascination with the templars comes from their association with myth, namely the fate of Jesus Christ & the holy grail.
A number of books have appeared wanting to tell the real history of this secretive bunch of warrior monks devoted to protecting christianity in the 'holy lands'.
However, Nicholson's book is another in a long line which offers scant time to the modern interest in the mystery of the temple knights.
Preferring instead to rely on recognised historical sources of the age, the book is nonetheless well constructed and highly readable.
Unfortunately, as well intentioned as it is to rely on these sources this reader was left feeling short changed.
Writers of the middle ages knew very little about the Templars, reporting - as they were - from the outside looking in. Most Templar records were lost when their leaders were executed & their property confiscated on the orders of Philip IV of France & Pope Clement V.
Besides many of these sources themselves had opinions of the Templars which are not helpful in determining a real historical truth about them.
What is needed in this book is at least an explanation of the modern investigations of the Templars. Especially that they were founded to protect the 'sang-reale', the holy grail, which is taken to mean the bloodline - the family - of Christ.
Baseless in verifiable actual historical sources of the time this hypothesis may be, but I'd bet without this new interest the market for books about the Templars would be pretty thin & few if any would be attracted to a tome named The Knights Templar: A New History.

A must for Templar enthusiasts.
A very good book, all told, based on original research and beautifully illustrated throughout. Dr Nicholson avoids the speculative aspects which fuel much popular interest in the Templars, but that may be counted a strength in her work. It is scholarly yet accessible, and explores a subject fascinating enough without the embroidery of later myth-making and wishful thinking. Even so, there is a chapter looking at the development of Templar mythology after the Order's demise (a subject covered more fully in Peter Partner's 'The Murdered Magicians'.)

One contention of Nicholson's that I found questionable is that the Templars would likely have been brought down even without the action taken in France by King Philip the Fair, on account of their risky political meddling in Cyprus. There again by raising this point the author does focus attention on the fact that the suppression of the Knights Templar was not a purely French affair. I gather that her latest book, 'The Knights Templar on Trial', will tackle the ultimate fate of the Templars in Britain, and it is most eagerly awaited.