Product Description

Sifting myth from history, Piers Paul Read reveals the Templars - the multinational force of warrior monks, in their white tunics with red crosses over chainmail. They were not only unique among Christian institutions but constituted the first uniformed standing army in the western world and became pioneers of international banking. Expropriated by Philip IV of France in 1307, and confessing under torture to blasphemy, heresy and sodomy, the Order was finally suppressed by Pope Clement V in 1312. In a narrative that incorporates the story of the crusades and the many colourful characters who had links with the Templars, Piers Paul Read examines the question of their guilt and identifies their relevance to our own times. 'A highly readable and nicely paced book that draws on the lessons of modern historical scholarship while also communicating a sense of narrative excitement and drive' 'Evocative, measured and engaging' Evening Standard 'Magnificent in every way' Mail on Sunday

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #45272 in Books
• Published on: 2003-11-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 391 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
The Knights Templar remain the most glamorous, but also the most mysterious of all religious organisations. Romanticised by Walter Scott in his novel Ivanhoe and by Wagner in his opera Parsifal, the Templars have been both celebrated as ascetic martyrs, dying for the greater good of Christianity, and condemned as deviant heretics, thieves and sodomites who sold the Holy Land out to the Muslim Infidels. In his carefully researched study The Templars, the acclaimed novelist Piers Paul Read investigates the truth behind the myth. Placing his account of the rise of the Templars within a wider historical and political context, Read argues that "The Templars were a multinational force engaged in the defence of the Christian concept of a world order: and their demise marks the point when the pursuit of the common good within Christendom became subordinate to the interests of the nation state."

This approach takes Read back into the Dark Ages and the context for the first Christian Crusade that culminated in the capture of Jerusalem in 1099.In an attempt to hold on to Jerusalem and one of the holiest sites in Christendom, the Temple of Solomon, the Templars were formed as a strict religious-military order, committed to poverty, chastity and the protection of pilgrims en route to the Holy Land. Read charts their rise to political and financial power and influence throughout Europe and the Holy Land, and their bloody (and ultimately unsuccessful) conflict with the forces of Islam over the subsequent two centuries. Read's account is painstakingly recounted but often lacks the verve and pace demanded by the colourful cast of characters, including Saladin and Richard the Lionheart. The best sections of the book deal with the shockingly cynical destruction of the Order by Pope Clement V and King Philip the Fair in 1312, preceded by the torture and death of hundreds of Templars who had already fought bravely for the cross in the Holy Land. The Templars are fascinating but in his attempt to avoid the more colourful and conspiratorial stories associated with the Order, Read's book may strike some as a little turgid, despite its admirable historical detail. --Jerry Brotton

About the Author
Piers Paul Read read history at Cambridge and is the author of twelve acclaimed novels and three works of non-fiction, including the international bestseller Alive. He is married with four children and lives in London.

Customer Reviews

Who were the Templars?
"Who were the Templars?" is the opening sentence of Piers Paul Read's Preface to his book, "The Templars. The answer is one of the most powerful and significant groups of knights who combine two of the most important themes of the Middle Ages: the themes of monasticism and chivalry.

The Templars were fighting monks who were prepared, and often did , die for the beliefs. Read traces the Templars from the origins of Solomon's Temple to their extermination by Philip IV, King of France in 1312.

Read's book is one of scholarship and has little connection with such works as "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail by Baigent, Leigh and Lincoln. It reduces to half a page connections with Freemasonary. It is, however, a detailed account of the early Crusades when the Templars seemed to be connected to the greatest soldiers, statesmen and kings of the age, Saladin, Richard the Lion Heart and the Kings of Jerusalem march through the pages of this book. The Knights of St John feature heavily as fighting alongside the Templars in the defence of Jeruslam but unlike the Templars were able to develop a further interest in Mediterranean shipping as can be seen in an equally interesting book about the period "The Great Siege of Malta" by Ernle Bradford

The Templars' legacy includes major examples of mediaeval architecure and such was their standing that they were the first to introduce a form of cheque to the world of banking.

Read's book will appeal to the scholar the amateur historian and the casual reader. Yet, in spite of its scholarship, there is a feeling that there is still a element of mystery about the warrior knights.They were often hated by the clergy because of their exemption from tythes and clerical courts, feared by their enemies because of their fanatical bravery and admired by the populace because of their devotion to the Holy Land. Read is able to keep all the claims about their licentious behaviour within bounds and ensure his book is balanced, informative and readable. Whilst it is not popular history it is an engaging work.

Well worth the money!

Interesting
The book gives an overview of the history up to the crusades and then goes on into the crusades. As the title implies, the Templars are major players in the history described. As the record of the Templars order was largely destroyed, the author is unable to bring out a lot of detail. While the book is a good read about the crusades, the Templars get lost among all the events taking place.
In his preface, the author compares past and present. Reading this book with that comparison in mind is, as the author suggested, thought-provoking.
Also in the preface, the author mentions that he wanted to tell about the Templars within the context of the crusades. The history of the crusades was interesting and the general history is necessary; it’s just that most books about a multi-national organization have more pages devoted to some type of description about the organization. Perhaps the title is wrong; perhaps its original title was different. The book seems to have been issued at different times by five different publishers. A regional thing? Or are publishers merging that fast these days?
So, if you’d like a good history of the crusades and a lot about the history leading up to the crusades then this book will be a good read. This book can be useful when thinking about the conflicts in the region today. It may be that understanding the past can help in understanding the present.
If you want lots and lots about the Templars, there may not be enough here to satisfy. For that reason I had to go with 4 instead of 5 on the star rating scale.

Free of hocus pocus...
Read's book on the Templars is both enjoyble and informative. It provides a wonderful account of the Templars role in the Crusades, as well as a great 'primer' on their history and causes. I was very please to see that misguided and arrogant politicians and statesmen are not just a preoccupation of our times, but were present then too.

Its is also unbiased to a large extent, and although the authors own beliefs are obvious, it leaves you to make up your own mind about the motives and schemes of the major figures of the time.

From a personal perspective, the most enjoyable aspect of it was its distance from the more wild beliefs circulating about the Templars. I originally got interested about the Templars through Umberto Eco's 'Foucault's Pendulum' (which I also recommendfor anyone who wants a bit of escapism), and trying to find a serious book about the Templars rather than their place in the greatest conspiracy every is nigh on impossible.

If your looking for an enjoyable, interesting and hous pocus free account of the Templars, I strongly recommend this book.