Product 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, and invented 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 creators of the Turin Shroud. Sean Martin considers both the orthodox and conspiratorial version of events, and includes the latest revelations from the Vatican Library.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #94628 in Books
• Published on: 2004-03-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 160 pages

About the Author
Sean Martin worked in the book trade for many years. He is now a writer and film-maker with a particular interest in the history and symbolism of alchemy. He has just directed his first feature film.

Customer Reviews

Knights Templar - Pocket Essentials
Details.
Sean Martin's book is a good starting point from which to study the Knights Templar. Three essential points commend his book;
• The book is an easy read. This is not due to its short length (132 pages of text - uk edition) but due to the author's easygoing style. With some books you can struggle with the text, especially those that weave complex themes throughout the narrative. With this book, the subject matter is presented clearly and there is a flow to the text.
• The book gives a clear and useful survey of the history of the Knights Templar, from their foundation to their suppression in 1307.
• The book makes clear what we know about the Templars and what belongs to the realm of speculation.

The introduction to the book explores the various images that people have held, or still hold, concerning the Knights Templar, from the historical to the speculative. The historical survey in the book, provides details such as the background to the First Crusade and the foundation of the Templars in response to a need to have at hand a standing army. Discussed is the theological underpinning by St Bernhard (who as revealed by Martin, was a nephew of one of the Templars), which perhaps in this day and age we might call "spin". The act of killing an enemy of the cross (and we must remember that Islam had overrun the Christian East - and such warfare in which the Templars were involved, was seeking to reclaim territory) was not "homicide" but "malecide" - the eradication of evil! Martin reminds the reader of the extensive European support network, which is often forgotten, that allowed the support by the Templars to maintaining the Christian nations in the Holy Land. Brought into relief is the very close and interwoven relationship with France (as part of the support network) and in particular with the French Monarchy, which ultimately brought the downfall of the Templars. There are of course some elements in the Templars history, where there are real gaps in what we know. Martin is aware of those authors who seek to fill these gaps by speculation. In the Bibliography, the books are divided into two groups; "Orthodox", and "Speculative", which should assist any reader who seeks to follow up the history in closer detail. Sean Martin however does not forsake entirely the area of these gaps in our knowledge which is known as the "Templar Mysteries" For example; (a) that the exact beginnings of the Order are shrouded in mystery - when were they actually formed?, (b) what was going on at the Templar Site on the Temple Mount - what did they find there?, (c) did the Templars possess the Holy Grail (the chalice used at the Last Supper)?, (d) what was the Templars relationship with the Arab world?, (e) were the Templars heretics?, (d) did they worship some strange head?, (e) what happened the Templar treasure and Fleet?, (f) what happened to those Templars which escaped imprisonment and execution? These questions all form the last chapter in the book.

Conclusions.
I have several books on the Knights Templar, mainly those in the Orthodox book list, which Martin provided. However there are a few on my bookshelves that I have not read yet due to their larger size (and that I am seeking to read at least three serious books at any one time!). The advantage of Martin's book was its size. Not only is it a handy size in terms of book dimension (186 x 124mm) for travelling around with, but at 275-280 words per page, with only 132 pages of the main text, to read the whole book was not a difficult task.
Essentially the book is what it says it is; a pocket essential, and it does that job extremely well. If you are in need of a starting guide from which to learn about the history of the Knights Templar, this book is a bargain and worth buying.

Concise information about the templars
I read the book and it was compelling. The author presents a mix of speculation and facts about the history of templars. The book is very easy to read. On the other hand, it is quite succint(an entire book could be written with the topics of some chapters!).

Easy introduction to the History of the Templar Knights
This short volume is very easy to read and covers all the points of the Templar History.

It is only an introduction and if you want to find more about the Templars I recommend "The Dramatic History of the Knights Templar
by Piers Paul Read "

The book contains 3 maps with all the main locations but hardly any details and no pictures. It has a very good selected bibliography and footnotes.

As the history spans for more than 2 centuries the book concentrates on the politics of the order rather than in any specific event.

It can be read in a couple of hours.