This book is an essential exploration into the history of a legendary group of Crusaders, which are prominently featured in Dan Brown's recent best seller, The Da Vinci Code . The Knights Templar rose from humble beginnings to become 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. Seemingly untouchable for...
This book clarified some of the questions I had about the Knights Templar as well as raised a more passionate interest in researching them further. The book covers the order from its foundations in the middle east under Hughues de Payens and his eight brethren sworn to poverty, its swift rise and tragic demise, and delves into the myths that can not fully engender ones knowledge of the Templars without understanding the mysteries...
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I thought this was an excellent book on a very controversial group in history. I think the book stuck well to factual accounts of the Templars. It did address the many rumors about the group but kept things in perspective as to the certainty of the accounts unlike other books about the Templars. This was an easy read and an enjoyable book
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This is an excellent, sober and balanced primer on what has been the subject of hysterical writing in the last few years, especially since the release of The Da Vinci Code. Sean Martin has written a very well structured book. It's divided into four main sections: the origins, activities, and fall of the Templars, as well as an additional section on the current mythology surrounding The Order. It lays out the whole history...
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This little book offers a wealth of information on the history of the Templars. It surprised me by its compact size and plethora of information. Martin tells an interesting well-sourced (with end notes) story in four chapters (145 pages). Martin's maps, chronology, and lists in the appendixes make this book a text for students of the Crusades and monastic knights. His research is easy to follow, and discover. This book...
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I am currently writing a report about the Knights Templar and during the research phase this was my main source because it is incredibly informative and easy to read. I also like the way that it is concise but packs a lot of info in. He did a good job of seperating fact from legend but included them both. the appendicies were quite helpful, I reccomend this book to anyone who is interested in the Knights Templar or anyone...
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