The Knights Templar: The History and Myths of the Legendary Military Order

by Sean Martin

Book Overview

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...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1560256451
• ISBN13: 9781560256458
• Release Date: November 2004
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.4" x 7.5"

Customer Reviews

Excellent introduction sans bias.

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 that have pullulated around them. Recommended as a first introduction to the Order of the Temple.

Factual and not sensationalistic

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

Excellent primer on the Templars, Crusades

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 of The Order, from Hughes de Payen's offer to the King of Jerusalem, to Bernard of Clairvaux's lobbying to the Council of Clermont, the first crusade and then on to the eventual downfall of the Templars with Jacques de Molay's execution in 1314. I won't enumerate all the details because if you're reading this review, you are probably a Templar buff, in which case you know all this. For those looking for an introduction to this subject, this is THE book to get. Sean Martin has an elegant, simple writing style, making the book a very easy read (which is bad news, because you finish it too quickly). Too many history books are written in too scholarly a tone, resulting in a very tedious read-you only need to check some of the weightier volumes on the Crusades. The writing style of this book makes you feel part of the events unfolding page by page. Occasional dry humor that comes out in the writing adds to the enjoyment. A bonus is that the storyline of the Templars in this book is weaved faultlessly with that of the Crusades, so that it also de facto becomes a primer on the latter. Not too many books on the Templars do this well-Gordon Napier's "The Rise and Fall of the Knights Templar" is one of a few that comes to mind. Some maps, a chronology of Templar history, the list of Grand Masters (for you conspiracy theorists, this list ends with Jacques de Molay and not someone living today) and the list of formal charges against The Order rounds out what is a great little book. This book is smaller than most works on this subject, but in my opinion, it is one of the best and if you are interested in the Templars or the Crusades, this is one book you should definitely have in your library. Buy the Pocket Essentials hardcover if you can spend the extra dough, this is one of those books that deserves such a binding. in veritate victorias

Necessary & Useable

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 will quickly become sourcing for others. One hopes that Martin will continue to write history. This book is very recommendable.

Great and Informative book!

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 who in't but would like to learn more.