{"title":"Gordon Napier","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"rise-and-fall-of-the-knights-templar-book-gordon-napier-9781862271999","title":"The Rise and Fall of the Knights Templar","description":"A highly readable look at the lifespan of the famous Knights Templar who were warrior monks and the first disciplined, regulated and uniformed standing army since antiquity throughout Europe and the Holy Lands and who also were an economic force to be reckoned with and perhaps an institution guarding dark secrets. - The origins of the concept of Holy War, from Biblical times through the rise of Islam and the Christian movement which inspired untold thousands to set out to recapture Jerusalem, as warriors and as pilgrims. - How nine knights led by Hugues de Payens came from France to guard pilgrims in the Holy Land and how they gained the site of the Temple of Solomon and what they did there including a re-evaluation of the historical evidence. - How an unprecedented religious Order grew, pledged to bloodshed in defence of pilgrims and the territory conquered by the Crusaders and the role and agenda of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux and other powerful backers. - The Order's contribution to the ongoing Crusades, their military tactics and organisation and the fortresses and bases they established. - The fate of the Order after the failure of the Crusades including detailed examination of the charges of occult rituals involving idol worship, spitting on the Cross and obscene kisses, through to the burning of the last Grand Master Jacques de Molay in 1314.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49513273229585,"sku":"GOR008678005","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49557798551825,"sku":"GOR002171728","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49613228179729,"sku":"GOR004250078","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ WELL_READ \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":52384493240593,"sku":"GOR002342792","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1862271992.jpg?v=1751435725"},{"product_id":"rise-and-fall-of-the-knights-templar-book-gordon-napier-9780752453828","title":"The Rise and Fall of the Knights Templar","description":"The Knights Templar, a mysterious fraternity of warrior monks, pledged their swords to defend pilgrims to the Holy Land from the bandits and marauders of the roads. Patronised by the aristocracy, the Templars soon evolved into a formidable army and were the vanguard of the ongoing Crusades. They were widely acclaimed for their boldness and tenacity, showered with gifts by Catholic nobles and granted special privileges by admiring Popes. Even after the failure of the Crusades, the Templars remained one of the dominant forces in Christendom with political power to rival kings... until with shocking speed they were brought down by accusations of blasphemous crimes.  With confessions tortured out of them by the Inquisition, many knights were burnt as heretics, and the Order was disbanded by the Pope. What really happened behind the closed doors of the Templars' preceptories? Was there truth in the rumours of secret rituals conducted in the dead of the night? Did heretical depravity and Devil-worship truly exist within the illustrious brotherhood? Why is their name associated today with the Freemasons?  In this lively and authoritative account, historian Gordon Napier unravels the many mysteries that surround the Knights Templar.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49535307415825,"sku":"GOR005341041","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50362872561937,"sku":"CIN0752453823G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50859831787793,"sku":"GOR004094249","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/0752453823.jpg?v=1751296733"},{"product_id":"maleficium-book-gordon-napier-9781445665108","title":"Maleficium","description":"Europe in the 1500s and 1600s was an ascending, expanding civilisation, poised to become globally dominant, and destined to produce the Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution. Confident mercantile republics and opulent monarchies alike seemed to be flourishing. But it was also a Devil-haunted society. Witches and imps were not merely the stuff of stories, used by mothers to frighten their children into obedience. Many people believed in a real conspiracy of witches, in league with the cloven-hoofed Devil, flying on broomsticks, having familiar spirits and casting harmful spells. People from all classes, from peasants to kings, attributed calamities to malevolent witchcraft, and anyone (though it was of course mostly women) could be suspected of being a witch. Witch hunts flared up, particularly in German lands. Mass persecutions culminating in burnings - seemingly insane and monstrous acts of societal self-mutilation on a grand scale - were accepted as acts of faith, justice and collective self-defence.Who were the witch hunters? Where did they get their ideas? Did witch hunts mask politically motivated persecutions? Were there witches? Were witches a secret society, or a surviving shamanic religion? Did initiates induce hallucinations of night-flights and contact with supernatural beings? Or does torture and the preconceived notions of the witch hunters account for the consistent confessions secured from suspected witches?","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49555685802257,"sku":"GOR010281082","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53039324004625,"sku":"GOR014710344","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1445665107.jpg?v=1777715224"},{"product_id":"rise-and-fall-of-the-knights-templar-book-gordon-napier-9781862273665","title":"The Rise and Fall of the Knights Templar","description":"The Knights Templar, a mysterious fraternity of warrior monks, pledged their swords to defend pilgrims to the Holy Land from the bandit and marauders of the roads. Patronised by the aristocracy, the Templars soon evolved into a formidable army and were the vanguard of the ongoing Crusades. For two centuries they kept up the struggle to retain Jerusalem against a Muslim enemy equally zealous and far superior in numbers. They were widely acclaimed for their boldness and tenacity, showered with gifts by Catholic nobles and granted special privileges by admiring Popes. Even after the failure of the Crusades, the Templars remained one of the dominant forces in Christendom: an international, landed elite with whom the aristocracy and the rising merchant classes banked their wealth.  With their military strength, financial pre-eminence and Papal endorsement, the Grand Masters of the Knights Templar had political power to rival kings... until with shocking speed they were brought down by accusations of blasphemous crimes. With confessions tortured out of them by the Inquisition, many knights were burnt as heretics, and the Order was disbanded by the Pope. What really happened behind the closed doors of the Templars' preceptories? Was there truth in the rumours of secret rituals in the dead of the night? Did heretical depravity and Devil-worship truly exist within the illustrious brotherhood? Why is their name associated today with the Freemasons? In this lively and authoritative account, historian Gordon Napier unravels the many mysteries that surround the Knights Templar and their sudden fall from grace.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49570346172689,"sku":"GOR002344371","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53262701297937,"sku":"GOR005014441","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1862273669.jpg?v=1751217787"},{"product_id":"to-z-of-the-knights-templar-book-gordon-napier-9781862273863","title":"A to Z of the Knights Templar","description":"The Knights Templar was the foremost Military Order of the Crusades. In about 1118 these warrior-monks were appointed custodians of Temple Mount, and defenders of Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land. Endorsed by the Catholic Church in 1129, the Order became a favoured cause across Europe. Templar knights, distinguished by their white mantles with red crosses, constituted some of the most disciplined and efficient fighting units in successive crusades. The expanding Order acquired extensive estates in the West, and served as financiers and advisors to the great and good. In the East the Templars garrisoned cities and castles, helping to sustain the Frankish presence in the Orient for almost two centuries. Support for the Order faded after the final loss of the Holy Land. King Philip IV of France, seizing on the Templar's habitual secrecy, plotted their destruction and confiscation of their assets. Bending the Papacy to his will, he secured the arrest and trial of Templars throughout Christendom, on grounds of heresy and diabolical corruption. In France the Inquisition extracted damning confessions from the arrested brethren. In 1312, under continuing pressure from the Philip, Pope Clement V formally disbanded the Order. Two years later the last Grand Master was burned alive in Paris after renouncing his confession. The Order's suppression amid such sinister circumstances gave rise to myth and speculation which keeps the Templar name alive to this day. This highly readable and informative A-Z guide is an invaluable reference to the places, people, and themes of the Crusades, the Knights Templars and their legacy.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49584965058833,"sku":"GOR003023468","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53132055052561,"sku":"GOR008269345","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53154674704657,"sku":"GOR006452755","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1862273863.jpg?v=1751061430"},{"product_id":"a-z-of-the-knights-templar-classic-histories-series-book-gordon-napier-9780750993890","title":"The A-Z of the Knights Templar: Classic Histories Series","description":"The best single-source reference work on the Templars","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49734714425617,"sku":"NGR9780750993890","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49862130237713,"sku":"GOR010826251","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50359462134033,"sku":"CIN0750993898VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50839777509649,"sku":"GOR013048006","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":52696850563345,"sku":"GOR014582387","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/0750993898.jpg?v=1766656982"},{"product_id":"pocket-a-z-of-the-knights-templar-book-gordon-napier-9780752498676","title":"The Pocket A-Z of the Knights Templar","description":"The Knights Templar were among the most famous of Christian military orders.From Aaron to Zion, The Pocket AZ of the Knights Templar is an invaluable reference of the places, people, and themes of the Crusades, the Knights Templar and their legacy.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50296578539793,"sku":"GOR008935931","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/0752498673.jpg?v=1751448753"},{"product_id":"shadow-priestess-book-gordon-napier-9781522761808","title":"The Shadow Priestess","description":null,"brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"- \/ - \/ -","offer_id":51676957212945,"sku":"","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":51676957507857,"sku":"NIN9781522761808","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1522761802.jpg?v=1751149714"},{"product_id":"ankerita-book-gordon-napier-9781496139290","title":"Ankerita","description":null,"brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":53492464877841,"sku":"NIN9781496139290","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/9781496139290.jpg?v=1777774090"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/collections\/author-books-by-gordon-napier.oembed","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}