The Knights Templar by Sean Martin
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.
a well written and easily enjoyed introduction to the history of this extraordinary crusading Order of military monks whose account still manages to fascinate even after all this time -- Michael Baigent * Freemasonry Today *
..do not be deceived by the book's seeming brevity. For this book contains more information than many recent books on the Templars weighing in at three to four times this one -- Stephen Dafoe * Templar History Magazine *
..do not be deceived by the book's seeming brevity. For this book contains more information than many recent books on the Templars weighing in at three to four times this one -- Stephen Dafoe * Templar History Magazine *
Seán Martin is a writer, poet and filmmaker. He is the author of The Knights Templar, The Cathars, The Gnostics, The Black Death, Alchemy and Alchemists, A Short History ofDisease and, for Kamera Books, Andrei Tarkovsky and New Waves in Cinema. His films include Lanterna Magicka: Bill Douglas & the Secret History of Cinema (released by the BFI), Folie à Deux and a series of documentaries on the filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky: Tarkovsky's Andrei Rublev: A Journey (released by Criterion), The Dream in the Mirror (released by Criterion), The Last Dream: Andrei Tarkovsky and The Sacrifice and A Dream of Italy: Tarkovsky and Nostalghia. Martin won the Wigtown Poetry Prize in 2011, and his collection of poems, The Girl Who Got onto the Ferry in Citizen Kane, is published by Templar Poetry.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781904048282 |
| ISBN 10 | 1904048285 |
| Title | The Knights Templar |
| Author | Sean Martin |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Oldcastle Books Ltd |
| Year published | 2004-03-24 |
| Number of pages | 160 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |