- Paperback: 384 pages
- Publisher: Da Capo Press; 1st Edition Thus edition (18 Sep 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0306810719
- ISBN-13: 978-0306810718
- Product Dimensions: 20.7 x 14 x 2.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,136,281 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Templars
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Amazon.co.uk Review
The Knights Templar remain the most glamorous, but also the most mysterious of all religious organisations. Romanticised by Walter Scott in his novel Ivanhoe and by Wagner in his opera Parsifal, the Templars have been both celebrated as ascetic martyrs, dying for the greater good of Christianity, and condemned as deviant heretics, thieves and sodomites who sold the Holy Land out to the Muslim Infidels. In his carefully researched study The Templars, the acclaimed novelist Piers Paul Read investigates the truth behind the myth. Placing his account of the rise of the Templars within a wider historical and political context, Read argues that "The Templars were a multinational force engaged in the defence of the Christian concept of a world order: and their demise marks the point when the pursuit of the common good within Christendom became subordinate to the interests of the nation state."
This approach takes Read back into the Dark Ages and the context for the first Christian Crusade that culminated in the capture of Jerusalem in 1099.In an attempt to hold on to Jerusalem and one of the holiest sites in Christendom, the Temple of Solomon, the Templars were formed as a strict religious-military order, committed to poverty, chastity and the protection of pilgrims en route to the Holy Land. Read charts their rise to political and financial power and influence throughout Europe and the Holy Land, and their bloody (and ultimately unsuccessful) conflict with the forces of Islam over the subsequent two centuries. Read's account is painstakingly recounted but often lacks the verve and pace demanded by the colourful cast of characters, including Saladin and Richard the Lionheart. The best sections of the book deal with the shockingly cynical destruction of the Order by Pope Clement V and King Philip the Fair in 1312, preceded by the torture and death of hundreds of Templars who had already fought bravely for the cross in the Holy Land. The Templars are fascinating but in his attempt to avoid the more colourful and conspiratorial stories associated with the Order, Read's book may strike some as a little turgid, despite its admirable historical detail. --Jerry Brotton --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Book Description
The dramatic, ultimately tragic history of the Knights Templar, the largest and most powerful military order of the Crusades
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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On maps drawn on parchment in the Middle Ages, Jerusalem is shown at the centre of the world. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
On maps drawn on parchment in the Middle Ages, Jerusalem is shown at the centre of the world. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"Who were the Templars?" is the opening sentence of Piers Paul Read's Preface to his book, "The Templars. The answer is one of the most powerful and significant groups of knights who combine two of the most important themes of the Middle Ages: the themes of monasticism and chivalry.
The Templars were fighting monks who were prepared, and often did , die for the beliefs. Read traces the Templars from the origins of Solomon's Temple to their extermination by Philip IV, King of France in 1312.
Read's book is one of scholarship and has little connection with such works as "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail by Baigent, Leigh and Lincoln. It reduces to half a page connections with Freemasonary. It is, however, a detailed account of the early Crusades when the Templars seemed to be connected to the greatest soldiers, statesmen and kings of the age, Saladin, Richard the Lion Heart and the Kings of Jerusalem march through the pages of this book. The Knights of St John feature heavily as fighting alongside the Templars in the defence of Jeruslam but unlike the Templars were able to develop a further interest in Mediterranean shipping as can be seen in an equally interesting book about the period "The Great Siege of Malta" by Ernle Bradford
The Templars' legacy includes major examples of mediaeval architecure and such was their standing that they were the first to introduce a form of cheque to the world of banking.
Read's book will appeal to the scholar the amateur historian and the casual reader. Yet, in spite of its scholarship, there is a feeling that there is still a element of mystery about the warrior knights.They were often hated by the clergy because of their exemption from tythes and clerical courts, feared by their enemies because of their fanatical bravery and admired by the populace because of their devotion to the Holy Land. Read is able to keep all the claims about their licentious behaviour within bounds and ensure his book is balanced, informative and readable. Whilst it is not popular history it is an engaging work.
Well worth the money!
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Ask any schoolboy to give you his version of what a knight looks like and the chances are he will say that a knight wears chainmail, a helmet and a white surcoat with a red cross emblazoned on it. A pretty good description of what a Templar Knight would have looked like to us, had we been there at the time they were joining the crusades to protect pilgrims and save the Holy Land from attacks by the infidels.
Their Order rose to be one of the most powerful in the Western World, until their wealth and power began to frighten people in high places, no less in fact than the French King, who accused the Order of heresy and even immorality. He extracted confessions from the senior members of the order, through torture and even burning at the stake.
Most of the senior members of the Order were murdered and the few who escaped scattered across Europe.
This is an excellent book, descriptive and well written. Nothing like the dusty, dry volumes that I read in large numbers in sixth form college, more years ago than I would care to remember. This book is exciting and has the pace to grip the reader like a novel would, rather than a book with factual content. The truth well told will always beat fiction, at least in my book it will.
Their Order rose to be one of the most powerful in the Western World, until their wealth and power began to frighten people in high places, no less in fact than the French King, who accused the Order of heresy and even immorality. He extracted confessions from the senior members of the order, through torture and even burning at the stake.
Most of the senior members of the Order were murdered and the few who escaped scattered across Europe.
This is an excellent book, descriptive and well written. Nothing like the dusty, dry volumes that I read in large numbers in sixth form college, more years ago than I would care to remember. This book is exciting and has the pace to grip the reader like a novel would, rather than a book with factual content. The truth well told will always beat fiction, at least in my book it will.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The book gives an overview of the history up to the crusades and then goes on into the crusades. As the title implies, the Templars are major players in the history described. As the record of the Templars order was largely destroyed, the author is unable to bring out a lot of detail. While the book is a good read about the crusades, the Templars get lost among all the events taking place.
In his preface, the author compares past and present. Reading this book with that comparison in mind is, as the author suggested, thought-provoking.
Also in the preface, the author mentions that he wanted to tell about the Templars within the context of the crusades. The history of the crusades was interesting and the general history is necessary; it’s just that most books about a multi-national organization have more pages devoted to some type of description about the organization. Perhaps the title is wrong; perhaps its original title was different. The book seems to have been issued at different times by five different publishers. A regional thing? Or are publishers merging that fast these days?
So, if you’d like a good history of the crusades and a lot about the history leading up to the crusades then this book will be a good read. This book can be useful when thinking about the conflicts in the region today. It may be that understanding the past can help in understanding the present.
If you want lots and lots about the Templars, there may not be enough here to satisfy. For that reason I had to go with 4 instead of 5 on the star rating scale.
In his preface, the author compares past and present. Reading this book with that comparison in mind is, as the author suggested, thought-provoking.
Also in the preface, the author mentions that he wanted to tell about the Templars within the context of the crusades. The history of the crusades was interesting and the general history is necessary; it’s just that most books about a multi-national organization have more pages devoted to some type of description about the organization. Perhaps the title is wrong; perhaps its original title was different. The book seems to have been issued at different times by five different publishers. A regional thing? Or are publishers merging that fast these days?
So, if you’d like a good history of the crusades and a lot about the history leading up to the crusades then this book will be a good read. This book can be useful when thinking about the conflicts in the region today. It may be that understanding the past can help in understanding the present.
If you want lots and lots about the Templars, there may not be enough here to satisfy. For that reason I had to go with 4 instead of 5 on the star rating scale.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A Political and Religious History of Europe
Anyone who buys Piers Paul Read's `The Templars' looking to learn more about what religious secrets they may have uncovered, a definitive answer on their supposed links with... Read more
Published 3 months ago by John Murray
A good intro for the non-specialist
Judging by the reviews here, this is a book to split opinion if ever there was one.
For my money, this is a solid, easy reading history of the Knights. Read more
For my money, this is a solid, easy reading history of the Knights. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Cardew Robinson
great buy
I bought this book for my mum as a present and she has found it very enjoyable and informative.
Published 15 months ago by saski
not overwhelming
in every book i have read about the knight templars including this one , threre are always two different sides of the same coin : the overall extrenal circumstances or events that... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Omar Farid
A very poor and falsified account.
I have to say, this book actually deserved 0 stars, because it was that bad and offensive. The author (a freemason himself), used his own racist predilictions to dictate his... Read more
Published on 26 Aug 2009 by Suhail Ahmad
A weak historian
I was very dissapointed with "The Templars". The author doesn't appear to be a historian and therefore the book conveys a sense that this may not be an entirely accurate account. Read more
Published on 19 Aug 2008 by Ricomania
Must read
The Author did good research about the subject.Finally today the Church confess delusions about the Templars. Read more
Published on 2 May 2008 by A. Solman
A book on the Templars with no Templars?
I have to be honest I was very disappointed with this book. So much text and so much history but very little of it on the Templars. Read more
Published on 25 Feb 2008 by R. Fernandes
History as it Should Be Written
Ask any schoolboy to give you his version of what a knight looks like and the chances are he will say that a knight wears chainmail, a helmet and a white surcoat with a red cross... Read more
Published on 31 Jan 2008 by J. Chippindale
Very good, recommended
I believe this is a good read and you should perhaps ignore the 1 or 2 star reviews and that do not give a constructive criticism for this book. Read more
Published on 27 July 2007 by James Adams
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