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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.
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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!
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.
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.
For my money, this is a solid, easy reading history of the Knights. Read more
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