The Templars [Paperback]

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! Read more ›

Despite the title, this book reads more like a general overview of the history of the Crusades than a dedicated history of the Templars themselves. The first three chapters set the scene by discussing the history of The Holy Land and it's importance to Christians, Jews and the followers of Islam. Succeeding chapters deal with two main themes, namely the story both of The Templars and of the Crusades including the monarchs, Popes and warriors who waged this series of holy wars. The epilogue wraps up proceedings nicely with the author sharing his views on some important questions regarding the legacy of these warrior monks whose order was disolved in disgrace by Pope Clement V.

This book is well-researched and finely written though the author's self-confessed omission of the more fantastic and speculative stories of Templar history may disappoint some readers. While commendable in it's own right, this concentration on fact sometimes makes the book seem a little pedestrian but the more you read, the more gripping the tale becomes until the final pages seem to hurtle past like like an express train. There are frequent quotations throughout but for some reason most of these do not appear as numbered footnotes leading to some frustration for the reader when trying to figure out who exactly said what and when they said it. Another frustrating side to the book is the enormous number of old Christian and Islamic names which appear in every chapter.... Again, this has the potential to bewilder the reader unless they have prior knowledge of the Crusades or an astonishingly good memory. But perhaps the biggest drawback is that this book doesn't really examine Templar history in any great detail. Perhaps the author became side-tracked or, more likely, without the aforementioned 'conspiracy theories'there simply aren't enough known facts on Templar history to fill an entire book. These points aside, the book proved engrossing and enjoyable to read.

If you are after a detailed and exhaustive history of the Templars then you may well be disappointed. I don't believe the knowledgeable reader will find any new information here though this book is still a more-than-worthy addition to any collection. However, for the casual or first-time reader who wants an introduction to this knightly order and the times it lived through then this book is a truly excellent place to start and I certainly enjoyed it. Just watch out for all those names! Read more ›