Cherie's Place

…History& Myth…

From Solomon’s Temple to the Freemasons, a guide to Templar History, Culture and Locations…

Synopsis from the book cover:

An order of warrior monks founded after the First Crusade to protect pilgrims to Jerusalem, the Templars became one of the wealthiest and most powerful  bodies in the medieval world.  Yet two centuries later, the Knights were suddenly arrested and accused of blasphemy, heresy and orgies, their order was abolished, and their leaders burnt at the stake.  Their dramatic end shocked their contemporaries and has gripped imaginations ever since.

This new book is the first history since the Vatican published sensational records of the trial, showing that the Templars were innocent of heresy.  It investigates the history, legends and locations associated  with the Templar’s rise and fall. And it examines the myths surrounding the Knights the belief that their hand can be sen in everything from the Cathar heresy to Masonic conspiracies as well as their appearance in popular culture from Indiana Jones to Dan Brown.

Review:

The book gives a good overview of the Knights Templar, starting with the development of the order. The main body of the book sticks to accepted facts and covers the various crusades and the characters along with the surrounding politics that were at play.  The book also covers who the Templars were, the secret of their wealth and power and why the Pope and the King of France sought to destroy them.

The conspiracy theories surrounding the Templars are covered in a separate section towards the back of the book followed by a chapter on the Templars in popular culture.  The book concludes with suggested further reading and a list of useful websites.

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