The Templars. The History and the Myth. Michael Haag

The Templars. The History and the Myth. Michael Haag

I'm enjoying "The Templars: The History and the Myth" by Michael Haag


An order of warrior monks founded after the First Crusade to protect pilgrims to Jerusalem, the Templars developed into 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 people's imaginations ever since. This new book explains the whole context of Templar history, including, for the first time, the new evidence discovered by the Vatican that the Templars were not guilty of heresy. It covers the whole swathe of Templar history, from its origins in the mysteries of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem through to the nineteenth century development of the Freemasons. The book also features a guide to Templar castles and sites, and coverage of the Templars in books, movies and popular culture, from "Indiana Jones" to the Xbox360 game Assassin's Creed.

An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar. James Wasserman

An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar. James Wasserman. Ordo Templi Orientis. Occult

James Wasserman passed away a couple years ago. He was known for his involvement in Ordo Templi Orientis and for his work as an author/editor/publisher of Occult books. He also wrote a few great books on the Templars. "An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar" is very well written in addition to being lavishly illustrated.



Presents the myths and historical truths of the Knights Templar, the elite warrior army of the pope who were destroyed as heretics some 700 years ago

Examines the evidence of the Templar connections to the Assassins and the Cathars

Includes more than 170 period illustrations and contemporary photos of former Templar strongholds in Europe and Jerusalem

Despite the increasing scholarship devoted to the study of the Templar order, founded in 1119, the mystery surrounding the Templars endures. Secret societies from the Freemasons to the Ordo Templi Orientis claim descent from this religious order of warrior-monks. As the private army of the pope, the Knights Templar were initially established to protect Christian pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land but grew to become one of the most powerful organizations in the Middle Ages. With period illustrations from manuscripts from the Crusades, interpretive romantic paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries, and contemporary photos by Steven Brooke and others of former Templar strongholds in Europe and Jerusalem, James Wasserman, author of the bestselling The Templars and the Assassins, provides a fascinating history of the Order and the many mysteries and legends that surround it.

Wasserman presents the evidence for the Templar connection to mystical Islamic organizations such as the Assassins as well as their ties to “heretical” groups such as the Cathars, who were targeted by a crusade in southern France to expunge the challenge they presented to the orthodoxy of their time. In addition to providing an overview of the Templars’ actions during the Crusades, Wasserman revisits the trial and the charges leveled against them, showing how the Order was ruthlessly crushed. He also explores the nature of the treasure they left behind, which has fueled popular imagination for centuries.

The Sword and the Grail. Andrew Sinclair. Holy Grail. Knights Templar in America

The Sword and the Grail. Andrew Sinclair. Holy Grail. Knights Templar in America

I'm currently enjoying "The Sword and the Grail" by Andrew Sinclair. It is a well written text, focused on Prince Henry Sinclair and the Templars in America subject matter.



The discovery of a tombstone built by his ancestors set Andrew Sinclair on a trail that was to lead to major reassessments, not only of our understanding of the discovery of America, but also of the origins of the Freemasons and their role in world history.
Based on stunning new archaeological evidence, both in the US and in the UK, The Sword and the Grail details the part played by the Order of the Knights of the Templar-here proved to be the true antecedents of the Freemasons-in the discovery of America. As they fled the authorities who wished them destroyed, some of the outlawed Templars carried their treasure to St. Clair Castle, where the knights' relics are still buried. The tomb of their St. Clair Grand Master, with the grail carved on his stone, lies in Rosslyn, the core chapel of the Masonic movement. With the help of the sea skills and wealth of the Templars, the St. Clair Grand Master tried to found a new Jerusalem in the New World, landing with 300 colonists, first in what is now Nova Scotia and then in New England, more than 90 years before Columbus.