THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR was the most powerful military religious order of the Middle Ages, originally founded by nine comrades in 1118 to protect pilgrims in the Holy Land. Returning to Europe within a decade and sworn to poverty, chastity, and obedience, the Knights Templar rapidly gained wealth, lands, and influence. Clad in white mantles with the splayed red cross, the knights took part in the Crusades with martial zeal and strength – but their influence at the height of their powers extended well beyond war, into diplomacy, politics, and the banking of the age.

This expertly presented book covers the fascinating and romantic history and mysteries surrounding the Templars. It charts the rise and influence of the Knights Templar, as well as the brotherhood’s changing fortunes, with the loss of Jerusalem and the Third Crusade, the fall of Acre, and the tragic destruction of the order by Pope Clement V and Philip IV of France. It explains how these brave Crusaders and Christian champions came to be perceived as greedy and hypocritical manipulators – allegedly repudiating the Cross and practising heretical rites.

The book looks at the speculative myths and mysteries of these legendary knights in a period that lasted only 200 years, but still holds fascination 900 years later. It examines controversial claims and conspiracies surrounding the Knights Templar and makes informed opinions about likely truths – such as whether they discovered America, and whether they had guardianship or special knowledge of the Holy Gail. It links the Knights with the Turin Shroud, the Ark of the Covenant, the Skull of Sidon, Freemasonry, and other mysteries that have survived through the centuries, and shows the historical legacy of the Templars today and how they have influenced contemporary organizations and ways of life.