The Knights Templar

The Knights Templar
ISBN-10
0880296631
ISBN-13
9780880296632
Series
The Knights Templar
Category
History
Pages
321
Language
English
Published
1991
Publisher
Barnes & Noble Publishing
Author
Stephen Howarth

Description

The age of the Crusades encompassed the rise and fall of a singular Order of fighting men, equally devoted to God, war and the defense of Palestine. After the Crusades the Templars obeyed no one except the Pope and acquired land and castles by gift, conquest and purchase, becoming a church within the Church. They were bankers, merchants, diplomats and tax gatherers, and though they themselves were poor, the wealth of their Order was legendary. As the nation states arose the Templars were accused of heresy, treachery, sodomy, usury, blasphemy and idolatry. The author assesses the faults and fine qualities of the brotherhood, examining the reasons for its initial allure and eventual, ignominious obliteration.

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