The Knights Templar: History & Mystery

by Tony McMahon

Explores the history, legacy, and mysteries of the Knights Templar, from their valor in battle to their brutal downfall.

The Knights Templar have fascinated us for centuries. They were holy warriors who fought with incredible bravery in the Crusades but were then destroyed by their own side. In battle they were the bravest knights – first on the battlefield and the last to quit. Charging towards the enemy with their white cloaks emblazoned with the red cross of martyrdom. Every young man in medieval Europe yearned to be a Knight Templar.

The reality, though, could be tough. Battles fought against fearsome foes sometimes resulted in terrible defeat with a huge loss of life. The Templars were always the target of jealousy and hatred because of their military prowess, financial acumen, and strict organisation. Eventually, their enemies got the better of them. Not the Saracens they had fought in the Holy Land, but kings and bishops back home.

The Templars were accused of bizarre initiation rituals and heretical beliefs. Many were executed for the sole crime of being a Templar. But their memory was not extinguished. It has endured. Today, millions of people still want to understand the history and mystery of the Knights Templar. Is it true they possessed the Holy Grail? Why were they destroyed so brutally?

This book sets out to find the answers.

Genres: History

228 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 31, 2025

About the author

Tony McMahon is a TV investigative historian appearing on Discovery, History, ITV, Channel 5, and other networks: https://tony-mcmahon.com/
His latest book is Downfall of the Templars: Guilty of Diabolic Magic? This is the second part of a trilogy of books on the Knights Templar.
He also wrote Jack the Ripper and Abraham Lincoln, published by Troubador - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jack-Ripper-...
Tony co-authored the biography of 1980s pop star, Neville Staple, vocalist in The Specials and Fun Boy Three (publisher: Aurum Press): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Original-Rud...
His biography of the black British boxer Errol Christie was shortlisted for two awards (publisher: Aurum Press): https://www.amazon.co.uk/No-Place-Hid...
The Battle for British Islam was co-authored with Dame Sara Khan - an analysis of Islamism in the UK reviewed on CNN, Sky, Channel 4, Sunday Times, etc (publisher: Saqi Books): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Battle-Briti...

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book that will appeal to anyone who has interest in the phenomenon known as ‘The Knights Templar’

After reading a book that was fiction but based on them I was keen to learn more and this book was the one to do it

Author Tony McMahon, who has an impressive back catalogue as well as many TV appearances has taken this subject, which it cannot be denied is complex and of course historical and while it remains both he has made it accessible to everyone

It is a fascinating book, looking at all aspects of the Knights Templar, who, why, what and where

There is a lot of information and I would probably recommend a few chapters then a break to ‘let settle’ the info learnt and then when ready a few more chapters rather than trying to take it all on in one go

So much work and research has gone into this book you can only commend the author for compiling such an inventory

The Knights Templar remain a mysterious group of warriors but I do feel I know a lot more about them now

Informative and detailed.

[Siobhain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always had an interest in Medieval history and the Knights Templar were obviously a big part of that. I will start by saying to date I have not found a Pen And Sword title that I didn’t find interesting and informative and Knights Templar: History and Mystery continues that trend.

Told in a easy to digest and follow way McMahon makes the complex history of The Knights Templar something that anyone can enjoy and delve into. This is both a fantastic starting point and a great primer. Broken down into ten chapters that cover everything from their creation to trials this is the perfect read for those interested in the Knights.


As always thank you to Random Things Book Tours the copy to review, my reviews are always honest and freely given.

[Jackiesreadingcorner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not sure where my interest of The Knights Templar started, I did read a couple of fiction books a couple of years ago by two authors who if I remember rightly are both historians, as well as brother and sister, that reinforced my fascination. Which is why I jumped at the chance of joining the blog tour for this book.

The author has clearly done his research, I hadn’t realised how far back the Knights Templar stem from, I also learnt a lot more about religion. The book goes back to where it is believed the Knights began, when they were betrayed, whether they found and had the holy grail.

The first few chapters I admit I was struggling, there is so much information and names. But history buffs will love that side of things. The whole book is interesting, I did it in smaller chunks over a few days so that I took more in. But it’s not an easy book to review, as I don’t want to just pick chunks of the book and repeat it.

What I will say is if you are interested in the Knights Templar I would highly recommend this book. Did they just start as nine Knights, down on their luck? Did they come up with the idea of the Knights Templar or was it King Baldwin II of Jerusalem? Their leader Hugh de Payens (1070 -1136) it is said was reportedly shocked about the massacre of hundreds of pilgrims who were travelling to Jerusalem to visit the spot where Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist, but some were murdered or sold to slavery, by brigands, as the pilgrims travelled to the river Jordan, Easter, 1119. The banks of the river were left with eviscerated corpses of Christians. The news of this was spread, causing pilgrims to worry as to whether they would make it or not. This didn’t look good for Jerusalem and other Christian places, being supposedly safe now under Christian rule.

Could these 9 knights bring stability to this unstable situation? Were they a private army to the rulers of outremer offering themselves up to protect the lands and the people?

For this those knights committed themselves to Christianity, training for battlefield conditions, doing drills, but also praying several times a day, living like monks, taking a vow of poverty, chastity and obedience. It seems that these nine knights fought for what they thought was right.

But later the same people who recognised the Knights Templar believed they had money, did initiation ceremonies which included some sexual behaviour, they were accused of committing sodomy. Among many other things. These knights who fought battles without thought for their own safety, were thrown into jails and tortured, premises were searched for money or probably gold, silver.

It is difficult to understand in this day why anyone would attack them, but seeing the things that the author’s research claims happened, and as I have said this book is very well researched with links at the back telling you the source of references. Religions seem to have an awful lot to answer for.

This is such an interesting read, it is still hard to understand how the Knights Templar began, tough to believe it started with nine, but once they were known in those times could, other knights have joined them, recruited or however things happened in those times. It’s just sad they were treated so badly in the end. How many escaped the torture and prison?

This is a very fascinating read for anyone interested in the Knights Templar, I highly recommend it if you would like to know more about them, beliefs of how they were formed, their downfall and I guess fall from grace. Possibly through no fault of their own. There is so much more to the book than the bits I have touched upon, as I have said it is difficult to pick one part out, because the book covers so much from very early years to later in time. Did the Knights Templar continue?

This is an engaging, complex read, well researched, well written, interesting. I highly recommend.

[Beyond the Pages with Eva K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick Summary: An intriguing interpretation on one of history's most captivating topics

My Review: The Knights Templar: History & Mystery by Tony McMahon is a 2024 release from Pen & Sword. It is a historical, non-fiction resource for laymen and aficionados.

About the Book: "The Knights Templar have fascinated us for centuries. They were holy warriors who fought with incredible bravery in the Crusades but were then destroyed..."

In My Own Words: Warriors of old. The bravest of the brave. Holy men on a holy mission. Embattled. Pursued. Sentenced to death. Absent and yet present. Forever enthralling. The Knights Templar were destined to make a mark on history.

Specific Topics of Interest from the Book:

Chapter 2 - > Mysterious Origins of the Knights Templar
Chapter 5 - > The Holy Grail, Knights Templar, and King Arthur
Chapter 6 - > Accusations of Treachery
Chapter 10 - > Did the Templars Survive?

My Final Say: The topic of the Knights Templar has been particularly engaging to me for quite some time. I am utterly intrigued by them. I have sought to understand them since I first began delving into my own personal study on the Medieval era. When this book became available to review, I was immediately excited by the prospect of learning more. I knew I had to get my hands on it.

I found this book to be interesting, in terms of providing resource material. There was certainly an overwhelming amount of information. In fact, I would be so bold as to say that there was an overabundance of information on this topic that is very much steeped in mystery. Still, I walked away with definite food for thought. Although I wished for more visually embedded content per chapter, regarding geographical considerations and photographic information, I was generally pleased. It simply would have been nice to have breaks from the wording.

Other: This book is for all of those who appreciate the lure of these celebrated holy warriors. In my opinion, it is best consumed in bite-sized portions. It has a read and savor flow versus that of an immediate digestion flow. Readers who enjoy digging into history's cloak and dagger esque subject matters should like this one.

Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: 🕸🤔💬👍
Special Notation: This would make a good history club recommendation. It may also do well in an audiobook format. (That would have been my preference.)

Heartfelt appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Pen & Sword | Pen & Sword History), and to NetGalley. Thank you for granting my wish and providing access to a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest critique. The words I have shared are my own.

[Shannan Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tony McMahon gives a historical narrative of the Knights Templar's history, from their rise to their origins, crusades, heroes and villains, and ultimate fall. The Knight's Templar was a medieval Christian military order founded around 119. Their main role was to protect Christians visiting the Holy Land. This role changed during the Crusades and they became a dominant military force. They maintained their lifestyle through donations, acquiring land, and banks. They held considerable political clout. These ceased to exist after Pope Clement V disbanded the order. The author uses many resources to craft his historical narrative of the knight's templar. He utilizes movies and book references written by contemporaries to give us a deeper understanding of who the knight's templar was when crafting his thesis. I started reading this book with no prior knowledge of the Knights Templar and this was a well-written book explaining who they are and their role in Medieval Europe. I recommend this for any budding or experienced medieval historian or enthusiast.

[Naturalbri (Bri Wignall) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good historical read, but especially love one that delves into a part of history that is much debated over. There is not an area more hotly debated than that of the past of the Knights Templar and anything that they may or may not have done. The trick, I cannot enjoy a historical read that shares story of or sheds light of clouded areas unless it is obvious that the work has been put in to make it true and accurate. This book does that so well. So much effort has clearly gone into making sure this book shared a true account of their history and anything about them and does so in a brilliant level of detail. Not only that, but it is written in a way that flows so nicely and truly grabs your attention.
I have read another book by this author and I have to say, they have a great way of writing that keeps the history exciting to read, digest and enjoy and I will continue to come back to read more by this author, in the future.

[Fatguyreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Knights Templar: History and Myth, Tony McMahon puts together quite a comprehensive, historical narrative of the who's, what's, why's and where's of these fascinating, intriguing holy warriors.

I'm a huge fan of history, so this was right up my street, and I have a particular love for this period in time, and for me, the author has done a great job here. It's a book packed to the brim with information on all aspects of the Knights Templar, and is absolutely dripping with great, interesting details.

The research and effort the author has put in is very clear to see and he should be commended for putting together such an intelligent look at these brave men, who have, since Medieval times, been so shrouded in mystery. Well here, the author made a great effort in lifting that shroud to reveal the men beneath.

I read this on and off over about a week.

4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.

[Mel Mars · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah! to be in school again and able to remember a multitude of dates and events...
I used to be quite good at it, but sadly that is no longer the case, and that became quite clear to me while reading this book.

Did I enjoy it? For sure! I knew next to nothing on the topic and it was fascinating to read all about their role (and impacts) in all the crusades, but also in political and financial events.
I've definitely learnt a lot! Originally, I almost thought they were a work of fiction (😬), and while there are definitely a lot of theories and unproven facts surrounding them, they definitely left an impressive and real mark on all fields - Knights Templar are still so prominent in pop culture!

If you're a history buff, this one is for you!

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Knights Templar—legendary Crusader warriors—were brutally destroyed not by their enemies, but by those they served. This book explores their history, their power, the accusations that led to their downfall, and the enduring mysteries surrounding them.

This book offers a highly readable history of the Crusades and the Knights Templar. It examines the factors leading to the downfall of the Templars and how our 21st-century sensibilities can bring a new perspective to the accusations made against the order. The book is informative and enjoyable.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Anne Curry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would call this a moderate read. Meaning it's got more intense dialog.

Good information and several crediable theories. (Including why?) I learned a lot of new information and it made me ask a few more questions that likely no one has answers for (only theories). Book made me feel both repulsed at some of the battles and saddened at the ending. One I don't feel they deserved.

Very good read if your interested in a more detailed history of the knights Templar.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Laura Newsholme · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this is a well written and accessible read, I think the title is a little bit misleading. For me, I found the focus to be more on the Crusades themselves and the politics behind them, rather than on the Knights Templar, which wasn't what I expected.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Christine Weald · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author has gone into extensive historical research for uncovering the mysteries surrounding this order. It is a fascinating account, not only of their organised fighting but more on their financial prowess, like creating an international banking system.

I received a complimentary copy and leave this review voluntarily.

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have had an interest in the Knights Templar since reading about them when I was younger. They were such an intriguing, mysterious group of holy crusaders, enshrined history, misconstrued and eventually destroyed.

McMahon's book is richly descriptive, concise and takes us through the timeline of the Templars and their role in medieval Europe.

An interesting and well researched history lesson. I feel I have come away from the book with a greater knowledge than I had before.

[Georgina Candy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been fascinated by the Knights Templar for years, probably since reading The Da Vinci Code. There’s so much history tied to them, how they came about, who they were and what they stood for, and this book explores all of it.

Tony has obviously spent years researching this, it’s so in depth that it actually lost my interest at some points as I was bombarded with information. I never realised how much there was to the Knights, you just assume that they were created and became the force you know them to be overnight but this isn’t the case.

If you’re interested in the Knights, this is definitely a worthwhile read for you.