Knight Templar

Osprey Warrior #91

by Helen J. Nicholson, Wayne Reynolds (Illustrator)

The order of the Temple was a military-religious organisation that was set up to protect pilgrims and settlers in the Holy Land. The Templars believed they were God's warriors fighting on God's behalf and developed a fearsome reputation among the neighbouring Muslim rulers. This book examines the men who joined the order and why they joined it, focusing on those who fought in the Holy Land. Based on contemporary sources it provides an effective insight into the daily lives of the warriors, from their admission ceremony to their training, organisation in the field, and how they fought in battle.

Genres: History, Military History, Medieval, Nonfiction

64 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2004

Reviews

[Nathan Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is admittedly a very short book and by no means as long as it could have been. Yet although it is a short book and not long at all, there are certainly aspects of this book that hint at much larger realities of interest to many readers when it comes to the Templars. If this book does not provide the full story, it certainly gives enough information that a reader will be able to see what is provided here and read and research further aspects depending on their interests. We have chronologies, narratives, discussions of war and society in the Middle Ages, art history, and even matters of museums and re-enactments. As is often the case in history, the Templars are not dead because they are not entirely in the past, and what will lead a lot of readers into this particular book is a desire to know more about the Templars and to capture something of the mystique that the organization had. And this book is certainly good at what it does. If it is not as thorough a book as I would have preferred it certainly taught me some new things and that is always enough to make a book worth reading if you are into this sort of thing.

This book is a short one at just over 50 pages, but at least the pages are large enough to have a fair amount of information on them. The book begins with an introduction, and then contains a chronology of the history of the Templars. After this comes a look at the recruitment and admission of people into the Templars as well as matters of belief and belonging with the Templars as an organization, discussing matters of faith as well as discipline. Then comes the issue of training as well as appearance and equipment, at which point there is a great deal of art that shows the Templars in action in life and in death. There is a look at living conditions on campaign as well as the experience of battle for templars. After this the author talks about museums and contemporary re-enactment of the Templars, which appears to be somewhat common, and then the book ends with a glossary, bibliography, commentaries on various color plates, as well as an index.

When we look at the templars, it is an obvious thing to ponder why it is that they failed and what is it that they have to offer humanity at present. The author is at pains to comment on the lack of intellectualism in the Templars and their rituals, although she is also at pains to point out that the Templars clearly fit within the Orthodoxy of the times and that the lies spread about them and their practices are not really justified by what we know of their behavior. The author also points out that while the Templars had a high degree of ideals that there were people who came to the Templars under false pretenses, because they found serving as holy soldiers a better fate than being condemned as criminals--apparently, and it is easy to believe, the crusader states found a great deal of manpower from felonious knights who were too violent for home of whom it was thought that sending them to the outremer was the best way to channel such violence for the greater good. It is hard to disagree with that logic, even if it makes for less than ideal religious and moral fervor. This book is likely to be, for many readers, the beginning of longer and deeper searches into Templar history and lore.

[Dimitri · Rating 3 out of 5]

***1/2 Nicholson has some serious monographs on the Templars under her belt, mirrored in the unusually extensive bibliography which includes French medieval sources not translated (yet) into English.

This means two popular avenues are off the table: the trial and whatever supernatural BS those confessions entailed.

The Warrior format takes some getting used to when the warrior is so well-written: the workings of the order, the training & tactics get first place. It has no room for a full Crusade-sized battle story.

[Katherine 黄爱芬 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ksatria Templar ini jauh lebih enak dibaca. Pertama, layout dan ilustrasinya lebih rapi jali. Kedua, susunan dan kronologis cerita juga sangat enak dibaca bagi saya yg penggemar sejarah yg runut dan teratur. Ketiga, ada keterangan cerita utk gambar-gambarnya. Jadi tidak perlu khawatir bakal bingung baca buku yg ini. Kekecewaan saya dgn buku sblmnya, terbayar lunas di buku ini.

Ksatria Templar berdiri sejak kemenangan Kristen Latin di Yerusalem. Pada perkembangannya, ordo ini memiliki banyak pengikut dan pendonor, serta ketenaran krn keberanian dan kesetiaannya dlm setiap medan perang. Ibarat pasukan kamikaze, Templar adalah pasukan front pembuka dan mundur paling terakhir dlm perang. Aturan keseharian para Templar diwajibkan hidup religius, sederhana dan sangat disiplin. Hukuman berat pasti dijatuhkan bagi mereka yg menentang peraturan ordo. Sayang sekali ordo ini lenyap krn fitnah dan kesirikan.

[Pat Mizell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Nicholson is certainly one of the top world authorities on the Knights; I bought the book for that reason. It's a small book but has a lot of nice drawings from her illustrator, Wayne Williams. The book is a look at the life of a templar; his weapons, his lifestyle and the normal things that comprise a life.

Thankfully free of all the nutty theories and tales of bloodlines, it was a nice read. It was especially nice knowing that the author's knowledge is world class. I could trust it and enjoy the read. That's all I wanted, and I got it.

[Henry Davis IV · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike a lot of longer works about the military order of the Knights Templar, this concise yet well researched book provides an excellent overview of this organization, its different internal work roles, and military equipment. While it does cover strategy and mentions some key battles, this book is not meant to be a battle history of the order. This is an excellent book to read before further study and its extensive bibliography (for a book this size) provides a lot of great resources in English, French, and Latin. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in medieval warfare, warfare in the Middle East, the Crusades, or the Crusader military orders.

[Manolo González · Rating 3 out of 5]

A so so book, i was looking for "the ultimate" book about the templars, but this one just focus in the normal/routine stuff about them, it's like you are just reading something about the middle east christian warriors in general. It doesn't even talk about the end of the templars. meh

[Indah Threez Lestari · Rating 3 out of 5]

593 - 2013

#Program BUBU

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217th - 2011, 26 Feb 2011

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

lumayan tambah pengetahuan.. sayang gak berwarna semua ya..

[R.D. Villam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bagus. Informatif. Walau masih banyak yg kabur, mana yg benar2 fakta dan mana yg hanya mitos.

[Alfred · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good reference book, with useful illustrations.

[keereads · Rating 3 out of 5]

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