Full of incredible turns of events including secrets, deceits, lies and betrayals, the history of the Knights Templar from their triumphant conquests to their abrupt fall still fascinates. Find out the hidden history of the Knights Templar that lead to their demise. Download FREE with Kindle Unlimited! The Knights Templar existed officially for less than 200 years. Founded to protect pilgrims who were travelling through the Holy Lands, their rise to power was sudden. They became some of the most feared warriors in the region, they had a mandate from God, they controlled perhaps the world’s first real banking system, and they waged war against anyone who tried to wrestle Christianity’s holiest grounds from the control of the Catholic Church. Within their short lifespan, they quickly became one of the most powerful societies in Europe, if not the world. But, just as they rose to power with relative speed, they fell from grace just as fast. Forged in the crucible of Middle Eastern conflict, their power was soon resented and feared. Before they could become even more powerful, the greatest nations of Europe and the Church turned on them. The once powerful Templars were hunted, caught, tortured, and eventually burned at the stake. According to their prosecutors, they were a devil-worshipping secret society who spat on the cross and plotted against the Pope. They were officially disbanded and their members treated with extreme contempt and prejudice. Or so goes the official story. In this book, we will not only look into the official history of the Knights Templar, but will examine the various ways their influence and ideas have tunnelled their way into the modern world. A group this powerful does not vanish overnight. Instead, their history has been linked to the Freemasons, to vicious curses, to the butchery of the Crusades, and even to Christian relics such as the Holy Grail. For many people, the Templars did not vanish and they did not relinquish their tight grip on the power structures of mediaeval Europe. Instead, they went underground. Read on to discover the dark and twisted secret history of the Knights Templar. Read on your favorite devices such as Kindle, IPhone, IPad, Android cellular phone, tablet, laptop, or computer with Amazon's free reading Kindle App.Scroll back up and click the BUY NOW button at the top right side of this page for an immediate download!
I'm not particularly fascinated with the Templars because they have become, tedious, cliched and just as annoying as the nonstop coverage of Atlantis, the latter of which was mentioned in two Socratic dialogues called Timaeus and Critias, both written about 360 BCE by the Greek philosopher Plato and used as an example of how NOT to operate. But is still, inexplicably, held up as the gold standard of how the perfect city should exist. But I digress.
This particular story is the first installment in a 7-book series written by self-published Bauer who is a retired Math professor. Although he does cite his research materials, he does tend to use authors whose views espouse fringe perspectives. That won't stop me from reading the series, however, just gives me pause to remember to take everything written by Bauer with about a thousand pounds of rock salt.
My interest lies in the books following the first two because they build on Templar history so looking forward especially to the Teutonic Knights.
I like to think of Bauer's books as "guilty" non-fiction only because it feels like I'm reading a story written by the NYPost circa 80s-90s which, back then, was a goldmine for infotainment especially fantastic fiction disguised as news, which is pretty much what the MSM rags NYT and Wash COMpost have become, present day. But more on that later.
This set of books is entertaining and medieval history-esque which is my cup of tea. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Good introductory work centered on the mysterious Knights Templar, with an analysis of the major theories concerning their purpose, demise, and rumored survival. This is a good read for the Knights Templar beginner; if you don't know anything about them, this account will provide a rudimentary lesson and a starting point for advancement. For the scholar, look elsewhere. Most of the info here can be gleaned from Wikipedia.
I was shocked to learn that this was from a self-proclaimed author. The book is very thorough, offering an overview of the history of the Knights Templar before using that history as context to explore both the famous and least known secrets and mysteries of the organization.
It was very informative, but in spots, a little bit repetitive. I read this book because I wanted to know more about the Knights Templar and their connection with Freemasonry. I did learn a lot about the Knights Templar and the history of the world at that time. Having just read a book about Freemasonry, I could see the similarities between the two groups.
The book did not go into depth as I thought it would and it seems like the author is hesitant to blame anyone for what happened. When it comes to discussing the treasure and artifacts, the author doesn't really seem to know what the treasures are and where they are hidden. Some of the information in this book is also included in the television show "The Curse of Oak Island." It just verified what I already knew.
The writing style of this book was easy to read and follow the storylines. I just wish more in-depth information would have been included. Still, it's a good book to learn about history during that time.
Good introduction to the revered monastic order of the Knights Templar. I would have wanted a little more history on the militaristic involvements of the order during the crusades and less so trying to connect them to the modern-day Freemasons. If you like the genre or wish to read a brief overview of the Templar, definitely pick it up—however you’re not missing much if you forgo reading this title.
A lot covered in so few pages. I was drawn in and never left unintriqued.
Decided to take a dive into the Knights Templar. It's hard to get a complete history of the Templars in just one book.....but Conrad Bauer covers a not of ground and keeps digging up nuggets that makes you wanting to keep reading. I am baffled and also confused how one French King and a Pope had so much hatred & jealously to have the Templars destroyed.
And entertaining look into the mysteries of the Templar nights
An interesting look into the mysteries and conspiracies of the Templar nights and their history. Looked into many of the different conspiracy theories mysteries both the Templars and the church and the countries that thought they were getting too powerful for their own good. Check it out
Oh dear. Oh dear. What can I say? If you are interested in the Templars, avoid this book. If you are interested in conspiracy theories, you probably won't care that, on the one hand, on page one, the Templars lasted less than 200 years, but by page 45, as we approach their downfall, they had been in existence for over 200 years... Oh, and Richard the Lionheart led the 2nd Crusade...
Once I started reading this book, I could not put it down. The book read like a research paper of the Knights Templars. Lots of names and locations related to the templars for further research: The Turin shroud, The Art of the Covenant, and The Holy Grail just name a few. A good book to start off with.
Well described chronology of the history surrounding the Knights Templar. The author does a nice job of offering both the generally agreed upon facts and legends / theories.
Although an enjoyable read it really is just a regurgitation of already well known history of the Templars, nothing really hidden here. It is however well written and presented and I did enjoy reading it while being a little disappointed that I learnt nothing new
Excellent read for those who are followers of this remarkable group of legendary monks and warriors. After reading you will be compelled to discover more about this secret society!
I liked the brief overview of the history of the Templars. It provides a good background of their story without getting bogged down in the details of their society. There is still a lot more I can learn about them.
This book gives a full and objective retelling of my previous reading over the years. It was a pleasure to renew my aquaintence with the history and myths of the Templars - everyone should have that background.
Interesting stuff. I enjoyed the book. It provides insight into one of the world's major secret societies. It provides a fast paced look into a historically significant secret society with possible influence up to the present day.
The book shared an impressive breadth of information, however, it lacked specificity & was largely speculative. Found it quite readable and enjoyed it thoroughly. A recommendation for anyone curious but unfamiliar with the Templar Knights.
I really found this book an interesting and informative read which really captured my interest in The Knights Templar. I would've preferred if it went more indepth and give more insight.