The Knights Templar are one of the most secretive and powerful religious orders in history: for over two centuries they were the elite fighting force of the Crusades. Highly trained, and adhering to a strict chivalric code, their success on the battlefield brought them both wealth and political influence. But it is the legends and secrecy surrounding the order and its Grand Masters that continue to fascinate historians and general readers alike. Secrets of the Knights Templar examines each of these mysteries in turn to reveal the truth about the Knights' secret practices, rituals and codes, as well as the continued influence of the Templars today. From the true location of the Holy Grail to the Templars' involvement in the Battle of Bannockburn, and from the sudden downfall of the order to modern-day claims of descent - S. J. Hodge uncovers the hidden links behind the stories and separates historical fact from fiction.

FROM THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON TO THAT OF THE FREEMASONS: Three thousand years ago, in Jerusalem, a brutal murder took place. Nevertheless, the chain of events it set in motion is still felt to this day. On the distant end of that spectrum is Hiram. He was the Phoenician builder of Solomon's Temple, and whose death is central to the Masonic Third Degree. But who killed him, and why? And what was truly lost after his murder? On the other end is George: A young Mason in present-day Cyprus, struggling to unravel the origins of the institution he just joined. Was modern Freemasonry really created by English medieval stonemasons? And what do all its secret handshakes and passwords still protect? In the centuries separating them, were the Knights Templar. History tells us they got disbanded after their arrests in 1307. But were they? Or did some Templars survive and kept on secretly protecting an ancient holy relic their Order had discovered two hundred years earlier?

All across the continent of Europe, massive stone monuments erected by a prehistoric culture can be found. These megalithic stones, resisting centuries of weathering or assaults by modern men, are all that remain of a society that has been erased by time. Stonehenge is the most familiar of these megalithic monuments, but in fact represents only one of many similar sites. Who were the people who built these monuments? Why were these stones significant to them? Sacred Sites of the Knights Templar examines sacred megalithic sites across the globeùsuch as Stonehenge and Rennes-le-Chateau -- revealing the astronomical significance of these sites as well as the secrets that significance bore to the Knights Templar. This revolutionary book offers a new explanation for two main subjects: The distribution and meaning of the megalithic monuments of Europe, which were constructed to commemorate astronomical events Evidence for a continuing and hidden philosophy based on ancient astronomy maintained in secret by the Knights Templar and in turn by the Freemasons The author offers theories regarding these sitesùtheir meanings, their secrets, their lasting impression on the Western World, and their sacred symbolic influences on Freemasonry throughout history.

"This remarkable exploration of intriguing people and events in Freemasonry sheds new light on how this brotherhood's practices, symbols and rituals took shape. An extraordinary wealth of documents is found in this pursuit, including parchment manuscripts dating to the 1300s. The roots of Freemasonry are traced to the building of Solomon's Temple, the rise of Christianity, and the Crusades in Europe. Masonry's controversial relationship with the Knights Templar and Vatican also takes on new and significant meaning. The emergence of this secretive society in Britain had a strong influence on George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and other Masons who helped create a new country in America. All those struggles are seen through the experiences of people who lived through these events--often told in their own words and drawn from remarkable collections of records dating from those times. They reveal Freemasonry to be well-grounded in recognizable events, and show how its members influenced the world around them. Those influences are still felt in our lives today. Forty-five illustrations help bring to life this memorable journey of discovery."--Publisher description.

Barbara Frale gives us an explosive, exhaustively researched history of the medieval world’s most powerful military order, the Templars. At its height, the Order of the Knights Templar rivaled the kingdoms of Europe in military might, economic power, and political influence. For 700 years, the tragic demise of this society of warrior-monks amid accusations of heresy has been plagued by controversy, in part because the transcript of their trial by the Inquisition—which held the key to the truth—had vanished. Templar historian Barbara Frale happened to be studying a document at the Vatican Secret Archives when she suddenly realized that it was none other than the long-lost transcript! It revealed that Pope Clement V had absolved the order of all charges of heresy. The Templars chronicles the spectacular rise and fall of the organization against a sweeping backdrop of war, religious fervor, and the struggle for dominance, and finally lifts the centuries-old cloak of mystery surrounding one of the world’s most intriguing secret societies.

Traces the movement of the Templars’ secret treasure across North America to where it still resides, protected by a sacred lineage of guardians • Explains how the Templars found refuge with Native American tribes, intermarrying with the Natives to continue the Holy Bloodline and further the lineage of guardians needed to protect their treasure and secrets • Reveals new evidence for the existence of Templar settlements and monuments across North America and how these reactivate the continent’s sacred rose lines • Pinpoints the exact location of the Templar/Holy Bloodline treasure Many have searched for the lost treasure of the Knights Templar, most famously at Oak Island. But what if the treasure wasn’t lost? What if this treasure--necessary to sanctify the Temple of Solomon and create a New Jerusalem--was moved through the centuries and protected by a sacred lineage of guardians, descendants of Prince Henry Sinclair and the Native American tribes who helped him? Drawing on his access as Grand Archivist of the Knights Templar of Canada and his own role as a descendant of both Sinclair and the Anishinabe/Algonquin tribe, William Mann examines new evidence of the Knights Templar in the New World long before Columbus and their mission to protect the Holy Bloodline of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. He reveals the secret settlements they built as they moved westward across the vast wilderness of North America, evading the European Church and Royal Houses. He explains how the Templars found refuge in the Sacred Medicine Lodges of the Algonquins, whose ceremonies and rituals bear striking resemblance to the initiations of Freemasonry. He reveals the strategic intermarriages that took place between the Natives and the Templars, furthering the Holy Bloodline and continuing the lineage of blood-guardians. The author explores how Sinclair’s journey from Nova Scotia across America also served to reactivate the sacred rose lines of North America through the building of “rose castles” and monuments, including the Newport Tower and the Kensington Rune Stone. Pinpointing the exact location of the Templar treasure still hidden in North America, the author also reveals the search for Templar sanctuaries to be the chief motivation behind the Lewis and Clark expedition and the murder of Meriwether Lewis.

Why would a collector of ancient American artifacts hand over his prized pieces to a historian and then shoot himself in the head? The answer places historian Cameron Thorne at the dangerous intersection of secret American history and modern geopolitical intrigue. Warning: Not recommended for readers with strong Christian or other religious beliefs.