This book sets out to tell the story of a unique discovery, relics of the Knights Templar which came to light in 1960 in their fortress town of Tomar in Portugal. This chance discovery of highly important pieces dating from the time of the crusades includes ritual vessels, chalices, agate inlaid with gold, alters and stonework with encoded grail symbology. Some pieces originate in the Holy Land removed in 1291 following the fall of Acre, other items may well have been taken from Constantinople in 1204 during the 4th Crusade. This profusely illustrated book contains a wealth of full -page photographs of these relics together with the background story of their discovery and how the owner has worked in secret for almost 10 years before breaking the story, researching and conserving these wonderful items. This book has been put together as an introduction to the hoard written not as an academic tome but as a means of bringing the hoard into the public domain in an easy to digest form. As part of the project the author and his friend Carl Cookson made the hit TV show "Lost Relics of the Knights Templar" shown in USA by Discovery and in Europe by The History Channel. This group of artefacts represents the only legitimate find of Templar items and with further study should enable researchers to add hard facts to what in many cases are misconceptions about the Order. The mysterious Order of the Temple vanished more than 700 years ago, they have been the subject of rumours, grail legends and theories on what treasures the once owned. Since carts left their Paris headquarters in October 1307 none of their treasure has ever been found until Hamilton White began his journey into the world of the Templars.

Secrets of the Knights Templar is the compelling chronicle of the warrior monks and their fight to defend the Catholic faith, and of their participation in the efforts to vie for control of the Holy Land with the Muslim armies of Kurdish military genius Saladin and his successors. Informally organized in 1119 to protect pilgrims on their journeys to visit the Holy Land, and officially sanctioned by the Catholic Church in 1129, the medieval Knights Templar grew into an elite fighting force that played a central role in the battles of the Crusades. They were highly trained, well equipped, and unafraid to take up the sword to defend the church at the limits of western civilization. Though Templar was initially celebrated for their military acumen and acts of bravery, the once-celebrated order was eventually dismantled in disgrace, accused of political crimes as well as crimes against the faith. With its concise, authoritative, and accessible narrative--amplified by extensive citations from contemporary sources, and accompanied by generously captioned and stunning images of the period--Secrets of the Knights Templar brings a distant era of history dramatically and vividly to life. It is the perfect gift for anyone with a love of medieval, religious, or military history. From the Hardcover edition.

A brother of the Order-a medieval secret society uniting noble families in a sacred bond-Sir Hugh de Payens has emerged from the First Crusade a broken man seeking to dedicate his life to God. But the Order has other plans for him: to uncover a deadly secret that could shatter the very might of the Church itself.

Have you seen the movie The Da Vinci Code? It discussed about the Knights Templar in a fictional way. This time, however, you will be learning about the Knights Templar based on historical facts. It’s important to know the truth about movie characters and plots so that you will be able to discern truth from make-believe in a consistent manner. Secure a copy of this book today!

Historian Ralls has written an authoritative source book on the fascinating history behind the most famous military religious order of the Crusades--the Knights Templar. This encyclopedia also includes a wealth of information on the key Templar people, places, events, and more.

This book is an essential exploration into the history of a legendary group of Crusaders, which are prominently featured in Dan Brown's recent best seller, The Da Vinci Code. The Knights Templar rose from humble beginnings to become the most powerful military religious order of the Middle Ages. Formed to protect pilgrims in the Holy Land, they participated in the Crusades and rapidly gained wealth, lands, and influence. Seemingly untouchable for nearly two centuries, they fell from grace spectacularly after the loss of the Holy Land. In the ensuing centuries the Templars have exerted a unique influence over European history; orthodox historians see them as nothing more than soldier-monks whose arrogance was their ultimate undoing, while others see them as occultists of the first order. With clarity and ease, Martin navigates between the orthodox and the speculative, the historical and the myth, to bring alive the story of the Templars. Like those other legends of the Middle Ages -- the characters of the Arthurian tales -- The Knights Templar holds captive the imagination of all those intrigued by conspiracy and how history and myth intertwine to become the stuff of legend.

Escape into the evocative medieval world of Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and his friend Bailiff Simon Puttock, as you join them on the suspenseful trail of three murder mysteries. The Knights Templar Collection brings together three engrossing novels in the widely acclaimed and much-loved Knights Templar series by Michael Jecks. Perfect for fans of C.J. Sansom and Bernard Cornwell. The Mad Monk of Gidleigh (Book 14): As the winter of 1323 descends on Dartmoor, who could blame the young priest, Father Mark, for seeking affection from the miller's daughter, Mary? But when Mary and her unborn child are found dead, Mark is the obvious suspect. Called to investigate, Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and his friend Bailiff Simon Puttock soon begin to have their doubts. And by the time their search is over, life will never be quite the same again. The Templar's Penance (Book 15): It is the summer of 1323, and Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and Bailiff Simon Puttock have been granted leave to go on pilgrimage. When a beautiful girl is found murdered on a hillside en route to Santiago de Compostela, the friends are among the first on the scene. As Baldwin and Simon lend their skills to the inquiry, the unexpected appearance of a face from Baldwin's past could threaten the investigation, as well as the future of Baldwin himself... The Outlaws of Ennor (Book 16): On return from pilgrimage, Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and Bailiff Simon Puttock's ship is attacked by pirates, and Simon sees Baldwin washed overboard. On the island of Ennor, Simon must investigate the murder of the island's hated tax collector while, unbeknownst to his friend, Baldwin begins to unpick the same murder on the other side of the island. Can the pair uncover the truth in time to prevent certain massacre? What readers are saying about The Knights Templar mysteries: 'Michael Jecks is one of the best medieval writers of our times. His two main characters come alive in the imagination when you're reading them' 'The characters are richly drawn and weave in and out of the events of the early 14th century, with Michael Jecks showing great knowledge of the times' 'Good introduction to the series'