Knights Templar: The Mystery of the Warrior Monks

Founded in the early twelfth century, supposedly to protect pilgrims to the Holy Land, the Knights Templar became famous for their pioneer banking system, crusading zeal, and strict vows of obediences, chastity and poverty. Having grown to some 15,000 men, they came to be perceived as a threat by Philip the Fair, who in 1307 disbanded the group and tortured their leaders for confessions. The French king accused the order of heresy, sodomy and blasphemy. Recent works of fiction and popular histories have created a resurgence of interest in the mysterious Knights Templar. Numerous contradictory and fantastic claims are made about them, adding to the enigma that already surrounds the warrior monks of France.Steiner, Rudolf is the author of 'Knights Templar: The Mystery of the Warrior Monks', published 2007 under ISBN 9781855841796 and ISBN 1855841797.