The idea of the Knights Templar looked good on paper. Have knights from across Europe join a monastic order that would defend the Holy Land from non-Christians. They would be devout warriors fighting on behalf of God, an example for all of Christendom. What could go wrong?
The Templar Lands in Lincolnshire in the Early Fourteenth Century
March 1, 2018 by
The focus of the study is the Templar estates in Lincolnshire during the first four decades of the fourteenth century. Within this context, two themes are explored: the characteristics of Templar farming and estate management and the fate of the former Templar properties between 1312 and 1338.
Aspects and Problems of the Templars’ Religious Presence in Medieval Europe from the Twelfth to the Early Fourteenth Century
January 3, 2018 by
What has been neglected in the debate on military order religion is a more focused discussion of how the religion of individual military orders was understood and experienced by outsiders through the ecclesiastical property these orders possessed and the devotional spaces they created and maintained.
The Rise and Spectacular Fall of the Templars: An Interview with Dan Jones
September 5, 2017 by
Dan Jones gives us the scoop on his new Templar book, Knightfall, and what’s next up his sleeve.
Medievalists at the Movies: Assassin’s Creed
December 29, 2016 by
In between the exciting chases, hand-to-hand combat, and surprisingly well-acted dialogue, the overall film drags with too many flat moments of the lead actors staring into the camera or watching something happening from afar.
Embracing Death, Celebrating Life: Reflections on the Concept of Martyrdom in the Order of the Knights Templar
October 4, 2016 by
This article aims at shedding light on this neglected aspect of Templar spirituality and discusses the implications of this concept’s manifestation throughout the order’s history.
Soldiers of Christ: The Knights Hospitaller and the Knights Templar in medieval Ireland
July 2, 2016 by
In an Irish context, the Knights Hospitaller and the Knights Templar were the most significant expressions of this unusual vocation that sought to combine military service with monastic observance.
Friendship, Betrayal, War: “Soldier of God” Movie Review
March 6, 2016 by
A Templar and a Muslim; their strange friendship is the premise of this week’s movie based in the 12th century immediately after the disastrous Battle of Hattin.
BOOK REVIEW: The Lady Agnes Mystery – Volume I
December 28, 2015 by
A review of the Lady Agnes Mystery by Parisienne author, Andrea Japp.
Medieval Books: 5 Great New Releases!
November 12, 2015 by
Black Friday is around the corner – here are a few books that have just been released!
Five Reasons We’re Still Fascinated by the Templars
September 17, 2015 by
What is it about the Templars that makes them so fascinating?
Embracing Death, Celebrating Life: Reflections on the Concept of Martyrdom in the Order of the Knights Templar
July 15, 2015 by
Although research on the concept of martyrdom during the era of the Crusades has gained considerable prominence, it has rarely been applied to the Knights Templar. This is surprising, as the Templars were the first military order and paved the way for a new monastic development; they were devoted to warfare only; and they, together with the other military orders, but unlike most Crusaders, established a permanent presence in the hostile environment of the Holy Land, consequently facing the threat of death both regularly and frequently.
How far were the Military Orders responsible for the results of the Third Crusade?
May 10, 2015 by
In order to assess how responsible the Military Orders were for the results of the Third Crusade this article will be structured by the analysis of three key areas in which they played a part; the siege of Acre, the march to Jaffa and their other military contributions, and their role as councillors to King Richard I of England.
Templars, Hospitallers, and 12th-Century Popes: The Maltese Evidence
March 21, 2015 by
To date, scholars have cataloged approximately 1,000 pre-1198 papal documents for Templars and Hospitallers, including deperdita (lost documents, inferred from other, still existing documents), as well as forgeries and falsifications.
BOOKS: Medieval Ireland
March 17, 2015 by
In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, here are some great books on medieval Ireland!
How secret was the Templar admission ceremony? Evidence from the proceedings in the British Isles
February 27, 2015 by
I have argued in my introduction to the proceedings against the Templars in the British Isles that we cannot believe any of the evidence given by the Templars during the proceedings against them.
Steamy Syrian Scandals: Matthew Paris on the Templars and Hospitallers
December 30, 2014 by
Matthew Paris is a major source of information on the Templars and Hospitallers. But we ask: ‘How far can this Mad Monk be trusted? Was he in the pay of the Evil Emperor?’
Templar attitudes towards women
December 16, 2014 by
The rule of the order of the Temple took a traditional monastic attitude towards women, being strongly anti-feminine in tone, and seeing women as contaminating the brothers.
Strange Bedfellows : The Rise of the Military Religious Orders in the Twelfth Century
November 27, 2014 by
Although they were devout members of a pacifist religion, they were also its dominant military force. By the most basic tenants of Christianity, the Military Orders should never have existed.
Ghost Commandery: Shaping Local Templar Identity in the Cartulary of Provins
October 25, 2014 by
What makes the case of this cartulary particularly interesting is that the Templar house in Provins was not established until 1193, sixty years after André’s gift. In 1133, there were no Templars living in Champagne at all.
BOOK REVIEW: “Defending the City of God” : A Medieval Queen, the First Crusades, and the Quest for Peace in Jerusalem, by Sharan Newman
May 9, 2014 by
This is my review of Sharan Newman’s latest book, Defending the City of God: A Medieval Queen, the First Crusades, and the Quest for Peace in Jerusalem.
Bernard of Clairvaux’s Writings on Violence and the Sacred
March 18, 2014 by
Monk, exegete, political actor and reformer, Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) was not just a man of his times; he was a man who shaped his times.
A Heresy of State: Philip the Fair, the Trial of the ‘Perfidious Templars,’ and the Pontificalization of the French Monarchy
March 18, 2014 by
This article provides an outline for a new interpretation of the trial of the Templars, with special attention to the texts written by the instigators of the case, namely, Philip the Fair and his ministers.
Star Wars and the Middle Ages
March 16, 2014 by
When George Lucas wrote up the screen play that would become Episode IV: A New Hope, he would make use of medieval history to help create his galaxy far, far away.
The impact of the crusading movement in Scotland, 1095-c.1560
February 15, 2014 by
The involvement of Scots in the Crusades has never been studied in detail either by historians of Scotland or of the Crusades, but it is hoped that the present thesis will show such a detailed study to be worthwhile.
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