An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar [Paperback]

James Wasserman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 29, 2006

A lavishly illustrated, comprehensive look at the mysterious history of the Order of the Knights Templar

• Presents the myths and historical truths of the Knights Templar, the elite warrior army of the pope who were destroyed as heretics some 700 years ago

• Examines the evidence of the Templar connections to the Assassins and the Cathars

• Includes more than 170 period illustrations and contemporary photos of former Templar strongholds in Europe and Jerusalem

Despite the increasing scholarship devoted to the study of the Templar order, founded in 1119, the mystery surrounding the Templars endures. Secret societies from the Freemasons to the Ordo Templi Orientis claim descent from this religious order of warrior-monks. As the private army of the pope, the Knights Templar were initially established to protect Christian pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land but grew to become one of the most powerful organizations in the Middle Ages. With period illustrations from manuscripts from the Crusades, interpretive romantic paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries, and contemporary photos by Steven Brooke and others of former Templar strongholds in Europe and Jerusalem, James Wasserman, author of the bestselling The Templars and the Assassins, provides a fascinating history of the Order and the many mysteries and legends that surround it.

Wasserman presents the evidence for the Templar connection to mystical Islamic organizations such as the Assassins as well as their ties to “heretical” groups such as the Cathars, who were targeted by a crusade in southern France to expunge the challenge they presented to the orthodoxy of their time. In addition to providing an overview of the Templars’ actions during the Crusades, Wasserman revisits the trial and the charges leveled against them, showing how the Order was ruthlessly crushed. He also explores the nature of the treasure they left behind, which has fueled popular imagination for centuries.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“James Wasserman has gathered the most beautiful, authoritative, and complete collection of Crusader and Templar images available anywhere. But this is not just a picture book. Wasserman’s text also gives us an exceptionally clear, historically accurate, and esoterically true account of the history of this most mysterious of medieval knightly Orders. His sense of the way in which Templar esotericism fuses Judaic, Islamic (Ismaili), and Christian elements is a welcome and convincing alternative to the usual conditioned view that sees the three great religions separate and opposed.”
(Christopher Bamford, author of An Endless Trace: The Passionate Pursuit of Wisdom in the West )

"History is the blended story of individuals, issues, and the times in which they existed. Wasserman has done an excellent job of defining the times of the Knights Templar, the political climate, the position of the Church, as well as giving us the background of the men that were involved in the tradition."
(Bonnie Cehovet, Angelfire.com, Oct 2006
)

". . . this book sets an excellent foundation for research and understanding of this tradition."
(Bonnie Cehovet, Angelfire.com, Oct 2006 )

". . . one of the best illustrated and most honest accounts of the Templar. . . . this is an exciting read and a 'must have' for any bookshelf."
(Skirmish, Jan 2007 )

". . . scholarly, yet accessible. . . a fascinating read."
(Sophia Gift, The American, Dec 2006 )

"AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR makes the most of visuals from all centuries and is a recommended pick for any new age collection, even those who already have several books on the topic. Little is duplicated, here."
(Diane C. Donovan, California Bookwatch, Feb 2007 )

From the Back Cover

HISTORY / TEMPLARS

“James Wasserman has gathered the most beautiful, authoritative, and complete collection of Crusader and Templar images available anywhere. But this is not just a picture book. Wasserman’s text also gives us an exceptionally clear, historically accurate, and esoterically true account of the history of this most mysterious of medieval knightly Orders. His sense of the way in which Templar esotericism fuses Judaic, Islamic (Ismaili), and Christian elements is a welcome and convincing alternative to the usual conditioned view that sees the three great religions separate and opposed.”
--Christopher Bamford, author of An Endless Trace: The Passionate Pursuit of Wisdom in the West

Despite the increasing scholarship devoted to the study of the Templar order, founded in 1119, the mystery surrounding the Templars endures. Secret societies from the Freemasons to the Ordo Templi Orientis claim descent from this religious order of warrior-monks. As the private army of the pope, the Knights Templar were initially established to protect Christian pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land but grew to become one of the most powerful organizations in the Middle Ages.

James Wasserman, author of the bestselling The Templars and the Assassins, provides a fascinating history of the Order and the many mysteries and legends that surround it through a unique and lavish assemblage of more than 170 illustrations. These include images from manuscripts from the Crusades, interpretive romantic paintings from the great masters of the 18th and 19th centuries, and contemporary photographs by Steven Brooke and Vere Chappell of former Templar strongholds in Europe and Jerusalem.

Wasserman presents the evidence for the Templar connection to mystical Islamic organizations such as the Assassins as well as their ties to “heretical” groups such as the Cathars, who were expunged because of the challenge they presented to the orthodoxy of their time. In addition to chronicling the Templars’ actions during the Crusades, Wasserman revisits the trial and charges leveled against them, showing how the Order was ruthlessly crushed. He also explores the nature of the treasure they left behind, which has fueled popular imagination for centuries.

JAMES WASSERMAN, a thirty-year member of the Ordo Templi Orientis, is the author of the bestselling The Templars and the Assassins: The Militia of Heaven, The Mystery Traditions, and The Slaves Shall Serve: Meditations on Liberty. A longtime student of the occult sciences, he has a played a key role in the publication of many seminal works by Aleister Crowley and is responsible for the widely acclaimed restoration of the Papyrus of Ani, The Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Book of Going Forth by Day. He lives in New York City.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Destiny Books; annotated edition edition (September 29, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594771170
• ISBN-13: 978-1594771170
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #268,969 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #82 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Other Practices > Freemasonry

More About the Author

James Wasserman is a lifelong student of religion and spiritual development. His writings and editorial efforts maintain a focus on spirituality, creative mythology, secret societies, history, religion, and politics. He is a passionate advocate of individual liberty. An admirer of the teachings of Aleister Crowley, he has played a key role in numerous seminal publications of the Crowley literary corpus. A book designer by trade, Jim is the owner of Studio 31. He is married with two children.

In 2009, he participated in an address to the National Press Club with Brother Akram Elias. The occasion was the publication of Dan Brown's book The Lost Symbol. Jim's portion of the talk may be found on Youtube. In it, he expresses both the truths of esoteric symbolism and the beauty of America's Masonic heritage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QDMK_CUeP8

For more information on the author, please visit Jim's website:
www.jameswassermanbooks.com

Our Facebook page is:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/James-Wasserman/285958821416078

Studio 31 book design and production is located at:
www.studio31.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A True Templar Treasure, October 8, 2006

By 

Richard Kaczynski - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar (Paperback)

James Wasserman needs no credentials beyond his bestselling The Templars and the Assassins: The Militia of Heaven, although he clearly has them in abundance. In this history of the Knights Templar--a group shrouded by equal parts misunderstanding, myth and mystery--Wasserman applies his scholarship with remarkable clarity and brevity. Volumes have been written on the Templars, but here we have a concise, thorough summary in 200 pages. The real treasure, however, is the inclusion of over (by my rough count) 160 full color illustrations of the history, geography and persecution of the Knights Templar. These are lovingly culled from museums, rare books, and contemporary photos of Templar sites in Rome, Jerusalem and France by Steven Brooke and Vere Chappell. The book production is not only tasteful, but beautiful. If you're a fan of the literature, then An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar is a must have. And if you're looking for an overview of what the fuss is all about, then this may be the only book you need. Either way, at this price, the book is a bargain.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If I had only one book about the Knights Templar..., December 16, 2006

By 

W. M. Thom - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar (Paperback)

Hats off to Mr. Wasserman! I have read over a dozen treatments of the Knights Templar and Mr. Wasserman's books set the standard that I measure the others against. His research is meticulous. His history of the Templars begins with background on the founder and follows through to the fateful Friday the 13th when the Knights were imprisoned and their property seized and the ensuing torture and sham trials endured by these Knights.

"The Illustrated History" offers no fairy tales, myths, or undocumented rumors. This is the history of the Order as documented by them and both their European and Arab enemies.

The term "Illustrated" hardly begins to describe the number (over 160 - about one image per page) of images in this book. I can't imagine the scores of hours it would take an individual reader to research and locate so many images of the Knights Templar, their enemies, their properties, and their battles. This book easily has more images than any ten other books I have read on the Templars. Images range from 13th and 14th century paintings through Paul Kirchner's drawings and Vere Chappell's contemporary photographs of many important sites. Finally, two full page maps put the reach of the Knights and the distances involved in the Crusades into startling perpsective.

Mr. Wasserman offers detailed background on the geopolitical climate in the Holy Lands during the centuries the Templars battled for and protected sacred sites in the name of the Pope. I suspect many readers will see similarities to today's geopolitical struggles in Arabia and Persia.

If I had only one book about the Knights Templar in my library, "An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar" is the one I would want. No one will regret buying this book for themselves or as a gift. Take advantage of amazon and get this book and "The Mystery Traditions" too! I can't believe so much value is so affordable here!

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Winning Combination, December 16, 2006

By 

Stella Grey (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar (Paperback)

James Wasserman has produced a gem of a book here. He's given us a solid, concise and what's more, nicely readable recounting of Templar history that can inform the novice reader on the subject without losing the interest of even a committed Templar buff. Plus this book is beautiful, chock full of carefully chosen images from many sources and eras that can deepen any reader's understanding and appreciation of the Templars: their times, their story, and the fascination they've exerted across the centuries. Many of the images in An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar, notably some the wonderful photographs of Templar sites, haven't appeared in print before. And, finally, as previous Customer Reviewer properly observed, "the book is a bargain." Give yourself and/or the Templar fan in your life a treat and buy this book.