Customer Reviews

The New Knighthood: A History of the Order of the Temple (Canto S.)

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3 star:		(2)
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I have not yet read the new Templar history by Helen Nicholson, but until I do this book stands as the best one ever written about the Knights Templar. I have written quite a bit about them myself (they were the topic of my honors thesis at Cornell University) and so have read about every relevant source on them.
"The New Knighthood" is clear, well-written, and very well-researched, covering the inception of the Order in 1119 to its suppression in 1307. Barber sticks to the best historical sources and covers the topic from head to toe, a much needed historical overhaul for the Templars, in my opinion, because their name has become so ridiculously intertwined with myths and legends of all sorts that the actual history of the Order is often completely obscured. This is sad given their enormous importance in the Holy Land during the crusader period and the innumerable legitimate questions we might investigate concerning them.
A warning to would-be delvers into supernatural research: There is a chapter that covers the "mysterious" rumors surrounding the Order in this book, but it is based in sources accepted by the scholarly world as legitimate, i.e., you won't find much here to support theories of secret treasure, devil-worship, the guardianship of the holy grail, etc. Don't scoff at that: scholars have painstakingly researched the origins of all the sources that come to light. They of all people should know what is close to fact and what is not, certainly more than many of these low-rent, legend-peddling hucksters that have written about the Templars over the past thirty years. The interest of the scholar and professor is to inform you, the interest of many of these other writers is to cash in on curiosity about "secret societies" and make a quick buck at your expense. When looking for a book on the Templars, pay attention to the pedigree of the author-- what do they do/ What's their education?
If you're really interested in the history of the Order, this book is one of the very, very few worth buying.

This books chronicles the history of the Poor Knights of Christ of the Temple of Solomon from their founding to their supression and down to the present day. Along with Templar history, Professor Barber provides us with detailed looks at the daily lives and commercial activities of these legendary knights of Christ. It would be difficult to imagine a history of the Templars done any better than this. Barber's tone is judicious and restrained and, unlike far too many writers on this subject, does not get carried away. And he neatly demolishes all the survival myths and secret society stories that have grown up around the Templars. An essential book.

This is an amazing book concerning the Knight Templars. Malcomb Barber is certainly one of the foremost scholars on the subject and defends his ideas well in this wonderful work of research. Problematic however, with almost all English works is that it is dreadfully boring. The facts are good, the research is even better, but it is a hard read and definitly only for those truly interested in the history of the order. You must be quite the amateur or an historian in order to be able to complete reading this book. Reading this book is literally hard work, but it is very rewarding in the end. Seldom have I seen history books so well written and so well documented as this one. The author really knows what he's talking about and that is definitly the feeling you get while you're reading the book. All and all, if you want to read this book, you're going to have to sit down and take it slow, additionally you're going to have to accept that you will be putting this book down and picking it back up. After having read and understood this book, you will have a fairly good understanding and basis in Templar history.

This book is a good source of information for the serious student. If you have a good knowledge of medieval and crusade history then this book will trace the order of the Templars through all the political, military and ideological contexts that the order existed in. It will provide you with sources and chronologies and will explain what the Templars did, why they were such an important force and how exactly they were able to achieve what they achieved.

If you're not familliar with the background, like me, you'll probably find this a hard read. The book reads like a textbook, peppered with footnotes, dates and places which obfuscate if they're totally unfamilliar. For me, it felt like much of the text was going in one ear and out the other.

The book's chapters fall into two categories. The first half is more chronological referring to the history of the Templars. The second half is more topical, to do with aspects of Templar life (their network, social structure and beliefs), as well as a description of the Templars in the popular imagination. For someone being introduced to the Templars, the second half will be much more interesting and accessible. For history buffs, the first half will be very informative.

If you're looking for a detailed, scholarly account, this is the book. If you're a layman seeking an introduction, go elsewhere.

A fairly well done text on the Order. There is some excellent information tucked away in this book. Unfortunately is is obscured by a slighty confusing lay out. The reward is worth the effort though. This is best described as a good companion piece for other Templar research sources.

Over the past twenty or thirty years the Templars have become the subject of some really silly religious conspiracy theories which say more about the authors who espouse them than they actually do about the Templars themselves.

Don't buy these religious conspiracy books about the Templars expecting to actually learn the history of the Order. Instead, get "The New Knighthood" and "The Trial of the Templars" by Malcolm Barber. Dr. Barber's "The New Knighthood" is perhaps THE single best history of the Order of the Poor Knights of the Temple of Solomon available, written by one of the Order's foremost historians (though Dr. Helen Nicholson's books are also extremely good). Particularly useful and interesting are detailed chapters chronicling the Order's founding, early years and explosive growth, and chapters on the suppression and dissolution of the Order as well as its transformation into modern fantasy through the spurious history and wild assertions of religious conspiracy theorists. The chapters on the Order's founding and early growth are especially fascinating.

Barber's book is well-grounded in well-documented, scholarly fact; in those cases where the facts are unknown or open to differing interpretation, he tells you.

Barber's books (and Dr. Peter Partner's "The Mudered Magicians: The Templars and their Myth") should be required reading for anyone about to write a religious conspiracy book involving the Templars.

This is an absolutely wonderful book for anyone at all interested in The Templars. This is a full and original work of research that covers every detail you can imagine about The Templars. If I must chose something that detracts from the over all feeling of the book is the chapter called The Templar Network as this is a rather dry account of the manors and so on throughout the Continent and the Kingdom of Jerusalem. If you do chose to read this book I would recommend skipping most of the chapter mentioned above until Barber starts talking about the Templar network as a reliable bank for kings and popes alike. I highly recommend this book!

This is the reference that should be looked to before all others when reading or learning about the Templars.

I found The New Knighthood to be a well researched, succinct and very readable book. The author is carefull to walk the fine line between popular non-fiction and scholarly research works. Copious information is presented in a manner that while complex is seldom dull and never boring. Of its 420 pages 104 are of notes and sources. The typeface is readable and the paper quality is so-so. If you must have only one book on the knights of Christ I think you could do worse than this one. Don't choose poorly.

Barber has proven that he has a gift for at least 2 things: research and writing based on research.
This is probably the most concise history of the Knights Templar ever written. Barber has an extensive bibliography and footnote reference section at the end of the book that covers writings I, a long-time Templar lore lover, had not yet stumbled upon. The list provides even more topics for me to cover, which is great in itself.
Barber has presented a detailed, historical outline, with explanations of the political and religious influences of the times. He is candid and unbiased in his presentation of the material which results in a book of exceptional quality and quantity.
A must read for any history lover, Knights Templar history lover, medieval history lover, crusades lover, or even conspiracy theory lover.
Barber also penned an extensive study of the trial of the Templars by the catholic church and I highly recommend that as well; The Trial of the Templars.
Fantastic reading for people who want the straight facts without a lot of "hollywood" crap surrounding it. Move past "The Da Vinci Code" and get the real details about these intriguing knights from the late middle ages.

Finding legitimate research material surrounding the Knights Templar is a challenge with all the mythical fiction (and unfortunately non-fiction) books on the market. I highly recommend this book as one of the most informative and in-depth sources on the Knights Templar available. Avoiding grail myths and legends, it concentrates on the militaristic, political, and economic importance of the Order from its early beginnings in 1119 to its fall in 1307. It also does an extraordinary job covering the creation and fall of the Order. The section, "The Templar Network", gives specific examples of Templar activities including banking, political negotiations, and assistance in military endeavors, throughout Europe and the Holy Land. A warning note to the casual researcher: Though the book includes a chronology of the Order, it is a difficult read if you haven't studied at least some Templar history previously. My recommendation is to brush up on the geography of Medieval Europe (as Barber frequently refers to regions no longer in existence today) as well as to read the book with a timeline of popes and European rulers next to you. Overall, it is a valuable resource to anyone interested in the true story of the Knights Templar and is well worth the time and money.