Nobly Born: An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar [Hardcover]

Stephen Dafoe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2007

The Poor Fellow Soldiers of Christ and the Templar of Solomon, popularly known as the Knights Templar, was the most famous and infamous of the crusading military orders. Created in the aftermath of the First Crusade,(1096-1099) the Templars were established to ensure the safety of the large numbers of European pilgrims, who flowed towards Jerusalem after its conquest. The Templars were an unusual Order in that they lived both an active and contemplative life; making them effectively the first warrior-monks in the western world. As such the Templars quickly expanded beyond their role as protectors of pilgrims and played a vital role in many battles of the Crusades.Although they suffered more defeats than celebrated victories, the Templars are remembered as Christendom's most fearless military force.Through innovative financial techniques that could be considered the foundation of modern banking and the use of a well established network of land holdings, the Templars in many ways resembled today's multi-national corporations. The Order's highly organised infrastructure, coupled with influential patrons, allowed the Order to gain great wealth and power in a relatively brief period of time. This rise in power and prosperity continued until the Templars ran foul of King Philip IV of France, who arrested the Templars on October 13, 1307 on a variety of heretical charges. Philip had the Templars tortured in order to extract confessions of guilt and many of their number were ultimately burned at the stake. Under the influence of King Philip, Pope Clement V disbanded the Order on March 22, 1312. In Nobly Born: An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar, noted expert Stephen Dafoe explores the Order from its origins through to its dissolution, set against the complex political and sociological backdrop that was the middle ages; a period of history where enemies couldbecome allies at the drop of a hat.Individual chapters examine: -The factors that led to the First Crusade as well as a detailed account of the capture of Jerusalem.-The origin of the Templars between the years of 1118 - 1120 AD.-The Order's rise to papal favour and power and their commercial activities.-The day to day life of the Templar in the convent.-The military structure and discipline of the Order in the field.-The major battles fought by the Templars during the Crusades.-The downfall of the Order following the loss of the Holy Land in 1291.-The legacy and mythos of the Templars that has developed since their demise.Alongside the author's well-researched and comprehensive text is a superb illustrative content, vividly portraying the life of the Templars during this remarkable period of history.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 168 pages
• Publisher: Lewis Masonic Pub (January 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0853182809
• ISBN-13: 978-0853182801
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #916,771 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Stephen Dafoe is the author of several books on the Knights Templar and the Freemasons.

Dafoe's latest book, Morgan: The Scandal That Shook Freemasonry is a look at the abduction and probably murcer of William Morgan in 1826.

Stephen's research has been published in The Scottish Rite Journal, Heredom (the Transactions of the Scottish Rite Research Society), The Scottish Rite Journal, Templar History Magazine, Knight Templar Mgazine and Masonic Magazine.


Dafoe was born in Belleville, Ontario in 1962 and spent the first 40 years of his life in that province. He moved to Alberta in November of 2002 and now resides in a rural community north of Edmonton.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Noble book, December 12, 2007

By 

Christopher L. Hodapp "Author - "Freemaso... (Indianapolis, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Nobly Born: An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar (Hardcover)

Stephen Dafoe, publisher of Templar History magazine, has managed to do something fresh in the Templar universe, and both beginners and those thoroughly versed in Templar lore alike will find much to like about this book. Dreamers and "speculators" take note: this is no "Templars found treasure, sailed to Scotland, saved Robert the Bruce, started Freemasonry and hid their loot at Oak Island" waste of time. What it IS is a concise (deceptively thin-looking), historical examination of what is truly known about the Knights Templar, going back to medieval sources. Their formation, rise, organization, battles, failures and fall -- all here, deftly presented with Dafoe's skill as a reporter, combined with his flair for making complex concepts easy to understand, and frankly, fun to read.

A glance through Nobly Born rewards you with an abundance of illustrations, many of them newly created by Stephen, showing battles, preceptories, troop movements, uniforms, hierarchy and more. It is informative, concise and entertaining -- all packaged in a truly beautiful edition by Lewis Masonic.

The book also features original artwork from Templar author and artist Gordon Napier and Indiana Masonic artist Brother Stephen McKim, along with a forward by "Rosslyn Hoax" author Robert L. D. Cooper, curator of the Grand Lodge of Scotland's Museum and Library.

This is truly unlike any other Templar book on the market, and well worth its £19.99 ($33) cover price.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, June 10, 2008

By 

R. Sparks (Tennessee) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Nobly Born: An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar (Hardcover)

Well written, historically accurate, and a "fun" read. This book correctly depicts the Knights Templar and their role in history, removing the popular myths of conspiracy and hidden treasures. Well done, and certainly worth the price.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nobly Born, September 1, 2011

By 

C. Repicky "Marshal of the Temple" (Fortress of Jacob's Ford) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Nobly Born: An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar (Hardcover)

Great Book, well researched, and when complemented with the author's other work on the Hospitallers, you'll have a wonderful set of informational works on the premier Military Orders of the Crusades.

Mr Dafoe...how about one on the Teutonic Order to complete the set?!