The Trial of the Templars [Paperback]

Malcolm Barber (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521672368 | ISBN-13: 978-0521672368 | Publication Date: September 18, 2006 | Edition: 2

The Templars fought against Islam in the crusader east for nearly two centuries. During that time the original small band grew into a formidable army, backed by an extensive network of preceptories in the Latin West. In October 1307, the members of this seemingly invulnerable and respected Order were arrested on the orders of Philip IV, King of France and charged with serious heresies, including the denial of Christ, homosexuality and idol worship. The ensuing proceedings lasted for almost five years and culminated in the suppression of the Order. The motivations of the participants and the long-term repercussions of the trial have been the subject of intense and unresolved controversy, which still has resonances in our own time. In this new edition of his classic account, Malcolm Barber discusses the trial in the context of new work on the crusades, heresy, the papacy and the French monarchy.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'... this detailed narrative of the last days of the Order of the Temple has deservedly established itself as the standard account in a major European language.' Journal of Ecclesiastical History

Book Description

For nearly two centuries the Templars fought for Christianity against Islam. In 1307 King Philip IV of France accused them of betraying their calling, culminating in the suppression of the Order. In this new edition, Malcolm Barber cuts through past myths to present the true story of the Templars' downfall.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 2 edition (September 18, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521672368
• ISBN-13: 978-0521672368
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #439,154 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A wealth of scholarship from the foremost Templar scholar, January 10, 2001

By 

Cyrus Bozorgmehr (London. England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Trial of the Templars (Paperback)

One gets the impression both from this book and his previous work, 'The New Knighthood' that Malcom Barber rushed himself into print as a reponse to the current trend of explaining every Christian mystery through the Knights Templar. This volume concentrates on the last years of the order and its infamous destruction by Philip IV of France. It is a privilege for the reader to be granted access to such meticulous research, detail and scholarship for this is no vague account. Taking in every contemporary source he provides almost a day by day narrative, no mean feat when dealing with the early fourteenth century.

Barber's argument is that the Templars were suppressed as a result of the avarice and arrogance of Philip la Bel rather than in response to any nefarious pratices of their own. Philip, in successive revenue drives had set a precedent by attacking the Lombards and Jews, merchant communities made weak by their immigrant status. Philip expelled both groups under trumped up pretexes very similar to the formula that was used to rid himself of the Templars. And of course his motive in all three cases was to lay his hands on those communities' assets. The French crown was the main power in Western Christendom at the time and the Pope was entirely its pawn, particularly since his predecessor in trying to resist Philip's will had been violently siezed in Rome by his men. The Templars had had an ambiguous role since the loss of the Holy Land, their wealth and untouchable status was all very well under the justification of the Crusades, but rapidly began to provoke jealousy and discontent once back in Europe. Thus follows Barber's theory, that anxious to annexe their assets, Philip invented the outrageous charges of blaspehemy, sodomy etc, and with a succesful propaganda campaign, sustained pressure on the Pope and confessions wrought under torture, he was able to seal their fate. As Barber progresses we are shown the shocking inactivity of Grand Master Jaques de Molay and his naive faith in papal justice throughout the crisis until the fate of the Order was sealed and de Molay symbolically burnt. This is a famous story, and Barber provides us with the definitive version. An excellent account in all respects, grounded entirely in fact and a treasure for anyone geninely interested in the Knights Templar.

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars accurate, realistic - the perfect summary of evidence, May 31, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Trial of the Templars (Paperback)

Barber's "Trial of the Templars" is to my knowledge by far the best (and almost the only) serious piece of historical research in English this century into the Order's trial. Although the wealth of detail can at times be overwhelming, close attention rewards the reader with an objective answer to the ridiculous hysteria which has grown up around the Order's demise. Barber's close attention to contemporary documents gives his conclusions a firm factual basis - something the conspiracy nuts who are so attracted to this subject would be well advised to take note of. As a companion to his "The New Knighthood", "Trial..." gives what is likely to remain (Barring the discovery of the Templar archive) the best summary in English of the available evidence. Final verdict? Essential to anyone actually interested in the truth about the Templar affair ie: as an example of the growth of the power of the nation state and the history of propaganda.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Term-paper Research Relief, November 23, 2001

By 

Jason Monti (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Trial of the Templars (Paperback)

When I was assigned a Humanities term-paper on the something having to do with the Medieval period, I chose to research the Templars, specifically their trial and destruction, I found a myriad of books on the subject, but most had to do with the history of the Order itself and only mentioned, in passing, generally how their destruction was brought about. Thus it was with great relief that I found such a detailed examination of the topic in Barber's "The Trial of the Templars." Furthermore, his writing is witty and concise. It was a refreshing change from the often dry, and verbose nature of several of the other texts I used in my research as well. Even if one is not researching for any particular report, I still recommend reading this book for its own sake. You won't be disappointed.