THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR IN IRELAND
HARDBACK
ISBN 0955203910
ISBN-13 9780955203916
216 pages. Dust wrapper. Black and white illustrations. Colour photographs. Detailed Maps. Published September 2006. First Edition. Signed and numbered by the author.
ISBN 0955203902
ISBN-13 9780955203909
216 pages. Black and white illustrations. Colour photographs. Detailed Maps. Published September 2006. First Edition.
The Military Religious Order known as the Templars came into existence during the Crusades. The image of these warrior monks in their while mantles with red crosses is a familiar one and they are central to any story about the Crusades. In addition to protecting the Holy Land and pilgrims, they were also land owners,castle builders, statesmen and bankers.The dramatic and romantic history surrounding the various wars over the Holy Land can obscure the fact that most of the day to day business of the Order was conducted far away from the scenes of battle, in their various properties andholding around Europe.Ireland was one outpost of Templar influence and the story of their involvement here, has until now, has been shrouded in history. This book is an attempt to rectify this situation. It brings together their arrival with the Anglo Normans, the lands that they accrued, their buildings and castles accompanied by maps and illustrations of their possessions. Also included is the wider history of the rise of the Order in the twelfth century, its period of prominence and influence followed by the arrest, imprisonment, torture,trials, seizure of all their properties and the eventual dissolution of the Order.
Many myths and legends have attached themselves to the Knights Templar over the centuries. Some of these are examined towards the end of the book. This volume is fascinating reading for anyone interested in the Templars and the Crusades or delve into parts of Ireland’s unknown medieval history.