The Templars: Knights of God (Original)

Edward Burman examines the history of the Order of the Poor Knights of the Temple of Solomon, commonly recognized as the Templars. For nearly two centuries, these warrior monks operated as a formidable military machine across Christendom. Beyond their battlefield exploits, the Templars accumulated massive political influence and wealth, acting as essential bankers and credit brokers to medieval European kings and popes. Their powerful trajectory came to a sudden halt in 1312, when official charges of heresy and magical practices led to their total suppression. Burman charts this historical rise and collapse, detailing how a real military organization eventually passed into enduring myth and legend. To construct this study, Burman relies directly on original texts and contemporary chronicles from the period, alongside a massive body of secondary literature. The volume addresses the intersection of religious history, institutional power, medieval statecraft, and occultism, specifically focusing on the allegations of magic that brought down the order. Issued in paperback by Inner Traditions International, this edition belongs on the shelves of readers studying medieval religious institutions, military orders, and the origin of European esoteric traditions. Readers looking for modern occult manuals or speculative fiction will not find them here, as the work remains strictly focused on historical accounts and documented chronicles.