Templars and the Grail, The: Knights of the Quest

Who were the medieval Knights Templar? What are the connections between the Templars and the Grail? Did the Templars excavate under the Temple of Solomon and find lost artifacts or the treasures of Jerusalem, as many have long thought? And what is the history of the Rosslyn Chapel, near Edinburgh? The powerful Knights Templar, the famed monastic warriors of the Crusades, still intrigue many today. An organization long shrouded in mystery, the Templars were believed to have conducted mystical rituals, guarded the Holy Grail, and to have possessed the priceless treasures of the Temple of Jerusalem. Bankers to kings, trusted diplomats, farmers, business managers, navigators, the Templars also used codes and ciphers, interacted with Muslims and other esoteric sects in the Holy Land, established an early form of traveler’s check. A wealthy Order with many commandaries, they were suddenly arrested by the king and tried in October 1307; the Order was finally suppressed in 1312 by the Pope. Drawing on both academic and popular sources, this book provides a fresh, well-researched, up-to-date perspective on the facts and continually evolving mythos of the medieval Templar Order. Appendices include a Chronology of Events during the Templars' era, a list of Grand Masters, maps, information on key Templar sites and photos of the exquisite carvings of Rosslyn Chapel.

261 pages

About the author: Dr. Karen Ralls, Medieval religious historian and media consultant, was Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Edinburgh and former deputy Curator of the Rosslyn Chapel museum Brydon exhibition for six years prior to moving to Oxford in 2001. She lectures internationally, conducts specialist research and has appeared regularly on the History and Discovery Channels (USA/UK/Europe) on a variety of history subjects, including those relating to The Da Vinci Code novel. Her books include the forthcoming Mary Magdalene: A Medieval Quest(Quest Books, 2007); The Templars and the Grail(Quest Books, 2003); Quest for the Celtic Key(Luath Press, 2002); and Music and the Celtic Otherworld(Palgrave/Macmillian US and Edinburgh Univ Press, UK, 2000). Originally from the USA, Karen tours the USA in October 2006 and May/June 2007, and the UK in July 2006. For more information on her books and on spirit-based tours to Italy, Malta, etc, please see: http://www.karenralls.com