Karen Ralls Templars and the Grail

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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 travelers 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.Written by leading medieval historian, History Channel expert, and spirituality scholar Dr Karen Ralls, Oxford UK, The Templars and the Grail remains a key resource for layman and specialist alike about the medieval Order of the Temple (1119-1312) and Rosslyn Chapel.