History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

The Knights Templar: The History and Myths of the Legendary Military Order

Average customer rating:

Excellent overview of the history of the Knights Templar
It's a pamphlet!!!
the legend continues
The Almighty Templars Revealed!
A waste of time and money

The Knights Templar: The History and Myths of the Legendary Military Order
Sean Martin
Manufacturer: Thunder's Mouth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1560256451

Book Description

This book is an essential exploration into the history of a legendary group of Crusaders, which are prominently featured in Dan Brown’s recent best seller, The Da Vinci Code. The Knights Templar rose from humble beginnings to become the most powerful military religious order of the Middle Ages. Formed to protect pilgrims in the Holy Land, they participated in the Crusades and rapidly gained wealth, lands, and influence. Seemingly untouchable for nearly two centuries, they fell from grace spectacularly after the loss of the Holy Land. In the ensuing centuries the Templars have exerted a unique influence over European history; orthodox historians see them as nothing more than soldier-monks whose arrogance was their ultimate undoing, while others see them as occultists of the first order. With clarity and ease, Martin navigates between the orthodox and the speculative, the historical and the myth, to bring alive the story of the Templars. Like those other legends of the Middle Ages—the characters of the Arthurian tales—The Knights Templar holds captive the imagination of all those intrigued by conspiracy and how history and myth intertwine to become the stuff of legend.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent overview of the history of the Knights Templar.......2007-06-25

After reading "The Da Vinci Code" I wanted to know more about the real history behind the book. The Knights Templar turned out to be one of the most difficult subjects to find solid information on. This was practically the only book I could find that had any kind of respectable citations, although they are light even in this book. As I came to learn this was because there was very little hard history about the Templars, most of the stories are anecdotal at best and at worst mostly fiction. Sean Martin covers their history fairly and clearly delineates what is backed by hard evidence and what is purely anecdotal. The book is definitely brief but it covers the subject well and without the sensationalism most of the books on the subject use.

It's a pamphlet!!!.......2007-01-21

Tiny, short, ill-researched. I recommend this to those with more money than sense or whom are OBSESSED with getting anything and everything about the Templars regardless of how shaky the ground on which it stands. Avoid this one.

the legend continues.......2006-09-05

This book is great but too short. It sticks to the point and facts but leaves you wanting more.

The Almighty Templars Revealed! .......2006-08-09

This being my 1st book about this particular topic, "The Knights Templar" was a very easy read, and I think a good start in the field of Templar History. Sean Martin breaks everything out in a very understandable way. He discusses their origin and how The Templars began. He makes note of all the different kings, and various religious orders involved in the Crusades. After viewing the wonderful film, "Kingdom Of Heaven" recently released - you see some great characters come to life again, namely: Saladin, King Guy, King Baldwin the leper, etc).

I like the way Sean Martin explains the mysteries in the last section of the book. He goes into detail about the myths surrounding this unbelievable organization. Also, towards the end of the book, we see the decline of The Templars. It goes to show that when someone/some organization gets too powerful, the government will do whatever is necessary to rid the world of their existence. The same practice is still present in today's society! Nevertheless, it's still hard to believe that anyone had the ability to take The Templars down (being as rich, powerful, and influential as they were). *They had received papal bulls from Pope Innocent II (and a few popes to follow) which granted them unprecedented power without having to answer to anyone, kings included - simply amazing! The Templars had "divine power" (answering solely to the pope) and they used that leverage to their advantage for any endeavor they pursued. We'll never see that kind of institution again!

I will definitely have to read this book again to get more acquainted with the times, important figures, events and so on. For a small paperback, there is a lot of information to take in which makes this book a great little treasure to have! However, it will be a pleasure to read this book another time, and furthermore, I will use "The Knights Templar" as my guide to pursuing more books of the same interest. I hope to expand my knowledge about The Templars, and the power they held like no one else in history!

A waste of time and money.......2006-07-21

I bought this book mainly on the recommendations of other reviewers. That was a mistake. The book is a dull gleaning from unacknowledged secondary sources. Lots of more or less accurate names and dates, but no depth analysis at all. Style? Try this: "The feeling that the arrests were a criminal act of unapralleled dimensions were felt at the time."

If you still want the book, don't buy it. Let me know and I'll give you my copy.

Dungeon, Fire and Sword: The Knights Templar in the Crusades

Average customer rating:

WELL WRITEN WELL DONE. VERY INFORMATIVE
Very Impressive
Phenomenal - This is a must read
Good book, but there are better ones out there
Knights Templar 201

Dungeon, Fire and Sword: The Knights Templar in the Crusades
John J. Robinson
Manufacturer: M. Evans and Company, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0871316579

Book Description

One of the most magnificent books... putting it down is almost impossible. --Ocala Star-Banner

Customer Reviews:

WELL WRITEN WELL DONE. VERY INFORMATIVE.......2006-07-22

I enjoyed every page of this one. Not being an expert in this field, I certainly cannot vouch for each and every fact the author has given us, but the several facts I did take the time to further research proved the athor correct. The book is well written and in fact is quite a page turner. This is one of those I hated to stop reading and was rather sorry when I had finished it. It is important to understand this past era in order to understand where we are today. The consequences of the actions taken at that time are still being felt even to this day. Highly recommend this one.

Very Impressive.......2006-06-04

I am extremely impressed by the way Robinson conveyed the history of those tumultuous times in such a captivating manner. This work is rich in facts: both large and small, and all interesting. Aside from Templar history, I really appreciated Robinson's ability to clearly explain the major and minor players and the political machinery and machinations of all sides involved (Muslim factions, Hospitallers, Vanetians, the Popes, etc etc). Reading this work is a real learning experience, and Robinson's great writing is far from dry. After reading this book I will surely continue to read Robinson's other works.

Phenomenal - This is a must read .......2006-05-24

Where to start? This is a fantastic piece of work that takes you through the rise and fall of Templars. I would rate it better than Da-vinci code because this is no fiction. It is remarkable that a non-fiction work packs so much action and thrills. This is also the best account of Crusades that I have ever read. In addition, the author also touches upon the personal codes that governed the life of Templars (like the chastity belt, rules against bathing etc). All in all, I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested about Crusades or Templars

Good book, but there are better ones out there.......2006-03-05

John Robinson does a very good job in complining information about the Templar and presenting it in an interesting and readable fashion. I thoroughly enjoyed reading more about the Templar (and Robinson does include many details not found in the other Templar books I have read, contrary to those reviewers who claim it is all old material).

What I liked best about this book was its emphasis on context. Robinson does not just give an account of the Templar's doings; he provides an account of all the things which are happening around the Templars as well, which is essential for understanding the Templar.

I also liked Robinson's clear writing style. Some history book get you bogged down with dates and names, but Robinson does an excellent job of tying them together and helping you remember them so that events further into the book will make much more sense.

There are also two complaints I have about this book:

1. There are a number of small, careless mistakes which really should not have been there (i.e. slightly misquoting people, slightly incorrect dates, etc.) and which are rather annoying. As far as I can tell, none of his information is majorly wrong; he just does things like writing that events happened several weeks after another event when it was actually many months, so I guess it's not really a big deal.

2. He seemed rather biased against the Catholic Church. I myself am not Catholic, but even I do not think some of the things that they did were quite as bad as Robinson makes them out to be. For example, his comments to the effect that the charges of homosexuality against the Knights were very probably true because they had vows of chastity are simply underestimating the effect of religion upon people's lives and are just plain stupid. If the Templars couldn't take being chaste anymore, it is not very likely that they would choose to become homosexuals violating the ordinances of the Church rather than simply violating the laws of the Templar.

In conclusion, this was a very good book, but I think that there are better books on the subject out there. I would recommend Stephen Howarth's The Knights Templar. His book is slightly shorter (and thus has a little less detail), but it is also more accurate and is much more fun to read.

Overall grade: B+

Knights Templar 201 .......2005-04-28

Several readers have trashed this book, one saying 'Same old song in a new cover'. That reviewer then goes on to recommend two books written 10 years later.. That's probably why he thought that this was 'old'. While I can't compare this book to anything by Runciman or Tuchman, I will say that this is a pretty good book.

Before you buy this book, please pay attention to the title.. It is called 'Dungeon, Fire, & Sword The Knights Templar IN THE CRUSADES' In order to understand the impact of the KT in the crusades you have to understand the crusades themselves, and in order to understand the crusades, you need to understand the 'players', culture geography etc... The Crusades didn't revolve around the KT, they only played a part, albeit an integral one, in the crusades.

Yes this book is more than just the KT, and no it's not an in depth history of each of the crusades, but it's not supposed to be.. The reader should use this book as a building block about the KT, the crusades and even the Papal State.

What is interesting is that the more one reads about the KT the more you realize that there really is a lot of uncertainty and disagreement surrounding them. In his book, Howarth writes that the master of the Templars was never called the Grand Master, yet that is how Robinson refers to them. There were a few other descrepencies between the two books but nothing major.

The maps (all 3 of them) were ok. The tables of the 'players' in the back of the book were helpful.

I recommend this book.. Could you do better? Maybe, but with all of the junk that they are publishing about the KT these days you could do a heck of a lot worse.

Secret Societies of America's Elite: From the Knights Templar to Skull and Bones

Average customer rating:

Fact or fantasy?
Badly Referenced Book
Badly Referenced Book
Let down
BE CAREFUL OF THIS ONE

Secret Societies of America's Elite: From the Knights Templar to Skull and Bones
Steven Sora
Manufacturer: Destiny Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0892819596
Release Date: 2003-02-24

Book Description

An expose of the dark and critical role secret societies play within the ruling families in America and their influence on American democracy, current events, and world history.

â€¢ Reveals the enormous influence secret societies still have on contemporary American life.

â€¢ Shows how the secret Masonic cells that smuggled in the democratic ideals inspiring the American Revolution also enabled the future elite of the new society to build huge fortunes.

Elite and secret societies have always been a major force in the history of Western civilization. The alliances formed in secret societies such as the Knights Templar, the Knights of Christ, and the Freemasons transcended patriotism and religious beliefs and had a powerful influence on the establishment of the United States of America. While these secret associations of merchants, smugglers, occultists, gamblers, spies, and slavers succeeded in freeing the United States from foreign domination, the dark side is that the elite used their secret connections to further their own wealth and power. These secret cells did not hesitate to sponsor the assassination of a president and even attempted to break up the union on several occasions when it was deemed expedient.

From the Sons of Liberty and the Essex Junto to the Ku Klux Klan, secret societies have played critical roles in building the fortunes of America's elite. Now Steven Sora reveals in alarming detail how secretive societies continue to wield power even today as organizations such as Yale's Skull & Bones unite America's modern ruling families as strongly as Masonic Lodges once connected the Astors, Livingstons, and Roosevelts. Their immense power and wealth allow this elite to control America to an even greater degree than the Templars once dominated Europe.

Customer Reviews:

Fact or fantasy?.......2007-10-02

A previous reviewer has noted some examples Sora's "liberties" with facts. For me it was page 39 where we are informed that in 1919 the German Fleet, hiding in Scapa Flow, scuttled its ships rather than "surrender from its hiding place". Mr. Sora is clearly not aware that Scapa Flow was home to the British Grand Fleet, some forty Battleships, Cruisers, Dreadnoughts and Destroyers and that the German High Seas Fleet was not hiding there, but had, in fact, surrendered there.

When basic, well documented, facts are ignored or distorted, how can the rest of this work be taken seriously?

Badly Referenced Book.......2006-02-26

Sora starts off with a lot of stories on the Knights Templars, with much truth mixed in, but throughout he focuses on stories of mafia-like intrigue where graft, murder, and all manner of nefarious ways are attributed. Sora lays low when he finally gets to the Skull and Bones. But for the entirety of the book his secret societies have been blood-thirsty pirates, slave traders, and the worst of the worse.

Worst of all, with so very much of "his" history on every page, his documentation of his hundreds of evil attributions is sorely and sourly lacking. When he says in one of his many infamous lines that the KKK is a Masonic organization, a good historian would have referenced and proved that. Goodness, did Sora just purpose to link many of history's legends to one of history's worst secret societies. The KKK is a separate org like a lot of corrupt orgs with prejudicial and evil ways, and Sora forgot or purposed to leave out numerous other corrupt organizations more like the KKK than real Freemasonry. The end line for Sora, is that Freemasonry is in the main tied to many of America's elite for 300+ years, and all of the elite--he mentions many early and only a few today--are somehow corrupt.

If so many of America's elite have been and are as corrupt as Sora's long story goes, well then, there would never have been an America founded, not like the one the Declaration and Constitution established in 1776+ or like we have today. The greatest deficit and piece of incredible license is how Sora expects his readers to take in his broad stroking theme: America was founded by evil pirates and continues to be controlled by pirates to this day.

Sora did not mention, quote, or reference a single Freemasonry scholar, not even those scholars of Masonry who are "not" Masons, like famed non-Mason historian Jasper Ridley. Any history like Sora's that links so many hundreds of pages to Freemasonry (making them "all" evil) is adolescent when it ignores or purposes to hide from Freemason scholars such as Allen E. Roberts, William r. Denslow, W.L. Wilmshurst, and Alphonse Cerza, Art DeHoyos, and S. Brent Morris. Without out a single reference to the well-referenced works of Allen E. Roberts alone, Sora is adrift in his own pirate fantasies. Without the mighty works of Denslow's "10,000 Famous Freemasons" and Cerza's mighty "Anti-Masonry," Sora is a little story teller with rocks in his mouth.

Not once in 300+ pages did Sora mention the cruciality of "honor" or "morality," and yet the Knights Templar and Freemasonry for 300+ years have been all about honor. You have to look over, pass over, and ignore how "honor" and "morality" have been an integral part of all of Freemasonry, published in the monitors by all of the Grand Lodges worldwide and on nearly every page of thousands of Freemasonry scholars for 300+ years.

What is truly scary about Sora's skull-and-bones' covered book is that it is selling, like a pirate booty being auctioned off to an innocent audience unawares of Sora's home port. See www.preciousheart.net for more bibliography on Freemasonry.
Sincerely, Dr. M.G. Maness

Badly Referenced Book.......2006-02-26

Let down.......2005-04-12

The author starts off telling us that Skull and Bones membership essentially guarantees a world of privilige, power and wealth. By the end we find out it is not much more than a club whose members do some weird things. An OK read but very repetitive. Yale likes it traditions, we don't need 100 pages to tell us that, 10 would have sufficed.

BE CAREFUL OF THIS ONE.......2004-08-29

I am fearful that the historical accuracy of some of the statements made by this author are in question. I found the work to be rather poorly footnoted and some of the author's conclusions quite questionable. I also found that the work was quite repetative and that much of what the author had to tell us could have been presented in about one fourth of the pages actually used. After reading the book, I certainly would not try passing myself off as an expert on "secret societies" and their impact on our present time. Do some home work on your own before reading this one, and as I said, becareful of this one!

The Templars and the Grail: Knights of the Quest

Average customer rating:

the templars and the grail
Interesting Read
The dramatic story of the Knights Templar
A must-have book on the Templars
Fascinating and evocative yet balanced

The Templars and the Grail: Knights of the Quest
Karen Ralls
Manufacturer: Quest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0835608077

Book Description

This definitive work about the Templars and their presumed hidden knowledge addresses many fascinating questions, with rare photos from the Rosslyn Chapel Museum (Scotland) included.

Customer Reviews:

the templars and the grail.......2006-08-03

the book is too especulative not mush scientific information can be obtained.

Interesting Read.......2006-07-02

An Interesting read and a good compliment to
Holy Blood Holy Grail. It could be a bit more
in-depth and a bit less academic.
neat websites.

The dramatic story of the Knights Templar.......2005-06-05

The Knights Templar was a monastic order of Christian warriors that grew out of the medieval campaigns to free Jerusalem and Palestine from the domination of the Muslims in several waves of invasion known collectively as the Crusades. These warrior monks were believed to conduct mystical rites, guard the famed Holy Grail, and possess the lost treasures of Jerusalem. The order's wealth and political activities evolved to provide banking services to kings, act as trusted diplomats, engage in far flung business enterprise, and even work as navigators. The order was ultimately doomed to succumb to political intrigue and the malevolent greed of kings. In The Templars And The Grail: Knights Of The Quest, Oxford-based medieval historian Karen Ralls presents the dramatic story of the Knights Templar, presenting the many beliefs and theories about their presumed powers and arcane knowledge. Drawing upon both popular and academic sources, this impressive, exceptionally well written, and thoroughly accessible history is especially recommended to students of Metaphysical Studies and Medieval History.

A must-have book on the Templars.......2004-08-10

Every now and then a book comes along and you think 'thank God someone has done this!' This book really works on several levels -- firstly, the author is solid and credible, being a professional medieval historian, but also someone who has had previous curator experience at the museum exhibition at Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland --a place now known to many more of us, as it is featured in the last chapter of the Da Vinci Code novel. However, this book is a solidly-researched, nonfiction work and a fascinating read on the history of the medieval Order, the Grail, and Rosslyn Chapel, etc. For those who may already have read a bit about the Templars, it still has a lot of intriguing new stuff, yet it's backed up with solid, factual documentation and good references and footnotes-- again, something you often don't see nearly enough in popular books on the Templars. This is not the usual 'one theory book' on the Templars, which I found refreshing to say the least. But it's easy to read and follow overall, and this author doesn't attempt to 'take sides'. A variety of research and views are presented, and then, we, the readers, can take it from there. What seems to be unique here is that this author takes great care to distinguish between fact and speculation -- something in my opinion that is a problem with many of the existing books on the Knights Templars. But although I'd already read some on the Templars and still learned a lot more, a friend of mine who had read nothing at all about them also found this book really intriguing, which says something, too. The photos of the carvings of Rosslyn Chapel were great, and I especially liked the various intriguing bits here and there in each chapter -- like material on the Black Madonna, geometry, St Bernard's role, the medieval origins of traveller's checks, the Jolly Roger pirate flag and medieval Templar naval warfare, various excavations under the Temple Mount, Templar symbolism, and so on. A good resource to have around, and it's not surprising this book is on its fifth printing in a year...it's also easy to 'dip into' when you like. Definitely worth getting.

Fascinating and evocative yet balanced.......2004-02-11

Written by an academic medieval historian, this is one of the best history books on the Knights Templar to come out for some time -- it is balanced (many academic but also some popular sources used, but carefully) and thoughtful, yet still manages to be readable and very intriguing. An ideal combo. The sources are reliable, so this author simply does not need to resort to mere sensationalism, which is so often the case with books on the Templars. The material on Scotland is great, especially the chapter on the enigmatic carvings of Rosslyn Chapel, a place that was also featured in the novel The Da Vinci Code. I would have liked a bit more on medieval Templar naval strategies and warfare and the Jolly Roger, but overall, if you are looking for a solid, reliable book that still has compelling research, admitting that there are still some important unanswered questions about the 'White knights' of the Crusades -- it's a valuable reference book to have around, plus a great read!

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)

Average customer rating:

Check and see
Suprise! Suprise!
Prescient St Augustine?
Something of a disappointment
Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy..

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
Anatoly T Fomenko
Manufacturer: Delamere Resources LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621066

Product Description

`History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2` is the second volume of the most explosive and astounding tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by rock solid scientific data. The book is easy and pleasant to read; it is well-illustrated, contains hundreds of charts, graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays. You will be amazed to discover: - That the chronology universally accepted today and taken for granted is simply wrong; - That ALL methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts known today are erroneous or non-exact; - That there is not a single document that could be reliably dated earlier than the XIth century; The Author refers to the Middle Ages as the Antiquity and proves mutual superimposition of the Second and the Third Roman Empire, both of which become identified as the respective kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Furthermore, he asserts that the famous reform of the Occidental Church in the XI century by Pope Gregory Hildebrand was the reflection of the XII century reforms of Byzantine emperor Andronicus who in his turn identifies with Jesus Christ. The Trojan war counted by Homer happened only as late as of the XIII century A.D. and the great poet actually lived in XIV century A.D. No stone in history of Antiquity is left unturned. Literally. This book is the beginning of a major correction to the chronology we live with.

Customer Reviews:

Check and see.......2007-06-21

I don't care what other people say of this book. Those affirmig it's fake, they hadn't ever read it. Or have some special reasons to do so. "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see..." This book won't make you feel comfortable. It'll make you feel free. It'll make you feel you're "not the only one" to feel you'd been lied to for centuries.

Suprise! Suprise!.......2007-03-22

Here is a serie of books which turns "the whole world" upside down. I learned a lot of it and I hope that a new book from A.T. Fomenko will follow very quick. A absolute must for everybody who is interested in history or even a little bit from it.

Prescient St Augustine?.......2006-02-05

We can so far divide the New Chronology into the following three parts:

a) The verifiable theory that proves consensual chronology wrong with the aid of astronomy, statistics and mathematics;

b) The new chronology hypothesis based on a new understanding of known historical facts and the most likely logical explanation of the most obvious inconsistencies inherent in the official version of history;

c) The history conjectures, that is experimental historical reconstructions based on assumptions that the authors believe to make sense in the light of their research and linguistic parallels - void of ironclad factual support to date.

Fomenko's theory complies with the most rigid scientific standards as a whole:

It gives a coherent explanation of what we already know.

- It is consistent: independent lines of inquiry all lead to the same conclusion.

- The predictions it makes are confirmed empirically.

Fomenko goes by the following axioms:

- Chronology is the basis of history;

- Human evolution has always been linear, gradual and irreversible;

- The "cyclic" nature of human civilization is a myth, likewise all the gaps, duplicates, "dark ages" and "renaissances" that we know from consensual history;

- The accumulation of geographical knowledge as reflected in cartography is a gradual and irreversible process;

- The chronological distance between a given manuscript and the events described therein is proportional to the amount of distortions it contains;

- There is no "useless" information in authentic ancient sources.

Why the mainstream historians do not shower mathematician Academician Dr.Prof Fomenko with thanks and laurels?

The Russians:

Because Fomenko asserts that there was no such thing as the Tartar and Mongol invasion followed by three centuries of slavery, providing a formidable body of documental evidence to prove his assertion. The so-called "Tartars and Mongols" were the actual ancestors of the modern Russians, living in a bilingual state with Arabic spoken as freely as Russian. The ancient Russian state was governed by a double structure of civil and military authorities. The hordes were actually professional armies with a tradition of lifelong conscription (the recruitment being the so-called "blood tax"). Their "invasions" were punitive operations against the regions that attempted tax evasion. Fomenko proves that Russian history as we know it today is a blatant forgery concocted by a host of German scientists brought to Russia by the usurper dynasty of the Romanovs, whose ascension to the throne was the result of coup d'état, charged with the mission of making their reign look legitimate. Fomenko proves Ivan the Terrible to be a collation of four rulers, no less. They represented the two rival dynasties - the legitimate rulers and the ambitious upstarts. The winner took it all! Over some 30 years of controversy, Russian historians have made a most remarkable transition - they were initially accusing the young mathematician Fomenko of anticommunist dissident activity and attempts to deface the historical legacy of Soviet Russia; nowadays the middle-aged mathematician is accused of adhering to "pro-communist Russian nationalism" and defacing the proud historical legacy of Great Russia.

The Westerners:

Because Fomenko blows consensual Russian history to smithereens, successfully removing a crucial cornerstone from underneath the otherwise impeccable edifice of World History. Fomenko adds insult to injury, wiping out one by one the Ancient Rome (the foundation of Rome in Italy is dated to the XIV century A. D.), the Ancient Greece and its numerous poleis, which he identifies as the mediaeval crusader settlements on the territory of Greece, and the Ancient Egypt (the pyramids of Giza become dated to the XI-XV century A. D. and identified as the royal cemetery of the Global "Mongolian" Empire, no less). The civilization of the Ancient Egypt is irrefutably dated to the XII-XV century A. D. with the aid of the ancient Egyptian horoscopes cut in stone. He was the first one to decipher and date all such horoscopes, coming up with mediaeval dates in every case. English historians rage at the suggestion that the history of Ancient England was de facto a Byzantine import transplanted to the English soil by the fugitive Byzantine nobility. To reward the English historians who consider themselves the true scribes of World History, the cover of the present book portrays Tintoretto's Jesus Christ crucified on the Big Ben.

The Chinese:

Because Fomenko wipes out the Ancient History of China outright. No such thing. Full point. The compilation of the so-called Ancient Chinese History is reliably datable to the XVII-XVIII century only. It is perfectly recognizable as the Ancient European history, reworked and transcribed in hieroglyphs as yet another historical transplantation, this time performed on the Chinese soil by the loving Jesuit hands. The Chinese are the next in line to go berserk. Chinese history is inevitably bound to get both more ancient and more eventful, proportionally to the growing involvement of China in the world affairs. Chinese historians will keep on finding valid proof of prehistoric Chinese spaceflights until the Politburo orders them to shut up.

The Arabs:

Too bad. Islam with all its key figures is datable to XV-XVI century A. D. Arabic historians may find consolation in the crucial historical role of the Ottoman Empire in the XVI-XVII century. The trouble is that this empire was initially a Christian state, with Hagia Sophia identifiable as Temple of Solomon, according to Fomenko! We can only guess if the acquisition of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian and a Christian) as the founder of the Muslim World Empire will make Fomenko's theories more acceptable to the Arabic mainstream. He certainly does not spare any holy cows at all, claiming The Stone of Qa'Aba in Mecca to contain the lost Arch of the Covenant.

The Divinity:

Despite of reiterated statement that his theory is all about chronology and not Religion, Fomenko stirs up a whole condominium of wasp nests. His collection of anathemas, fatwa, and other condemnations from all parties concerned is already considerable. Little wonder, considering that the history of religions à la Fomenko looks as follows: the pre-Christian period (before the XI century and JC), Bacchic Christianity (XI-XII century, before and after JC), JC Christianity (XII-XVI century) and its subsequent mutations into Orthodox Christianity, the Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, and so on.

According to Fomenko we know strictly NOTHING about the events that predate the X century A. D.

St Augustin was prescient when he spoke unto us: "be wary of mathematicians, particularly when they speak the truth."

Something of a disappointment.......2005-09-09

After having read the first volume of this expected series of 7 volumes I was triggered by the thesis of these authors that ancient Greek and Roman history did in fact take place in the Middle Ages. So I started studying medieval history of the Middle East - also known as Islamic history - to find out if the opponents of the ancient Greeks and Romans - the Acheamenid Persians, Sassanids, Scythians, Egyptians, etc. - also have their duplicates in medieval history. My search was disappointing: none of the many medieval Islamic dynasties seemed to correspond to the ancient middle eastern rulers.

However, I did find a close correspondence between Herodotus' Persian kings and medieval events:

- the defeat and capture of an Anatolian king - the Lydian Croesus - by the Persian conqueror Cyrus is identical to the defeat and capture of another Anatolian king - sultan Bayezid - by the Asian/Mongol conqueror Tamerlane;
- the Persian conquest of Egypt by the cruel tyrant Cambyses reds almost exactly as the Ottoman conquest of Egypt by Selim the Grim (note the nickname!);
- Darius the Lawgiver of the Persian Empire looks very much alike to Sulayman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver in Islamic history;
- Xerxes, whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by the Greeks at the naval battle of Salamis, looks like Selim II (the Sot) whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by a Spanish-Italian alliance at the naval battle of Lepanto.

I should have expected Fomenko et al. to arrive at similar conclusions, however, they claim that the Persian kings are the alter egos of the Angevin kings of Sicily whose biographies do not contain the exploits of the Persian kings.

The similiarities I indicate lead to the conclusion that Herodotus must have written his Histories at the close of the 16th century. But this is extremely late, given that Herodotus is "the Father of History", so therefore all other "ancient" histories must have been fabricated even later. Yet, the founders of modern chronology - Scaliger and Petavius - laid their foundations also at the close of the 16th century and had the full corpus of ancient histories already at their disposal.

It seems to me that Fomenko has to address these inconsistencies, maybe in the forthcoming 5 volumes?

Another critique of their book is that the correspondencies between different rulers are often based on a superficial comparison of the biographies; upon a more thorough comparison many details appear that do not correspond at all.

Finally, the authors rely heavily on the works of Gregorovius (1821-1891!!) - his medieval histories of Rome and Athens - as the source of medieval history; these works are - at least in the West - hoplessly outdated and have been superceded by more up-to-date works (for instance, Julius Norwich's trilogy on Byzantine history is not even cited).

Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy.........2005-07-30

If you agree with Fomenko that Roman chronology is basically the foundation of the entire edifice of global chronology; you would also certainly agree that despite its numerous gaps and inconsistencies, Roman history is the best-documented field of ancient history, and thus a reference scale. But how well is the actual date of the Eternal City's foundation known?

Firstly, Rome is supposed to have been founded by the Trojans who had to flee after the fall of Troy. Some claim Rome to have been founded by Aeneas and Ulysses shortly after Troy had fallen; others are of the opinion that there was an entire dynasty that ruled for 500 years between the fall of Troy and the foundation of Rome.

Well, that's just an innocent 500 years long misunderstanding compared with what heretic Fomenko says, asserts, proves in his second volume: Second Roman Empire, Third Roman Empire, Biblical Kingdom of Israel, Biblical Kingdom of Judah, Holy Roman Empire are stories about basically same events, written from different points of view at different times. The underlying events have actually taken place during xii-xv cy. These histories have been written and perfected by multitude of highly talented humanist and clerical writers of xiii-xvi cy disguised as "ancients" with glorious names like Homer, Pluto, Thucydides etc..Chronology 2.0 beta..

Historians are kindly invited to report the bugs.

Opening the Ark of the Covenant: The Secret Power of the Ancients, the Knights Templar Connection, And the Search for the Holy Grail

Average customer rating:

Without merit
An engrossing analysis of Ark representations and documents evolves.
Very interesting point of view

Opening the Ark of the Covenant: The Secret Power of the Ancients, the Knights Templar Connection, And the Search for the Holy Grail
Frank Joseph , and Laura Beaudoin
Manufacturer: New Page Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 156414903X

Book Description

The Ark of the Covenant is at once the most famous and baffling article in history. Although it is cited more often than any other object throughout the Old Testament and was described as the ancient Hebrews' most precious possession, its real meaning and ultimate fate were utterly unknown…until now.

During his worldwide research into its disappearance, author Frank Joseph learned that the Ark was not a mere legend; nor was it just an elaborate box used to store the original Ten Commandments. It was, he asserts, purpose-built to harness the powers of the Earth for humanity's continued physical existence and spiritual evolution. As such, it is the single most priceless fortune mankind has ever possessed.

Following the Ark through the Book of Exodus, he discovered its lineage pre-dated the Bible, extending back in time to ancient Egypt and stories of lost Atlantis. Joseph traced the exact circumstances of the Ark's rediscovery under Jerusalem's Temple Mount by the Knights Templar. Having found the precious object, they returned with it to France, where its clandestine journey across Europe would last for the next 800 years.

Opening the Ark of the Covenant is the result of a quarter-century-long investigation. It leads from the sea-bottom off the coast of Florida to the remote heights of France's Pyrenees Mountains and Japan's secret shrines; from the Nile Valley to the Valley of Mexico. This uniquely far-flung, in-depth hunt for the truth about mankind's most valuable possession reveals the Ark's actual function, purpose and location.

Opening the Ark of the Covenant is a fact-based examination of the Arks real origins, manufactured purpose, historical application, and present whereabouts. Revealing its genuine nature and ultimate destiny represents the most profound disclosure of its kind, powerful enough to shake the foundations of established religions and modern science alike.

Customer Reviews:

Without merit.......2007-10-01

I like some of Frank Joseph's books but this one has no merit. Merely a speculation without any solid fundation. If you want a good book about the true Ark of Covenant and its possible locations, read Randall Price book.

An engrossing analysis of Ark representations and documents evolves........2007-08-06

OPENING THE ARK OF THE COVENANT: THE SECRET POWER OF THE ANCIENTS, THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR CONNECTION, AND THE SEARCH FOR THE HOLY GRAIL will reach both new age and mainstream spirituality holdings, comes from the editor-in-chief of the popular science magazine Ancient America and a co-author with direct ancestors connected to the Crusader kings in the 12th and 13th centuries, and provides worldwide research into the Ark's disappearance which proves its facts. An engrossing analysis of Ark representations and documents evolves.

Very interesting point of view.......2007-05-26

This book takes you from Atlantis to the Holy Grail and bloodline. A very interesting idea about a crystal formation that was the power source for the Ark of the Covenant and use in building the Pyramids. The crystal resonated just right over land areas that were in turmoil regularly because of eathquake or volcanic activity. This would allow humans to attain a euphoric or trance like state. The wise men, holy men, shamans of the world were the keepers of the secret of how these crystals worked. The path of the crystal starts in Lemuria (Atlantis) and passes to other areas of the world with the catastrophic demise of Atlantis.
And if anything it was a fun read.

An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar

Average customer rating:

OK in general. Very good if you like pictures with your history.
An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar
Little is duplicated, here.
Thank You
If I had only one book about the Knights Templar...

An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar
James Wasserman
Manufacturer: Destiny Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1594771170
Release Date: 2006-09-29

Book Description

A lavishly illustrated, comprehensive look at the mysterious history of the Order of the Knights Templar

• Presents the myths and historical truths of the Knights Templar, the elite warrior army of the pope who were destroyed as heretics some 700 years ago

• Examines the evidence of the Templar connections to the Assassins and the Cathars

• Includes more than 170 period illustrations and contemporary photos of former Templar strongholds in Europe and Jerusalem

Despite the increasing scholarship devoted to the study of the Templar order, founded in 1119, the mystery surrounding the Templars endures. Secret societies from the Freemasons to the Ordo Templi Orientis claim descent from this religious order of warrior-monks. As the private army of the pope, the Knights Templar were initially established to protect Christian pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land but grew to become one of the most powerful organizations in the Middle Ages. With period illustrations from manuscripts from the Crusades, interpretive romantic paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries, and contemporary photos by Steven Brooke and others of former Templar strongholds in Europe and Jerusalem, James Wasserman, author of the bestselling The Templars and the Assassins, provides a fascinating history of the Order and the many mysteries and legends that surround it.

Wasserman presents the evidence for the Templar connection to mystical Islamic organizations such as the Assassins as well as their ties to “heretical” groups such as the Cathars, who were targeted by a crusade in southern France to expunge the challenge they presented to the orthodoxy of their time. In addition to providing an overview of the Templars’ actions during the Crusades, Wasserman revisits the trial and the charges leveled against them, showing how the Order was ruthlessly crushed. He also explores the nature of the treasure they left behind, which has fueled popular imagination for centuries.

Customer Reviews:

OK in general. Very good if you like pictures with your history........2007-05-01

Mr. Wasserman has no doubt spent countless hours researching the Knights Templar. He is a member of an occult society (which is somewhat built along the lines of the Templars) and provides interesting insight in to the Templar mystery, but in reality, this is just a picture book surrounding a brief summary of the templar history.

The problem is that pictures, especially where medieval/dark ages history is concerned, are very affected; that is to say that the depictions were created under the watchful eye of a Inquisition that was out of control, a Papacy that was on the defensive following the Templar trial debacle.

Now, had the illustrations been accurate, this may be worth the purchase price, but since the drawings are all based on artistic impression, creative license, political or personal bias, and seperation by time, what you end up with is a book that places pictures in your mind when you should really be taking the information and creating your own ideas, concepts and images with your own mind.

A noble effort and worth the read for any Templar lover, but still just a picture book with some history thrown in for good measure.

If you are a student of the Templars, as I am, you can probably live without this book in your library.

If you are new to the subject, be careful because I would hate for preconceived notions to enter your mind as you are just starting to study a subject that is rich in culture, history, people, geography and politics.

The subject of the Templars, their rise, fall and eventual destruction involves much political, religious, personal and monetary backstory that must be understood to truly appreciate the consequences.

Just be careful as you peruse the pictures, but do take note of the history because Mr. Wasserman is a very good compiler of information on this and many other topics. He is a definitely a talented researcher.

An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar.......2007-03-19

Well illustrated with clear and concise text. Not an in-depth analysis but useful for further reading on closely related topics.

Little is duplicated, here........2007-02-09

Plenty of books have been written about the Templar order founded in 1119, but the mystery surrounding them continues. Author James Wasserman is a thirty-year member of the Ordo Templi Orientis, has written other books on the topic, and here provides a history of the Order and its legends and mysteries. From images of Crusades manuscripts to interpretive paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries and modern photos of former Templar places in Europe and Jerusalem, AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR makes the most of visuals from all centuries and is a recommended pick for any new age collection, even those who already have several books on the topic. Little is duplicated, here.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Thank You.......2006-12-21

Thank you Mr.Wasserman for this gift to Templar enthusiasts. This addition to his published works cannot go with out notice. It contains a detailed history of the Templars as well as the largest collection of photos, paintings, and etchings, which visually chronicle an amazing section of history.

For those groups that claim descent from these brave Knights, An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar, will serve to benefit their knowledge of this history and enrich their understanding of these group's foundation.

If I had only one book about the Knights Templar..........2006-12-17

Hats off to Mr. Wasserman! I have read over a dozen treatments of the Knights Templar and Mr. Wasserman's books set the standard that I measure the others against. His research is meticulous. His history of the Templars begins with background on the founder and follows through to the fateful Friday the 13th when the Knights were imprisoned and their property seized and the ensuing torture and sham trials endured by these Knights.

"The Illustrated History" offers no fairy tales, myths, or undocumented rumors. This is the history of the Order as documented by them and both their European and Arab enemies.

The term "Illustrated" hardly begins to describe the number (over 160 - about one image per page) of images in this book. I can't imagine the scores of hours it would take an individual reader to research and locate so many images of the Knights Templar, their enemies, their properties, and their battles. This book easily has more images than any ten other books I have read on the Templars. Images range from 13th and 14th century paintings through Paul Kirchner's drawings and Vere Chappell's contemporary photographs of many important sites. Finally, two full page maps put the reach of the Knights and the distances involved in the Crusades into startling perpsective.

Mr. Wasserman offers detailed background on the geopolitical climate in the Holy Lands during the centuries the Templars battled for and protected sacred sites in the name of the Pope. I suspect many readers will see similarities to today's geopolitical struggles in Arabia and Persia.

If I had only one book about the Knights Templar in my library, "An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar" is the one I would want. No one will regret buying this book for themselves or as a gift. Take advantage of amazon and get this book and "The Mystery Traditions" too! I can't believe so much value is so affordable here!

Traitor of St. Giles (Knights Templar series)

Average customer rating:

Jecks
More Murder and Mystery
the Traitor of St. Giles

Traitor of St. Giles (Knights Templar series)
Michael Jecks
Manufacturer: Headline Book Publishing
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0747263620

Book Description

In 1321, the King's favorite, Hugh Despenser, is using his position to steal land and wealth from the other lords. His rapacity has divided the nation, and civil war looms. In Tiverton, rape and murder have unsettled the town, which is preparing for the feast of St. Giles; Philip Dyne has confessed and claimed sanctuary in St. Peter's church. Sir Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace, and Bailiff Simon Puttock, arrive at Lord Hugh de Courtenay's castle at Tiverton for the feast. When a messenger arrives calling for the coroner, Baldwin and Simon accompany him to view the body of Sir Gilbert of Carlisle, Despenser's ambassador to Lord Hugh. Not far off lies a second corpse—the decapitated figure of Dyne. When Baldwin and Simon are themselves viciously attacked, they know that a sinister force is at large, someone with a powerful motive to kill. But there are so many suspects.

Customer Reviews:

Jecks.......2006-11-03

Michael needs to write faster so his audience can enjoy more of his good work.

More Murder and Mystery .......2006-08-21

Michael Jecks gave up a career in the computer industry when he began writing the internationally successful Templar series. Well all I can say is the Computer Industries loss is the reader's gain. He has now written about a score of the Knights Templar mystery books featuring Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and Bailiff Simon Puttock and there are more to follow. Michael's books are full of intrigue and mystery and they are particularly well researched. Mr. Jecks lives in the area he writes about and I am sure this must assist him a great deal with his background research.

This is the ninth in this series of books and Michael Jecks is managing to maintain the high standard with all of them. In this books Sir Baldwin, Keeper of the King's Peace and his friend, Bailiff Simon Puttock those attending the midsummer feast at Lord Hugh's castle in Tiverton.

Trouble is brewing with Hugh Despenser the corrupt favourite of Edward II starting to attract many of the nobles to his cause and threatening civil war. Sir Gilbert de Carlisle, Despenser's ambassador to Sir Hugh is murdered while he is escorting a chest of gold to the king. Meanwhile the head and body of an outlaw called Philip Dyne are found nearby. The coroner states that Dyne killed Sir Gilbert and then two upright citizens beheaded Dyne as he was trying to escape. Sir Baldwin and Simon do not believe that the murder can be as simple as the coroner thinks it is.

the Traitor of St. Giles.......2000-12-16

Another chilling tale of murder and mayhem in the medieval West Country mystery series featuring the Keeper of the King's Peace, Sir Baldwin Furnshill, and Bailiff Simon Puttock. This time political affairs of the country frame the mystery.

Edward II's favourite, Hugh Despenser, has been using his favoured position to steal and intimidate. The Marcher lords, tired and fed up with Despenser's corruption, have risen up in arms and declared Despenser to be an enemy of the King. They then marched all the way to London to see the King and demand that he exile the entire Despenser family. Despenser's allies and enemies alike not immediately involved with the Marcher lords actions have all been monitoring the situation. With whom should they throw their lot? This is what brings Sir Gilbert of Carlisle, a former Knight Templar, now one of Despenser's men, to Tiverton. He's not sure of what he should do: whether he should remain loyal to Despenser and probably face exile in some foreign land, or if he should offer his loyalties to another lord. To this end he decides to sound out Lord Hugh de Courtenay at Tiverton, to see if he will throw his lot with Despenser or with Despenser's enemies; and also to ask his opinion on what de Courtenay thinks will happen.

However not everyone's mind is on the political goings on of the land. In Tiverton, the rape and murder of Joan Carter has unsettled everyone's peace of mind. Her murderer is believed to be Philip Dyne, who managed to escape the posse and seek sanctuary within the church. As a self confessed felon, he must now promise to leave England, never to return, or else forfeit his life. Joan's family, bent on revenge and seeking their own brand of justice, are swift to follow Dyne as he makes his way down the highway out of England.

Meanwhile, Sir High de Courtenay is holding a feast at his castle in Tiverton, and has invited all his men to the celebration. This brings Sir Baldwin and his wife Jeanne, as well Simon Puttock to Tiverton. During the feast, news of a grissily find sends Baldwin, Simon and the somewhat corrupt Coroner, into the forest to investigate. There they find the badly beaten and decapitated body of Philip Dyne, as well the body of Sir Gilbert (he had been swiftly, and cleanly killed with a single stroke of a sword) and that of one of his hunting dogs (also killed with a sword stroke). The Coroner keen to wrap things up swiftly, and hoping to curry favour with those in more powerful positions, decides that Dyne murdered Sir Gilbert, and was in turn executed by members of Joan's family. This would make Dyne's execution legal, as he had committed a further crime by killing Sir Gilbert. Joan's family agree to back the Coroner's theory. However Sir Baldwin is incensed. He wants justice for his fellow Templar, and cannot see how Dyne could have successfully murdered a man trained a combat and yet fall victim to the blade of a couple of fat merchants! To him the whole story is preposterous! And so Sir Baldwin, ably assissited by Simon Puttock starts poking around in Tiverton, hoping to uncover the truth of what really happened.

This series keeps getting better and better. And this latest mystery is quite the page turner! With each new person Baldwin and Simon interview, new evidence comes to light that paints quite a different picture. The novel rich in historical detail -- the dilemma that many faced whether to support their King thereby also supporting the corrupt and avaricious Despensers, or to support those against the Despensers and thereby opposing their annointed King -- is deftly related. At the same time, the book also paints quite a vivid picture of daily life in 14th century England.

A rich and complex mystery that truly does deserve an excellent rating.

Average customer rating:

Exceeded my expectations. A Scholarly work.

Intriguing historical thesis

Second Messiah: Templars, th Turin Shroud and the Great Secret of Freemasonry

Gateway Drug To Gnosticism

Good Read - As historically accurate as the Bible?

Second Messiah: Templars, the Turin Shroud and the Great Secret of Freemasonry
Christopher Knight , and Robert Lomas
Manufacturer: Fair Winds Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1931412766

Book Description

For almost seven and a half centuries, a piece of cloth was venerated because it bore the image of the crucified Christ. However, but results of carbon dating have shown that the fabric could not have predated 1260. Now new evidence conclusively proves that it is not a face...yet neither is it the image of Jesus Christ.

In the follow-up to their groundbreaking first book, The Hiram Key, Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas continue their research into the mysteries of Freemasonry and the true historical Jesus, and uncover the precise time and place of the shroudÂ's creation.

The answer to the great mystery of the Shroud of Turin will surprise and astonish as the authors unlock the secrets of abandoned Freemason rituals and the man who would be called the Second Messiah.

Customer Reviews:

Exceeded my expectations. A Scholarly work. .......2007-04-09

I was skeptical at first that this was going to be just another "DaVinci Code" fiction. I was wrong.

The authors have provided a body of research that cannot be easily ignored or dismissed, except by those who have beliefs that are unmoveable and uninfluenced by sound research and scientific evidence.
For those people to whom knowledge is an enemy there can be no evidence.

Why the Templars? Why their destruction by the RC Church? What is the original genisis and purpose of the Freemasons? What is a plausible and scientific explanation for the Shroud of Turin? The info is compeling and largely supported by evidence.

While some unknowns / gaps are filled in with speculation, the logic and plausability is reasonable, and does not diminish the scholarly findings.

An exciting and educational book.

Intriguing historical thesis.......2007-01-09

Very interesting book -- it just draws you along and you cannot put it down. Exciting, fascinating, worth reading. And I bet you'll buy his others, too, as I did and am glad.

Second Messiah: Templars, th Turin Shroud and the Great Secret of Freemasonry.......2006-03-15

He gets caught in his own trap!! A lot of truth is discussed, but much of it does not understand the role of the Masonic Order. The Masonic Order and Temmplars kept the family safe. In 1832, this role was changed, as the book acknowledges. But the author is not able to give answers as to why or how it changed. Today this is not a challenge for the Masonic Order, klor the Templars. Completion of the a special Grail objective allowed the need for protection to be stopped. Now no one knows how to either get permission to unwrap the mystery!!!!!!

Gateway Drug To Gnosticism.......2006-01-28

I picked this up when it was on sale at B&N, and at least 3 months prior to my picking up The DaVinci Code. As a matter of fact, as I was rotating the book between my fingers, reading the jacket, I overheard a Barnes & Noble employee giving glowing recommendation to The DaVinci Code, a book I had only just heard about. I can pinpoint my reinvigorated exploration of Christianity to this very book, on that very day. Not that I buy it lock, stock and barrel, mind you. At times, it seems the Knight and Lomas stretch marginal evidence to bridge 700 years from the Knights Templar to the present. However, we come away with more than a kernel of enlightened perspective on the European adoption of Christianity.

I also feel that because of this book, I am a more solid critic of the blind-faith believers in the Shroud of Turin as THE holy relic. There are an awful lot of steps and connections missing between then and the first provenance of the shroud in France, 1357, although the "Edessa Cloth" refered to at least as far back as 944 CE by Gregory Referendarius, archdeacon of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, could possibly have been the same artifact.

The defacto Shroud of Turin official web site discussion board is replete with such outrageous blind faith-based propositions, which, in summary, say that the image was created in the cloth as Jesus' godly spirit passed through the cloth on its ascent to heaven. Well, if you believe that Jesus was god (which Free Masons Knight and Lomas do not believe), then there is nothing to discuss or study, and civilization may as well stop in its tracks, because there is nothing more to know about Life, The Universe, and Everything. It is simply 42, er, I mean, Jesus.

Knight and Lomas do a fantastic job in presenting the hitherto unfamiliar Roslin Chapel of Scotland. Wow, it is a pilgrimage I must make. Judging by the pictorials and the film documentaries I have seen, Roslin Chapel was NOT designed with orthodox Christian themes in mind.

Even though I have the sense to read The Second Messiah with a grain of salt, still, the authors know how to plant the seed of doubt about the origins and meaning of The Messiah, and YeHeShoVah. When you take the next step (rather, a next step, as there are many divergent avenues after this book) by delving into the Dead Sea Scrolls, one arrives at quite a bit of corroborative evidence that Jesus was not only just a man, and not a god, but that he may not even have been the Messiah. Again, there are those who "back" their criticism with typical papal bull (pun intended) and King James interpretations of the Bible, which is a bit like treating Fitzgerald's Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam as the authentic version; i.e., falacious.

I called my heading "Gateway Drug To Gnosticism" because I would not have given Christianity a second chance had it not been for this book. Another reviewer of another title observed that traditional Christianity is basically a closed system. But, that is only how it has been patented since Christianity hit the shores of Rome. The ontogeny of Christianity in its native Judea is far more opaque than the Catholic corporate committee understands. Kudos to Knight and Lomas for sparking a new age of inquisitiveness as replacement to the obsolete age of inquisition.

Good Read - As historically accurate as the Bible?.......2005-12-08

I actually picked this book up off the bargain table at my local reseller, and found it was certainly a quick and entertaining read. Throuhgout, I was reminded of the creation vs. evolution debate. Since there was not a camera to photograph the beginning of man, you need to look at all of the facts and theories that are available, and then decide for yourself. Same with this book. Never did I feel as if the authors were presenting their ideas as FACT, just some theories, based on evidence they have researched, and then they leave you to decide what you believe on your own. I'm honestly amused at all of the people who have posted reviews here and say, "well, this theory is just wrong because it goes against the facts presented in Matthew book/verse". The Bible is also an interesting read (and I've read it a couple of times), but should not be presented as FACT either. Look at the evidence you can find, ponder possible theories...and then THINK FOR YOURSELF! If you can find this book...enjoy it.

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