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.

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)

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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.

Traitor of St. Giles (Knights Templar series)

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Jecks
More Murder and Mystery
the Traitor of St. Giles

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

Book Description

For Sir Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace, and Bailiff Simon Puttock, the Christmas of 1321 promises to be one of great festivity. They are to receive the prestigious Gloves of Honor in a ceremony led by the specially elected Boy-Bishop of Exeter. But they soon learn that Ralph, the glovemaker, has been stabbed to death. Then Peter, a Secondary at the cathedral, collapses from poisoning. Sir Baldwin and his colleague must waste no time in solving the riddles surrounding the deaths, but as they dig for the truth, they find that many of Exeter's leading citizens are not what—or whom—they seem to be. The Boy-Bishop's Glovemaker is the tenth novel in this superbly plotted medieval mystery series.

Customer Reviews:

Overly convoluted and wordy -- his weakest so far.......2007-01-31

I've read each of the Jecks "Templar" books in order, so this is my 10th one and the weakest so far. It is so convoluted, with so many characters milling about, that it's hard to keep track of the multiple plot lines. Jecks also appears to have tried to fit in every detail he'd learned about Cathedral life -- much of it irrelevant to the story.

Of course, it's important for writers to research their subject, but they need to know which material to discard as well as which to include. Jecks piles up minutae until it overwhelms the characterization and plot.

There is a repetitiveness about the book, too, with the main characters going over (and over and over) the same information and questions. He probably could have told the same story in half the length.

I've also noticed that, in the last few books, the focus is placed less and less on the main series characters -- Baldwin and Simon, and their respective families. Having invested so much time in getting to know these protagonists, it's annoying to have them play background roles.

Yes, I'll go on and read number 11, but I'm not sure how many more volumes I'll wade through if things don't improve.

Keep them coming Michael.......2004-11-12

Sir Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace and ex Templar knight and his friend Bailiff Simon Puttock have been summoned to Exeter to receive a prestigious award. Within hours of arriving they find there has been a savage murder and then another person dies a suspicious death, but was it murder or suicide. The Dean and the city Coroner ask the pair to solve the riddles surrounding the deaths. As they dig for the truth they find that many of Exeter's prominent citizens are not what, or who they seem to be. Excellent plots, read them all, you won't regret it.

I didn't get into this one.......2001-08-24

I'll probabley go back and finish reading it at some point but it didn't grab me in the same way that the previous stories had. I think part of it was that the the sexual tension between baldwin and his wife is gone. They seem to have settled into a comfortable groove and that made it kind of boring. Also I like to have some idea of what's going on but from reading this it seemed so random and I hadn't a clue as to why the man was killed. I must say I was disappointed.

an engrossing read.......2001-07-05

There is always two things that you can count on when you pick up a Sir Baldwin Furnshill & Bailiff Simon Puttock West Country mystery: an exquisitely well crafted and cunning murder mystery; and that Michael Jecks has peppered the novel with all kinds of interesting bits of medieval facts and history. This latest Furnshill & Puttock murder mystery, "The Boy-Bishop's Glovemaker" takes place during the Christmas festivities of 1321 in the cathedral city of Exeter, and chronicles one of the most chilling and deadliest of cases that Sir Baldwin and Simon Puttock have ever taken on.

One of the many festivities celebrated during the Christmas season, is the election of one of the choristers to be "Bishop" for a day. Discipline is relaxed, and the Boy-Bishop and his friends are given some money, food and allowed to wonder about in the city, and to take part in harmless bits of mischief and mayhem. It is also on this day that leading members of the community are presented with special gem studded gloves to mark their service to Church and city. Both Sir Baldwin and Simon Puttock are to awarded these gloves; and when they first enter the city, they little expect that such a festive and joyous occasion would lead them to cross paths with one of the most ruthless of killers that they will ever come across!

Within hours of their arrival, they are summoned to the cathedral by the Dean. It turns out that the cathedral's glovemaker, Ralph, had been robbed and murdered a few days before. Ralph's apprentice, Elias, had been arrested for the crime mainly because it was Elias's knife that had been used to murder Ralph. Elias of course proclaims his innocence -- not that any one believes him. Now however, a Secondary from the cathedral, Peter Golloc, who had dealt with Ralph in the commissioning of the special gloves (he delivered the money and jewels for the gloves) has been found poisoned. The Coroner of the city cannot help but wonder if perhaps Elias is innocent afterall, and that Peter, and an unknown accomplice, may have robbed and murdered Ralph, with Peter in turn being murdered by his confederate. The Dean is appalled by the Coroner's allegations, and asks Sir Baldwin and Simon to investigate. Both men reluctantly agree since they both believe that the two murders are unconnected. However the more they dig, the more deaths they uncover, and it isn't too long before both men realise that they are after a truly cunning, cold blooded and single-minded killer. Will Sir Baldwin and Simon Puttock be able to successfully unmask the murderer before (s)he strikes again?

Book Description

Murder is again polluting the Exeter Cathedral close, but this killer will not be easily caught. The victim, Henry Potell, was feared by many, and held secrets that some wished to keep hidden. For Sir Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace, and his friend Bailiff Simon Puttock, events become increasingly mysterious. Who among Henry Potell's companions knows the truth about his death? What first appears to be a matter of lust or greed soon grows more troubling as Baldwin becomes aware of the ominous Chapel of Bones, built long ago in reparation for a terrible murder.

Customer Reviews:

Knights Templar Mysteries .......2006-06-29

Books in this series are an enjoyable read both for the quality of writing and the well researched historical back ground. I was only recently introduced to this author but have read at least 5 thus far. I had missed something in the historical mystery venue since Candace Robb has had nothing out in recent times. There are books called "historical mysteries," but they are lacking in historical research wherein they place their characters not to mention the quality, or should I say lack thereof. While I am often reading technical material, it is nice to take a break a read a good mystery as one find in the Knights Templar Mysteries.

An Excellent Read.......2005-08-23

A terrible deed occurred in the city of Exeter and forty years on some of the city's most prominent citizens cannot forget the part they played in the murder that happened within the Cathedral close.

An unfortunate accident to one of the stone masons working on the new Cathedral triggers a sequence of events that leads to the murder of a prominent citizen. The Dean who has asked for help from Sir Baldwin in his capacity as Keeper of the King's Peace, sends a messenger to his manor requesting his help in solving the murder.

Sir Baldwin in turn sends to his friend Simon to come and assist him, particularly as he knows he would like a break from his new job, which Simon destests, but has not got the heart to tell his employer the Abbott.

Baldwin has hardly arrived in Exeter before another murder takes place. Slowly he begins to put together what happened forty years ago and the names of the people involved. Are the current murders connected with what happened so long ago . . .

I really enjoyed this one and think that Mr. Jecks is back to his best.

excellent history and an exciting story.......2005-08-23

Since the previous reviewer describes the basic plot of THE CHAPEL OF BONES, I will not discuss the plot,except to say that the storyline highlights the various individuals of Medieval society as it was like in the 14th century. We see a poor, working class family, a middle class family trying to hold on to what comforts they have achieved, beggars, clergymen, in short, medieval society. Mr. Jecks' books are always well researched and the history of his characters and their world have factual foundations.
The theme of guilt, also as mentioned by the previous reviewer, is a strong, moving motif. Guilt, real or imagined, shapes the actions and decisions of various characters in this book. It is a fascinating and moving subtheme and forms a strong link between all the characters in one way or another. Some scenes in the book are emotionally painful, but it is well written, well researched and well worth reading.

a good read.......2005-07-08

While this latest West Country mystery featuring Keeper of the King's Peace, Sir Baldwin Furnshill, and his good friend and fellow crime solver, Bailiff Simon Puttock, may not be as suspenseful or as edgy as previous West Country installments, it still did make for a rather engrossing and compelling read. One piece of advice though: read author Michael Jecks' note at the very beginning of the book carefully because the murder of Chaunter Walter de Lecchelade at Exeter Cathedral in 1283 lies at the center of "The Chapel of Bones," and would help many readers understand better what's going on in the earlier chapters.

In 1283, the Chaunter of Exeter Cathedral, Walter de Leccehlade is brutally murdered, along with the churchmen loyal to him, by churchmen who opposed him and by certain townsmen who felt hostile towards him. Some of the churchmen involved in the murder were punished, while others kept quiet and melted into the background. The townsmen involved were never betrayed by their ecclesiastical accomplices, and so they too blended back into the background, even though the then mayor of Exeter was hanged by Edward I as punishment for their crime. And for the next forty years, everyone went on with their lives and tried hard to forget that fateful and awful night. But now, in 1323, as the cathedral is being rebuilt, and three men who had left Exeter after the dreadful events of 1283 are back again in the city of their childhood. One of the men is the mason, Thomas, who had fled Exeter in guilt over his part in the murder; the other man is Friar Nicholas, who had left after being so grievously injured during the attack; while the third man is the priory's new corrodian, William, who left Exeter to serve Edward I. Many of the townsmen who had taken part in the murder and who had never left are not happy to see these men back again. And when one of the townsmen, the wealthy saddler Henry Potell, is slain on Cathedral grounds, both Sir Baldwin and Simon (summoned to help discover the murderer) naturally begin to wonder if Potell's murder is linked to the events of 1283, or if Potell, who seems to have been in the middle of two disputes with a rich German client and with his old friend, joiner Joel Lytell, was murdered over something else. But when another man who was involved in the 1283 killing is also found murdered, Sir Baldwin and Simon realise that what their dealing with is someone with a secret to hide and who is willing to kill in order to protect that secret...

Even though the plot was a little straightforward, with very few surprising twists or turns, "The Chapel of Bones" still made for an enjoyable read. As usual the author has written a book that is rich in ambiance, colour and historical detail. And the character development was brilliantly done as well -- each character, no matter how small was vividly and credibly rendered. I especially liked the manner in which the author showed us how the guilt that many of the characters felt over the wrongs that they had committed, coloured and affected their lives. And if I was a little disappointed that the mystery subplot was not a very perplexing one, Michael Jecks' stark accounting of how guilt and loss affects people more than made "The Chapel of Bones" a good and worthwhile read.

(Why, though, has this series been subtitled a "Knights Templar" mystery? The Knights Templar don't figure into this series at all -- or at least not since "The Last Templar," and that was about 18 mysteries ago, where Sir Baldwin put his past firmly behind him. It seems rather strange to bring up the Knights Templar at this stage. Is it a marketing ploy?)

The Mad Monk of Gidleigh (Knights Templar series)

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Jecks
Mad Monk of Gidleigh
A Difficult One for Sir Baldwin
disappointing
At the end, everything is as it should be...

The Mad Monk of Gidleigh (Knights Templar series)
Michael Jecks
Manufacturer: Headline Book Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0755301692

Book Description

Alone in his isolated, windswept chapel on the edge of Dartmoor, his only companions moor men and poverty–stricken serfs, who could blame the young priest, Mark for seeking affection from Jane, the local miller’s daughter? But when Jane’s body is found brutally stabbed, Mark is the obvious suspect—and the discovery that Jane was pregnant seems to confirm his guilt. Called in to investigate, Sir Baldwin Furnshill and Simon Puttock soon begin to have their doubts. Could it not have been one of Jane’s many admirers who murdered her in a fit of jealousy? Or her father, the miller, who is acting in an increasingly disturbed manner? And what exactly is the local Baron trying to hide? In their search for the truth, Furnshill and Puttock unwittingly place themselves and their families in the greatest danger they have ever faced.

Customer Reviews:

Jecks.......2006-11-10

I had never been exposed to Michael Jecks' books until late this summer and became so addicted to his well researched books especially for the quality of writing in
"good English" (not "dummed down English")that I read everything he has written to date up to 2006 (except awaiting his new November 2006 release)in under two months
while still reading academic works. The author has not received the aclaim he deserves to include his superior research.

Mad Monk of Gidleigh.......2006-11-04

If you have any interest in the medieval period, as does my wife, this series makes the lives of ordinary people come vibrantly alive again. The characters became her old friends, the plot is absorbing, and once she discovered this series, she galloped madly through it, dragging me along with her. I have enjoyed the ride. Mad Monk of Gidleigh was particularly absorbing.

A Difficult One for Sir Baldwin.......2006-08-22

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.

Alone on the edge of Dartmoor, in a windswept chapel who could blame young priest, Mark, for seeking affection from the local miller's daughter, Mary? But soon his world will come crashing around his ears. Mary's body is found, she has been stabbed. They have been seen together and the young priest becomes the No. 1 suspect. When Mary's body is examined it becomes obvious that she was pregnant and this only seems to confirm Mark's guilt.

Keeper of the King's Peace Sir Baldwin and Bailiff Simon arrive to investigate and soon begin to have their doubts about the guilt of the priest. Mary it seems had many admirers. Could it not have been one of them who had murdered her in a fit of jealous rage. Also her father the miller is acting increasingly strangely and what exactly is the local Baron trying his best to hide from them. Finding the murderer will not be easy . . .

disappointing.......2004-06-06

This is my first encounter with Jecks, and it will also be my last. The author belongs, with a few notable exceptions, to the "tell instead of show" school of writing, producing some really flat prose. The exceptions are his descriptions of husbands' love for their wives and his descriptions of the fugative monk's sufferings as he flees and is imprisoned.

More important than the style, the plot reads like a male author's fantasy world of sex and violence. Much of the mystery consists of surprising relevations, in a deus-ex-mechina fashion, about who fathered whom (the ending suprise is totally egregious and unmotivated, apparently existing only for its own sake), and the author apparently revels in descriptions of the villainous aristocrats' overdrawn cruelty and the long-drawn-out decisive battle.

I will give him credit for his portrayal of the helplessness of the non-powerful in the early years of the fourteenth century. In his negative view of medieval life, he and Edith Pargeter, a.k.a. Ellis Peters (author of the thirteenth century Brother Cadfael series) balance each other. However, he commits a historian's howler by making the early protagonist a monk; although the size of their estates in the fourtenth century led abbots and their agents into the world on monastery (and, notoriously, occasionally personal) business, monks were explicitly dedicated to retiring from the world to a life of prayer, and were a branch of clergy quite distinct from diocesan priests entrusted with the care of a flock as Father Mark was.

At the end, everything is as it should be..........2004-03-20

If you're here because you read all adventures of Brother Cadfael and you found, like I did, that you wanted more stories about medieval England then you have come to the right place!

Let me say that although the mystery in the story is sufficient, it's in the characters and in the reality of everyday life that the story comes alive. The author (who, btw, knows medieval history so well he plays with his inexperienced readers from time to time) is fascinated with the imbalance of power between the serfs and their masters: the nobles and the clergy. He describes with passion the abuse of power perpetrated by the not-so-noble knights on the submissive local serfs. The knights think themselves invulnerable as they believe they have the support of the most powerful family in the kingdom. Yet, their plotting leaves them with no real friends and their newly acquired castle is guarded by hired soldiers who have their own agenda in mind.

A girl is viciously murdered and the priest who had an affair with her is accused, but soon we find out he's not guilty of killing her and her death is somehow tied to another murder of a man whom she has never known, but who held some secrets of the lord of the castle. Into that complicated web of local gossip and vicious plotting for yet more power Sir Baldwin arrives. He's an ex-Templar, now married and for the first time since the destruction of his Order daring to be happy. He's been charged by the king with finding the truth. He's a worldly man, a little cynical from his experiences, yet a kind man despite his ruling manner. By the time he's figured out the depth of evil contained in the murder mystery the reader will believe the medieval times were indeed very dark. Yet, things are at their darkest just before sunrise. It's the good act that redeems the cruel man and there is no act that can't be redeemed. We see the men get up and live their simple lives in dignity because the justice was done just as our knight marches off on a pilgrimage to pay for his mistake.

Book Description

For 200 years the Knights Templar held sway over an area ranging from Britain to Jerusalem—until their influence began to threaten France’s Phillip IV and the papacy itself. Destroyed by Phillip in 1314, the order disappeared into history, but they left a rich and varied legacy throughout the British Isles, from London’s Temple Church and the Great Wilbraham Perceptory to Lundy Island. More than 180 color and black-and-white photographs help tell the story of every significant British site of Templar activity, backed by authoritative text that reveals the history and notable architectural details of each. Addresses, directions, and even visiting hours for official or protected sites are also provided.

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Excellent primer on the Templars, Crusades

The Knights Templar (Pocket Essentials)
Sean Martin
Manufacturer: Pocket Essentials
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

ASIN: 1904048285

Customer Reviews:

Excellent primer on the Templars, Crusades.......2005-11-20

This is an excellent, sober and balanced primer on what has been the subject of hysterical writing in the last few years, especially since the release of The Da Vinci Code.

Sean Martin has written a very well structured book. It's divided into four main sections: the origins, activities, and fall of the Templars, as well as an additional section on the current mythology surrounding The Order.

It lays out the whole history of The Order, from Hughes de Payen's offer to the King of Jerusalem, to Bernard of Clairvaux's lobbying to the Council of Clermont, the first crusade and then on to the eventual downfall of the Templars with Jacques de Molay's execution in 1314. I won't enumerate all the details because if you're reading this review, you are probably a Templar buff, in which case you know all this. For those looking for an introduction to this subject, this is THE book to get.

Sean Martin has an elegant, simple writing style, making the book a very easy read (which is bad news, because you finish it too quickly).

Too many history books are written in too scholarly a tone, resulting in a very tedious read-you only need to check some of the weightier volumes on the Crusades. The writing style of this book makes you feel part of the events unfolding page by page. Occasional dry humor that comes out in the writing adds to the enjoyment (bottom part of p83 had me in stitches, if that is not too irreverent a reaction for what is a serious subject).

A bonus is that the storyline of the Templars in this book is weaved faultlessly with that of the Crusades, so that it also de facto becomes a primer on the latter. Not too many books on the Templars do this well-Gordon Napier's "The Rise and Fall of the Knights Templar" is one of a few that comes to mind.

Some maps, a chronology of Templar history, the list of Grand Masters (for you conspiracy theorists, this list ends with Jacques de Molay and not someone living today) and the list of formal charges against The Order rounds out what is a great little book.

Being a Pocket Essentials book, it is smaller than most works on this subject, but in my opinion, it is one of the best and if you are interested in the Templars or the Crusades, this is one book you should definitely have in your library.

in veritate victorias

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