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The Templars

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The Templars

By: Dan Jones
Narrated by: Dan Jones
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Bloomsbury presents The Templars written and read by Dan Jones.

Dan Jones narrates in his inimitably vivid and authoritative fashion the remarkable story of the Knights Templar.
'Exhilarating, epic, sword-swinging history' TLS

'Jones is certainly an entertainer, but also a fine historian who knows how to render serious scholarship into accessible prose' The Times

'Another triumphant tale from a historian who writes as addictively as any page-turning novelist' Observer

‘When it comes to rip-roaring medieval narratives, Jones has few peers, and in the Templars he finds the perfect subject' Sunday Times

The Knights Templar were the wealthiest, most powerful – and most secretive – of the military orders that flourished in the crusading era.

Their story – encompassing as it does the greatest international conflict of the Middle Ages, a network of international finance, a swift rise in wealth and influence followed by a bloody and humiliating fall – has left a comet's tail of mystery that continues to fascinate and inspire historians, novelists and conspiracy theorists. Europe Medieval Military Middle Ages Funny Suspenseful Imperialism Middle East Crusade
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Critic reviews

Exhilarating, epic, sword-swinging history... A skilful storyteller [...] he enlivens the narrative with bloodcurdling details and arresting turns of phrase... There is also fine scholarly intuition'
Told with all Jones's usual verve and panache, this is a dramatic and gripping tale of courage and stupidity, faith and betrayal
Jones is certainly an entertainer, but also a fine historian who knows how to render serious scholarship into accessible prose
Another triumphant tale from a historian who writes as addictively as any page-turning novelist
When it comes to rip-roaring medieval narratives, Jones has few peers, and in the Templars he finds the perfect subject
A fresh, muscular and compelling history of the ultimate military-religious crusading order, combining sensible scholarship with narrative swagger, featuring a cast of exuberantly monstrous sword-swingers spattering Christian and Islamic blood from Spain to Jerusalem (Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of Jerusalem: The Biography)
The story of the Templars, the ultimate holy warriors, is an extraordinary saga of fanaticism, bravery, treachery and betrayal, and in Dan Jones they have a worthy chronicler. The Templars is a wonderful book! (Bernard Cornwall, author of The Last Kingdom)
Snappy, well-paced... The author's ambition, he says, is to tell the story of the Templars in a straightforward way and "to write a book that will entertain as well as inform". He has done precisely that'
Full of tales of bloodshed, bravery and betrayal, this is a passionate guide to the unstoppable rise and spectacular fall of the poster boys of the Middle Ages
[The Templars'] colourful story is grippingly told by the excellent Dan Jones
All stars
Most relevant
Listened to this everyday on my commute and in spare time it was so engrossing. The story contained a lot of French titles that would be to difficult to remember but the main leading players stick in my mind. I didn't know much about this group of religious warrior's and was suprised to learn that the order originated in france also was amazed to find out how few their numbers were. The bravery shown by the Knights was incredible fighting overwhelming odds and on suicide missions so to speak they were remarkable it was no wonder they were feared by their opponents and respected. The story of their organization and businesses acumen was also a revelation. Their engineered downfall by the king of france and the spineless pope as well as the greed of those involved in basically framing them to get the orders money was facinating to learn.
The narrator was Excellent and made listening a delight.
The story also gave insights to other areas of medieval life and how the order was the birthplace of international banking.

Amazing to learn the true story of the Templars

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A history of the Templars is predominantly a military history of The Crusades and this work of popular history provides that in spades. Organised chronologically a very readable account is provided of many major battles and other key roles fulfilled by the Templars in the Holy Land.

I came away wanting slightly more on the non-militaray history of the order - the properties they owned, the banking, political shenanigans etc. Some of this is, of course, provided, as is the sorry tale of their terrible and despicable demise at the hands of Philip IV and Clement V.

By no means a criticism but the epilogue could have been a little longer - the cultural history of Templar 'myths' is a fascinating one!

Nevertheless I found the work just as enjoyable as I anticipated I would and something that I expect I will listen to and/or read again in the future.

Predominantly a Military History of The Crusades

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quality narration. The chronological set up was good and the book in general was very detailed

One of my favourite books

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Prior to reading this book I knew very little about the Templars and I hesitated to buy it because I feared that the author might lapse into writing a dry narrative tale of a medieval establishment. Jones avoids this trap and gives a scholarly but very interesting account of a remarkable institution. The final chapters, which describe the horrific demise of the Templars, are harrowing.

Jones does an excellent job of reading his own text. His voice is perfectly suited to narrative history.

A very interesting history of the Templars

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Narrated by the author himself brings more meaning - a well researched, factual and often gruesome read. For a history book easy 'reading' as intertwined with personal stories and contemporaneous quotes. Thank you.

Excellent insights into the motivation, ways of life, inter sect Christian bloodshed and power struggles, the blind passion of the crusade era - and also mediaeval warfare.

Gaza is often mentioned.
By chance started this book just before the Israel-Hamas war triggered by the 7/10 massacres 2023 and you sadly wonder what the world has learned in 1000 years :(
This small part of the world is still so sadly a place of religious zealotry and constant wars.
It seems the only thing that we learn from history is that we don't learn from history....
May we all live to see Peace 🕊️

Riveting well researched tour through Templars

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