Jan 8, 2010
Regine Pernoud, translated from the French by Henry Taylor. San Francisco : Ignatius Press. 157 pages. Paperback. ISBN 978-1-58617-302-9. $14.95. October 2009.
This book is the English translation of the French historian Regine Pernoud’s book “Les Templiers”, originally published in Paris. It was written to debunk the various fictional or unhistorical books and movies about the regarding the Templars, such as Walter Scott’s “Ivanhoe” and Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code,” among others.
Pernoud's book includes a short history of the Templars. She also addresses how France's King Philip the Fair and others of temporal and spiritual realms wanted the Templars’ wealth and property for themselves. These enemies of the Knights Templar used any means necessary to bring their opponents down, which resulted in the creation of a series of lies that are currently accepted as historical truth.
Some of the Templars were tortured to make bizarre confessions to please their torturers. These knights re-canted their confessions when they could. Confessions gained under duress were illegal and should not have been accepted as proof against the Templars. Nevertheless, the suppression continued. Some of the knights were executed during this time of suppression. Those who wanted them destroyed did not care.
Ironically, King Philip and his allies died within a year after the Templars were suppressed. In the end one could say that God took his vengeance on the king and others who perpetrated this crime.
Pernoud presents the truth that the Knights Templar were originally founded to do good. She chronicles that, over time, they became rich from the gifts given to them in recompense for their good deeds. Naturally, others grew to envy their wealth.
This phenomenon is not uncommon. Many religious orders were poor at the outset. Then, people of wealth would give them gifts of property and other things. Over time, their assets grew. Nevertheless, the damage done to the image of the Knights Templar is lasting.
This book is highly recommended to those who are interested in the Knights Templar, and the history of their organization, as well as the history of the Catholic Church in France.