The Templar Code For Dummies - Softcover

Hodapp, Christopher; Von Kannon, Alice

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0470127651 ISBN 13: 9780470127650

Publisher: For Dummies, 2007

Synopsis

Despite their dissolution 700 years ago, the legendary warrior monks of the Knights Templar have captivated imaginations right up through today. Templars appear in novels like Walter Scott's Ivanhoe and Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, video games like Assassin's Creed, movies like Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven, and most recently, the History network miniseries, Knightfall.
Now you can discover the truth of this mythic brotherhood of medieval knights in The Templar Code For Dummies. You'll find the full story of the rise and fall of the Poor Fellow Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon, from their humble start on the road to Jerusalem guarding pilgrims, to their meteoric climb as the most powerful military and political force in the Holy Land and Europe, their role as the first international bankers, and their subsequent plummet from grace and influence to total destruction--all in just the two hundred short years of the 12th and 13th centuries. You'll read how they were formed, their unique mission, their special international status answerable only to the Pope, how they lived their lives, and why they eventually were destroyed by the King of France. And then, there was their vast treasure.

On the way, you'll get a crash course in the history of the Crusades and the flashpoint of Jerusalem and the Middle East that continues even today. You'll also discover the origins of the Holy Grail myth and the proliferation of sacred relics throughout the Middle Ages; the rise and suppression of Gnosticism and other heresies; the Mary Magdalene black Madonna cults; Baphomet and the accusations of witchcraft, idolatry, sodomy, and heresy against the Templars; the very real plots of King Philip IV (the Fair) and his hatchet man, Guillaume de Nogaret that unfolded against Pope Boniface VIII, successor Clement V, the Jews and the Lombards in France, and finally, the Knights Templar themselves; famous real and alleged Templar historical sites like London's Templar Church, Rennes-le-Château, what remains of Paris' Temple and execution sites, and Scotland's Rosslyn Chapel; and much, much more. There's also detailed discussion of where they may have fled in the wake of the fateful mass arrests all across France on October 13, 1307. 

You'll also find the modern day connections to the Templars, along with organizations that claim descent from them. It also explores the surprising part the Templars may have played in some of the most important historic events of these past seven centuries, including the French Revolution, the birth of groups such as the Freemasons, and even the American Civil War. All in one comprehensive, easy to understand guide.

Written by Christopher L. Hodapp, author of the best-selling Freemasons for Dummies, and Alice Von Kannon.

About this title

From the Back Cover

Follow the quest for the Holy Grail and its link to the Templars Explore the legends and lore of this powerful, influential society
Did The Da Vinci Code or Knightfall leave you hungry for more details about the Knights Templar? This plain-English guide explains who these mysterious figures were, how they rose so high, and why they fell so far. You'll explore Christian theories that involved the order and discover the role they played in important events, such as the French Revolution and the Civil War.

• How Knights lived their lives
• What led to the demise of the order
  
• The Templars' relationship to other secret societies
  
• What became of the fabled Templar treasure
  
• Who the modern-day Templars are
  

About the Author

Christopher L. Hodapp is the Editor Emeritus of the "Journal of The Masonic Society." He is the author of the best-selling Freemasons For Dummies, and Solomon's Builders: Freemasons, Founding Fathers and the Secrets of Washington D.C. His newest book, Heritage Endures: Perspectives On 200 Years of Indiana Freemasonry will be published in January 2018. He is a 33° Scottish Rite Freemason and a Knight Templar, and belongs to countless appendant Masonic bodies and research organizations. His Freemasons For Dummies blog is the world's most widely read source of national and international news about the Masonic fraternity.


Alice Von Kannon has been an advertising executive, a teacher, and an author. She's studied film production at Los Angeles Valley College and history at California State University Northridge, and worked for many years in advertising as a writer and broadcast producer. Alice has traveled widely throughout Europe and the Middle East and written on the subjects as diverse as the Barbary Wars and the birth of the U.S. Navy, conspiracism, medieval and biblical history, and ancient languages. She's a member of Romance Writers of America and the Order of the Grail, the fraternal body of the International College of Esoteric Studies.Both authors have written for. and frequently appear on. NatGeo, Smithsonian, Discovery, History, and the American Heroes Channel on the subjects of Freemasonry, fraternalism, secret societies, and conspiracy theories. They live in Indianapolis.

Edition details

• Publisher: For Dummies
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0470127651
• ISBN 13: 9780470127650
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 384