Secrets of the Knights Templar is the compelling chronicle of the warrior monks and their fight to defend the Catholic faith, and of their participation in the efforts to vie for control of the Holy Land with the Muslim armies of Kurdish military genius Saladin and his successors. Informally organized in 1119 to protect pilgrims on their journeys to visit the Holy Land, and officially sanctioned by the Catholic Church in 1129, the medieval Knights Templar grew into an elite fighting force that played a central role in the battles of the Crusades. They were highly trained, well equipped, and unafraid to take up the sword to defend the church at the limits of western civilization. Though Templar was initially celebrated for their military acumen and acts of bravery, the once-celebrated order was eventually dismantled in disgrace, accused of political crimes as well as crimes against the faith. With its concise, authoritative, and accessible narrative--amplified by extensive citations from contemporary sources, and accompanied by generously captioned and stunning images of the period--Secrets of the Knights Templar brings a distant era of history dramatically and vividly to life. It is the perfect gift for anyone with a love of medieval, religious, or military history. From the Hardcover edition.

FROM THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON TO THAT OF THE FREEMASONS: Three thousand years ago, in Jerusalem, a brutal murder took place. Nevertheless, the chain of events it set in motion is still felt to this day. On the distant end of that spectrum is Hiram. He was the Phoenician builder of Solomon's Temple, and whose death is central to the Masonic Third Degree. But who killed him, and why? And what was truly lost after his murder? On the other end is George: A young Mason in present-day Cyprus, struggling to unravel the origins of the institution he just joined. Was modern Freemasonry really created by English medieval stonemasons? And what do all its secret handshakes and passwords still protect? In the centuries separating them, were the Knights Templar. History tells us they got disbanded after their arrests in 1307. But were they? Or did some Templars survive and kept on secretly protecting an ancient holy relic their Order had discovered two hundred years earlier?

Why would a collector of ancient American artifacts hand over his prized pieces to a historian and then shoot himself in the head? The answer places historian Cameron Thorne at the dangerous intersection of secret American history and modern geopolitical intrigue. Warning: Not recommended for readers with strong Christian or other religious beliefs.

All across the continent of Europe, massive stone monuments erected by a prehistoric culture can be found. These megalithic stones, resisting centuries of weathering or assaults by modern men, are all that remain of a society that has been erased by time. Stonehenge is the most familiar of these megalithic monuments, but in fact represents only one of many similar sites. Who were the people who built these monuments? Why were these stones significant to them? Sacred Sites of the Knights Templar examines sacred megalithic sites across the globeùsuch as Stonehenge and Rennes-le-Chateau -- revealing the astronomical significance of these sites as well as the secrets that significance bore to the Knights Templar. This revolutionary book offers a new explanation for two main subjects: The distribution and meaning of the megalithic monuments of Europe, which were constructed to commemorate astronomical events Evidence for a continuing and hidden philosophy based on ancient astronomy maintained in secret by the Knights Templar and in turn by the Freemasons The author offers theories regarding these sitesùtheir meanings, their secrets, their lasting impression on the Western World, and their sacred symbolic influences on Freemasonry throughout history.

An instant New York Times bestseller, from the author of Crusaders, that finally tells the real story of the Knights Templar—“Seldom does one find serious scholarship so easy to read.” (The Times, Book of the Year) A faltering war in the middle east. A band of elite warriors determined to fight to the death to protect Christianity's holiest sites. A global financial network unaccountable to any government. A sinister plot founded on a web of lies... In 1119, a small band of knights seeking a purpose in the violent aftermath of the First Crusade set up a new religious order in Jerusalem, which was now in Christian hands. These were the first Knights Templar, elite warriors who swore vows of poverty and chastity and promised to protect Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land. Over the next 200 years, the Templars would become the most powerful network of the medieval world, speerheading the crusades, pionerring new forms of finance and warfare and deciding the fate of kings. Then, on October 13, 1307, hundreds of brothers were arrested, imprisoned and tortured and the order was disbanded among lurid accusations of sexual misconduct and heresy. But were they heretics or victims of a ruthlessly repressive state? Dan Jones goes back to the sources to bring their dramatic tale, so relevant to our own times, to life in a book that is at once authoritative and compulsively readable.

"This remarkable exploration of intriguing people and events in Freemasonry sheds new light on how this brotherhood's practices, symbols and rituals took shape. An extraordinary wealth of documents is found in this pursuit, including parchment manuscripts dating to the 1300s. The roots of Freemasonry are traced to the building of Solomon's Temple, the rise of Christianity, and the Crusades in Europe. Masonry's controversial relationship with the Knights Templar and Vatican also takes on new and significant meaning. The emergence of this secretive society in Britain had a strong influence on George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and other Masons who helped create a new country in America. All those struggles are seen through the experiences of people who lived through these events--often told in their own words and drawn from remarkable collections of records dating from those times. They reveal Freemasonry to be well-grounded in recognizable events, and show how its members influenced the world around them. Those influences are still felt in our lives today. Forty-five illustrations help bring to life this memorable journey of discovery."--Publisher description.

Unsolved mysteries surround the remarkable men known as the Templars. Their ancient origins go back much further than their well-known adventures in the Middle East in the twelfth century. They knew that ancient secrets were waiting to be rediscovered and, perhaps, reactivated. They could generate labyrinthine codes - and decipher those that others had created in the remote past. But no real understanding of Templarism is possible without examining what became of their noble order after the treacherous attack of 1307. King Philip le Bel did not succeed in destroying all Templars - many escaped, including their fleet. Where did they go? Where are they now? What are their continuing purposes today?

Traces the movement of the Templars’ secret treasure across North America to where it still resides, protected by a sacred lineage of guardians • Explains how the Templars found refuge with Native American tribes, intermarrying with the Natives to continue the Holy Bloodline and further the lineage of guardians needed to protect their treasure and secrets • Reveals new evidence for the existence of Templar settlements and monuments across North America and how these reactivate the continent’s sacred rose lines • Pinpoints the exact location of the Templar/Holy Bloodline treasure Many have searched for the lost treasure of the Knights Templar, most famously at Oak Island. But what if the treasure wasn’t lost? What if this treasure--necessary to sanctify the Temple of Solomon and create a New Jerusalem--was moved through the centuries and protected by a sacred lineage of guardians, descendants of Prince Henry Sinclair and the Native American tribes who helped him? Drawing on his access as Grand Archivist of the Knights Templar of Canada and his own role as a descendant of both Sinclair and the Anishinabe/Algonquin tribe, William Mann examines new evidence of the Knights Templar in the New World long before Columbus and their mission to protect the Holy Bloodline of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. He reveals the secret settlements they built as they moved westward across the vast wilderness of North America, evading the European Church and Royal Houses. He explains how the Templars found refuge in the Sacred Medicine Lodges of the Algonquins, whose ceremonies and rituals bear striking resemblance to the initiations of Freemasonry. He reveals the strategic intermarriages that took place between the Natives and the Templars, furthering the Holy Bloodline and continuing the lineage of blood-guardians. The author explores how Sinclair’s journey from Nova Scotia across America also served to reactivate the sacred rose lines of North America through the building of “rose castles” and monuments, including the Newport Tower and the Kensington Rune Stone. Pinpointing the exact location of the Templar treasure still hidden in North America, the author also reveals the search for Templar sanctuaries to be the chief motivation behind the Lewis and Clark expedition and the murder of Meriwether Lewis.

A jam packed book of secrets including Illuminati and Knight Templar knowledge and success secrets. Read this carefully to go to the next level of consciousness and mindfulness. Read this manuscript and study it. It contains spiritual exercises, health exercises, mental exercises and some of the timeless prosperity and self help principles in the world. Both metaphysical and spiritual, this book is a bombshell that will allow you to think out of the box and have a new awareness of a warrior and champion.

Have you ever wondered what do Freemasons do in their Masonic Rituals? The Freemasons themselves will not speak to anyone about their Masonic degrees or their secret rituals. Although the Freemasons are the keepers of secrets they are also a group with amnesia. The Masons have been blind to their history since they came out of total secrecy in 1717. Some Freemasons say that they are descended from the medieval stone guilds; the other side says that they are the direct descendants of the Knights Templar! What is the truth? This is a no spin book on the Secrets of the Freemasons! Everything you ever wanted to know and never could find out is in this clear strait to the point book, without all the fluff. Just the real answers to your questions. These secrets most Freemasons them selves don't know because they are not in the higher degrees of Freemasonry and stopped at the third degree, which is the Master Mason degree. All three of the basic degrees of Freemasonry are covered and you get the real insight from a Freemason himself. Which signs and symbols of Freemasonry are truly important including the secret handshakes of the Freemasons. You will also find out why they hold secret armed guarded meeting! If you are a Freemason, you should know that this book was written by a Freemason and you would be surprised with what secrets you don't know! For wives, girlfriends, family members and people that just want to know more about the Freemasons, you will learn it in this book! If you are tired of asking your Mason, what exactly is going on in their meetings and always get a,