The Tragedy of the Templars: The Rise and Fall of the Crusader States

Do not be deceived....Any book claiming to be a "history" of the Templars is in fact a history of the Crusader states. No history of the Templars is possible due to the simple fact that the Templar archives have been lost/disappeared. In fact, for the first 20 or 30 years of their existence almost nothing is written of them.This book follows form of the other "Templar" books and laces the Templars in a history of the Crusader states. The book is well written with manageable footnotes and has numerous excellent photos of places described. I would recommend it as an introduction to the Crusader era.

A real mixed bag. The first several chapters dealing with the history of the Holy Land BEFORE the Crusades was unbelievably informative. This part of the book alone was worth the cost of the book - transformed my view of the Crusades in a way that six poor books on the Crusades had not done. Also a few interesting tidbits on Eleanor of Aquitaine. The remainder, the actual telling of the Crusades and the Holy Land under the "Franks" and the demise of the Templars, was rather boring and incomplete compared to other accounts. Maybe as as first book on all of these topics it is useful. But there are lots of better books out there on both the Templars, the Crusades, and the Holy Land in the era of the Crusades.

I got this as a present for my husband's birthday, he likes it. Pictures are a good add on.

Wow! This book includes lots more than just a history of the Knights Templar. Fully the first third is devoted to setting the scene for the rise of the Order by detailing the situation and events in the Levant prior to the First Crusade. The remainder covers the rise of the Templars, their role in the affairs of Outremer, and their suppression by Philip the Fair and Pope Clement. Excellent book; highly recommended.

I appreciated Michael Haag's interpretation of these events, especially after reading several "revisionist history" versions of the Crusades that have been quick to acknowledge the sins and flaws of some of the Christians while downplaying or ignoring the even more deplorable actions of some Muslims. The author may be too quick to portray the Templars in a positive light, however, because there is much to condemn in their behavior as well. Generally an interesting read that is more about the history of the Middle East up to and including the various Crusades than about the Templars themselves, which I found very helpful.

Excellent fair treatment of the Templars and the Crusades (Did not blame the western crusaders for the entirety of the ills of the crusades).

Excellent book based on the historical facts. It provides an interesting analysis Templar's decent. But it is also a good document of Jerusalem and the nearby. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to go on a time journey. This is a second book of Michael Haag about Templars I read, and certainly Michael mastered the knowledge about Templars to perfection.

I thought this book was very interesting. It gives in my opinion an overall view of the last "breath" of the Templars. This was an easy read and compelling story backed by facts. If you're interested in the history of the Templars and you haven't read this book yet, I would suggest it highly.

I purchased this book expecting it to be just about the Crusades. It does do that but it also describes the continual historical decimation of the Middle East by the Muslim Wars and Turkish invasion which lays the foundation of the turmoils in that region today. I have been guilty of reading religious texts and not following through with the historical facts and would recommend this book to anyone who is wanting to understand more about the reasons for the Middle Eastern turmoil. Book arrived in plenty of time and I would use this seller again.

quick service and A very good read

well written holds your interest will look for more books by Michael Haag

Very good service and very good book.

As mentioned before, order brilliant, packaging leaves a lot to be desired!