The Knights Templar: A History Strange and True

De: Dorsey Armstrong, The Great Courses

Narrado por: Dorsey Armstrong

Hidden treasures. Secret societies. War and plunder. You’ve heard the stories, seen the movies, pondered the conspiracy theories. You know that the Knights Templar are said to be connected with the Holy Grail, the Ark of the Covenant, the Freemasons—even Oak Island, off the coast of Nova Scotia. But who were they really?

Embark on a thrilling journey through the Middle Ages with The Knights Templar: A History Strange and True. Over 24 riveting lectures, Dr. Dorsey Armstrong, a distinguished medieval scholar at Purdue University, peels back the layers of legend to reveal the flesh-and-blood reality of the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon. Founded around 1119 to protect Christian travelers in the wake of the First Crusade, the Templars evolved from a humble band of knights to a military and financial powerhouse, responsible for managing the wealth of nobles and defending Crusader states.

Your course takes you from Pope Urban II’s call for the First Crusade in 1095 to the dangers that faced traveling Christians in the Levant. After the 1119 massacre of 300 pilgrims near the Jordan River, two knights—Hugues de Payens and Godfrey de Saint-Omer—vowed to protect future travelers. Dr. Armstrong traces their cinematic arc from 1119 to the aftermath of October 13, 1307, when King Philip IV of France orchestrated a mass arrest, accusing the Templars of heresy, idolatry, and treason.

What happened at the end of their era? Did they all disappear back into Europe? Or did something of their order live on? Look beyond conspiracies around the Freemasons or The Da Vinci Code to discover the real legacy of the Knights Templar: a unique fusion of faith, finance, and warfare that shaped medieval Europe and continues to spark our imaginations today.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

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A great new addition from the Great Courses

I appreciate that The Great Courses continues to produce new material, and I have enjoyed several presentations by Dorsey Armstrong. She is clear, capable, and engaging. With this particular subject, however, the Knights Templar have a very specific historical and cultural identity. They were a male military and initiatory order, and their story has been told and preserved primarily by men who stand within that lineage.

Because of that, it felt unusual to hear this history presented by someone outside that tradition. The scholarship was sound, but the tone felt more like an academic survey than a story told from within the lived heritage. This is not a criticism of her skill, but rather a reflection of how strongly the Templar narrative is tied to a particular voice and perspective.

A course like this might have been enriched by including the voice of a modern Templar or someone rooted in the continuing lineage. That perspective carries a sense of authenticity and continuity that would complement the historical material.

Armstrong presents the history clearly, but I found myself wishing for a companion course from someone who carries the Templar legacy in a more direct, experiential way.

Great coverage and presentation

Dorsey Armstrong brings history to life. Her presentation is energetic and captures attention. Her coverage of whatever historic period she's dealing with is always well done and interesting .