The Last Of The Templars - Softcover

Watson, William

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1860464114 ISBN 13: 9781860464119

Publisher: Harvill Press, 1999

Synopsis

In the chaotic aftermath of the fall of Acre in 1291 and the reconquest of the Holy Land by the Moslems, the last survivors of the Order of the Temple make their bloody retreat from the Middle East. Loading the treasure of their Order into a decrepit, leaky vessel, they set sail for Europe, where, unbeknownst to them, King Philip of France plots their destruction.

Among their number is Beltran, a native of the Holy Land, who has led the life of a soldier-monk for the past thirty years. World-weary yet incorruptible, Beltran is guardian both of the treasure and the Rule of the Order. As his companions' loyalties waver, he struggles to keep the faith, only to witness the end of the Order as the Templars are thrown to the Inquisition and their Grand Master burned at the stake.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

"A highly impressive and unusual historical novel by William Watson . . . no mere historical entertainment but a study of inner life, of great beauty and wisdom, and containing much poetry and grim enchantment" MARTIN SEYMOUR-SMITH, Financial Times

In the chaotic aftermath of the fall of Acre in 1291 and the reconquest of the Holy Land by the Moslems, the last survivors of the Order of the Temple make their bloody retreat from the Middle East.Loading the treasure of their Order into a decrepit, leaky vessel, they set sail for Europe, where, unbeknownst to them, King Philip of France plots their destruction.

Among their number is Beltran, a native of the Holy Land, who has led the life of the soldier-monk for the past thirty years.World-weary yet incorruptible, Beltran is guardian both of the treasure and the Rule of the Order.As his companions' loyalties waver, he struggles to keep the faith, only to witness the end of the Order as the Templars are thrown to the Inquisition and their Grand Master burned at the stake.

"One is carried along not only by a story line full of incident, but by a superb handling of the English language" MARTINE GOFF, Daily Telegraph

"A historical novel of exceptional vitality . . . William Watson writes with powerful imagination" C. V.

WEDGWOOD

"William Watson shows a rare ability to extend historical fiction beyond the limits of period entertainment . . . in a fashion so imaginative as to expand consciousness and offer a study of inner life" PAUL ABLEMAN, Spectator

About the Author:

William Watson is a novelist and playwright whose themes are chaos, faith, love and death. He was born in Scotland but has done much of his writing abroad, and if he writes in any tradition it is a European one.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harvill Press
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 1860464114
• ISBN 13: 9781860464119
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 286