Templars and Scotland
Book Review
The Knights Templar and Scotland
by
Robert Ferguson
Published by
The History Press
The Mill, Brimscombe Port
Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 2QG
ISBN 978 0 7524 5183 1
Publication Date
25 January 2010
This Book started as a question in the author?s mind and has ended up as a study of the Knights Templar in Scotland. The question was ?Is the phrase ?Scotland - The Unbroken Templar Link? true?? The author goes over the history of the Knights Templar as they became a warrior-monk Order in 1119.
The story of John Comyn?s betrayal of Robert the Bruce to Edward of England and Bruce?s vengeful murder at Grey Friars is compelling. It results in Bruce and Scotland?s excommunication and some very unexpected results.
Phillip IV of France?s tale of financial problems helps the reader to understand the background for his arrest of the Templars on trumped up charges and the discovery of his scheme by Jacques de Molay and the Templar successful removal of their treasure from Paris.
Robert the Bruce?s guerrilla style of warfare before 1308 and his amazing string of victories using new military tactics in the spring of 1308 makes for great reading. The Battle of Bannock Burn covers the 23 & 24 of June 1314 with the highlight coming on the 24th when Bruce?s cavalry charge the Welch archers. Bannock Burn shows Bruce?s brilliance as a military leader who was able to use the best men to win against a vastly larger opponent.
The Author describes the betrayal by the Grand Master of the Hospitallers of all Templar and Hospitaller property for a barony from Mary Queen of Scots in 1560 followed by the withdrawal and reformation of the Templars under David Seton as Knights Templar of St. Anthony.
Names that will be of interest to the reader are Viscount John Graham of Claverhouse (Bonnie Dundee) , John Erskine, Earl of Mar, Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie). The roles these men had as Templars makes for fascinating reading.
This book is interesting and informative as well as enjoyable to read and any reader or student of Scottish or Templar History will want to have a copy of this book in their library. It would be remiss not to point out that each chapter is extensively referenced and the Bibliography extends for 6 pages. This is evidence of serious research and an analytical mind.
Review by:
James Nethery, FSAScot
