The Everyday Life of the Templars: The Knights Templar at Home

The Knights Templar is one of those legendary organizations that has achieved mythic status. Its stories fuel conspiracy theories and alternate histories, even as we work to chronicle its true history and separate fact from fiction. But even once the history books are corrected, what do we truly know about the Templars?

What was the routine of being a Templar? How did they earn money? How did they spend their days since it wasn’t all crusading in the East? What were their interactions like with non-members, with women, etc.?

Many of those questions are answered here in The Everyday Life of the Templars, an exhaustively researched yet surprisingly brief tome that casts light on the day-to-day workings of Templar life. A lot of fascinating forensic detective work is involved in piecing together the wealth of information contained here, screening out propaganda both good AND bad to share hard-won truths about Templar routines, rituals, and interactions with the world.

This, more than anything else I’ve read, brought the Templars to life and made them feel like a real part of history, not just the mythic sword-swinging icons of centuries past.