The Knights Templar on Trial: The Trial of the Templars in the British Isles, 1308-1311The trial of the Templars in the British Isles (1308-1311) is a largely unexplored area of history. Unlike the trial in France, where the Templars were tortured into confessing to unspeakable activities, in the British Isles there were no burnings and only three confessions after torture. Several Templars went missing, most of whom later reappeared. Outsiders told stories of abominable Templar rituals, secret meetings and murders at the dead of night, but all these tales turned out to be mere rumour. This book is based on extensive research into the records of the trial of the Templars and other unpublished medieval documents recording their arrest, imprisonment and trial, and the surveys of their property. It traces the course of this, the first heresy trial in the British Isles, from the arrests in January 1308 to the dissolution of the Order, and shows how, by judicious selection of material, the inquisitors made the scanty evidence against the Templars appear convincing. The book includes a list of all the Templars in the British Isles at the time of the arrests, and a gazetteer of the Templars' major properties in the British Isles. |
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2nd edn Abbey absolved Antony Bek archbishop arrested Balsall Barber bishop British Isles Bruer Castle century chapel chapter meeting charges Cistercian commandery confessions Cyprus Denney dorse Dublin earl England English evidence Ex-Templars Faxfleet Foedera Forey Foulbridge France Franciscan friars Gooder grand commander grand master Henry Danet Herefordshire heresy heretics Holy Hospitallers inquisitors interrogated Ireland Jacques de Molay Jerusalem Kilsaran King Edward king's Knights Templars lands Lincolnshire Location Nearby religious London Lord MacNiocaill Malcolm Barber manor Medieval miles monastery Name Location Nearby Nearby religious houses Nigel Nicholson ODNB Order Oxford papal penance Philip priest Ralph reception ceremony records Register of William religious houses Background Ribston Richard Robert Rymer Schottmüller Scotland sheriffs South Witham Templar in Yorkshire Templars in England Templars in Ireland Temple Temple Hirst testimonies TNA:PRO Today Name Location torture trial proceedings trial Today Name Upleadon Walter Wilkins omits William Greenfield Willoughton witnesses