Greetings and Knights Templar Question

[defcon01]

Hi, I am new to this forum and to Medieval: Total War. My friend has always

been a big fan of the series, and I myself am saving for Rome: Total War, but

right now I have need of Medieval for a College Research Project.



For ourclass, we have to give a 40 minute presentation on the Knights

Templar. I have been assigned the military aspects. If you havent already

guessed, Im going to use Medieval to recreate some of their more famous

battles. I am not asking for research assistance, as that is my job, but what

I am asking the community for is are any links to any historical maps of the

middleast, or any pre-existing templar related mods. Also, any links to forum

articles or outside links to help build my re-creations would be helpful.

I myself am

recovering from oral surgery right now, so I havent been able to mine the

forums for info on my own accord, but I will do so as soon as I am well, so

dont take this as a thread demanding everyone else do work for me, while I

sit expectedly on my throne. I am merely asking for any assistance that may

be rendered on the subjects of the Templars in Medieval Total War, pre-

existing Custom battles/mods/campaigns involving the Templars, or any hints

on how I may go about re-creating their battles from a technical point of view


Wow, sorry for the long intro, but I figured it would be best to cut to the

point in my first thread. As it is, I am going to go apply a compress to my

aching mouth, and go sleep. Hopefully later today I will be able to fully

explore what the forum has to offer.

Thanks
-Stebe

battles

[Krusader]

I don't know any MODs or maps that would assist you, but this link is to a guide to make your own Historical battles, should you not find any:

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=38164

I also believe the Saladin campaign might have a battle featuring the Templars.

[deanox]

have you read 'the holy blood and the holy grail'? good book, i found that really interesting.

[Templar Knight]

Are you interested in templar military history or just more to do with Medieval Total War

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

have you read 'the holy blood and the holy grail'? good book, i found that really interesting.

I would recommend this book also, along with the messainic legacy.

The most famous battle the Templars were involved in especially with fanatical bravery was the defense of Acre in 1291 and the utter destruction of most of them in citadel when it collapsed taking 2,000 mamluks with them. The only templar to escape with a few other turncoats was Roger de Flor who charged huge amounts of money to ferry the arce citizens to cyprus but was already near his exit from the Temple due to allegations of theft.

This fortune allowed him to found the Catalan Grand Company who terroised thrace and greece even after his assassination in 1305 ordered by his employer the Byzantium emperor which resulted in his company going slightly beserk and ravaging the countryside in revenge and later established the Duchy of Athens in 1311.

[Procrustes]

Not sure if it's what you are after, but a good recent history of the Templars was written by Piers Paul Read - here's the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0306810719/ref=pd_bxgy_img_2/102-3931365-9056137?v=glance&s=books

I liked the book - a good, readable history. Several of the Amazon reviewers complain that it wasn't exciting enough, though....

Regarding "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" - it's a fun read, but it's really fiction and pseudoscience dressed up as fact - cut from the same mold as "The DaVinci Code." I wouldn't bother unless you are after some entertainment, not a history. Salon.com recently ripped both books here: http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2004/12/29/da_vinci_code/index_np.html

If you are after a short military history, Osprey has an issue on the Knights Templar. I haven't read this one, but if it's like the others in the series I'm sure it's not bad. Here: http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php/title=S6704~per=41

[Bobablooie]

Not a Knights Templar area, but might be useful for you:
The Face of Battle, by John Keegan.
He gives an outstanding account of the 1415 Battle of Agincourt. It's one of the best analyses of Medieval tactics and battlefield structure you can find. Maybe you can find some interesting era-particular info there.

[defcon01]

good stuff guys, thanks. I have one of the osprey books, it sucked, Im dissapointed, but i have 2 of their others lined up. Is there anything that has been done in MTW regarding the Templars? A historic battle perhaps? Something other than Hattin, not a battle I want to discuss when it comes to military prowess.