One thinks of The Crusades as being a very macho affair full of swinging swords and the clash of steel – and indeed it was for over two hundred years. During that period, some of the leading warriors provoked gossip over their preference for men between the sheets. Being gay didn’t in any way diminish…
Around the year 1119, a band of knights in Jerusalem formed the order of holy warriors we have come to know as the Knights Templar. But what was their motive? One reason given is that they were shocked by the massacre of hundreds of Easter pilgrims by the Saracens in that year, by the river…
The Vatican has announced it’s going to introduce new rules to authenticate miracles as social media promotes unverified claims. For the pope – modern technology has created plenty of new heretics. And if there’s only thing the Roman Catholic church enjoys doing – and that’s rooting out a heresy! You might have imagined a few…
The trials of the Knights Templar saw prosecutors using accusations of demonic magic and necromancy. It was an early sign that witchcraft and sorcery were moving into the medieval mainstream. Previously, wizards and witches, while being condemned, were viewed as a fringe threat to Christian belief – a hangover from paganism. But in the late…
Many stories from history involve those who have brought upon themselves ill fortune by their endeavours. Cursed Histories investigates these frightening tales from the past. And I’m one of the experts so make sure to watch the Super Channel in Canada over the next few weeks to catch this amazing series. The show was nominated…
The medieval Easter was the most important event in the church calendar during the time of the Knights Templar as Tony McMahon discovers
It’s hard to believe today but if you went back to the 13th century – you would have found something very different at Hampton Court Palace. No magnificent complex of Tudor and Stuart buildings but a medieval manor run by the Knights Hospitaller – under the direction of the Priory at Clerkenwell, which was the…
It’s a little known fact that the city of Gaza was run by the Knights Templar during the Crusades as Tony McMahon discovers
The Knights Templar had very particular battle fighting tactics making them very effective, as TV historian Tony McMahon discovers
TV historian Tony McMahon investigates top medieval witch hunters of the 14th century and links witchcraft to the Knights Templar
You must be logged in to post a comment.