Knights Hospitaller, The: The History and Legacy of the Medieval Catholic Military Order, Charles River Editors
  • $4.46
    • Facebook Share
    • Twitter Share
    • Pinterest Share

Details

Knights Hospitaller, The: The History and Legacy of the Medieval Catholic Military Order

Author: Charles River Editors

Narrator: Dan Gallagher

Unabridged: 1 hr 43 min

Format: Digital Audiobook

Publisher: Findaway Voices

Published: 04/22/2019

Genre: History - Medieval

Synopsis

For centuries, Christians and Muslims were embroiled in one of the most infamous territorial disputes of all time, viciously and relentlessly battling one another for the Holy Land. In the heart of Jerusalem sat one of the shining jewels of the Christian faith, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Legend has it that this was where their Savior had been buried before his fabled resurrection. What was more, it was said to house the very cross Jesus Christ had died upon. It was for precisely these reasons that fearless pilgrims, near and far, risked their lives and made the treacherous trek to Jerusalem.

Like other secretive groups, the mystery surrounding the Catholic military orders that sprung up in the wake of the First Crusade helped their legacies endure. While some conspiracy theorists attempt to tie the groups to other alleged secret socities like the Illuminati, other groups have tried to assert connections with them to bolster their own credentials. Who they were and what they had in their possession continue to be a source of great intrigue.

The story of the Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, frequently shortened to the Knights Hospitaller, is long and complicated. Although the roots of the organization existed before the First Crusade, the order would not develop until 20 years after the famous call by Pope Urban II to conquer the Holy Land of Jerusalem for Christianity. Moreover, while the identity of the Knights Hospitaller was focused on the principles of crusading and military conquest, the order also focused on charitable Christian causes like the healing the sick and feeding the poor and hungry. In fact, functioning as a hospital was the original purpose of the Order before it started to militarize, yet as time wore on, such ideals would fade in the face of wealth, power, and desperation to reclaim the vestiges of prestige lost over the centuries.

The Knights Hospitaller formed in the 12th century and continue to exist in contemporary times, albeit in a considerably different form. Over the last millennium, the organization has fulfilled different roles, served varying masters, and continued to uphold the tenets of crusading even when there was no Crusade to fight. All the while, as it went through centuries of murkiness, including the development of a notorious reputation, the Knights Hospitaller continued to adapt. In contemporary times, the Knights Hospitaller could no longer be said to uphold the morals of the Crusades, but it definitely continues to adhere to the tenets of chivalry and charity. To get to this new position, however, the Order needed to undergo trials, tribulations, and years of resorting to begging.

The Knights Hospitaller: The History and Legacy of the Medieval Catholic Military Order chronicles the known history of the order and examines the secrecy and mysteries surrounding it. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Knights Hospitaller like never before.

Recommended

The Crusades
The Crusades
by Abigail Archer

Looking into the past, the Crusades seem incomprehensible. What combination of religious fervor, hatred of people of different faiths, and gall led Europeans of 1100 AD to make their way thousands of miles to conquer the Holy Land? Why did they cont...

Narrator: Sarah Nichols
Published: 04/18/2017

Weird Middle Ages, The: A Collection of Mysterious Stories, Odd Customs, and Strange Superstitions from Medieval Times
Weird Middle Ages, The: A Collection of Mysterious Stories, Odd Customs, and Strange Superstitions from Medieval Times
by Charles River Editors

In the time period between the fall of Rome and the spread of the Renaissance across the European continent, many of today’s European nations were formed, the Catholic Church rose to great prominence, some of history’s most famous wars o...

Narrator: Kelly McGee
Published: 04/13/2020

Werewolves: The Legends and Folk Tales about Humans Shapeshifting into Wolves
Werewolves: The Legends and Folk Tales about Humans Shapeshifting into Wolves
by Charles River Editors

Werewolves have long been a staple of popular culture. In the 19th century and 20th century, there were countless books, plays, and films about people who turned into wolves or wolf like humanoids and went on rampages. The figure of the werewolf i...

Narrator: Bill Hare
Published: 08/24/2019

On the Opening of the First Crusade
On the Opening of the First Crusade
by Ekkehard of Aurach

The notable German historian and monk Ekkehard of Aurach was also a crusader. He wrote a comprehensive world history text, but upon returning from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1101, he rewrote his portion on the First Crusade. “On the Opening ...

Narrator: John Potter
Published: 05/06/2018

Speech at Clermont
Speech at Clermont
by Pope Urban II

In 1095, Pope Urban II delivered a powerful call-to-arms to begin the First Crusade. Robert the Monk, likely an eyewitness, recorded this speech years later, after the crusade had ended. In his account, Urban described horrific crimes committed agai...

Narrator: John Potter
Published: 05/06/2018

The Life of Charlemagne
The Life of Charlemagne
by Einhard

Einhard served Charlemagne, king and Holy Roman Emperor, for 23 years. From that experience, combined with his in-depth research, Einhard penned this biography of Charlemagne in the style of Suetonius’ Lives of the Caesars. Because he felt ind...

Narrator: John Potter
Published: 05/30/2018

Cumans and Magyars, The: The History and Legacy of the Steppe Nomads Who Raided Europe Throughout the Late Middle Ages
Cumans and Magyars, The: The History and Legacy of the Steppe Nomads Who Raided Europe Throughout the Late Middle Ages
by Charles River Editors

Before the Mongols rode across the steppes of Asia and Eastern Europe, the Cumans were a major military and cultural force that monarchs from China to Hungary and from Russia to the Byzantine Empire faced, often losing armies and cities in the proc...

Narrator: Colin Fluxman
Published: 04/08/2020

Against the Infidels
Against the Infidels
by Pope Urban II

"Against the Infidels” is Fulcher of Chartres eyewitness account of Pope Urban II’s call-to-arms in 1095. This speech launched the First Crusade, but the several historical transcripts record it slightly differently. Fulcher’s acco...

Narrator: John Potter
Published: 05/06/2018

Livonian Brothers of the Sword, The: The History of the Medieval Catholic Military Order that Fought Pagans in Eastern Europe
Livonian Brothers of the Sword, The: The History of the Medieval Catholic Military Order that Fought Pagans in Eastern Europe
by Charles River Editors

Although many have heard of the Crusades and some of the more famous orders like the Templars, few know about the Livonian Crusade or the Livonian Brothers of the Sword. This organization was one of many Catholic military orders that sprung up duri...

Narrator: Mark Norman
Published: 08/13/2019
{"id":"4005599","ean":"9781987167849","abr":"Unabridged","title":"Knights Hospitaller, The: The History and Legacy of the Medieval Catholic Military Order","subtitle":"","author":"Charles River Editors","rating_average":"0","narrator":"Dan Gallagher","ubr_id":"4005599","abr_id":"0","ubr_price":"6.95","abr_price":"0.00","ubr_memprice":"4.17","abr_memprice":"0.00","ubr_narrator":"Dan Gallagher","abr_narrator":"","ubr_length":"Unabridged: 1 hr 43 min","abr_length":"Abridged: "}