Templar trilogy filled with intrigue, violence, tragedy
British author Robyn Young wraps up her excellent trilogy about one of the most famous (and sometimes infamous) orders of knights in the age of chivalry in “Fall of the Templars.”
Young’s first novel in the trilogy, “Brethren,” chronicles the rise of Scottish knight Will Campbell in the Templars, in the late 13th century. The holy order took vows of poverty and chastity with a mission to protect Christian travelers to the Holy Land. But the Templars become warriors who were as ruthless as any of their opponents.
Campbell joins a secret society within the Templars devoted to promoting peace and finds it almost impossible to reconcile this agenda with Templar plans for conquering the Holy Land.
In “Crusade,” the Templars and their fellow Crusaders are at the mercy of Babyars, the ruthless sultan of Egypt who commands a huge army of Mamluks (the American spelling is Mamelukes), slave-warriors who want to drive the Christians into the sea. Babyars tolerates the Crusaders because he faces a much greater menace in the Mongols, who have been at war with the Muslims for generations.
The violence, intrigues and tragedy of a bloody era in which Christians and Muslims fought bitterly for power in the Middle East foreshadows the current madness in the Middle East.
Young switches back and forth between the intrigues of the Sultan’s court and the Crusaders’ camp. Her depiction of the life and motives of the Mamluk ruler is one of the strengths of the series.
Campbell is a brave but conflicted knight. He ignores his vows with a secret marriage. He also deals with the consequences of putting out a contract on Babyars’ life for killing his father.
The plot revolves around a plan by Venetian merchants to provoke the Muslims into war so the pope will call a new Crusade. The Venetians fear a recession and believe war is needed to restore the economy. This idea sounds familiar.
The Crusades end in disaster with the Templars fighting alongside their rival order, the Knights of St. John, as the Christians barely survive the battle of Acre and are forced to leave the Middle East.
The scene switches to Britain and France in the third book. The Templars join forces with King Edward of England who wages war against Campbell’s homeland of Scotland. Campbell abandons the Templars to fight with Scottish rebel William Wallace.
Campbell also has domestic problems when he becomes involved in the intrigue at the French court. His daughter Rose, who he managed to save in Acre where his wife died in the final battle, is estranged from Campbell and becomes the mistress of King Phillip.
The Templars also face risks from both kings who want their treasure. Campbell, who makes many bad decisions, must find a way to save Scotland, the Templars and his daughter.
The author moves her narrative along with a prose style that is both strong and smooth. She admits in an afterward in her final book that she knew nothing of the Templars before learning of them in a casual conversation. She obviously did extensive research and the result is a compelling series.
“Fall of the Templars” recently was published in hardback and “Crusade” was released in paperback.
