They might be more famous today for their cameos in The Da Vinci Code and Assassin’s Creed, but in real life they were an army of valiant, daring Crusaders famous for their self-discipline, who fought in the Middle Age’s most bloody battles. They were allowed no sex, no personal possessions, and no fun – but they were some of the most formidable fighters and they quickly accrued power and wealth. The order was initially set up to protect pilgrims, who would attempt to make dangerous journeys between the cities and sites of interest in the Holy Lands – journeys that required traversing paths filled with rotting bodies on either side, as the time it would take to bury fellow pilgrims would most likely result in one’s own death. The Knights were answerable only to the Pope and didn’t have to pay many taxes, which meant they quickly became financially secure and wielded great power across various countries. In this episode, Dan Snow meets the man with whom he is often confused, bestselling writer of Medieval history Dan Jones. He discusses his book 'The Knights Templar' at the Temple in Central London, the physical embodiment of this medieval religious order that also trained warrior monks.
The familiar medieval Arthurian myths of a noble King ruling over his kingdom from camelot, supported by his Round Table of loyal and brave knights who seek for the Holy Grail and slay dragons, is a legend that has been engaged with by English kings ever since the 13th Century. By the 14th Centur...
In 865 AD, England was invaded by the Great Heathen Army. The Great Viking Army, as it was also known, was made up of a coalition of Scandinavian warriors mainly from Denmark and, legend has it, four of the five sons of Ragnar Lothbrok, including Halfdan Ragnarsson, Ivar the Boneless, Bjorn Irone...
Documentary telling the story of Mansa Musa, the famous 14th century ruler of Mali, renowned for his great wealth. Featuring Professor Amira Bennison, Boubacar Diallo, Hadrien Collet, Mauro Nobili and Madina Thiam.
