Warriors of the Lord: The Military Orders of Christendom

Many people know that Franciscans are kind to animals and Benedictines are renowned for their hospitality, receiving every guest as they would receive Christ. But what about Christian orders that are famous not for such dove-like pacifism, but for hawkish determination to defend Christendom by force? In the Middle Ages, writes Walsh, these ""military orders"" flourished as they fought the Crusades, fueled the ""reconquista"" and furthered missionary outreach to distant lands. Most of these once-famous orders, such as the Knights Templar, the Teutonic Knights and the Knights of St. John, have not survived to the present day, their influence declining after ""the crusading spirit grew colder."" But their story is a fascinating glimpse into a distant past in which being a ""soldier-monk"" was not an oxymoron. Walsh's text is wonderfully accessible and well written, and is complemented by more than 100 illustrations and maps. (Feb.)