This title was first published in 2001: The trial of the Templars and the dissolution of the Order of the Temple are popular subjects for historians, but the focus of most work has been on France. In this book Alan Forey adds greatly to our understanding of the drama, not just by examining events in Spain, but also by looking at aspects which are often ignored, such as the treatment of the Templars while in custody, and their situation after the trial. Since the Aragonese Templars possessed numerous castles - a legacy of the Spanish Reconquest - they were also able to offer stouter resistance to attempts to arrest them than their colleagues elsewhere. A series of sieges was needed, lasting up to a year and a half, and the study of these provides a useful contribution to our knowledge of medieval siege warfare. Consideration is also given to the fate of Templar property, both during proceedings and later, when their lands in Valencia were used to endow the new military order of Montesa. The work is based throughout upon the examination of unused testimonies and manuscript sources, especially from the Crown Archive in Barcelona, and its sound scholarship will help dispel some of the myths which still surround the fall of the Templars.
'Forey... provides an exceptionally detailed account of the Templars's fall in Aragon from the perspective of King Jaime II. (...) Valuable light...is cast on administrative infrastructure and diplomatic techniques.' Choice Reviews '... Anyone familiar with Dr Forey's work will expect to find solid scholarship and will not be disappointed... a meticulously researched book which is full of interest and which should force scholars interested in the fate of the Templars elsewhere to look again at the materials at their disposal...' History 'In spite of its regional nature, this study's scope and importance extend far beyond the Spanish borders. First, Forey regularly compares his results with other well-documented areas, particularly England, France, and Cyprus, thus setting his findings in a wider context. Second, his book serves as an example of the general political economic and administrative problems and challenges that the fall of the Templars posed to the Europeans monarchs and their administrations. Third, his careful reading of an exceptional documentary corpus helps illustrate the realities of Templar life both before and after the order's fall.' Speculum 'Among English historians Alan Forey has an unrivalled knowledge of the Templar material in Aragonese archives and here he deploys that knowledge to great effect... he has established a more detailed, nuanced and accurate account of the trial in the Corona de Aragón than has hitherto been available either in Spain or elsewhere.' Crusades Vol 3
