Assassins vs Templars

History Extra podcast

History Extra

History

4.3 • 4.5K Ratings

🗓️ 5 December 2025

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The Assassins and the Knights Templar are two of history’s most intriguing, enigmatic and legendary groups. While they may seem vastly different on the surface, their intertwined stories reveal a surprising number of parallels – from an almost fanatical strategy fuelled by the 'promise of death' to the nature of their downfall. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Dr Steve Tibble compares their stories, and reveals what these two organisations can tell us about medieval conflict, religion and power — and why they continue to captivate us today. (Ad) Steve Tibble is the author of Assassins and Templars: A Battle in Myth and Blood (Yale University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Assassins-Templars-Battle-Myth-Blood/dp/0300282125/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This History Extra podcast is sponsored by Help for Heroes. The past is studied with tales of
0:05.5	our armed forces personnel, making huge sacrifices to change the course of history. And that's still the
0:11.2	case today, with thousands of veterans around the UK fighting daily battles, physical, mental, and
0:17.5	financial, that can make life seem overwhelming. That sense of pressure can be all the
0:22.4	more challenging during these winter months, as the nights draw in and our screens are full of
0:26.8	images of family fun and festive cheer. Health for Heroes understands the difficulties people face
0:31.9	when starting a new life after leaving the military. It offers life-changing, tailored support
0:37.2	for those who most need it,
0:39.1	helping them rebuild their lives.
0:41.1	But it needs public support
0:42.5	to continue to deliver its life-changing services.
0:45.7	This Christmas, they're asking us
0:47.3	to show our veterans they're not forgotten
0:48.9	and help the armed forces community
0:50.9	live well after service
0:52.1	by sending a Christmas message
0:53.9	of support and gratitude.
0:56.3	Visit healthforheroes.org.uk to write your Christmas message to our veterans. It only takes a
1:02.2	moment, but will make a world of difference. This History Extra podcast is sponsored by the new global
1:07.8	economic history book, Economica, A Global History of Women,
1:11.6	Wealth and Power by Dr. Victoria Bateman. Humanity's journey from poverty to prosperity is
1:17.6	filled with men who have become household names. But how many female entrepreneurs, merchants and
	...

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