Sinclair, Andrew. The Sword and the Grail: Of the Grail and the Templars and a True Discovery of America. New York: Crown Publishers, 1992.

Date: July 14, 1994

Sinclair writes "of the Grail and the Templars and the True Discovery of America." This work is a non-fiction account of the founding and development of the Order of the Knights Templar throughout the 13th and 14th centuries, their transformation into the freemasons of today, and the discovery of America by Templars prior to Columbus' voyage.

One of the more interesting discussions discribes how two pilots of the wealthy Zen family of Venice left their duties as navigators for merchants and crusaders to sail north of Scotland. Sinclair attributes the Zen voyage with the discovery of North American territories in what is now Canada. Several reasons are offered for voyages to the west originating from Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, etc., but part of the interest of the Templars was to search for the New Jerusalem of the New Testament, and therefore the new Temple.

The Templars were a military order whose purpose was "to serve as an independent power on the side of their religious faith." Their power and influence grew among other military orders (such as the Knights Hospitalars and the Templars' Muslim counterparts, the Assassins) as they amassed a furtune through banking and security practices. Temples, which were used as vaults, banks and sactuaries, were built across Europe. The capital holdings and political influence of the Templars reached formidable levels, which threatened the authority of many rulers throughout Europe. Their "wealth, greed, arrogance and secrecy" led to their dissolution under charges of blasphemy and reprobate behavior. The charges were based on confessions of Templars obtained by the use of physical torture. The Knights of the Order of the Temple of Solomon was forced into hiding, many escaping with much of the wealth and possessions of The Order. Sinclair describes the transformation of The Order into the semi-secret organization of the freemasons.

Sinclair's research is based on many historical sources, as well as his personal quest for gravestones and masonry with Templar markings. Sinclair gives detailed descriptions of the masonry in the castles and ruins of Scotland, using them to draw conclusions and collaborate his narrative of the exploits of the Templars. He has a personal interest in the St. Clairs of Rosslyn Castle, linking his family heritage to the Templars and their quest for the Americas.

Overall, an interesting piece of historical research and narrative. Although Sinclair focuses heavily on the detail of the St. Clairs and the history and folklore of his Scottish ancestry, his description of the Templars and their exploits are interesting.

J. Sprigg