James Herman Van der Veldt’s The Ecclesiastical Orders of Knighthood examines the religious military orders that arose in the Middle Ages, blending the vocations of the monk and the knight. The book traces the history and character of orders such as the Templars, Hospitallers, and others, which combined monastic vows with the defence of Christendom and the care of pilgrims, especially during the era of the Crusades.
The work explores how these orders were founded, governed, and esteemed, and how they embodied the medieval ideals of holy warfare and devotion. Van der Veldt sets them within the broader history of the Church and the Crusades. Readers interested in the Templars, the Crusades, or medieval chivalry and religion will find it informative. This free EPUB edition makes available a study of the ecclesiastical orders of knighthood of the Middle Ages.