In July 2016, I filmed for the first time for the programme Forbidden History – then presented by Jamie Theakston. The production crew came round to my house and filmed in my study to talk about the Knights Templar.
This was season four, episode four of Forbidden History.
We barrelled through some of the theories about the Knights Templar that most excite people. The idea that they held clandestine initiation ceremonies where lewd kisses where administered to different parts of the body (a real accusation at their trial).
DISCOVER: Filming with History channel in Templar Tomar
The supposed flight with all their treasure after the arrest warrants were served on the knights in 1307 (not verified).
Then in our Forbidden History filming we turned to the various theories on where the Templar treasure could have been hidden. Was it taken to Scotland? Was it spirited away to Portugal? Did it include the Holy Grail or any other sacred relics?
I pop up about seven times in this edition of Forbidden History talking about buried treasure, pagan rituals and the trial of the Knights Templar. It’s a great fun watch and so try and catch it on any number of channels internationally.
Simply search for “Forbidden History” and the episode “Dark Truths of the Templars” presented by Jamie Theakston. And my face will pop up!
Tony: Are you familiar with an author by the last name of Laidler who wrote a book some years back on the Templars? The title of which was something like the Head of a God. His thesis, bizarre to be sure, was that the Templars believed their mummified head (aka Baphomet) to be the head of Jesus. Clearly, if the topmost Templars believed this nonsense, they would be classified as heretics.
I am familiar with his work. It’s interesting. Normally, the head – sometimes referred to as Baphomet – is assumed to be that of John the Baptist, who was beheaded after all. The Laidler theory runs that many relics of Jesus were worshipped but the head was unthinkable. After all, hadn’t Jesus ascended bodily with his head into the heavens. It’s a fundamental tenet of Christianity, as we know it today, that resurrection had to involve the entire body. There were pre-existing head cults in the Middle East and decorated skulls have been discovered in modern day Israel. Could a head cult have evolved around Jesus? Laidler believes the head is buried at Rosslyn. Seems to be more of an educated guess on his part. But hey ho – who knows!