The Knights Templar in Popular Culture

<p> From the Arthurian epic poem <I>Parzival</I> to Dan Brown's <I>The Da Vinci Code</I> <I>Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade</I> and the <I>Assassin's Creed</I> video game series the Knights Templar have captivated artists and audiences alike for centuries. In modern times the Templars have featured in many narrative contexts evolving in a range of contrasting story roles: the grail guardian the heroic knight the villainous knight and the keeper of conspiracies. This study explores why these gone but not forgotten warrior monks remain prominent in popular culture; how history influenced the myth; and how the myth has influenced literature film and video games.</p>