Dimensions
153 x 234 x 28mm
The Secret Power of a Sacred Treasure.
What links the Roman sack of Jerusalem in AD70, the arrest of a British businessman on the AutoRoute near Lyon, the sudden wealth of a priest in Rennes le Chateau in the 1800s, Hitler's SS, and the body of an Italian banker found hanging under Blackfriar's Bridge? The answer is found in the authors' masterful uncovering of an extraordinary historical trail going back over 2000 years.
Legend has long suggested that the fabulous treasure of the Jews was brought to the hill country of the south of France following the Visigoth sack of Rome. Its legacy remains with us. As Patton and Mackness explore, we see how the Middle Ages and Renaissance profusion of "secret societies" - ranging from the crusading Knights Templar to the forerunners of today's freemasons - may have been established to protect (or gain access to) this hidden wealth. And they offer proof that it has remained a magnet and tool for power-seekers throughout history.
Triggered by Robin Mackness's experiences when personally accused of transporting gold into Switzerland, this quest reveals answers to mysteries that have fascinated the world. But most astonishingly they reveal the cover-up campaign mounted by those who see themselves as the present-day "guardians" of the treasure, the mysterious Priory of Sion which lies at the heart of the classic 'Holy Blood Holy Grail'.
Astonishingly, we also see how forces who associated themselves with this ancient gold may have manipulated events ranging from the election of Francois Mitterand to the foundation of the State of Israel. An epic tale straddling the centuries and encompassing alchemy, forgery, genocide, faith and fervour, this thrilling history will convince you of the awesome power of a world of secrets.