Known as soldier-monks, the Hospitallers were pledged to  defend the Holy Land and serve the Church. But in Britain  and Ireland, their mission took a darker, more complex turn. They became royal advisors, military commanders, and  political operatives, deeply entangled in the turbulent  history of medieval England, Scotland, and Ireland. While  the Knights Templar have long captured the public  imagination, the Hospitallers were just as influential -  and far more involved in the events that shaped Britain.

1298: Alexander of Wells watches William Wallace’s army  across the field at Falkirk. Hours later, he was dead, cut down  by the Scots. 1381: Hated collector of the Poll Tax, Robert  Hales, is dragged from the Tower of London and executed,  his head paraded through the streets before being placed  on a spike on London Bridge. The 1490s: John Kendal sends  coded letters Perkin Warbeck’s supporters and hires an  astrologer to murder Henry VII.

These men were not scheming lords – they were Knights Hospitaller. Commonly known as  warrior-monks, they were a religious and military order that fought to defend the Holy Land,  supposedly above war and petty politics. But in Europe, they were drawn into local politics,  becoming royal commanders, administrators and politicians. They led armies, attended  Parliaments, and joined court intrigues and civil wars. They were part of the most famous  episodes of medieval British history, but their role has been overshadowed by their fellow  military order: the Knights Templar.

‘The Hospitallers were much more successful than the Templars and had a greater historical impact. They kept fighting for  almost 500 years after the Templars were suppressed, and they are still around today in various forms.’ Rory MacLellan

Biography:

Rory MacLellan is a historian specialising in the Knights  Hospitaller and the crusades. He holds a PhD in Medieval  History from the University of St Andrews, has published on  medieval Britain and the Hospitallers in leading academic  journals and has written for several history magazines and newspapers. This is his first book.

Date and Time:

Friday 19th June

4pm

Location:

The George Watson Memorial Hall, 65 Barton St, Tewkesbury GL20 5PX

Tickets:

£15