Myths & Legends - Grail Legend

CRUSADE AGAINST THE GRAIL is the book that popularised the legend of the Cathars and the Holy Grail. The first edition appeared in Germany in 1933 and drew upon Rahn's account of his thrilling explorations of the Pyrenean caves where the heretical Cathar sect took refuge during the 13th century. Over the years the book has been translated into many languages and exerted a large influence on, for example, Trevor Ravenscroft, author of the bestseller 'Spear Of Destiny'. It also has been cited in the bestseller 'Holy Blood, Holy Grail', but it has never appeared in English until now.

Much as German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann used Homer's Iliad to locate ancient Troy, Rahn believed that Wolfram von Eschenbach's mediaeval epic 'Parzival' held the keys to the mysteries of the Cathars and the secret location of the Holy Grail. Rahn saw Parzival not as a work of fiction but as an historical account of the Cathars and the Knights Templar and their guardianship of the Grail, a 'stone from the stars'. The Crusade that the Vatican led against the Cathars became a war pitting Roma (Rome) against Amor (love), in which the Church triumphed with flame and sword over the pure faith of the Cathars.

Otto Rahn is seen by many as the model for Indiana Jones. He was almost certainly murdered by the Nazis in the Tyrolean Mountains in 1939. This book is an invaluable addition to the English language Grail and Templar literature.

· Presents the history of the Papal persecution of the Cathars that lies hidden in the mediaeval epic Parzival and in the poetry of the troubadours
· Provides new insights into the life and death of this gifted and controversial author

In this important study of the meaning of the Grail, one of Europe's greatest esoteric philosophers discloses the pre-Christian and initiatic sourcesof this symbolic motif that is so central to Western mythology and culture.He demonstrates how the main features of the legend are are from an older tradition analogous to the great heroic sagas and cycles of the North,and that the Grail itself is a symbol of initiation. Evola uncovers the hidden meaning in the often surreal adventures of the knights who searched for the Grail, interpreting them as inner experiences and tests for theseeker. He also explores the history of the myth in the Middle Ages, its use by the Knights Templar and the Cathars, its legacy during the decline of the Holy Roman Empire, and its links with Rosicrucianism, alchemy, andMasonry.
This excursion into the realm of the Grail throws new light on an endlessly fascinating subject.

Sir Gawain the nephew of King Arthur was once the most important knight at Arthur's court - a shining example of all that was best in chivalry at the time. He even outranked the famous Lancelot. Yet as the popularity of the Arthurian romances grew the character of Gawain became increasingly diminished in popular literature. John Matthews explores the phenomenon that influenced the recasting of Gawain from hero into a womanising villain providing a scholarly context through which Gawain's role as the representative of the Goddess upon Earth-the real Green Knight of Camelot and Sovereignty's Champion - may be restored. In addition the author presents a unique view of the mythology of Britain and its connections with the historical changes that took place over many hundreds of years in the religious and mystical traditions of the country.