Requiem (Young novel)
Encyclopedia
Requiem is a novel by Robyn Young
set during the end of the ninth and final crusade. It was first published by E.P. Dutton in 2008.
to conquer Will's homeland Scotland. Will decides to leave Knights Templar
order and fight together with his people against English invaders. But after return to Paris he must face even bigger danger, a plot that will lead to the end of the Knights Templar
order.
The following historical figures are mentioned in the book or involved with the plot, but do not appear as characters themselves:
John Washburn, in a mostly positive review for My Shelf, found that "this is a different novel but still quite good". In a similar review for The Daily Telegraph
, Toby Clements stated that "Young's prose is fine, and the plot is satisfyingly complex, but in the end this book lives or dies on your attitude to the Templars, and in particular, the much romanticised William Wallace
.". A. Jurek, of Curled Up was more critical of this concluding novel, stating that "Campbell's story essentially meanders through historical events such as the rebellion of William Wallace, sometimes drowning beneath the surface other story lines and events as he writhes purposelessly for many pages" and, with respect to the novel as a whole, opined "all this is a disappointment because Young can write better; in Crusade, she sets a time bomb ticking in the very first chapter, and the book is a thrill to read. I wish she had done the same in The Fall of the Templars.".
Robyn Young
Robyn Young is an English author of historical fiction. She is most widely known for her Brethren trilogy, set in the Middle Ages...
set during the end of the ninth and final crusade. It was first published by E.P. Dutton in 2008.
Plot summary
Requiem, like Brethren and Crusade before it, follows Will Campbell, a Templar involved in a secret order known as the Anima Templi. After fall of Acre Will returns to Europe to find out that his order agreed to help King Edward IEdward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
to conquer Will's homeland Scotland. Will decides to leave Knights Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
order and fight together with his people against English invaders. But after return to Paris he must face even bigger danger, a plot that will lead to the end of the Knights Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
order.
Historical Figures
The following characters in the book were real historical figures:- Edward I of EnglandEdward I of EnglandEdward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
: King of EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
from 1272 CE to 1307 CE. - Guillaume de NogaretGuillaume de NogaretGuillaume de Nogaret or William of Nogaret was councillor and keeper of the seal to Philip IV of France.- Early life :...
: councillor and keeper of the seal to Philip IV of France. - Hugues de PairaudHugues de Pairaud-Background:Hugues de Pairaud was one of the leaders of the Knights Templar. He and Geoffroi de Gonneville were sentenced to life imprisonment on March 18, 1314...
: VisitorVisitorA Visitor, in United Kingdom law and history, is an overseer of an autonomous ecclesiastical or eleemosynary institution , who can intervene in the internal affairs of that institution...
of the Knights Templar in FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. - Jacques de MolayJacques de MolayJacques de Molay was the 23rd and last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, leading the Order from 20 April 1292 until it was dissolved by order of Pope Clement V in 1312...
: the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, from 1292 to his death on stake in 1314. - Joan I of NavarreJoan I of NavarreJoan I , the daughter of king Henry I of Navarre and Blanche of Artois, reigned as queen regnant of Navarre and also served as queen consort of France.-Life:...
: queen regnant of Navarre and queen consort of France, wife of king Philip IV of France. - John de Warenne: 7th Earl of Surrey, appointed by Edward I of England the "warden of the kingdom and land of Scotland", one of the commanders at the Battle of Stirling BridgeBattle of Stirling BridgeThe Battle of Stirling Bridge was a battle of the First War of Scottish Independence. On 11 September 1297, the forces of Andrew Moray and William Wallace defeated the combined English forces of John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey and Hugh de Cressingham near Stirling, on the River Forth.-The main...
and the Battle of FalkirkBattle of Falkirk (1298)The Battle of Falkirk, which took place on 22 July 1298, was one of the major battles in the First War of Scottish Independence...
. - Philip IV of FrancePhilip IV of FrancePhilip the Fair was, as Philip IV, King of France from 1285 until his death. He was the husband of Joan I of Navarre, by virtue of which he was, as Philip I, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1284 to 1305.-Youth:A member of the House of Capet, Philip was born at the Palace of...
: King of FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
from 1285 to 1314. - Pope Boniface VIIIPope Boniface VIIIPope Boniface VIII , born Benedetto Gaetani, was Pope of the Catholic Church from 1294 to 1303. Today, Boniface VIII is probably best remembered for his feuds with Dante, who placed him in the Eighth circle of Hell in his Divina Commedia, among the Simonists.- Biography :Gaetani was born in 1235 in...
: PopePopeThe Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
from 1294 to 1303. - Pope Clement VPope Clement VPope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...
(Bertrand de Got): PopePopeThe Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
from 1305 to 1314. - William WallaceWilliam WallaceSir William Wallace was a Scottish knight and landowner who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence....
: leader of a resistance during the Wars of Scottish Independence.
The following historical figures are mentioned in the book or involved with the plot, but do not appear as characters themselves:
- Louis IX of FranceLouis IX of FranceLouis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
: King of FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
from 1226 CE to 1270 CE. - Guillaume de BeaujeuGuillaume de BeaujeuGuillaume de Beaujeu, aka William of Beaujeu, was the 21st Grand Master of the Knights Templar, from 1273 until his death during the siege of Acre in 1291....
: Grand Master of the Knights Templar from 1273 to 1291, mortally wounded during the siege of Acre. - Thibaud GaudinThibaud GaudinThibaud Gaudin was the Grand Master of the Knights Templar from August 1291 until his death in April 1292.The history of Thibaud Gaudin within the Order is rather mysterious. Born to a noble family in the area of Chartres or Blois, France, he entered the Knights Templar well before 1260, because...
: Grand Commander of the Knights Templar under Guillaume de BeaujeuGuillaume de BeaujeuGuillaume de Beaujeu, aka William of Beaujeu, was the 21st Grand Master of the Knights Templar, from 1273 until his death during the siege of Acre in 1291....
, then Grand Master of the Knights Templar from 1291 to 1292.
Publication history
Requiem was first released in the United Kingdom in 2008. In United States and Canada it was released under the title The Fall of the Templars.Reception
The novel received a mixed response from reviewers, with most citing the stories disjointed nature and disparity with the rest of the trilogy as the novel's shortcomings.John Washburn, in a mostly positive review for My Shelf, found that "this is a different novel but still quite good". In a similar review for The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, Toby Clements stated that "Young's prose is fine, and the plot is satisfyingly complex, but in the end this book lives or dies on your attitude to the Templars, and in particular, the much romanticised William Wallace
William Wallace
Sir William Wallace was a Scottish knight and landowner who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence....
.". A. Jurek, of Curled Up was more critical of this concluding novel, stating that "Campbell's story essentially meanders through historical events such as the rebellion of William Wallace, sometimes drowning beneath the surface other story lines and events as he writhes purposelessly for many pages" and, with respect to the novel as a whole, opined "all this is a disappointment because Young can write better; in Crusade, she sets a time bomb ticking in the very first chapter, and the book is a thrill to read. I wish she had done the same in The Fall of the Templars.".