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Review by Alan Scott with comments by Guy
Patton
The book opens by taking a look at the various Temples
of Jerusalem and the vast and impressive treasures housed
within their walls; the Roman occupation and sacking of
the Temple of Jerusalem by Titus and following on from this
an account of the Visigoths along with their spectacular
prize the capture of the city of Rome in 410 AD. Guy attempts
to outline the history of the treasure for the next two
hundred years or so and shows that there is some evidence
to support the theory that much of this vast hoard may well
still be housed somewhere beneath the soil of this region
of France. Another possible treasure is introduced in the
form of that belonging to Blanche of Castille and to add
still more interest the possibility that the Knights Templar
may also have deposited much of their own wealth in the
region. A detailed history of France and the immediate area
follows with the inference that the existence and possibly
even the whereabouts of the treasure was perhaps known to
some of the old rulers of the region. Guy provides a very
detailed and thoroughly fascinating account of the Knights
Templar from their earliest days up to their enforced "dissolution".
He speculates that during their occupation of Jerusalem
they may well have had knowledge of some secret cache buried
deep beneath the ruins of the ancient temple of Solomon
and indeed recent excavations have revealed that the Templars
had mined extensively. Whatever they were searching for
and possibly found remains a mystery. The history of the
Albigensians and of the noble families living in what is
today the Languedoc, is described in much detail revealing
that from the time of the Templars onward this region was
one of the most powerful and influential within Europe.
Again there is some speculation that this local power base
was either the custodian of a great treasure or was perhaps
accessing these hidden resources for its own advantage.
The existence of a possible treasure in the region is given
some substance by the introduction of a new character, General
Dagobert who it is believed actually possessed documentary
evidence of the treasure's location. This priceless documentation
he entrusted to the Freemasons of which order he was a member.
The role of Napoleon within this mystery is instrumental
from one very interesting standpoint, namely that it was
he who authorized the reintroduction of the Knights Templar
although there is fairly substantial evidence to support
the theory that this ancient order had never actually died
out at all but had simply gone underground. At last the
main thrust of the book arrives at the central character
within this great mystery, namely the Priest Beranger Sauniere.
A fairly comprehensive history of the affair is provided
but more interestingly it is shown that Sauniere may well
have have been deeply involved with Martinism, a sect devoted
to the occult. This idea is developed further with some
fascinating insights. The book moves on now to the second
world war with the introduction of a new character, Otto
Rahn who initially on his own account but later under the
supervision of Himmler began serious investigations in the
area of Montsegur. Although Rahn's involvement was apparently
short lived the struggle to find the lost treasure was taken
up in earnest by the third Reich and toward the end of the
war it is suggested that they did in fact find a large hoard
of treasure, some of which was in the form of ancient coins.
Guy continues to explore the political map of France and
Europe during the post war years and in particular takes
a close look at the activities of Francois Mitterand. The
character of Pierre Plantard is also introduced to us. A
man who has almost single handedly done more to both stimulate
and obfuscate the mystery. His role in the affair is further
explored in greater detail along with the numerous other
participants within the village of Rennes-le-Chateau. The
trail to finding the treasure is labyrinthine and filled
with intrigue, treachery and skullduggery. The role of the
Priory of Sion is also examined and it is shown to be largely
the invention of Pierre Plantard, designed to satisfy his
own agenda. His involvement with the Vichy Government and
murky connections with the ex President of France Francois
Mitterand are examined in some detail to show the extent
to which corruption permeated French political society.
As a finale, Guy delves into the equally murky and corrupt
world of the Vatican, its many popes, their finances and
their secret agenda to promote the church according to their
own very restricted viewpoints.
Guy Patton and Robin Mackness have created a singularly
fascinating account of the events surrounding the mystery
of Rennes-le-Chateau. It is a study of intrigue, conspiracy,
deception and the greed of men to possess a fabulous treasure.
Their book is intensely detailed and filled with so much
information it is difficult to fully describe it in this
short review. I Have been a dedicated researcher of this
subject for some 25 years and I have to admit that a great
deal of new and very interesting information has been revealed
to me through these pages. There is no doubt whatsoever
that the most enormous amount of research has gone into
the creation of this book. A feat which must be applauded.
If you are a serious enthusiast of this subject I would
definitely urge you to add this volume to your collection.
Comments by the author Guy J Patton.
The culmination of nine years research, the Web of Gold
finally exposes the labyrinthine web that has been woven
around the village of Rennes-le-Chateau, popularised by
the 1980s classic The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail. Although
the web encompasses many other associated threads, at its
heart is a belief that the fabled treasure of the Temple
of Jerusalem, sacked by the Romans in AD70, was later deposited
by the Visigoths in ancient mines and caves in the area
around Rennes-le-Chateau. This belief has motivated the
activities of many groups and individuals throughout the
centuries - more recently those, such as the secretive Priory
of Sion, that are also involved in the subversive world
of esoteric and occult politics.
The search for the treasure intensified in the late 18th
and early 19th centuries with the activities of General
Dagobert, a Grand Orient Freemason, and a fellow initiate
the Marquis de Chefdebien, both of who appear to have acquired
precious archives which included information relating to
the treasure. Almost a century later, the extraordinary
and lavish lifestyle of the priest of Rennes-le-Chateau,
Berenger Sauniere, drew attention once again to the presence
of the legendary treasure and the transmission of archives.
Web of Gold further reveals the search for this treasure
by members of the Nazi High Command in the latter stages
of WWII. Although it is unlikely that they discovered anything
substantial of the holy treasure, it is known that quantities
of gold were transported north from the Pyrenees at this
time. Attacks on these convoys and the theft of gold by
rogue Resistance units is claimed to have led to the destruction
of the village of Oradour by the Nazis, and thiry-seven
years later to the arrest of Robin Mackness, accused of
smuggling gold from south western France.
In following the fate of the archives until the 1950s,
the trail ends at the formation and public disclosure of
the Priory of Sion. It would appear that members of the
Priory gained possession of some of these archives that
have lain at the heart of the mystery of Rennes-le-Chateau,
and have been the cause for the promotion of the Priory's
own mythology.
In examining the reality of the Priory of Sion, it is revealed
that one of their founders, Pierre Plantard, Grand master
in the 1980s, was a fervent supporter of the Vichy government's
ideals through which he forged friendships that link him
to the murky world of the late President Francois Mitterrand.
Mitterrand himself maintained a cabal of old Vichy friends
who are shown to have been intimately connected with the
search for the holy treasure and to the activities of those
associated with the gold hijacks during the war.
Finally, the roles of factions within the Catholic Church,
political Zionism, secret societies, neo-Masonic and Chivalric
sects,are examined with regard to their influence in the
politics of Europe. A nonjudgmental assessment of their
modus operandi and their possible agendas - ranging from
anti-Communist activities, to alternate models for a united
Europe, and to the blatant search for power and wealth -
are analysed, from which a disquieting picture for the future
emerges.
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