List of grand masters of the Knights Templar
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The grand master of the Knights Templar was the supreme commander of the holy order, starting with founder Hugues de Payens in 1118. Some held the office for life while others resigned life in monasteries or diplomacy. Grand masters often led their knights into battle on the front line and the numerous occupational hazards of battle made some tenures very short.
Each country had its own master, and the masters reported to the grand master. He oversaw all of the operations of the order, including both the military operations in the Holy Land and Eastern Europe, and the financial and business dealings in the order's infrastructure of Western Europe. The grand master controlled the actions of the order but he was expected to act the same way as the rest of the knights. After the Pope issued a bull on behalf of the Templars, the grand master was obliged to answer only to him.
List of grand masters[]
| # | Arms | Name | Time in office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
|
Hugues de Payens | 1118–1136 |
| 2 | 
|
Robert de Craon | 1136–1147 |
| 3 | 
|
Everard des Barres | 1147–1151 |
| 4 | 
|
Bernard de Tremelay † | 1151–1153 |
| 5 | 
|
André de Montbard | 1153–1156 |
| 6 | 
|
Bertrand de Blanchefort | 1156–1169 |
| 7 | 
|
Philip of Nablus | 1169–1171 |
| 8 | 
|
Odo de St Amand (POW) | 1171–1179 |
| 9 | 
|
Arnold of Torroja | 1181–1184 |
| 10 | 
|
Gerard de Ridefort † | 1185–1189 |
| 11 | 
|
Robert de Sablé | 1191–1193 |
| 12 | 
|
Gilbert Erail | 1193–1200 |
| 13 | 
|
Phillipe de Plessis | 1201–1208 |
| 14 | 
|
William of Chartres | 1209–1219 |
| 15 | 
|
Pedro de Montaigu | 1218–1232 |
| 16 | 
|
Armand de Lavoie (POW) | 1232–1244 |
| 17 | 
|
Richard de Bures[b] | 1245–1247 |
| 18 | 
|
Guillaume de Sonnac † | 1247–1250 |
| 19 | 
|
Renaud de Vichiers | 1250–1256 |
| 20 | 
|
Thomas Bérard | 1256–1273 |
| 21 | 
|
Guillaume de Beaujeu † | 1273–1291 |
| 22 | 
|
Thibaud Gaudin | 1291–1292 |
| 23 | 
|
Jacques de Molay | 1292–1314 |
Notes[]
Footnotes[]
- ^ According to the Beyeren Armorial.[1]
- ^ Armand de Périgord was either killed or captured at the Battle of La Forbie; authorities differ. Richard de Bures commanded the Templars until the election of Guillame de Sonnac; whether he was Grand Master is disputed.[2]
References[]
- ^ Wapenboek Beyeren (armorial)—KB79K21—folios 001v (left) and 002r (right). Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- ^ Armand de Perigord (1178–1247). www.templiers.org. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
See also[]
- List of Knights Templar
- Grand Master (order)
- List of Grand Masters of the Knights Hospitaller
- Grand Magistry and Lieutenancies of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
- Grand Masters of the Teutonic Knights
- Grand Masters of the Order of Saint Lazarus
- Knights Templar
| Orders of the Holy See |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Orders under protection of the Holy See (with distinctions) |  Order of the Holy Sepulchre ( Palm of Jerusalem,  Pilgrim Shell,  Cross of Merit) Sovereign Military Order of Malta ( Order pro Merito Melitensi,  Medal of the Order pro Merito Melitensi) | |
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_-_KB79K21_-_folios_001v_(left)_and_002r_(right).jpg){kind=link}
- Grand Masters of the Knights Templar
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