The Grand Masters of the Knights Templar
The Grand Master was the head of the Knights Templar, the supreme authority of the Order. From the founding of the Order in 1119 to its suppression in 1312, there were 23 Grand Masters. The first was Hugues de Payens, the founder; the last was Jacques de Molay, who was burned at the stake in 1314.
This cluster page provides a brief account of each Grand Master, with more detailed treatment of the most important. It is a companion to the biography of Hugues de Payens and to the article on the trial of Jacques de Molay.
The Office of Grand Master
The office of Grand Master emerged gradually in the early years of the Order. At first, Hugues de Payens was simply the leader of a small brotherhood; the title Magister (Master) only became regular after the Council of Troyes in 1129. The title Grandis Magister (Grand Master) came into use in the mid-twelfth century, when the Order had grown to a size that required a more formal hierarchy.
The Grand Master was elected by the brothers of the Order, usually in a chapter meeting. The election was confirmed by the papal legate in the Holy Land, and the new Grand Master was professed (took his vows) before the assembled brothers. In theory, the Grand Master could be removed for serious misconduct, although in practice this was rare.
The Grand Master was, in effect, the absolute ruler of the Order. He had the final say in all major decisions, he appointed the senior officials, and he commanded the Order’s military forces. The Grand Master was also the principal representative of the Order in its dealings with secular rulers and with the papacy. His power within the Order was limited, however, by the Latin Rule and by the counsel of the senior brothers.
The Grand Masters (in Order)
1. Hugues de Payens (c. 1070–1136)
The founder of the Order and its first Grand Master, Hugues led the original small group of knights in 1119, secured the Council of Troyes in 1129, and led the Order for nearly twenty years. He died in 1136 in the Kingdom of Jerusalem and was buried on the Temple Mount. For a full biography, see Hugues de Payens and the First Templars.
2. Robert de Craon (c. 1136–1147)
A French nobleman from the Pays de la Loire, Robert had been one of the early brothers. He was an able administrator who helped consolidate the Order’s growing estates. He led the Order through the difficult years of the fall of Edessa (1144) and the lead-up to the Second Crusade.
3. Everard des Barres (1147–1151)
A French nobleman from the Île-de-France, Everard led the Order during the Second Crusade. He commanded the Templar contingent and accompanied the French king Louis VII to the Holy Land. After the failure of the Crusade, he resigned and entered the Cistercian monastery of Clairvaux.
4. Bernard de Tremelay (1151–1153)
A French nobleman and a relative of Bernard of Clairvaux, Bernard de Tremelay was killed in battle during the Siege of Ascalon in 1153, when he and a small group of brothers tried to hold the city against a Muslim counterattack.
5. André de Montbard (1153–1156)
A relative of Bernard of Clairvaux and one of the original founding brothers, André was a senior figure in the Order. He served as Grand Master for only three years, during a period of consolidation, before dying of natural causes.
6. Bertrand de Blancfort (1156–1169)
A French nobleman, Bertrand was Grand Master during a difficult period of political maneuvering in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. He supported the king’s negotiations with the Byzantine Empire and traveled to Constantinople in 1158.
7. Philip de Milly (1169–1171)
A lord of the lordship of Nablus and a member of the high nobility of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, Philip de Milly was an unusual choice for Grand Master. He was an old man and a widower when he was elected, and he resigned after only two years, retiring to the Abbey of Notre-Dame de Josaphat.
8. Odo de Saint-Amand (1171–1179)
A French nobleman, Odo was Grand Master during the lead-up to the Battle of Hattin. He was captured at the Battle of Cresson in 1187 and died in captivity in Damascus.
9. Arnold de Torroja (1179–1184)
A Catalan nobleman and a relative of the Counts of Barcelona, Arnold was Grand Master during a period of conflict with the Hospitallers and the secular nobility of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. He died of natural causes in Verona, Italy, in 1184.
10. Gerard de Ridefort (1184–1189)
Gerard de Ridefort, a Flemish nobleman, was one of the most controversial of the Grand Masters. He was a major figure in the political intrigues of the Kingdom of Jerusalem in the years before Hattin, and is often blamed for the catastrophic decisions that led to the defeat. He was captured at the Battle of Hattin in 1187, ransomed by Saladin in 1188, and died two years later at the Siege of Acre in 1189. For more, see The Battle of Hattin.
11. Robert de Sable (1191–1193)
A French nobleman, Robert was a senior figure in the Order who had served in the East for decades. He was Grand Master during the Third Crusade and died in 1193, just two years after his election.
12. Gilbert de Horal (alias Gilbert Erail) (1193–1200)
Gilbert, a French nobleman, was elected Grand Master after Robert de Sable’s death. He led the Order through a difficult period of consolidation after the fall of Jerusalem (1187). He resigned in 1200 and was succeeded by Philip de Plessis.
13. Philip de Plessis (1201–1208)
A French nobleman and a veteran of the Order, Philip served two terms as Grand Master. He was Grand Master during the Fourth Crusade (1202–1204) and during the early years of the Crusade of 1209 against the Cathars.
14. Guillaume de Chartres (1209–1219)
A French nobleman, Guillaume de Chartres was a member of the Capetian family and a relative of King Philip II of France. He was Grand Master during a period of growth for the Order.
15. Pedro de Montaigu (1219–1232)
A Spanish or French nobleman, Pedro de Montaigu led the Order during the Fifth Crusade (1217–1221). He was a strong military commander who supported the Crusader invasion of Egypt in 1218–1221.
16. Armand de Périgord (1232–1244)
A French nobleman from the Duchy of Aquitaine, Armand was Grand Master during a period of conflict with the Hospitallers and the secular nobility. He was killed at the Battle of La Forbie in 1244, along with most of the senior leadership of the Order.
17. Richard de Bures (1244–1247)
Richard de Bures was a French nobleman who succeeded Armand. He died in 1247 after only three years in office.
18. Guillaume de Sonnac (1247–1250)
A French nobleman and a relative of Peter of Tarentaise, Guillaume was a brilliant military commander. He fought at the Battle of Al Mansurah in 1250, where the Seventh Crusade was defeated, and was mortally wounded in the fighting.
19. Renaud de Vichiers (1250–1256)
A French nobleman, Renaud was Grand Master during a period of consolidation after the disaster of Al Mansurah. He supported the Barons’ Crusade of 1239–1241.
20. Thomas Bérard (1256–1273)
A French nobleman, Thomas Bérard led the Order for 17 years, one of the longest tenures of any Grand Master. He was an able administrator and helped to stabilize the Order’s finances.
21. Guillaume de Beaujeu (1273–1291)
Guillaume de Beaujeu, a French nobleman and a member of the Capetian family, was Grand Master during a period of growing Mamluk pressure on the Crusader states. He was killed during the Siege of Acre in 1291. For the story, see The Fall of Acre 1291.
22. Thibaud Gaudin (1291–1293)
A French nobleman, Thibaud Gaudin succeeded Guillaume de Beaujeu. He was old and infirm when elected, and he died in 1293 after only two years in office.
23. Jacques de Molay (1293–1314)
The last Grand Master of the Order, Jacques de Molay presided over the final years of the Templars and their dramatic suppression. He was burned at the stake on March 18, 1314. For the full story, see The Trial of Jacques de Molay.
The Significance of the Office
The Grand Masters of the Templars were, with the exception of a few famous names, a relatively anonymous group of French and Occitan noblemen. They served for short terms, and many died in battle or of natural causes in the field. Yet the office itself was central to the identity of the Order. The Grand Master was the visible head of the Order, the commander of its armies, and the principal link between the Order and the wider Christian world.
The list of Grand Masters ends with Jacques de Molay, whose dramatic end has overshadowed that of all his predecessors. De Molay’s name has become a byword for courage under extreme pressure, and the legend of the last Grand Master is one of the most enduring stories in the history of the Order. The story is told in detail in The Trial of Jacques de Molay.
Conclusion
The Grand Masters of the Templars led one of the most powerful institutions of medieval Europe for nearly two centuries. Their names have largely faded into history, with the exception of the founder Hugues de Payens and the last Jacques de Molay. Yet the office they held, and the Order they led, was one of the great institutions of the High Middle Ages, and its history is one of the great stories of the medieval world.