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Each man who held the position of Grand Master of the Knights Templar was the supreme commander of the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (also known as the Knights Templar), starting with founder Hughes de Payens in 1118. The position was held for life, though this tenure could often be quite short considering the military nature of the Order.
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.
Grand Masters could also be active military commanders, though this was not always considered as a wise choice, as seen by the blunders made by the 12th century Gérard de Ridefort, who ended up beheaded by Saladin in 1189.
List of Grand Masters
- Hughes de Payens (1118-1136)
- Robert de Craon (1136-1146)
- Everard des Barres (1146-1149)
- Bernard de Tremelay (1149-1153)
- André de Montbard (1153-1156)
- Bertrand de Blanchefort (1156-1169)
- Philippe de Milly (1169-1171)
- Odo de St Amand (1171-1179)
- Arnaud de Toroge (1179-1184)
- Gérard de Ridefort (1185-1189)
- Robert de Sablé (1191-1193)
- Gilbert Horal (1193-1200)
- Phillipe de Plessis (1201-1208)
- Guillaume de Chartres (1209-1219)
- Pedro de Montaigu (1219-1230)
- Armand de Périgord (1232-1244)
- Richard de Bures (1245-1247)
- Guillaume de Sonnac (1247-1250)
- Renaud de Vichiers (1250-1256)
- Thomas Bérard (1256-1273)
- Guillaume de Beaujeu (1273-1291)
- Thibaud Gaudin (1291-1292)
- Jacques de Molay (1292-1314)
See also
External links
- Grand Priory of the Knights Templar Official Website of the Grand Priory of Knights Templar in England and Wales