Introduction To The History Of The Knights Templar
On this page you will find a brief synopsis of the history of the original Order of the Knights Templar, which lasted just short of 200 years, from 1119 to 1314 when the last Grand Master was executed. For anyone interested in a detailed examination, we would recommend:
The grand master of the Knights Templar was the supreme commander of the holy order, starting with founder Hugues de Payens. 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 Pope Innocent II issued the bull Omne datum optimum on behalf of the Templars in 1139, the grand master was obliged to answer only to him.[1]
List of Grand Masters
| No. | Arms | Name | Time in office | Seat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hugues de Payens | c. 1119–1136 | Jerusalem (Kingdom of Jerusalem) | |
| 2 | Robert de Craon | 1136–1147 | ||
| 3 | Everard des Barres | 1147–1151 | ||
| 4 | Bernard de Tremelay (KIA)[a] | 1151–1153 | ||
| 5 | André de Montbard | 1153–1156 | ||
| 6 | Bertrand de Blanchefort | 1156–1169 | ||
| 7 | Philip of Milly | 1169–1171 | ||
| 8 | Odo of St Amand (POW)[b] | 1171–1179 | ||
| 9 | Arnold of Torroja | 1181–1184 | ||
| 10 | Gerard of Ridefort (KIA)[c] | 1185–1189 | Acre (Kingdom of Jerusalem) | |
| 11 | Robert of Sablé | 1191–1193 | ||
| 12 | Gilbert Horal | 1193–1200 | ||
| 13 | Philippe du Plessis | 1201–1208 | ||
| 14 | William of Chartres | 1209–1219 | ||
| 15 | Peire de Montagut | 1218–1232 | ||
| 16 | Armand de Périgord (KIA/POW)[d] | 1232–1244 | ||
| 17 | Richard de Bures[d] | 1245–1247 | ||
| 18 | Guillaume de Sonnac (KIA)[e] | 1247–1250 | ||
| 19 | Renaud de Vichiers | 1250–1256 | ||
| 20 | Thomas Bérard | 1256–1273 | ||
| 21 | Guillaume de Beaujeu (KIA)[f] | 1273–1291 | ||
| 22 | Thibaud Gaudin | 1291–1292 | Cyprus (Kingdom of Cyprus) | |
| 23 | Jacques de Molay | 1292–1312 |
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The History of the Knights Templar’ by Charles G. Addison
‘The New Knighthood’ by Malcolm Barber
Crusades and the Crusader Knights by Charles Phillips
In various cultures due to its association with the execution of criminals in some societies, as well as with certain historical events, over time, these various cultural influences have merged, leading to the widespread belief that Friday the 13th is an unlucky day. as the arrest of Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, on Friday, October 13, 1307.
There has been much speculation as to whether the Order continued “underground” in the ensuing years, with various theories and speculations for example, that they had chapters in Scotland, America (before Columbus), helped to form what is now known as Switzerland and were responsible for the birth of Freemasonry, to name but a few. However there is no concrete evidence that the Order did manage to survive in the form which it enjoyed at the height of its influence.
Our Order does not claim to be a direct descendant in the strict sense but it was formally registered in Jerusalem where the original Knights Templar were legitimised and, so far as we are aware, is the only Order originally so registered and which was also empowered to grant hereditary Knighthoods. It is the intention of this Order to modernise and refine the codes of conduct of the original Templars, so as to be of relevance in the modern world. The militarism is not part of our remit; rather we prefer to concentrate on the philanthropic aspects on a worldwide basis.