Grand Masters of the Knights Templar


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, starting with founder Hugues de Payens in 1118. While many Grand Masters chose to hold the position for life, abdication was not unknown. Some masters chose to leave for 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 Papal Bull on behalf of the Templars, the Grand Master was obliged to answer only to Rome.

List of Grand Masters

#ArmsNameTime in office
1.Hugues de Payens1118–1136
2.Robert de Craon1136–1147
3.Everard des Barres1147–1151
4.Bernard de Tremelay1151–1153
5.André de Montbard1153–1156
6.Bertrand de Blanchefort1156–1169
7.Philip of Nablus1169–1171
8.Odo de St Amand1171–1179
9.Arnold of Torroja1181–1184
10.Gerard de Ridefort1185–1189
11.Robert de Sablé1191–1193
12.Gilbert Erail1193–1200
13.Phillipe de Plessis1201–1208
14.Guillaume de Chartres1209–1219
15.Pedro de Montaigu1218–1232
16.Armand de Lavoie1232–1244
17.Richard de Bures 1244/5–1247
18.Guillaume de Sonnac1247–1250
19.Renaud de Vichiers1250–1256
20.Thomas Bérard1256–1273
21.Guillaume de Beaujeu1273–1291
22.Thibaud Gaudin1291–1292
23.Jacques de Molay1292–1314