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 (also known as the Knights Templar), 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.

Coa of the Grand Master according to the Beyeren Armorial[1]

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

Hugues de Payens, First Grand Master

Jacques de Molay, Last (23rd) Grand Master

#	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.		Guillaume de Chartres	1209–1219
15.		Pedro de Montaigu	1218–1232
16.		Armand de Lavoie (POW)	1232–1244
17.		Richard de Bures (Disputed)	1244/5–1247[2]
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

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

Notes

1. Wapenboek Beyeren (armorial) - KB79K21 - folios 001v (left) and 002r (right)
2. 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. See Armand de Perigord (1178-1247), at www.templiers.org