Grand Masters of the Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon

Here is the list of the Grand Masters that commanded the famous Knights Templars. A fuller biography of each Grand Master will come later, but here are some bullet points of the more famous events that occurred during their reign.

Hugh de Payens + - 1118-1136

• First Grand Master
• Established Houses in England and Scotland
• Established the Order as an influential military and financial institution

Robert de Craon - 1136-1147

• The 2nd Crusade begins at the latter part of his rule

Everard des Barres - 1147-1149

• Officially abdicated in 1951 and became a monk of Clairvaux
• Ruled during 2nd Crusade

Bernard de Tremelay * - 1149-1153

• Died in the Battle of Ascalon on August 16, 1153
• Ruled during 2nd Crusade

André de Montbard + - 1153-1156

• Uncle of St. Bernard of Clairvaux
• Ruled during 2nd Crusade

Bertrand de Blanchefort - 1156-1169

• Known as the "great reformer of the Order"

Phillipe de Milly - 1169-1171

• Mysteriously resigned in 1171 as Grand Master

Odo de St Amand * - 1171-1179

• Won the Battle of Montgisard

Arnold of Torroja - 1181-1184

• Knights Hospitallers reach a new peak in influence

Gerard de Ridefort * - 1185-1189

• Killed during the Seige of Acre on October 1, 1189
• Saw the start of the 3rd Crusade

Robert de Sablé - 1191-1193

• Lord of Cyprus - 1191-1192
• Elections were postponed for over a year until he joined the Templar Order
• Ruled during the 3rd Crusade

Gilbert Horal - 1193-1200

• Tension increased between the Hospitallers
• Organized and consolidated the Templar possessions in France and Apulia

Phillipe de Plessis - 1201-1208

• Helped uphold the treaty between Saladin and Richard I
• Relations with the Hospitallers is tense
• The rule of the Order of the Temple reached its height in Europe
• 4th Crusade occurred during his reign

Guillaume de Chartres - 1209-1219

• Assisted in the coronation of Jean de Brienne, King of Jerusalem.
• The Order flourished in Spain during this rule
• Ruled during half of the first half of the 5th Crusade

Pedro de Montaigu - 1218-1232

• The relationship between the Hospitallers eased; Hospitallers were led by Guerin de Montaigu
• An effective battlefield leader; Siege of Damietta.
• Saw the 2nd half of the 5th Crusade as well as the 6th Crusade

Armand de Périgord * - 1232-1244

• Descendant of a previous Grand Master (unknown though)
• Many of his attacks failed and reduced the effectiveness of the Order
• Made a treaty with the Sultan of Damascus
• Defeated during the Battle of La Forbie against the Sultan of Egypt in 1244, but believed to have survived until 1247

Richard de Bures - 1244-1247

• Unsure if actually was elected to be Grand Master or just acted during the captivity of Armand de Périgord

Guillaume de Sonnac * - 1247-1250

• His tenure was considered a violent one
• Along with the French King and his army seized Damietta; the beginning of the 7th Crusade
• Miraculously escaped after the defeat during the Battle of Mansurah
• Was killed during the Battle of Fariskur
• Was known as a chronicler; created most in-depth, codified records

Renaud de Vichiers - 1250-1256

• Ruled during the latter part of the 7th Crusade

Thomas Bérard - 1256-1273

• Initiated cooperation between two other military orders: Knights Hospitallers and Teutonic Knights
• Grand Master during the 8th and 9th Crusade

Guillaume de Beaujeu * - 1273-1291

• Died during the Siege of Acre

Thibaud Gaudin - 1291-1292

• Known as a man of great piety
• Attempted to reorganize the Order

Jacques de Molay * - 1292-1314

• The last Grand Master
• Met with Western leaders to gain support for another Crusade
• Reigned during the arrest and inquisition of the Templars by King Phillip of France and Pope Clement V
• Burned at the stake on the Isle de Juifs, a small island on the Seine river

* - Killed in Action
+ - Founding member