The Templar Grand Masters
Overview and entourage
Within the Templar hierarchy, the Grand Master was absolute ruler of the Order and answerable only to the pope. Although his position was a powerful one, he was still obliged to live by the same Rule of Order that those under him swore to obey. However, the Rule did grant him a fairly extensive entourage:
- 4 horses
- 1 Chaplain Brother
- 1 clerk with 3 horses
- 1 Sergeant Brother with 2 horses
- 1 gentleman valet with 1 horse
- 1 farrier
- 1 Saracen scribe
- 1 turcopole
- 1 cook
- 2 foot soldiers
- 1 turcoman
- 2 knight brothers as companions
Source: The Rule of the Templars Upton Ward p. 39
Base of Operations
From the Order's foundation in 1119/1120 until the fall of Jerusalem the Grand Master was headquartered in Jerusalem. From 1191 until 1291, he was stationed at Acre and after the loss of the port city in 1291 was stationed on the Island of Cyprus.
List of Grand Masters From 1118 - 1314
While historians generally agree on the names of the men who led the Order over its nearly 200 years of existence, there is considerable disagreement in the dates that some individual Grand Masters held their post. The list below has been compiled from the works of two books on the History of the Knights Templar: The New Knighthood by Malcolm Barber and The Templars by Piers Paul Read
| Grand Master | Malcolm Barber | Piers Paul Read |
| Hugues de Payens | 1119-1136 | 1119-1136 |
| Robert de Craon | 1136-1149 | 1137-1149 |
| Everard des Barres | 1149-1152 | 1149-1152 |
| Bernard de Tremeley | 1153-1153 | 1152-1153 |
| Andrew de Montbard | 1154-1156 | 1153-1156 |
| Bertrand de Blancfort | 1156-1159 | 1156-1169 |
| Philip de Milly (Nablus) | 1169-1171 | 1169-1171 |
| Odo de St Amand | 1171-1179 | 1171-1179 |
| Arnold de Torroja | 1181-1184 | 1180-1184 |
| Gerard de Ridefort | 1185-1189 | 1185-1189 |
| Robert de Sablé | 1191-1192/3 | 1191-1193 |
| Gilbert Erail | 1194-1200 | 1194-1200 |
| Philip de Plessis | 1201-1209 | 1201-1209 |
| William de Chartres | 1210-1218/9 | 1210-1219 |
| Peter de Montaigu | 1219-1230/2 | 1219-1232 |
| Armand de Périgord | 1232-1244/6 | 1232-1244 |
| Richard de Bures | Not Listed | 1244-1247 |
| William de Sonnac | 1247-1250 | 1247-1250 |
| Reginald de Vichiers | 1250-1256 | 1250-1256 |
| Thomas Bérard | 1256-1273 | 1256-1273 |
| William de Beaujeu | 1273-1291 | 1273-1291 |
| Theobald Gaudin | 1291-1292/3 | 1291-1293 |
| Jacques de Molay | 1293-1314 | 1293-1314 |
ALLEGED Grand Masters from 1314 and beyond
While history certainly shows that the Templars were dissolved in 1312 with the papal bull vox in excelso, there exists a manuscript-largely discredited by historians-which purports to be a list of the Grand Masters of the Templars following the death of Jacques de Molay in 1314.
This document, referred to as the Larmenius Charter or Carta Transmissionis, suggests that de Molay transferred the reins of the Order to Jean-Marc Larmenius while in prison. According to those who believe the legitimacy of the document and its claims, Larmenius carried on the duties of Grand Master in secret until the Order was made public in 1804.
The Alleged List of Grand Masters
More Templar History
