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 Malcolm Barber.
1119-1136 Hugues de Payens
1136-1149 Robert de Craon
1149-1152 Everard des Barres
1153-1153 Bernard de Tremeley
1154-1156 Andrew de Montbard
1156-1159 Bertrand de Blancfort
1169-1171 Philip de Milly (Nablus)
1171-1179 Odo de St Amand
1181-1184 Arnold de Torroja
1185-1189 Gerard de Ridefort
1191-1192/3 Robert de Sable
1194-1200 Gilbert Erail
1201-1209 Philip de Plessis
1210-1218/9 William de Chartres
1219-1230/2 Peter de Montaigu
1232-1244/6 Armand de Perigord
Not Listed Richard de Bures
1247-1250 William de Sonnac
1247-1250
1250-1256 Reginald de Vichiers
1250-1256
1256-1273 Thomas Berard
1256-1273
1273-1291 William de Beaujeu
1291-1292/3 Theobald Gaudin
1293-1314 Jacques de Molay
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