nitially, the Grand Master of the
Order was not much higher than the brother at his side. Gradually, as the
Order gained influence, wealth, and possessions, the Grand Master acquired
increasing power. Given the ecclesiastical immunity the Pope had conferred
upon the Order, he was free to pursue matters as he saw fit best, and, given
the vows of unflinching obedience to him that the brothers took upon joining,
he could rely upon the Order as upon himself.
he list below shows all Grand Masters
of the Order as they appear in many sources. Perhaps the most readily available
source for this data is in the Appendix of The Holy Blood and the Holy
Grail, in which there is also a list of the alleged Grand Masters of
the Prieuré de Sion, a clandestine organization said initially to
exist behind the Templars, and after 1188 to lead a separate line continuing
to our times. Please note that the spelling of names varies in the sources,
and I am not equipped well enough to call the line as to which is the correct
one.
n the 13th century the Order adopted
a new office, that of the Visitor of the Order.
The holder of this title was lord of the Templar possessions in the West,
and second to none besides the Grand Master. Still, not even the Visitor
had the power to call the Chapter of the Order to a meeting. It is possible
that this accumulation of power into one hands was one of the reasons the
Templars became to be perceived as a threat by many, not least Philip the
Fair. After all, the Templar military force was fully sufficient to wipe
out any army in Europe. When Jacques de Molay became Grand Master, he was
already a man in his middle age, but nevertheless when he was finally convicted
as a nonrepenting heretic, he went to the stake resolutely and fearlessly,
just as the templars did in battle all through their existence.
