Arnold of Torroja

Arnaud de Toroge, also Arnau de Torroja, Alain de Turris Rubea or Arnold of Toroga (* 1105, † September 30, 1184 in Verona) was from 1179 the ninth Grand Master of the Knights Templar.

Life

Arnaud came from Catalonia. When he was elected Grand Master in 1179, he had already been for many years Master of the Templar Order provinces of Aragon and Provence. He had fought successfully there for the kings of Aragon and Portugal in the Reconquista against the Moors.

Conflict with Hospitallers

During his tenure, the influence of the Hospitaliteroderns reached a new peak. Earlier, there had been tensions between the Templars and the Hospitallers, but the increasing threat of the expansion of Sultan Saladin urged the Order of communication. The two grandmasters finally met the mediation of Pope Lucius III. and King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem and put their disputes at the time being.

Arnaud was a talented diplomat who mediated sent between the various political groups. After repeated raids of the Baron of Kerak, Raynald of Chatillon, on Muslim caravans in 1181 and 1182, he managed to negotiate the preservation of peace with Saladin.

Europe travel

1184 Arnaud traveled together with Heraclius of Caesarea, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Roger de Moulins, Grand Master of the Hospitallers to Europe to organize help in the defense of the Kingdom of Jerusalem against Saladin. The delegation traveled to Verona, where it. Pope Lucius III and Frederick Barbarossa were received. Already during the crossing Arnaud had fallen ill and died in Verona on September 30 1184th The embassy went on without him to the kings Philip II of France and Henry II of England. The targeted support from Europe ultimately did not come, and Jerusalem fell in 1187 after the Battle of Hattin in the hands of Saladin.