Hugues de Payens

Hugh of Payns (or Hugh of Payens or Hugues de Payns; * around 1080 in Payens, † May 24, 1136 ) was lord of Montigny- Lagesse and a founding member and first Grand Master of the Knights Templar.

Life

About Hugo exist only few reliable facts. It was probably around 1080 in the village of Payens of Champagne on the Left Bank - about ten kilometers from Troyes - born. He belonged to the middle French nobility, lord of Montigny- Lagesse was and had possessions in the area of Tonnerre. He was a vassal of Count Hugh I of Champagne.

He participated in the First Crusade to Jerusalem 1096-1099 part (probably in the army of Godfrey of Bouillon ) and returned in 1100 back to France. Between 1104 and 1114 he accompanied Count Hugh of Champagne as a pilgrim to Jerusalem and settled there.

Between 1118 and 1120 he founded together with eight other French knights of the Templar Order and became its first Grand Master. In the Prologue to the Rule, which was written in 1129 at the Council of Troyes, it is determined that the council " at the request of the Master Hugh of Payns, under whose leadership selbige knighthood by addition of the Holy Spirit was ," was summoned.

He had a son, Theobald ( Thibauld ), who later became abbot of the monastery of Ste. Colombe in Sens was.

When he died in 1136, Robert de Craon has been elected to succeed him as Grand Master of the Templars.