Hughes or Huges de Payens or de Pains or de Payns (c. 1070 - 1136), a French nobleman from the Champagne region, was the first Grand Master of the Knights Templar. He organized the original nine monk-knights to defend pilgrims to the Holy Land in response to the call to action of Pope Urban II.

De Payens approached King Baldwin II of Jerusalem with eight knights, two of whom were brothers and all of whom were his relatives by either blood or marriage, in order to form the first of the Knights Templar.

The other knights were Geoffrey de St. Omer, Payen de Montdidier, Archambaud de St. Agnan, Andre de Montbard, Geoffrey Bison, and two men recorded only by the names of Rossal and Gondamer. The ninth knight remains unknown, although some have speculated that it was Hugh Comte de Champagne.

De Payens was born at Château Payns, about 10 km from Troyes, in Champagne, France. He was a veteran of the First Crusade (in 1099) and had spent twenty-two years of his life east of Europe.

It is likely that Hughes de Payens served in the army of Godfroi de Boullion during the First Crusade. As Grand Master, he led the Order for almost twenty years until his death, helping to establish the Order's foundations as an important and influential international military and financial institution.

On his visit to London in 1128, he raised men and money for the Order, and also founded their first House there, initiating the history of the Templars in England.

He died in Palestine in 1136 and was succeeded as Grand Master by Robert de Craon.

See also

• Jacques de Molay
• Bernard of Clairvaux
• Cistercians
• Knights Templar

External link

• The Crusades and the Knights Templar

1070 births | 1136 deaths | Medieval Knights Templar | French nobility

Hugo von Payns | Hugo de Payens | Hugues de Payns | Hugo de Payens | Hugues de Payns | Hugues de Payns | Hugues de Payns | Пейн, Гуго де | Hugo Paynsilainen | Hugo av Payens