Philippe du Plessis explained

Philippe du Plessis
Office1:13th Grand Master of the Knights Templar
Term Start1:1201
Term End1:1208
Predecessor1:Gilbert Horal
Successor1:Guillaume de Chartres
Birth Date:1165
Death Date:12 November 1209
Nationality:French

Philippe du Plessis (1165 – 12 November 1209)[1] was the 13th Grand Master of the Knights Templar. He was born in the fortress of Plessis-Macé, Anjou, France. In 1189 he joined the Third Crusade as a simple knight, and discovered the Order of the Temple in Palestine. After the death of Gilbert Horal he became Grand Master. He helped uphold the treaty between Saladin and Richard I. In the renewal of this treaty in 1208 he suggested that the Teutonic Order and Hospitallers should make a new peace treaty offer with Malek-Adel. The accord was criticised by Pope Innocent III.

There were few military actions during his rule; the Fourth Crusade never arrived in the Holy Land. The King of Armenia was in opposition to the Knights regarding the Gastein stronghold. The Templars were initially expelled from Armenia, but the pope intervened in the dispute.[2]

Relations with the Hospitaliers were tense. During his rule the Order of the Temple reached its greatest height in Europe.

His name is last documented in 1209.

Notes and References

  1. Obituary of the Temple at Reims
  2. Web site: Cobbold . David . The Masters of the Templar Order: Philippe du Plessis . Templiers Org . 2015-09-04 . 20 February 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120220065017/http://www.templiers.org/philippeplessis-eng.php . dead .