Hochmeister
Encyclopedia
The grand master is the holder of the supreme office of the Teutonic Order
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...

. It is equivalent to the grand master
Grand Master (order)
Grand Master is the typical title of the supreme head of various orders of knighthood, including various military orders, religious orders and civil orders such as the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Orange Order...

 of other military order
Military order
A military order is a Christian society of knights that was founded for crusading, i.e. propagating or defending the faith , either in the Holy Land or against Islam or pagans in Europe...

s and the superior general
Superior general
A Superior General, or General Superior, is the Superior at the head of a whole religious order or congregation.The term is mainly used as a generic term, while many orders and congregations use other specific titles, notably:* Abbot general...

 in non-military Roman Catholic religious order
Roman Catholic religious order
Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular ; monastics ; mendicants Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular (canons and canonesses regular...

s. Hochmeister, literally "high master", is only used in reference to the Teutonic Order, as Großmeister ("grand master") is used in German to refer to the leaders of other orders of knighthood.

An early version of the full title in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

 was Magister Hospitalis Sancte Marie Alemannorum Jerosolimitani. Since 1216, the full title Magister Hospitalis Domus Sancte Marie Theutonicorum
Teutons
The Teutons or Teutones were mentioned as a Germanic tribe by Greek and Roman authors, notably Strabo and Marcus Velleius Paterculus and normally in close connection with the Cimbri, whose ethnicity is contested between Gauls and Germani...

 Jerosolimitani
("Master of the Hospital House of St. Mary of the Germans at Jerusalem") was used.

Compared to other medieval governments, transfer of power within the Teutonic Knights was run efficiently. Upon the death of a grand master, the vice master called a capitulum
Chapter (religion)
Chapter designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran churches....

 of the leading officers of the order. The general chapter would select a twelve-person electoral college composed of seven knights, four sergeants, and one priest. Once a majority-candidate for grand master was chosen, the minority electors would concede to support unanimity. These elections usually provided a succeeding grand master within three months.

Candidates for the position of grand master had experience as senior administrators for the order and were usually chosen on merit, not lineage. This changed only after the order had entered a steady decline, with the selection of Frederick of Saxony and Albert of Brandenburg-Ansbach, members of the powerful Wettin and House of Hohenzollern
House of Hohenzollern
The House of Hohenzollern is a noble family and royal dynasty of electors, kings and emperors of Prussia, Germany and Romania. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home, the Burg Hohenzollern castle near...

 dynasties.

When the Teutonic Knights were originally based in Acre
Acre, Israel
Acre , is a city in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country....

 in Outremer
Outremer
Outremer, French for "overseas", was a general name given to the Crusader states established after the First Crusade: the County of Edessa, the Principality of Antioch, the County of Tripoli and especially the Kingdom of Jerusalem...

, the grand masters spent much of their time at the papal
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...

 and imperial
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...

 courts. The grand masters were most powerful after the order's 13th century conquest of Prussia
Prussia (region)
Prussia is a historical region in Central Europe extending from the south-eastern coast of the Baltic Sea to the Masurian Lake District. It is now divided between Poland, Russia, and Lithuania...

 during the Northern Crusades
Northern Crusades
The Northern Crusades or Baltic Crusades were crusades undertaken by the Christian kings of Denmark and Sweden, the German Livonian and Teutonic military orders, and their allies against the pagan peoples of Northern Europe around the southern and eastern shores of the Baltic Sea...

 and the creation of the militarized State of the Teutonic Order (Ordenstaat), which lasted until 1525. After the order's capital moved from Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...

 to Marienburg
Malbork Castle
The Marienburg Castle in Malbork is by area the largest castle in the world. It was built in Prussia by the Teutonic Knights, a German Roman Catholic religious order of crusaders, in a form of an Ordensburg fortress. The Order named it Marienburg...

 in 1309, the grand master's power was at its height. He had ultimate control over Prussia, which gave him command over the Prussian commanders. When the general chapter
Chapter (religion)
Chapter designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran churches....

 would meet in Elbing
Elblag
Elbląg is a city in northern Poland with 127,892 inhabitants . It is the capital of Elbląg County and has been assigned to the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship since 1999. Before then it was the capital of Elbląg Voivodeship and a county seat in Gdańsk Voivodeship...

, he was able to use this influence to ratify administrative measures he proposed. The grand master also served as the castellan
Castellan
A castellan was the governor or captain of a castle. The word stems from the Latin Castellanus, derived from castellum "castle". Also known as a constable.-Duties:...

 of Marienburg and was aided by the order's treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...

. He was also a member of the Hanseatic League
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...

, allowing him to receive some of the league's custom dues.

Grand Master Albert of Brandenburg-Ansbach converted to Lutheranism
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...

 and turned the Ordenstaat into the secular, Lutheran Duchy of Prussia in 1525. The Teutonic Order retained its holdings in Germany and autonomous Livonia, however. Due to being limited to their possessions in other parts of Germany, which were led by the Deutschmeister, the titles Hochmeister and Deutschmeister were combined during the reign of Walter von Cronberg
Walter von Cronberg
Walter von Cronberg was the 38th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, serving from 1527 to 1543.- Biography :Von Cronberg hailed from a rather poor family of knights from Kronberg Castle near Frankfurt. He joined the Teutonic Order in 1497 and held the post of a tax collector in the Komturei of...

, who was appointed by Emperor Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...

. This dual-title lasted until 1923. For centuries the "Jägerregiment Wien" of the Military of Austria
Military of Austria
The Österreichisches Bundesheer , is the name for the military of the Republic of Austria....

 was known as the "Hoch- und Deutschmeister Regiment".

The Teutonic Order is still led by a grand master, although the organization is now a clerical Roman Catholic religious order.

Leaders of the early Brotherhood, 1190-1198

The Teutonic Order as a hospice
Palliative care
Palliative care is a specialized area of healthcare that focuses on relieving and preventing the suffering of patients...

 brotherhood in Outremer
Outremer
Outremer, French for "overseas", was a general name given to the Crusader states established after the First Crusade: the County of Edessa, the Principality of Antioch, the County of Tripoli and especially the Kingdom of Jerusalem...

:
  • 1190 Meister Sibrand
  • 1192 Gerhard
  • 1193/94 Heinrich, prior
    Prior
    Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...

  • 1195-1196 Ulrich
  • 1196 Heinrich, preceptor
    Preceptor
    A preceptor is a teacher responsible to uphold a certain law or tradition, a precept.-Christian military orders:A preceptor was historically in charge of a preceptory, the headquarters of certain orders of monastic Knights, such as the Knights Hospitaller and Knights Templar, within a given...

     (probably identified with Heinrich Walpot von Bassenheim
    Heinrich Walpot von Bassenheim
    Heinrich Walpot von Bassenheim , also known as Henry Walpot, was the first Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1198 to 1200. As little is known about him, information regarding the Grand Master is mostly based on historians' theories.Walpot hailed from a rich family from Mainz. He...

    )

Grand Masters of the Order, 1198-1525

The Teutonic Order as a spiritual military order
Military order
A military order is a Christian society of knights that was founded for crusading, i.e. propagating or defending the faith , either in the Holy Land or against Islam or pagans in Europe...

:
  • 1198–1200 Heinrich Walpot von Bassenheim
    Heinrich Walpot von Bassenheim
    Heinrich Walpot von Bassenheim , also known as Henry Walpot, was the first Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1198 to 1200. As little is known about him, information regarding the Grand Master is mostly based on historians' theories.Walpot hailed from a rich family from Mainz. He...

  • 1200–1208 Otto von Kerpen
    Otto von Kerpen
    Otto von Kerpen was the second Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, from 1200 to 1208.Otto came from a poor Rhenish knightly family residing in the castle of Kerpen in Kerpen, Rhineland-Palatinate...

  • 1208–1209 Heinrich von Tunna
    Heinrich von Tunna
    Heinrich von Tunna, also known as Heinrich Bart, was the third Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, from 1208 to 1209....

  • 1209–1239 Hermann von Salza
    Hermann von Salza
    Hermann von Salza was the fourth Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1210 to 1239...

  • 1239–1240 Konrad von Thüringen
    Konrad von Thüringen
    Konrad von Thüringen was the fifth Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1239 to 1240. A Landgrave of Thuringia from 1231 to 1234, he was the first major noble to join the military order....

  • 1240–1244 Gerhard von Malberg
    Gerhard von Malberg
    Gerhard von Malberg was the sixth Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, serving from 1240 to 1244. After being forced to resign, he joined the Knights Templar.-Life:...

  • 1244–1249 Heinrich von Hohenlohe
    Heinrich von Hohenlohe
    Heinrich von Hohenlohe was the seventh Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, serving between 1244 and 1249. He was the son of one of the richest and most powerful feudal lords in Württemberg and had four brothers and one sister....

  • 1249–1252 Günther von Wüllersleben
    Günther von Wüllersleben
    Günther von Wüllersleben was the eighth Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1249 to 1252.Von Wüllersleben hailed from a ministerialis family of Hersfeld Abbey whose seat was in Bad Hersfeld. It is unknown when he joined the Teutonic Order, although he served in Acre until 1215...

  • 1252–1256 Poppo von Osterna
    Poppo von Osterna
    Poppo von Osterna was the ninth Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1252-56 or 1257.Poppo hailed from a family with rich knightly traditions which resided in Osternohe, just outside Nuremberg in Franconia. He joined the Teutonic Order in 1228 and was one of the first friars to...

  • 1256–1273 Anno von Sangershausen
  • 1273–1282 Hartmann von Heldrungen
  • 1282 or 1283 –1290 Burchard von Schwanden
  • 1290–1297 Konrad von Feuchtwangen
    Konrad von Feuchtwangen
    Konrad von Feuchtwangen was the 13th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1291-96. He was a relative of the later Grand Master Siegfried von Feuchtwangen....

  • 1297–1303 Gottfried von Hohenlohe
    Gottfried von Hohenlohe
    Gottfried von Hohenlohe was the 14th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, serving from 1297 to 1303.Hohenlohe was born to Kraft von Hohenlohe and Willeborg von Wertheim and hailed from the rich Hohenlohe family of Burg Hohlach, near Uffenheim...

  • 1303–1311 Siegfried von Feuchtwangen
    Siegfried von Feuchtwangen
    Siegfried von Feuchtwangen was the 15th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1303 to 1311.Von Feuchtwangen was born in Feuchtwangen in Middle Franconia, and was a relative of the earlier Grand Master Konrad von Feuchtwangen. He took the office after his predecessor, Gottfried von...

  • 1311–1324 Karl von Trier
  • 1324–1330 Werner von Orseln
    Werner von Orseln
    Werner von Orseln was the 17th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, serving from 1324 to 1330.Von Orseln hailed from a noble family of vogts of the Counts of Falkenstein in Oberursel near Frankfurt. It is not known when he joined the Teutonic Order...

  • 1331–1335 Luther von Braunschweig
    Luther von Braunschweig
    Luther von Braunschweig was the 18th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1331-35....

     (Lothar)
  • 1335–1341 Dietrich von Altenburg
    Dietrich von Altenburg
    Dietrich von Altenburg was the 19th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1335 to 1341.He came from the Thuringian town of Altenburg in the Holy Roman Empire, where his father held the office of a burgrave of the immediate Pleissnerland, which however had long been pawned to the Saxon...

  • 1342–1345 Ludolf König
    Ludolf König
    Ludolf König von Wattzau was the 20th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1342 to 1345....

  • 1345–1351 Heinrich Dusemer
    Heinrich Dusemer
    Heinrich Dusemer von Arfberg was the 21st Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1345 to 1351.Dusemer hailed from Swabia and joined the Teutonic Order in 1311. As a young knight he fought against the Lithuanians. Legend has it that he frequently would duel with Grand Duke Vytenis...

  • 1351–1382 Winrich von Kniprode
    Winrich von Kniprode
    Winrich von Kniprode was the 22nd Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights. He was the longest serving Grand Master, holding the position for 31 years ....

  • 1382–1390 Conrad Zöllner von Rothenstein
  • 1391–1393 Konrad von Wallenrode
    Konrad von Wallenrode
    Konrad von Wallenrode was the 24th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1391 to 1393. Modern sources are friendly towards Konrad, although they claim he was hot-blooded, proud, and had tendencies to be cruel....

  • 1393–1407 Konrad von Jungingen
    Konrad von Jungingen
    Konrad von Jungingen was the 25th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1393 to 1407...

  • 1407–1410 Ulrich von Jungingen
    Ulrich von Jungingen
    Ulrich von Jungingen was the 26th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1407 to 1410. His policy of confrontation with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland sparked the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War and led to disaster for the Order in the Battle of Grunwald.- Life...

  • 1410–1413 Heinrich von Plauen
  • 1414–1422 Michael Küchmeister von Sternberg
    Michael Küchmeister von Sternberg
    Michael Küchmeister von Sternberg was the 28th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1414 to 1422.- Biography :...

  • 1422–1441 Paul von Rusdorf
    Paul von Rusdorf
    Paul von Rusdorf was the 29th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1422 to 1441.The Treaty of Melno was one of von Rusdorf's first acts; it brought stability to the Order and its relations, but fighting resumed in 1431 with the Polish-Teutonic War...

  • 1441–1449 Konrad von Erlichshausen
    Konrad von Erlichshausen
    Konrad von Erlichshausen was the 30th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1441 to 1449.Konrad came from Ellrichshausen in Swabia, now part of Satteldorf in Baden-Württemberg...

  • 1449 or 1450–1467 Ludwig von Erlichshausen
    Ludwig von Erlichshausen
    Ludwig von Erlichshausen was the 31st Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1449/1450 to 1467.As did his uncle and predecessor Konrad von Erlichshausen, Ludwig came from Ellrichshausen in Swabia, now part of Satteldorf in Baden-Württemberg.Ludwig was aide to Grand Master Paul von...

  • 1467–1470 Heinrich Reuß von Plauen
    Heinrich Reuß von Plauen
    Heinrich Reuß von Plauen was the 32nd Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, serving from 1467 to 1470. He was the nephew of the previous Grand Master, Ludwig von Erlichshausen, and a distant relative to the 27th Grand Master, Heinrich von Plauen.-Biography:Reuß von Plauen came from the Reuss family...

  • 1470–1477 Heinrich Reffle von Richtenberg
    Heinrich Reffle von Richtenberg
    Heinrich Reffle von Richtenberg was the 33rd Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1470 to 1477.After being defeated in the Thirteen Years' War, the Teutonic Order was forced to surrender western Prussia to Poland and become Polish vassals in the Second Peace of Thorn of 1466...

  • 1477–1489 Martin Truchseß von Wetzhausen
  • 1489–1497 Johann von Tiefen
    Johann von Tiefen
    Johann von Tiefen was the 35th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1489 to 1497.Von Tiefen's date of birth is unknown, although it is believed he hailed from Switzerland. His beginnings in the Teutonic Order start in Elbing, where he was the right hand man of the Grand Hospitaller,...

  • 1497–1510 Frederick of Saxony
  • 1510–1525 Albert of Brandenburg-Ansbach (Albert of Prussia)

Hoch- und Deutschmeister, 1530-1929

  • 1527–1543 Walter von Cronberg
    Walter von Cronberg
    Walter von Cronberg was the 38th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, serving from 1527 to 1543.- Biography :Von Cronberg hailed from a rather poor family of knights from Kronberg Castle near Frankfurt. He joined the Teutonic Order in 1497 and held the post of a tax collector in the Komturei of...

  • 1543–1566 Wolfgang Schutzbar
    Wolfgang Schutzbar
    Wolfgang Schutzbar hailed from the family of Schutzbar genannt Milchling from Hesse.He joined the Teutonic Order in 1507 and was from 1529 to 1543 Komtur of the Bally of Hesse at Marburg....

  • 1566–1572 Georg Hundt von Weckheim
  • 1572–1590 Heinrich von Bobenhausen
  • 1590–1618 Maximilian of Austria
  • 1619–1624 Karl I of Austria
  • 1625–1627 Johann Eustach von Westernach
  • 1627–1641 Johann Kaspar von Stadion
  • 1641–1662 Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria
    Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria
    Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria was an Austrian military commander, Governor of the Spanish Netherlands from 1647 to 1656, and a patron of the arts.-Biography:...

  • 1662–1664 Archduke Karl Josef of Austria
  • 1664–1684 Johann Caspar von Ampringen
  • 1685–1694 Ludwig Anton of Palatinate–Neuburg
  • 1694–1732 Ludwig Franz of Palatinate–Neuburg
  • 1732–1761 Prince Clemens August of Bavaria
    Clemens August of Bavaria
    Clemens August of Bavaria was a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty of Bavaria and Archbishop-Elector of Cologne.-Biography:...

  • 1761–1780 Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine
    Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine
    Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine was a Lorraine-born Austrian soldier.-Background:Charles was the son of Leopold Joseph, Duke of Lorraine and Élisabeth Charlotte d'Orléans...

  • 1780–1801 Archduke Maximilian Franz of Austria
    Archduke Maximilian Franz of Austria
    Archduke Maximilian Francis of Austria was an Archbishop-Elector of Cologne, the last child of the Habsburg ruler Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor. His siblings included two Holy Roman Emperors , as well as Queen Marie Antoinette of France and Queen Maria Carolina of...

  • 1801–1804 Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen
    Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen
    Archduke Charles of Austria, Duke of Teschen was an Austrian field-marshal, the third son of emperor Leopold II and his wife Infanta Maria Luisa of Spain...

  • 1804–1835 Archduke Anton Victor of Austria
    Archduke Anton Victor of Austria
    Anton Victor, Viceroy of Lombardy-Venetia was an Archduke of Austria and a Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights. He was also briefly the last Archbishop-Elector of Cologne and Prince-Bishop of Münster, before those territories were secularized in 1803.Anton Victor was the son of Leopold II, Holy...

     (office becomes hereditary to Imperial House of Austria)
  • 1835–1863 Archduke Maximilian of Austria–Este
  • 1863–1894 Archduke Wilhelm Franz of Austria
    Archduke Wilhelm Franz of Austria
    Archduke Wilhelm Franz Karl of Austria-Teschen was an Archduke of Austria from the Habsburg dynasty.He was born in Vienna as the son of Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen and Princess Henrietta of Nassau-Weilburg...

  • 1894–1923 Archduke Eugen of Austria
    Archduke Eugen of Austria
    Archduke Eugen Ferdinand Pius Bernhard Felix Maria of Austria-Teschen was an Archduke of Austria and a Prince of Hungary and Bohemia...

     (end of hereditary status)
  • 1923–1933 Dr. Norbert Klein
    Norbert Klein
    Norbert Klein was Bishop of Brno from 1916 to 1926 and 59th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order from 1923 to 1933....


1929 - present-day

Time of the Teutonic Order as a clerical Roman Catholic religious order
Roman Catholic religious order
Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular ; monastics ; mendicants Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular (canons and canonesses regular...

  • 1923–1933 Dr. Norbert Klein
    Norbert Klein
    Norbert Klein was Bishop of Brno from 1916 to 1926 and 59th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order from 1923 to 1933....

  • 1933–1936 Paul Heider
  • 1936–1948 Robert Schälzky
    Robert Schälzky
    Robert Johann Schälzky was the 61st Grand Master of the Teutonic Order from 1936 to 1948.He was born in Ryžoviště , Moravia and died in Lana, South Tyrol....

  • 1948–1970 Dr. Marian Tumler
    Marian Tumler
    Marian Tumler was an Austrian theologian who served as the 62nd Grand Master of the Teutonic Order from 1948–1970. He was born in Schlanders in what was then the Tyrol and died in Vienna....

  • 1970–1988 Ildefons Pauler
    Ildefons Pauler
    Ildefons Pauler was the 63rd Grand Master of the Teutonic Order from 1970 to 1988.He was born in Opava, Austrian Silesia and died in Vienna....

  • 1988–2000 Dr. Arnold Othmar Wieland
    Arnold Othmar Wieland
    Arnold Othmar Wieland is a German theologian. Born in Lengmoos, Ritten, Italy, he was the 64th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights from 1988-2000.-References:...

  • 2000– Dr. Bruno Platter
    Bruno Platter
    Bruno Platter is the 65th and present Grand Master of the Teutonic Order.-Early life:Platter was born in Ritten in South Tyrol, Italy. He made first profession in the Teutonic Order on 12 September 1964 and final profession on 15 September 1969...


See also

  • Grand Master (order)
    Grand Master (order)
    Grand Master is the typical title of the supreme head of various orders of knighthood, including various military orders, religious orders and civil orders such as the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Orange Order...

  • Grand Masters of the Knights Templar
    Grand Masters of the Knights Templar
    Each man who held the position of Grand Master of the Knights Templar was the supreme commander of the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , starting with founder Hugues de Payens in 1118. While many Grand Masters chose to hold the position for life, abdication was not unknown...

  • Grand Masters of the Knights Hospitaller
  • Mergentheim (History), a former residence
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