Grand Master of the Templar Order

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The title of Grand Master was the highest rank attainable within the Templar Order and granted the bearer full control over its members and their operations.

Having previously born a more public face, more Grand Masters of the Templar Order were better known than their Assassin counterparts. As the Templars slipped into the shadows, the identities of the leaders eventually fell from the public consciousness. While it is assumed that during the middle ages when acting under the banner of "Knights Templar" all Templar leaders are of western nobility , the truth is as the order developed,diversified and relocated many different people of various racial backgrounds and herritages have assumed the mantle of Grand Master throughout history.

History

Middle Ages

During the Quest for the Chalice, Basilisk was the Grand Master of their Order. In 1190, Basilisk kidnapped Adha, the woman who was also known as the Chalice, and because of that made him the main target of the Assassin, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, who had the task of retrieving her. Altaïr killed him during a duel on his ship.

Robert de Sable entered the order of the Knights Templar and reigned as their "Grand Master" during 1190. During his reign, he sought the Pieces of Eden, particularly the Apple of Eden. After having lost the apple, he launched an attack to Masyaf, the stronghold of the Assassins. During the Battle of Arsuf, he was killed by his rival, Altaïr.

After the death of Robert, Armand Bouchart took the title of Grand Master. He and the Templars retreated to Cyprus after Robert's death. But Altaïr pursued him and in the Templar Archive, they fought each other. Altaïr won the fight, and the Templars lost another leader, resulting themselves to go underground.

Renaissance

Some time in the 15th century, Rodrigo Borgia had become the Grand Master of the Templar Order by the time he was under Pope Sixtus IV. In this position, he aspired to unite all of Italy under the Templar banner. In doing so, he made plans to take down the leaders of Italy's main cities, and place his own men in power. But he was defeated by the Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze during the Confrontation at the Vatican.

In 1500, Cesare Borgia, the son of Rodrigo, became de facto Grand Master since Rodrigo gave up on fighting the Assassins because of the events that happened in Vatican. Cesare was eager to unite all of Italy, the same goal Rodrigo had. The only one standing in his way to achieve his goals were the Assassins, particularly Ezio Auditore. In 1503, Cesare became de jure Grand Master of the Order. Cesare and Ezio had a final battle at Viana. They fought each other at the castle but Ezio overpowered him. He was thrown off from the castle wall to his death.

Around 1510 - 1512 the Ottoman Prince Ahmet led remnants of the Templar Order in eastern Europe after the order in the West was expelled from Italy. While he refered to himself as the "Mastermind", his followers refered to him as Grand Master: even the rightful Byzantine heir Manuel Palaiologos (a seasoned Templar whom had also served the Borgia during his youth in Rome) had to default to Ahmet's judgement. In a rare move for leaders of the Templar order Ahmet reached out to Ezio to form an alliance and create a New World Order together. The Assassin Mentor rejected this idea, and after a brief confrontation in the city Ahmet fled but was apprehended by his brother Selim. With Ahmet's treachery clear to see, Selim strangled his brother before throwing him down a deep ravine to his death.

Known Grand Masters

Europe

• 
  Sylvester II
  (? - ?)
• 
  Hugh de Payns
  (1118-1136)
• Basilisk[1] (? - 1190)
  Basilisk
  (? - 1190)
• Robert de Sable[2] (1190 - 1191)
  Robert de Sable
  (1190 - 1191)
• 
  Armand Bouchart
  (1191)
• 
  Jacques de Molay
  (1292 - 1312)
• 
  Rodrigo Borgia
  (? - 1503)
• 
  Cesare Borgia
  (1500 - 1507) (de facto)
  (1503 - 1507) (de jure)
• 
  Prince Ahmet (? - 1512)