Grand Master of the Templar Order: Difference between revisions

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This article is about the highest rank of the Templar Order. You may be looking for other uses of the title.

The title of Grand Master is one of the highest ranks of the Templar Order. Originally it was the supreme head of the entire order, but evolution of the organization over the centuries led to this status being superseded by newly created authorities such as the Guardians and the General of the Cross. Since the establishment of major branches of the order, the title has designated the heads of the Rites of the order, each corresponding to a specific geographic region, where they serve as the highest authority.^[1]

During the times of the Order of the Ancients, the rank was known under different names depending on the region, with the Persian branch of the Order using the title of Ra's Al-Af'a (English: Head of the Snake) to designate its leader,^[2] while the Anglo-Saxon branch used the title of Grand Maegester instead. The rank was also synonymous with that of "Father of Understanding", or simply "The Father". This term was adopted from the similarly named title within the ruling triumvirate of Isu society, in which the Father of Understanding ruled alongside the Mother of Wisdom and the Sacred Voice.^[3]

Having previously borne a more public face, most Grand Masters of the Templar Order were better known than their Assassin counterparts. However, as the Templars slipped back into the shadows, the identities of their leaders eventually fell from the public consciousness.

By the early 19th century, the Templars were no longer ruled by a single Grand Master or independent leaders but instead by a council of the Order's most prestigious members, the Inner Sanctum of the Templar Order. The Sanctum was in charge of creating a globalized plan for the Order and to ensure the cooperation of all the Rites and their leaders while also preventing any corruption of the Templar ideals.

While still in charge of their respective and autonomous Rites, the Grand Masters were nevertheless accountable to the members of the Inner Sanctum and their inquisitor, the feared Black Crosses. Furthermore, the Inner Sanctum was in charge of promoting the Grand Masters, keeping their numbers under strict control.

While it was commonly assumed that all Templar leaders were drawn from the stock of Western nobility, due to the prominence of the front-organization that was the Knights Templar during the Middle Ages, the truth was that as the Order developed, diversified and relocated, many different people of various ethnic backgrounds and cultural heritages had assumed the mantle of Grand Master throughout the Templars' longevity.

Structure

Training

"It is a requirement when you are raised in the manner that I was. Perception is fundamental to the Order. It guides the feet when running and climbing. Informs the hands when striking and fighting. But most important, it transforms the senses. And we begin to know the world in a different way."

―Haytham Kenway discussing his training with Charles Lee, 1754.^[src]^-[m]

The Templar Order requires that any member trained to become a Grand Master is prepared to make difficult decisions and confident in their own leadership abilities before being promoted. To uphold the Templar belief of killing for efficiency instead of emotional grounds, they are expected to be resourceful to further the Templars ideals in pursuit of the greater good.^[4]

The strongest minds among the Order are meant to bear the responsibility of the people's will for freedom and responsibility;^[5] therefore they themselves seek to take the mantle of leadership in society and expect the people to fall in line because, in their view, humanity was built to serve.^[6]^[7] Additionally, both combat and strategem are part of their training.^[5]^[4] The training itself is under another Grand Master, where it is a chosen Templar being trained,^[4] or it is a birthright in a Templar lineage that ruled a Rite.^[5]^[8] After the foundation of the Inner Sanctum, promotions to Grand Master came under their control.^[9]

Powers & leadership

"As a Master Templar, you have learned your lessons well, and have earned this opportunity. You are my eyes and ears in the New World now. Do not fail me, Lawrence."

―Reginald Birch in a letter to Lawrence Washington, 1738.^[src]^-[m]

A Grand Master controls a specific geographic region and their Rite is named after it.^[1] Under their leadership, the other Templars serve as Advisors and the second-in-command serves as Lieutenant.^[5] Despite holding the highest attainable rank within their Rite, a Grand Master is not all-powerful and is dependent on the support of their Advisors and other Rites around the world. Nevertheless, their duties are essential to the proper functioning of the Templar Order as a whole, so Grand Masters may elect to have bodyguards to protect them at all times, such as Frederick Weatherall for the De la Serre family,^[5] and El Tiburón for Laureano de Torres y Ayala.^[10]

The power of a Grand Master can extend beyond their own Rite, as their higher rank allows them to have influence over members of other Rites, including Master Templars.^[6]^[11]^[12] However, this does not mean they can neglect the duties of their own Rite to actively participate in the duties of another Grand Master and their Rite. An example of this is Reginald Birch entrusting the search for the Grand Temple to Haytham Kenway and the Colonial Rite while Birch himself remained in England.^[4]

The Grand Master would also have meetings with Templars from other Rites to discuss the politics of their nation, domestic and global, and the conditions of the Templar Order itself,^[5] while also communicating through their various businesses and organizations such as Templar fleets, like Shay Cormac's fleet.^[11] An advantage of being Grand Master is a personal network that functions as their eyes and ears everywhere, and they get regular updates from agents, especially Templars directly under their command.^[4] Another responsibility of the Grand Master is the initiation of new Templar members,^[6]^[11]^[10] as well as the exile of Templars who have betrayed the Order, either directly or indirectly.^[13]

After the foundation of the Inner Sanctum, the Grand Masters' powers were kept under check by the Black Crosses, whose main objective was to keep the various Rites free of corruption. If a Grand Master was found guilty of breaking the Order's principles, the Black Cross held the authority to execute them on the spot. During an ongoing investigation, all Templars, including the Grand Master, were obliged to assist the Black Cross by providing them with any information or resources they demanded, but were otherwise forbidden from interfering with the investigation or even speaking of their interactions with the Black Cross.^[9]

In the 21st century, the number of Grand Masters worldwide has become kept under strict control by the Inner Sanctum, and Grand Masters became answerable to Guardians and the General of the Cross.^[13]

Accession

"When our brother Templars see the old institutions crumble, they will adapt."

―François-Thomas Germain to Élise de la Serre and Arno Dorian, 1794.^[src]^-[m]

A rival Templar aiming to become the Grand Master would have to contact other Rites to convince them that overthrowing the current one is necessary, and recruit members within the Rite before initiating a coup d'état.^[5]^[13] Failure to do so would result in the death of the rival Templars, such as Cavanagh, who sought to overthrow Crawford Starrick with an Apple of Eden, being killed on Starrick's own orders.^[14] Another example is Grand Master Rodrigo Borgia attempting to poison his own son Cesare, who had assumed de facto leadership of the Roman Rite, due to seeing his actions as a betrayal of the Templars' principles.^[8]

In the case of the Parisian Rite in the late 18th century, François-Thomas Germain successfully petitioned the American, Roman, and Spanish Rites for support following his banishment by Grand Master François de la Serre. After Germain had de la Serre assassinated in a coup d'état and began purging all French Templars opposing him, Élise de la Serre and Chrétien Lafrenière petitioned other Rites for aid but they only lent their sympathies, as the Parisian Rite ran smoothly under Germain's control, so there was no need for their intervention.^[5]

In the event of a Grand Master's untimely death, a successor may be appointed as de facto leader of the Rite until a new Grand Master is officially elected, as was the case during the Third Crusade, when Basilisk assumed temporary leadership of the Levantine Rite following Grand Master Gerard de Ridefort's death.^[15] The same is true in the case of Templar leaders who did not hold the title of Grand Master, such as James Wardrop succeeding Lawrence Washington as leader of the Templars in the Thirteen Colonies.^[11]

There have also been several instances of a Grand Master being chosen by the Rite itself for their own qualities as leaders, such as Ahmet becoming Grand Master of the Byzantine Rite while Manuel Palaiologos was demoted to his second-in-command,^[1] and Crawford Starrick's rise in the British Rite until he was appointed Grand Master.^[14]

History

Order of the Ancients

Main article: Grand Maegester of the Order of the Ancients

Main article: Ra's Al-Af'a

Prior to the establishment of the Templar Order, the Order of the Ancients used various titles to denote the leaders of its different branches around the world. In 44 BCE, when asked by the Hidden One Aya if Julius Caesar was the King of the Order, the Ancient Lucius Septimius corrected her, claiming that Caesar was the "Father of Understanding". Following Caesar's assassination by the Hidden Ones,^[16] his adoptive son Octavian succeeded him as leader of the Order, though he did not inherit the title of Father of Understanding and the name eventually fell out of use.^[17]

In the 9th century, the leader of the Order in the Abbasid Caliphate was called the Ra's Al-Af'a, or the "Head of the Snake".^[2] By the 860s, the position had been attained by the royal concubine Qabiha, whose Order eventually fell to the Hidden Ones based in Alamut while Qabiha herself was killed by the Master Assassin Roshan.^[18]

In the case of the Anglo-Saxon branch of the Order based in Great Britain, the organization was headed by a Grand Maegester, who was also known by the title of "The Father".^[3] During the 9th century, the position was held by members of the House of Wessex, beginning with King Æthelwulf. After his death, King Ælla of Northumbria, another high-ranking Order member, was expected to succeed him as Grand Maegester, but due to his own demise at the hands of the Great Heathen Army, the title passed down to Æthelwulf's son Æthelred I.^[19]

In 871, Æthelred died from wounds sustained during the Battle of Meretun,^[20] and his younger brother Alfred succeeded him as both King of Wessex and Grand Maegester of the Order. Unlike his father and brother, however, Alfred was against the Order's beliefs and secretly sought to bring about its collapse.^[19]

Working under the pseudonym of a "Poor Fellow-Soldier of Christ", Alfred manipulated the Viking Eivor Varinsdottir into helping him achieve his goal, rendering the Order in Great Britain extinct and the title of Grand Maegester obsolete by 878.^[21] Alfred subsequently set about rebuilding the Order into a new organization that more closely followed his Christian beliefs, and became its first Grand Master.^[19]

Middle Ages

The first known Grand Master of the Templar Order was the French knight Hugues de Payens. When he and his colleague Bernard de Clairvaux realized they needed the protection of the Church for their endeavors, they transformed the Templars into the publicly recognized military and monastic Order of the Knights Templar, trusted with the protection of pilgrims to the Holy Land, with Hugues becoming its first Grand Master in 1129.^[22]

After two years without a Grand Master following Gerard de Ridefort's death, Robert de Sablé joined the Templar Order and reigned as the Grand Master of the Levantine Rite during the year 1191. During his reign, he sought a Piece of Eden, specifically an Apple of Eden, intending to use it to achieve the Order's goal of establishing a New World Order. After losing the Apple, he launched an attack on the Levantine Assassins' stronghold of Masyaf to recover it, but was defeated. Later on, during the Battle of Arsuf, he was killed by his rival, the Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad.^[23]^[24]

After the death of Robert, Armand Bouchart took on the mantle of Grand Master as he and the Templars retreated to Cyprus. However, Altaïr pursued him and the two fought in the Templar Archive, after the Assassin foiled the Grand Master's plans, resulting in Altaïr's victory and the Templars losing another leader.^[25]

During the early 14th century, the French King Philip le Bel was unknowingly influenced by the Assassins, and conspired against the Templars. As a result, they were branded heretics and hundreds of them were arrested, with the last official Grand Master, Jacques de Molay, understanding that the Order would not survive as a public organization. With this, he allowed himself to be burned at the stake, saving the lives of his brethren and making his enemies believe that the Templars were finished, though in reality, the Order continued to exist underground.^[22]

Renaissance

In 1476, the Roman Rite came under the leadership of the Spanish-born Rodrigo Borgia, a cardinal under Pope Sixtus IV. Operating from Rome, Rodrigo's primary objective was to unite Italy under the Templar banner,^[26] however, the Italian Templars strayed far from the main Templar ideology and used the Order as a way to achieve and sustain power for themselves.^[22] Despite facing complications from the Assassins, mainly Ezio Auditore da Firenze, Rodrigo managed to bribe the other cardinals, and was named Pope in 1492, taking on the name Alexander VI.^[26]

Rodrigo then secured the power of the Church for the Templars, and from the Vatican, he oversaw the progress of the other Templars in Europe, including England and Spain. However, by 1500, Rodrigo's resolve had weakened, and control over the order fell to his son Cesare Borgia, who acted as the de facto Grand Master.^[8]

After he killed his own father in August 1503, Cesare became the official Grand Master of the Order,^[27] though without his father's power in the Church, he could not maintain the same influence in Europe that his father had. Cesare was soon imprisoned with the ascension of the next Pope, Julius II, and upon escaping, he fled to his brother-in-law John III of Navarre in Navarre, Spain. The Grand Master was ultimately killed during the Siege of Viana in 1507 by Ezio Auditore,^[8] destabilizing the Templars in Europe and causing them to temporarily withdraw.^[28]

Circa 1509, the Ottoman Prince Ahmet became the Grand Master of the Byzantine Rite,^[22] and sought to acquire the Masyaf Keys and open the library of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, believing the knowledge inside could lead the Order into a new era. However, his efforts were opposed by Ezio Auditore, who assisted the Ottoman Assassins in driving the Templars out of the Empire, while Ahmet himself was killed by his brother Selim I for betraying his country.^[28]

Colonial era

During the time of colonial expansion by the major European empires, the Cuban governor Laureano de Torres y Ayala assumed the role of Grand Master of the West Indies Rite. Operating out of Havana, he sought the fabled Observatory in order to spy upon and thus bend the leaders of the European colonial empires to Templar will, ensuring peace through order. Torres was ultimately assassinated by the pirate-turned-Assassin Edward Kenway in 1722, before he could succeeed in his goal.^[29]

In Britain, the Grand Master of the British Rite was Reginald Birch, an Englishman who used the pretext of business to cover his affiliations. He was responsible for the growth of Templar influence in the British colonies, sending over Haytham Kenway to lead them. Upon his arrival in the colonies, Haytham gathered his co-conspirators, who had been recruited and located by Birch, and became the first Grand Master of the newly-founded Colonial Rite.^[6]

During the French and Indian War, part of the wider Seven Years' War, the Colonial Rite grew in power, acquiring such influence that they soon posed a serious threat to the Colonial Assassins under Achilles Davenport. At the time, the Assassins were more preoccupied with investigating Pieces of Eden and largely ignored the organization's new leadership, an error that proved fatal.^[11]

Shortly after founding the Colonial Rite, Haytham led the rite in an assault against the Assassins.^[6] Aided by the Assassin turncoat Shay Cormac and led on the field by Haytham himself, the Templars removed key figures in the Brotherhood, greatly reducing the Assassin's presence.^[11] This cumulated in an attack on the Davenport Homestead in 1763, where the remaining Assassins were killed and Achilles was exiled on the condition that he never revive the Brotherhood, thus effectively exterminating the Colonial branch.^[6]

In 1781, the title of Grand Master was bestowed upon Charles Lee, following Haytham's death during the siege of Fort George at the hands of his son, the Assassin Connor. Lee, as the only Templar conspirator left from Haytham's rule, attempted to flee back to England by ship after his initial plan to kill Connor failed. He was unsuccessful however, and Connor assassinated him inside a tavern in 1782.^[6]

In Europe, François de la Serre had risen to the position of Grand Master of the Parisian Rite. However, he was ultimately deposed in a coup d'etat orchestrated by François-Thomas Germain, who usurped the position of Grand Master following de la Serre's death. Germain's ascension was opposed by de la Serre's daughter Élise, who worked with her lover, the Assassin Arno Dorian, to hunt the Grand Master and his allies, eventually succeeding in killing Germain in 1794.^[13]

Early modern era

By 1868, the British Rite was controlled by Crawford Starrick, who expanded the Templars' reach to every major corner of industrialized society, from the highest official to the lowest criminal. He was opposed by the few remaining Assassins in London, namely Henry Green and the Frye twins, Jacob and Evie, who killed Starrick during his quest for a Shroud of Eden, freeing London from Templar influence.^[30]

In 1925, Sun Yat-sen, the Grand Master of the Chinese Rite, was killed by the Assassins. He was succeeded by Stirling Fessenden, who hoped to recruit Chiang Kai-shek into the Order and have him become the new Grand Master. However, Chiang ultimately rejected Fessenden's offer and ended his alliance with the Templars after they helped him gain control of Shanghai.^[9]

By 1927, Thaddeus Gift had become the Grand Master of the British Rite, although he was a corrupt leader who used the Templars' connections to embezzle money for his personal gain. In retaliation for breaking the Order's principles, Gift was later assassinated by the Black Cross Albert Bolden.^[9]

Contemporary era

In 1937, the "Founders" created Abstergo Industries, which from that point on served as the public front of the Templar Order. Though its highest-ranking employees all held some form of leadership in the Order,^[31] there were multiple Grand Masters who still maintained control over their operations. As of 2014, there are three known Grand Masters operating respectively in Cuba, Mexico and the United States.^[32]

During this period, the Grand Masters were no longer the highest rank among the Templar Order. They were instead answerable to the Guardians, who in turn answered to the General of the Cross.^[32]

Known Grand Masters

Order of the Ancients

Fathers of Understanding

Main article: Father of Understanding

Julius Caesar^[16]
Rome
c. 47 BCE – 44 BCE

Ra's Al-Afa's

Main article: Ra's Al-Af'a

Qabiha^[2]
Abbasid Caliphate
c. 860s

Grand Maegesters

Main article: Grand Maegester of the Order of the Ancients

Æthelwulf, King of Wessex^[3]
England
until 858
Æthelred I, King of Wessex^[3]
England
c. 865 – 871
Alfred the Great^[3]
England
871 – c. 873

Order of the Knights Templar

Alfred the Great^[3]
England
began c. 878
Hugues de Payens^[22]
French Rite / Levantine Rite
Knights Templar
1118 – 1136
Gerard de Ridefort^[22]
Levantine Rite
Knights Templar
1185 – 1189
Robert de Sablé^[23]^[24]
Levantine Rite
Knights Templar
1190 - 1191
Armand Bouchart^[25]
Levantine Rite
1191 – 1193
Philippe du Plessis^[33]
Levantine Rite
Knights Templar
1201 – 1208
Jacques de Molay^[22]
French Rite
Knights Templar
1292 – 1312
Rodrigo Borgia^[26]^[8]
Roman Rite
1476 – 1503
Cesare Borgia^[27]
Roman Rite
1500 – 1503 (de facto)
1503 – 1507 (de jure)
Ahmet^[1]
Byzantine Rite
c. 1509 – 1512
Alexandre de Hautecourt^[34]
French Rite
c. 1609
Laureano de Torres y Ayala^[29]
West Indies Rite
c. 1673 – 1722
Reginald Birch^[6]
British Rite
c. 1735 – 1757
Haytham Kenway^[6]
Colonial Rite
1754 – 1781
Charles Lee^[6]
Colonial Rite
1781 – 1782
François de la Serre^[13]
French Rite
1768 – 1789
François-Thomas Germain^[13]
French Rite (radical faction)
1789 – 1794
William M. Tweed^[35]
American Rite
c. 1863
Crawford Starrick^[30]
British Rite
until 1868
Thaddeus Gift^[9]
British Rite
until 1927
Sun Yat-sen^[9]
Chinese Rite
until 1925
Stirling Fessenden^[9]
Chinese Rite
began 1925
Alan Rikkin^[36]
Worldwide
until 2016
American Grand Master^[32]
American Rite
c. 2014
Caribbean Grand Master^[32]
West Indies Rite
c. 2014
Mexican Grand Master^[32]
Mexican Rite
c. 2014

Trivia

Assassin's Creed material occasionally identifies Assassins, including Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, Mario Auditore, Mirabeau and Mujir as Grand Masters of the Assassin Order.

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Assassin's Creed: The Essential Guide
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 Assassin's Creed: Mirage
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 ^3.4 ^3.5 Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 ^4.3 ^4.4 Assassin's Creed: Forsaken
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 ^5.2 ^5.3 ^5.4 ^5.5 ^5.6 ^5.7 Assassin's Creed: Unity novel
↑ ^6.00 ^6.01 ^6.02 ^6.03 ^6.04 ^6.05 ^6.06 ^6.07 ^6.08 ^6.09 Assassin's Creed III
↑ Assassin's Creed III: Liberation
↑ ^8.0 ^8.1 ^8.2 ^8.3 ^8.4 Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
↑ ^9.0 ^9.1 ^9.2 ^9.3 ^9.4 ^9.5 ^9.6 Assassin's Creed: Templars
↑ ^10.0 ^10.1 Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
↑ ^11.0 ^11.1 ^11.2 ^11.3 ^11.4 ^11.5 Assassin's Creed: Rogue
↑ Assassin's Creed II: Discovery
↑ ^13.0 ^13.1 ^13.2 ^13.3 ^13.4 ^13.5 Assassin's Creed: Unity
↑ ^14.0 ^14.1 Assassin's Creed: Underworld
↑ Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles
↑ ^16.0 ^16.1 Assassin's Creed: Origins – Fall of an Empire, Rise of Another
↑ Assassin's Creed: Origins – The Hidden Ones – Sic Semper Tyrannis
↑ Assassin's Creed: Mirage – The Serpent's Nest
↑ ^19.0 ^19.1 ^19.2 Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – The Poor Fellow-Soldier
↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Database: Aelfred
↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Breaking the Order
↑ ^22.0 ^22.1 ^22.2 ^22.3 ^22.4 ^22.5 ^22.6 Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia
↑ ^23.0 ^23.1 Assassin's Creed
↑ ^24.0 ^24.1 Assassin's Creed: The Essential Guide
↑ ^25.0 ^25.1 Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines
↑ ^26.0 ^26.1 ^26.2 Assassin's Creed II
↑ ^27.0 ^27.1 Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood novel
↑ ^28.0 ^28.1 Assassin's Creed: Revelations
↑ ^29.0 ^29.1 Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
↑ ^30.0 ^30.1 Assassin's Creed: Syndicate
↑ Assassin's Creed: Revelations – Abstergo Files
↑ ^32.0 ^32.1 ^32.2 ^32.3 ^32.4 Assassin's Creed: Unity – Helix Database: 10. Reconnaissance Memo
↑ Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy
↑ Assassin's Creed: Fragments – The Witches of the Moors – Chapter 21: Pierre de Lancre
↑ Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants
↑ Assassin's Creed: The Official Movie Novelization

hu:A Templomos Rend Nagymestere pt-br:Grão-Mestre ru:Великий Магистр Тамплиеров fr:Grand Maître

[ACEG-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Assassin's Creed: The Essential Guide

[ACMir-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 Assassin's Creed: Mirage

[ACV-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 ^3.4 ^3.5 Assassin's Creed: Valhalla

[Forsaken-4] 4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 ^4.3 ^4.4 Assassin's Creed: Forsaken

[ACUN-5] 5.0 ^5.1 ^5.2 ^5.3 ^5.4 ^5.5 ^5.6 ^5.7 Assassin's Creed: Unity novel

[AC3-6] 6.00 ^6.01 ^6.02 ^6.03 ^6.04 ^6.05 ^6.06 ^6.07 ^6.08 ^6.09 Assassin's Creed III

[AC3L-7] Assassin's Creed III: Liberation

[ACB-8] 8.0 ^8.1 ^8.2 ^8.3 ^8.4 Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

[ACT-9] 9.0 ^9.1 ^9.2 ^9.3 ^9.4 ^9.5 ^9.6 Assassin's Creed: Templars

[AC4BF-10] 10.0 ^10.1 Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

[ACRG-11] 11.0 ^11.1 ^11.2 ^11.3 ^11.4 ^11.5 Assassin's Creed: Rogue

[AC2D-12] Assassin's Creed II: Discovery

[ACU-13] 13.0 ^13.1 ^13.2 ^13.3 ^13.4 ^13.5 Assassin's Creed: Unity

[ACUW-14] 14.0 ^14.1 Assassin's Creed: Underworld

[ACAC-15] Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles

[ACO-16] 16.0 ^16.1 Assassin's Creed: Origins – Fall of an Empire, Rise of Another

[17] Assassin's Creed: Origins – The Hidden Ones – Sic Semper Tyrannis

[18] Assassin's Creed: Mirage – The Serpent's Nest

[Poor_Fellow_Soldier-19] 19.0 ^19.1 ^19.2 Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – The Poor Fellow-Soldier

[20] Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Database: Aelfred

[21] Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Breaking the Order

[Encyclopedia-22] 22.0 ^22.1 ^22.2 ^22.3 ^22.4 ^22.5 ^22.6 Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia

[AC-23] 23.0 ^23.1 Assassin's Creed

[The_Essential_Guide-24] 24.0 ^24.1 Assassin's Creed: The Essential Guide

[ACBL-25] 25.0 ^25.1 Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines

[AC2-26] 26.0 ^26.1 ^26.2 Assassin's Creed II

[ACB_novel-27] 27.0 ^27.1 Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood novel

[ACR-28] 28.0 ^28.1 Assassin's Creed: Revelations

[AC4-29] 29.0 ^29.1 Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

[ACS-30] 30.0 ^30.1 Assassin's Creed: Syndicate

[31] Assassin's Creed: Revelations – Abstergo Files

[ACU_database-32] 32.0 ^32.1 ^32.2 ^32.3 ^32.4 Assassin's Creed: Unity – Helix Database: 10. Reconnaissance Memo

[33] Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy

[34] Assassin's Creed: Fragments – The Witches of the Moors – Chapter 21: Pierre de Lancre

[35] Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants

[ACMN-36] Assassin's Creed: The Official Movie Novelization

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@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 {{Youmay|the highest rank of the Templar Order|[[Grand Master|other uses]] of the title}}
 [[File:Templars.png|thumb|250px|The emblem of the Templar Order]]
-The title of '''Grand Master''' is one of the highest ranks of the [[Templars|Templar Order]]. Originally it was the supreme head of the entire order, but evolution of the organization over the centuries led to this status being superseded by newly created authorities such as the [[Guardians (Templars)|Guardians]] and the [[Generals of the Cross|General of the Cross]]. Since the establishment of major branches of the order, the title has designated the heads of the [[Templar Rite|Rites]] of the order, each corresponding to a specific geographic region, where they serve as the highest authority.<ref name="ACEG">[[Assassin's Creed: The Essential Guide]]</ref>
+The title of '''Grand Master''' is one of the highest ranks of the [[Templars|Templar Order]]. Originally it was the supreme head of the entire order, but evolution of the organization over the centuries led to this status being superseded by newly created authorities such as the [[Guardians (Templars)|Guardians]] and the [[Generals of the Cross|General of the Cross]]. Since the establishment of major branches of the order, the title has designated the heads of the [[Templar Rite|Rites]] of the order, each corresponding to a specific geographic region, where they serve as the highest authority.<ref name="ACEG">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Essential Guide]]''</ref>
-During the times of the [[Order of the Ancients]], the title was known as [[Grand Maegester of the Order of the Ancients|Grand Maegester]]. The rank of Grand Maegester was also synonymous with the "[[Father of Understanding]]", or simply "The Father". This term was adopted from the similarly named title within the ruling triumvirate of [[Isu]] society, in which the Father of Understanding ruled alongside the [[Mother of Wisdom]] and the [[Sacred Voice]].<ref name="ACV">''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]''</ref>
+During the times of the [[Order of the Ancients]], the rank was known under different names depending on the region, with the [[Iran|Persian]] branch of the Order using the title of [[Ra's Al-Af'a]] (English: ''Head of the Snake'') to designate its leader,<ref name="ACMir">''[[Assassin's Creed: Mirage]]''</ref> while the [[Anglo-Saxons|Anglo-Saxon]] branch used the title of [[Grand Maegester of the Order of the Ancients|Grand Maegester]] instead. The rank was also synonymous with that of "[[Father of Understanding]]", or simply "The Father". This term was adopted from the similarly named title within the ruling triumvirate of [[Isu]] society, in which the Father of Understanding ruled alongside the [[Mother of Wisdom]] and the [[Sacred Voice]].<ref name="ACV">''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]''</ref>
 Having previously borne a more public face, most Grand Masters of the Templar Order were better known than their [[Assassins|Assassin]] [[Mentor|counterparts]]. However, as the Templars slipped back into the shadows, the identities of their leaders eventually fell from the public consciousness.
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 While still in charge of their respective and autonomous Rites, the Grand Masters were nevertheless accountable to the members of the Inner Sanctum and their inquisitor, the feared [[Black Cross]]es. Furthermore, the Inner Sanctum was in charge of promoting the Grand Masters, keeping their numbers under strict control.
-While it was commonly assumed that all Templar leaders were drawn from the stock of Western nobility, due to the prominence of the front-organization that was the Knights Templar during the Middle Ages, the truth was that as the Order developed, diversified and relocated, many different people of various ethnic backgrounds and cultural heritages had assumed the mantle of Grand Master throughout the Templars' longevity.
+While it was commonly assumed that all [[Templar leader|Templar leaders]] were drawn from the stock of Western nobility, due to the prominence of the front-organization that was the Knights Templar during the Middle Ages, the truth was that as the Order developed, diversified and relocated, many different people of various ethnic backgrounds and cultural heritages had assumed the mantle of Grand Master throughout the Templars' longevity.
 ==Structure==
 ===Training===
-{{Quote|It is a requirement when you are raised in the manner that I was. Perception is fundamental to the Order. It guides the feet when running and climbing. Informs the hands when striking and fighting. But most important, it transforms the senses. And we begin to know the world in a different way.|Haytham discussing his training with Charles Lee.|Assassin's Creed III}}
+{{Quote|It is a requirement when you are raised in the manner that I was. Perception is fundamental to the Order. It guides the feet when running and climbing. Informs the hands when striking and fighting. But most important, it transforms the senses. And we begin to know the world in a different way.|Haytham Kenway discussing his training with Charles Lee, 1754.|Assassin's Creed III|The Surgeon}}
-The Templar Order requires that any member trained to become a Grand Master are to be prepared to make difficult decisions and confident in their own abilities in leadership before being promoted. To uphold the Templar belief of killing for efficiency instead of emotional grounds, they are expected to be resourceful to further the Templars ideals in pursuit of the greater good.<ref name="Forsaken">''[[Assassin's Creed: Forsaken]]''</ref> The strongest minds among them are meant to bear the responsibility of the people's will for freedom and responsibility;<ref name="ACUN">''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity (novel)]]''</ref> therefore they themselves seek to take the mantle of leadership in a society and expect the people to fall in line because, in their view, [[Human|humanity]] was [[Isu|built]] to serve.<ref name="AC3"/><ref name="AC3L">''[[Assassin's Creed III: Liberation]]''</ref> Additionally, both combat and strategem are part of their training.<ref name="ACUN"/><ref name="Forsaken"/> The training itself is under another Grand Master, where it is a chosen Templar being trained,<ref name="Forsaken"/> or it is a birthright in a Templar lineage that ruled a Rite.<ref name="ACUN"/><ref name="ACB">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref> After the foundation of the [[Inner Sanctum of the Templar Order|Inner Sanctum]], promotions to Grand Master came under their control.<ref name="ACT"/>
+The Templar Order requires that any member trained to become a Grand Master is prepared to make difficult decisions and confident in their own leadership abilities before being promoted. To uphold the Templar belief of killing for efficiency instead of emotional grounds, they are expected to be resourceful to further the Templars ideals in pursuit of the greater good.<ref name="Forsaken">''[[Assassin's Creed: Forsaken]]''</ref>
+[[File:ACU Elise sword training.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Élise de la Serre training with Frederick Weatherall]]
+The strongest minds among the Order are meant to bear the responsibility of the people's will for freedom and responsibility;<ref name="ACUN">[[Assassin's Creed: Unity (novel)|''Assassin's Creed: Unity'' novel]]</ref> therefore they themselves seek to take the mantle of leadership in society and expect the people to fall in line because, in their view, [[Human|humanity]] was [[Isu|built]] to serve.<ref name="AC3" /><ref name="AC3L">''[[Assassin's Creed III: Liberation]]''</ref> Additionally, both combat and strategem are part of their training.<ref name="ACUN" /><ref name="Forsaken" /> The training itself is under another Grand Master, where it is a chosen Templar being trained,<ref name="Forsaken" /> or it is a birthright in a Templar lineage that ruled a Rite.<ref name="ACUN" /><ref name="ACB">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref> After the foundation of the [[Inner Sanctum of the Templar Order|Inner Sanctum]], promotions to Grand Master came under their control.<ref name="ACT" />
 ===Powers & leadership===
-{{Quote|As a Master Templar, you have learned your lessons well, and have earned this opportunity. You are my eyes and ears in the New World now. Do not fail me, Lawrence.|Birch in his letter to Lawrence, 1738.|Assassin's Creed: Rogue}}
+{{Quote|As a Master Templar, you have learned your lessons well, and have earned this opportunity. You are my eyes and ears in the New World now. Do not fail me, Lawrence.|Reginald Birch in a letter to Lawrence Washington, 1738.|Assassin's Creed: Rogue|War Letters}}
-A Grand Master controls a specific geographic region and their [[Templar Rite|Rites]] is named after it.<ref name="ACEG"/> Under their leadership, the other Templars served as Advisors and the second-in-command served as [[Lieutenant of the Templar Order|Lieutenant]].<ref name="ACUN"/> Despite it being their highest rank of a Rite within the international organization that is the Templar Order, a Grand Master is dependent on the support of their Advisors and other Rites around the world. Because of the responsibilities of being a Grand Master are important, some Templars served as their personal bodyguards, such as [[Frederick Weatherall]] for the [[De la Serre family]],<ref name="ACUN"/> and [[El Tiburón]] for [[Laureano de Torres y Ayala]].<ref name="AC4BF"/>
+A Grand Master controls a specific geographic region and their [[Templar Rite|Rite]] is named after it.<ref name="ACEG"/> Under their leadership, the other Templars serve as Advisors and the second-in-command serves as [[Lieutenant of the Templar Order|Lieutenant]].<ref name="ACUN"/> Despite holding the highest attainable rank within their Rite, a Grand Master is not all-powerful and is dependent on the support of their Advisors and other Rites around the world. Nevertheless, their duties are essential to the proper functioning of the Templar Order as a whole, so Grand Masters may elect to have bodyguards to protect them at all times, such as [[Frederick Weatherall]] for the [[De la Serre family]],<ref name="ACUN"/> and [[El Tiburón]] for [[Laureano de Torres y Ayala]].<ref name="AC4BF"/>
-The power of a Grand Master is also beyond their own Rite to an extent within the Templar Order, as their higher rank allowed to have influence of acting leaders, as well as over [[Master Templar]]s of other Rites.<ref name="AC3"/><ref name="ACRG"/><ref name="AC2D">''[[Assassin's Creed II: Discovery]]''</ref> It does not mean they can neglect the duties of their own Rite to actively participate in the duties of another Grand Master and their Rite, such as Birch obsession of the [[Grand Temple|Precursor storehouse]] being researched under Haytham`s Colonial Rite.<ref name="Forsaken"/>
+The power of a Grand Master can extend beyond their own Rite, as their higher rank allows them to have influence over members of other Rites, including [[Master Templar]]s.<ref name="AC3"/><ref name="ACRG"/><ref name="AC2D">''[[Assassin's Creed II: Discovery]]''</ref> However, this does not mean they can neglect the duties of their own Rite to actively participate in the duties of another Grand Master and their Rite. An example of this is [[Reginald Birch]] entrusting the search for the [[Grand Temple]] to [[Haytham Kenway]] and the [[American Rite of the Templar Order|Colonial Rite]] while Birch himself remained in England.<ref name="Forsaken"/>
-The Grand Master would also have meetings with Templars from other Rites to discuss the politics of their nation, domestic and global, and conditions of the Templar Order itself,<ref name="ACUN"/> while also communicating through their various businesses and organizations such as Templar fleets, like [[Shay Cormac's fleet]].<ref name="ACRG"/> An advantage of being Grand Master is also their own network that functions as their eyes and ears everywhere, and they get regularly updates from agents on operations, especially Templars directly under their command.<ref name="Forsaken"/> They also lead the initiation of new Templar members<ref name="AC3"/><ref name="ACRG"/><ref name="AC4BF">''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]''</ref> and can exile other Templars.<ref name="ACU" />
+[[File:ACIII-BraddockExpedition 18.png|thumb|250px|Haytham Kenway inducting Charles Lee into the Order]]
+The Grand Master would also have meetings with Templars from other Rites to discuss the politics of their nation, domestic and global, and the conditions of the Templar Order itself,<ref name="ACUN"/> while also communicating through their various businesses and organizations such as Templar fleets, like [[Shay Cormac's fleet]].<ref name="ACRG"/> An advantage of being Grand Master is a personal network that functions as their eyes and ears everywhere, and they get regular updates from agents, especially Templars directly under their command.<ref name="Forsaken"/> Another responsibility of the Grand Master is the [[Initiation into the Templar Order|initiation]] of new Templar members,<ref name="AC3"/><ref name="ACRG"/><ref name="AC4BF">''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]''</ref> as well as the exile of Templars who have betrayed the Order, either directly or indirectly.<ref name="ACU" />
-After the foundation of the Inner Sanctum and their inquisitors, their power were kept under check by any [[Black Cross]]es investigating for corruption with the permission to whatever is necessary, including killing Grand Masters found of corruption and therefore guilty of breaking the Templars principles. The operations of a Black Cross are not to be interfered with and all information in regards to encounters with the Black Cross must be kept silent.<ref name="ACT"/> The number of Grand Masters were kept under strict control by the Inner Sanctum and Grand Masters became answerable to [[Guardians]] and the [[Generals of the Cross|General of the Cross]].<ref name="ACU" />
+After the foundation of the Inner Sanctum, the Grand Masters' powers were kept under check by the [[Black Cross]]es, whose main objective was to keep the various Rites free of corruption. If a Grand Master was found guilty of breaking the Order's principles, the Black Cross held the authority to execute them on the spot. During an ongoing investigation, all Templars, including the Grand Master, were obliged to assist the Black Cross by providing them with any information or resources they demanded, but were otherwise forbidden from interfering with the investigation or even speaking of their interactions with the Black Cross.<ref name="ACT"/>
+In the 21st century, the number of Grand Masters worldwide has become kept under strict control by the Inner Sanctum, and Grand Masters became answerable to [[Guardians]] and the [[Generals of the Cross|General of the Cross]].<ref name="ACU" />
 ===Accession===
-{{Quote|When our brother Templars see the old institutions crumble, they will adapt.|Germain telling the nature of Templars to Elise and Arno, 1794.|Assassin's Creed: Unity}}
+{{Quote|When our brother Templars see the old institutions crumble, they will adapt.|François-Thomas Germain to Élise de la Serre and Arno Dorian, 1794.|Assassin's Creed: Unity|The Temple}}
-A rival Templar aiming to become the Grand Master would therefore have to contact other Rites to convince them that overthrowing the current one is necessary, and recruit members within the Rite before initiating a ''coup d'état''.<ref name="ACUN"/><ref name="ACU"/> Failures to do so have resulted in death of the rival Templars, such as [[Cavanagh]] wanting to overthrow Starrick with an [[Apples of Eden|Apple of Eden]], that was killed on Starrick`s own orders.<ref name="ACUW">''[[Assassin's Creed: Underworld]]''</ref> Rodrigo poisoning Cesare under the ''de facto'' leadership of Cesare to maintain the tightened control he established for the [[House of Borgia|Borgia family]] in [[Rome]].<ref name="ACB"/> And both [[Élise de la Serre]] and [[Chrétien Lafrenière]] for the moderates of the Parisian Rite until they and their supporters were purged completely, therefore Germain ensured his opposition couldn't have legitimate claims of the title. As the Parisian Rite ran smoothly under his control and it had the support of other Rites, specifically the [[American Rite of the Templar Order|American Rite]], [[Roman Rite of the Templar Order|Roman Rite]] and [[Spanish Rite of the Templar Order|Spanish Rite]].<ref name="ACUN"/>
+A rival Templar aiming to become the Grand Master would have to contact other Rites to convince them that overthrowing the current one is necessary, and recruit members within the Rite before initiating a ''coup d'état''.<ref name="ACUN"/><ref name="ACU"/> Failure to do so would result in the death of the rival Templars, such as [[Cavanagh]], who sought to overthrow [[Crawford Starrick]] with an [[Apple of Eden 7|Apple of Eden]], being killed on Starrick's own orders.<ref name="ACUW">''[[Assassin's Creed: Underworld]]''</ref> Another example is Grand Master [[Rodrigo Borgia]] attempting to poison his own son [[Cesare Borgia|Cesare]], who had assumed ''de facto'' leadership of the [[Roman Rite of the Templar Order|Roman Rite]], due to seeing his actions as a betrayal of the Templars' principles.<ref name="ACB" />
-And others have had the position as a leader of a Rite because their superiors was assassinated, despite not having the rank of Grand Master themselves and became the ''de facto'' leader by circumstance acting in the place of Grand Master, such as [[James Wardrop]] after the assassination of [[Lawrence Washington]],<ref name="ACRG"/> and [[Basilisk]] after [[Gerard de Ridefort]].<ref name="ACAC">''[[Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles]]''</ref> There were also those who were chosen by a Rite itself for their own qualities as leaders, like [[Ahmet]] becoming Grand Master of the [[Byzantine Rite of the Templar Order|Byzantine Rite]] while [[Manuel Palaiologos]] became his Second-in-command,<ref name="ACEG"/> and Strarrick`s rise in the British Rite until he was chosen as Grand Master.<ref name="ACUW"/>
+[[File:High Society 12.png|thumb|250px|left|François de la Serre killed in Germain's ''coup d'état'']]
+In the case of the [[Parisian Rite of the Templar Order|Parisian Rite]] in the late 18th century, [[François-Thomas Germain]] successfully petitioned the [[American Rite of the Templar Order|American]], Roman, and [[Spanish Rite of the Templar Order|Spanish Rites]] for support following his banishment by Grand Master [[François de la Serre]]. After Germain had de la Serre assassinated in a ''coup d'état'' and began purging all French Templars opposing him, [[Élise de la Serre]] and [[Chrétien Lafrenière]] petitioned other Rites for aid but they only lent their sympathies, as the Parisian Rite ran smoothly under Germain's control, so there was no need for their intervention.<ref name="ACUN" />
+In the event of a Grand Master's untimely death, a successor may be appointed as ''de facto'' leader of the Rite until a new Grand Master is officially elected, as was the case during the [[Third Crusade]], when [[Basilisk]] assumed temporary leadership of the [[Levantine Rite of the Templar Order|Levantine Rite]] following Grand Master [[Gerard de Ridefort]]'s death.<ref name="ACAC">''[[Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles]]''</ref> The same is true in the case of Templar leaders who did not hold the title of Grand Master, such as [[James Wardrop]] succeeding [[Lawrence Washington]] as leader of the Templars in the [[United States|Thirteen Colonies]].<ref name="ACRG" />
+There have also been several instances of a Grand Master being chosen by the Rite itself for their own qualities as leaders, such as [[Ahmet]] becoming Grand Master of the [[Byzantine Rite of the Templar Order|Byzantine Rite]] while [[Manuel Palaiologos]] was demoted to his second-in-command,<ref name="ACEG" /> and Crawford Starrick's rise in the [[British Rite of the Templar Order|British Rite]] until he was appointed Grand Master.<ref name="ACUW" />
 ==History==
+===Order of the Ancients===
+{{Main|Grand Maegester of the Order of the Ancients}}
+{{Main|Ra's Al-Af'a}}
+Prior to the establishment of the Templar Order, the [[Order of the Ancients]] used various titles to denote the leaders of its different branches around the world. In 44 BCE, when asked by the [[Assassins|Hidden One]] [[Amunet|Aya]] if [[Gaius Julius Caesar|Julius Caesar]] was the King of the Order, the Ancient [[Lucius Septimius]] corrected her, claiming that Caesar was the "[[Father of Understanding]]". Following Caesar's [[Assassination of Julius Caesar|assassination]] by the Hidden Ones,<ref name="ACO">''[[Assassin's Creed: Origins]]'' – [[Fall of an Empire, Rise of Another]]</ref> his adoptive son [[Augustus|Octavian]] succeeded him as leader of the Order, though he did not inherit the title of Father of Understanding and the name eventually fell out of use.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Origins]]'' – ''[[The Hidden Ones (DLC)|The Hidden Ones]]'' – [[Sic Semper Tyrannis]]</ref>
+In the 9th century, the leader of the Order in the [[Abbasid Caliphate]] was called the [[Ra's Al-Af'a]], or the "Head of the Snake".<ref name="ACMir" /> By the 860s, the position had been attained by the royal [[concubine]] [[Qabiha]], whose Order eventually fell to the Hidden Ones based in [[Alamut]] while Qabiha herself was killed by the [[Master Assassin]] [[Roshan]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Mirage]]'' – [[The Serpent's Nest]]</ref>
+[[File:ACVBB - Aelfred and Aethelred.png|thumb|250px|Alfred and Æthelred, Kings of Wessex and Grand Maegesters of the Order]]
+In the case of the [[Anglo-Saxons|Anglo-Saxon]] branch of the Order based in [[Great Britain]], the organization was headed by a [[Grand Maegester of the Order of the Ancients|Grand Maegester]], who was also known by the title of "The Father".<ref name="ACV" /> During the 9th century, the position was held by members of the [[House of Wessex]], beginning with King [[Æthelwulf, King of Wessex|Æthelwulf]]. After his death, King [[Ælla of Northumbria]], another high-ranking Order member, was expected to succeed him as Grand Maegester, but due to his own demise at the hands of the [[Great Heathen Army]], the title passed down to Æthelwulf's son [[Æthelred I, King of Wessex|Æthelred I]].<ref name="Poor Fellow Soldier">''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]'' – [[The Poor Fellow-Soldier]]</ref>
+In 871, Æthelred died from wounds sustained during the [[Battle of Meretun]],<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]'' – [[Database: Aelfred]]</ref> and his younger brother [[Alfred the Great|Alfred]] succeeded him as both King of [[Wessex]] and Grand Maegester of the Order. Unlike his father and brother, however, Alfred was against the Order's beliefs and secretly sought to bring about its collapse.<ref name="Poor Fellow Soldier" />
+Working under the pseudonym of a "Poor Fellow-Soldier of [[Jesus of Nazareth|Christ]]", Alfred manipulated the [[Vikings|Viking]] [[Eivor Varinsdottir]] into helping him achieve his goal, rendering the Order in Great Britain extinct and the title of Grand Maegester obsolete by 878.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]'' – [[Breaking the Order]]</ref> Alfred subsequently set about rebuilding the Order into a new organization that more closely followed his [[Christianity|Christian]] beliefs, and became its first Grand Master.<ref name="Poor Fellow Soldier" />
 ===Middle Ages===
-The first known Grand Master was the [[France|French]] knight [[Hugues de Payens]]. When he and his colleague [[Bernard de Clairvaux]] realized they needed the protection of the Church for their endeavors, they transformed the Templars into the publicly recognized military and monastic Order of the Knights Templar, trusted with the protection of pilgrims to the Holy Land, with Hugues becoming its first Grand Master in 1129.<ref name="Encyclopedia">''[[Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia]]''</ref>
+The first known Grand Master of the Templar Order was the [[France|French]] knight [[Hugues de Payens]]. When he and his colleague [[Bernard de Clairvaux]] realized they needed the protection of the Church for their endeavors, they transformed the Templars into the publicly recognized military and monastic Order of the Knights Templar, trusted with the protection of pilgrims to the Holy Land, with Hugues becoming its first Grand Master in 1129.<ref name="Encyclopedia">''[[Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia]]''</ref>
-After two years without a Grand Master following [[Gerard de Ridefort]]'s death, [[Robert de Sablé]] entered the Templar Order and reigned as the Grand Master of the [[Levantine Rite of the Templar Order|Levantine Rite]] during 1191. During his reign, he sought a [[Piece of Eden]], nominally the [[Apple of Eden 2|Apple of Eden]]. After having lost the Apple, he launched an [[Defense of Masyaf|attack]] on the [[Levantine Assassins]]' stronghold of [[Masyaf]]. Later on, during the [[Battle of Arsuf]], he was killed by his rival, [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]].<ref name="AC">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref><ref name="The Essential Guide">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Essential Guide]]''</ref>
+[[File:Siege of Masyaf Templars.png|thumb|250px|left|Robert de Sablé leading the Templars to Masyaf]]
+After two years without a Grand Master following [[Gerard de Ridefort]]'s death, [[Robert de Sablé]] joined the Templar Order and reigned as the Grand Master of the [[Levantine Rite of the Templar Order|Levantine Rite]] during the year 1191. During his reign, he sought a [[Piece of Eden]], specifically an [[Apple of Eden 2|Apple of Eden]], intending to use it to achieve the Order's goal of establishing a [[New World Order]]. After losing the Apple, he launched an [[Defense of Masyaf|attack]] on the [[Levantine Assassins]]' stronghold of [[Masyaf]] to recover it, but was defeated. Later on, during the [[Battle of Arsuf]], he was killed by his rival, the Assassin [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]].<ref name="AC">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref><ref name="The Essential Guide">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Essential Guide]]''</ref>
 After the death of Robert, [[Armand Bouchart]] took on the mantle of Grand Master as he and the Templars retreated to [[Cyprus]]. However, Altaïr pursued him and the two fought in the [[Templar Archive]], after the Assassin foiled the Grand Master's plans, resulting in Altaïr's victory and the Templars losing another leader.<ref name="ACBL">''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]''</ref>
-During the early 14th century, the French King [[Philip IV of France|Philip le Bel]] was unknowingly influenced by the Assassins, and [[Persecution of the Templars|conspired]] against the Templars. As a result, they were branded heretics and hundreds of them were arrested, with the last official Grand Master, [[Jacques de Molay]], understanding that the Order would not survive as a public organization. With this, he allowed himself to be burned at the stake, saving the lives of his brethren and making his enemies believe that the Templars were finished, though in reality, the Order continued to exist – underground. This aside, before his death, Molay sent nine of his most trusted men out into the world to continue his work.<ref name="Encyclopedia"/>
+During the early 14th century, the French King [[Philip IV of France|Philip le Bel]] was unknowingly influenced by the Assassins, and [[Persecution of the Templars|conspired]] against the Templars. As a result, they were branded heretics and hundreds of them were arrested, with the last official Grand Master, [[Jacques de Molay]], understanding that the Order would not survive as a public organization. With this, he allowed himself to be burned at the stake, saving the lives of his brethren and making his enemies believe that the Templars were finished, though in reality, the Order continued to exist underground.<ref name="Encyclopedia"/>
 ===Renaissance===
-In 1476, the [[Roman Rite of the Templar Order|Roman Rite]] came under the leadership of the [[Spain|Spanish]]-born [[Rodrigo Borgia]], [[Cardinals|cardinal]] under [[Papacy|Pope]] [[Sixtus IV]]. Operating from [[Rome]], Rodrigo's primary objective was to unite [[Italy]] under the Templar banner,<ref name="AC2">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref> however, the Italian Templars strayed far from the main Templar ideology and used the Order as a way to achieve and sustain power for themselves.<ref name="Encyclopedia"/> Despite facing complications from the Assassins, mainly [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]], Rodrigo managed to bribe the other cardinals, and was named Pope in 1492, taking on the name Alexander VI.<ref name="AC2"/>
+[[File:In and Out 8.png|thumb|250px|Rodrigo Borgia and his son Cesare]]
+In 1476, the [[Roman Rite of the Templar Order|Roman Rite]] came under the leadership of the [[Spain|Spanish]]-born [[Rodrigo Borgia]], a [[cardinal]] under [[Papacy|Pope]] [[Sixtus IV]]. Operating from [[Rome]], Rodrigo's primary objective was to unite [[Italy]] under the Templar banner,<ref name="AC2">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref> however, the Italian Templars strayed far from the main Templar ideology and used the Order as a way to achieve and sustain power for themselves.<ref name="Encyclopedia"/> Despite facing complications from the Assassins, mainly [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]], Rodrigo managed to bribe the other cardinals, and was named Pope in 1492, taking on the name Alexander VI.<ref name="AC2"/>
 Rodrigo then secured the power of the Church for the Templars, and from [[Vaticano District|the Vatican]], he oversaw the progress of the other Templars in [[Europe]], including [[United Kingdom|England]] and [[Spain]]. However, by 1500, Rodrigo's resolve had weakened, and control over the order fell to his son [[Cesare Borgia]], who acted as the ''de facto'' Grand Master.<ref name="ACB">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>
-After he killed his own father in August 1503, Cesare became the official Grand Master of the Order,<ref name="ACB novel">[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (novel)|''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'' novel]]</ref> though without his father's power in the Church, he could not maintain the same influence in Europe that his father had. Cesare was soon [[Castillo de la Mota|imprisoned]] with the ascension of the next Pope, [[Julius II]], and upon escaping, he fled to his brother-in-law [[John III of Navarre]] in Navarre, Spain. The Grand Master was ultimately killed during the [[Siege of Viana|Siege]] of [[Viana]] in 1507 by Ezio Auditore,<ref name="ACB"/> destabilizing the Templars in Europe and causing them to temporarily withdraw.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref>
+After he killed his own father in August 1503, Cesare became the official Grand Master of the Order,<ref name="ACB novel">[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (novel)|''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'' novel]]</ref> though without his father's power in the Church, he could not maintain the same influence in Europe that his father had. Cesare was soon [[Castillo de la Mota|imprisoned]] with the ascension of the next Pope, [[Julius II]], and upon escaping, he fled to his brother-in-law [[John III of Navarre]] in Navarre, Spain. The Grand Master was ultimately killed during the [[Siege of Viana|Siege]] of [[Viana]] in 1507 by Ezio Auditore,<ref name="ACB"/> destabilizing the Templars in Europe and causing them to temporarily withdraw.<ref name="ACR">''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref>
+Circa 1509, the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] Prince [[Ahmet]] became the Grand Master of the [[Byzantine Rite of the Templar Order|Byzantine Rite]],<ref name="Encyclopedia"/> and sought to acquire the [[Masyaf Key]]s and open the [[library of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]], believing the knowledge inside could lead the Order into a new era. However, his efforts were opposed by Ezio Auditore, who assisted the [[Ottoman Brotherhood of Assassins|Ottoman Assassins]] in driving the Templars out of the Empire, while Ahmet himself was killed by his brother [[Selim I]] for betraying his country.<ref name="ACR"/>
 ===Colonial era===
-During the time of colonial expansion by the major European empires, the [[Cuba]]n governor [[Laureano de Torres y Ayala]] assumed the role of Grand Master of the [[West Indies Rite of the Templar Order|West Indies Rite]]. Operating out of [[Havana]], he sought the fabled [[Observatory (Isu)|Observatory]] in order to spy upon and thus bend the leaders of the European colonial empires to [[New World Order|Templar will]], ensuring peace through order. Torres was ultimately assassinated by the pirate-turned-Assassin [[Edward Kenway]].<ref name="AC4">''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]''</ref>
+[[File:Mister Walpole I Presume 9.png|thumb|250px|left|Laureano Torres (far right) explaining his plans with the Observatory]]
+During the time of colonial expansion by the major European empires, the [[Cuba]]n governor [[Laureano de Torres y Ayala]] assumed the role of Grand Master of the [[West Indies Rite of the Templar Order|West Indies Rite]]. Operating out of [[Havana]], he sought the fabled [[Observatory (Isu)|Observatory]] in order to spy upon and thus bend the leaders of the European colonial empires to [[New World Order|Templar will]], ensuring peace through order. Torres was ultimately assassinated by the pirate-turned-Assassin [[Edward Kenway]] in 1722, before he could succeeed in his goal.<ref name="AC4">''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]''</ref>
 In Britain, the Grand Master of the [[British Rite of the Templar Order|British Rite]] was [[Reginald Birch]], an Englishman who used the pretext of business to cover his affiliations. He was responsible for the growth of Templar influence in the [[United States|British colonies]], sending over [[Haytham Kenway]] to lead them. Upon his arrival in the colonies, Haytham gathered his co-conspirators, who had been recruited and located by Birch, and became the first Grand Master of the newly-founded [[American Rite of the Templar Order|Colonial Rite]].<ref name="AC3">''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''</ref>
@@ Line 59: / Line 89: @@
 During the [[French and Indian War]], part of the wider [[Seven Years' War]], the Colonial Rite grew in power, acquiring such influence that they soon posed a serious threat to the [[American Brotherhood of Assassins|Colonial Assassins]] under [[Achilles Davenport]]. At the time, the Assassins were more preoccupied with investigating Pieces of Eden and largely ignored the organization's new leadership, an error that proved fatal.<ref name="ACRG">''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]''</ref>
-Shortly after founding the Colonial Rite, Haytham led the rite in an [[Colonial Assassin purge|assault]] against the Assassins.<ref name="AC3"/> Aided by the Assassin turncoat [[Shay Cormac]] and lead on the field by Haytham himself, the Templars removed key figures in the Order, greatly reducing the Assassin's presence.<ref name="ACRG"/> This cumulated in an attack on the [[Davenport Homestead]] in 1763, where the remaining Assassins were killed and Achilles was exiled on the condition that he never revive the Brotherhood, thus effectively exterminating the Colonial branch.<ref name="AC3"/>
+[[File:ACIII-BraddockExpedition 3.png|thumb|250px|Haytham Kenway leading the Colonial Templars]]
+Shortly after founding the Colonial Rite, Haytham led the rite in an [[Colonial Assassin purge|assault]] against the Assassins.<ref name="AC3"/> Aided by the Assassin turncoat [[Shay Cormac]] and led on the field by Haytham himself, the Templars removed key figures in the Brotherhood, greatly reducing the Assassin's presence.<ref name="ACRG"/> This cumulated in an attack on the [[Davenport Homestead]] in 1763, where the remaining Assassins were killed and Achilles was exiled on the condition that he never revive the Brotherhood, thus effectively exterminating the Colonial branch.<ref name="AC3"/>
-Near the end of the 18th century, the title of Grand Master had been bestowed upon [[Charles Lee]], following the death of Haytham during the siege of [[Fort George]] by Haytham's son, the Assassin [[Ratonhnhaké:ton|Connor]]. Charles, being the only conspirator left from Haytham's rule, attempted to flee back to England by [[Ships|ship]] after his initial plan to kill Connor failed. He was unsuccessful though, and Connor assassinated him inside a [[Taverns|tavern]].<ref name="AC3"/>
+In 1781, the title of Grand Master was bestowed upon [[Charles Lee]], following Haytham's death during the siege of [[Fort George]] at the hands of his son, the Assassin [[Ratonhnhaké:ton|Connor]]. Lee, as the only Templar conspirator left from Haytham's rule, attempted to flee back to England by [[ship]] after his initial plan to kill Connor failed. He was unsuccessful however, and Connor assassinated him inside a [[Taverns|tavern]] in 1782.<ref name="AC3"/>
-In Europe, [[François de la Serre]] had risen to the position of Grand Master of the [[Parisian Rite of the Templar Order|Parisian Rite]]. However, he was ultimately deposed in a ''coup d'etat'' orchestrated by [[François-Thomas Germain]], who usurped the position of Grand Master following de la Serre's death.<ref name="ACU">''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]''</ref>
+In Europe, [[François de la Serre]] had risen to the position of Grand Master of the [[Parisian Rite of the Templar Order|Parisian Rite]]. However, he was ultimately deposed in a ''coup d'etat'' orchestrated by [[François-Thomas Germain]], who usurped the position of Grand Master following de la Serre's death. Germain's ascension was opposed by de la Serre's daughter [[Élise de la Serre|Élise]], who worked with her lover, the Assassin [[Arno Dorian]], to hunt the Grand Master and his allies, eventually succeeding in killing Germain in 1794.<ref name="ACU">''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]''</ref>
-By 1868, the British Rite was controlled by [[Crawford Starrick]], who expanded the Templars' reach to every major corner of industrialized society, from the highest official to the lowest criminal. He was opposed by the few remaining Assassins in London, namely Henry Green and the Frye twins.<ref name="ACS">''[[Assassin's Creed: Syndicate]]''</ref>
+===Early modern era===
+[[File:ACS Overdose 10.png|thumb|250px|left|Grand Master Crawford Starrick of the British Rite]]
+By 1868, the British Rite was controlled by [[Crawford Starrick]], who expanded the Templars' reach to every major corner of industrialized society, from the highest official to the lowest criminal. He was opposed by the few remaining Assassins in [[London]], namely [[Jayadeep Mir|Henry Green]] and the Frye twins, [[Jacob Frye|Jacob]] and [[Evie Frye|Evie]], who killed Starrick during his quest for a [[Shroud of Eden 2|Shroud of Eden]], freeing London from Templar influence.<ref name="ACS">''[[Assassin's Creed: Syndicate]]''</ref>
-===Modern times===
+In 1925, [[Sun Yat-sen]], the Grand Master of the [[Shanghai Rite of the Templar Order|Chinese Rite]], was killed by the Assassins. He was succeeded by [[Stirling Fessenden]], who hoped to recruit [[Chiang Kai-shek]] into the Order and have him become the new Grand Master. However, Chiang ultimately rejected Fessenden's offer and ended his alliance with the Templars after they helped him gain control of [[Shanghai]].<ref name="ACT"/>
-By the 20th century, the "Founders" created [[Abstergo Industries]] in 1937, which from that point on served as the front for the Templar Order. Though its [[Inner Sanctum of the Templar Order|highest-ranking employees]] all held some form of leadership in the Templar Order,<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Revelations'' – [[Abstergo Files]]</ref> there were multiple Grand Masters who still maintained control over their operations. As of 2014, there are three known Grand Masters operating respectively in Cuba, [[Mexico]] and the United States.<ref name="ACU database">''Assassin's Creed: Unity'' – [[Database: 10. Reconnaissance Memo|Helix Database: 10. Reconnaissance Memo]]</ref>
-During this period, the Grand Masters are no longer the highest rank among the Templar Order. They were instead answerable to the [[Guardians (Templars)|Guardians]], who in turn answered to the [[General of the Cross]].<ref name="ACU database"/>
+By 1927, [[Thaddeus Gift]] had become the Grand Master of the British Rite, although he was a corrupt leader who used the Templars' connections to embezzle money for his personal gain. In retaliation for breaking the Order's principles, Gift was later assassinated by the [[Black Cross]] [[Albert Bolden]].<ref name="ACT"/>
+===Contemporary era===
+In 1937, the "Founders" created [[Abstergo Industries]], which from that point on served as the public front of the Templar Order. Though its [[Inner Sanctum of the Templar Order|highest-ranking employees]] all held some form of leadership in the Order,<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'' – [[Abstergo Files]]</ref> there were multiple Grand Masters who still maintained control over their operations. As of 2014, there are three known Grand Masters operating respectively in Cuba, [[Mexico]] and the United States.<ref name="ACU database">''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]'' – [[Database: 10. Reconnaissance Memo|Helix Database: 10. Reconnaissance Memo]]</ref>
+During this period, the Grand Masters were no longer the highest rank among the Templar Order. They were instead answerable to the [[Guardians (Templars)|Guardians]], who in turn answered to the [[General of the Cross]].<ref name="ACU database"/>
 ==Known Grand Masters==
 ===Order of the Ancients===
+====Fathers of Understanding====
+{{Main|Father of Understanding}}
+<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" widths="180">
+ACO Julius Caesar render.png|[[Gaius Julius Caesar|Julius Caesar]]<ref name="ACO"/><br>[[Rome]]<br>c. 47 BCE – 44 BCE
+</gallery>
+====Ra's Al-Afa's====
+{{Main|Ra's Al-Af'a}}
+<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" widths="180">
+ACMirage DB Qabiha.png|[[Qabiha]]<ref name="ACMir"/><br>[[Abbasid Caliphate]]<br>c. 860s
+</gallery>
+====Grand Maegesters====
 {{Main|Grand Maegester of the Order of the Ancients}}
 <gallery captionalign="center" position="center" widths="180">
 Wiki noimage.jpg|[[Æthelwulf, King of Wessex]]<ref name="ACV"/><br>[[Anglo-Saxons|England]]<br>until 858
-Wiki noimage.jpg|[[Æthelred I, King of Wessex]]<ref name="ACV"/><br>England<br>865 – 871
+ACV BB - Æthelred.jpg|[[Æthelred I, King of Wessex]]<ref name="ACV"/><br>England<br>c. 865 – 871
-ACV Alfred the Great render.png|[[Alfred the Great]]<ref name="ACV" /><br>England<br>871 – c. 878
+ACV Alfred the Great render.png|[[Alfred the Great]]<ref name="ACV" /><br>England<br>871 – c. 873
 </gallery>
@@ Line 115: / Line 165: @@
 ==References==
-{{Reflist}}
+{{Scroll box|content={{Reflist}}}}
 {{Templars nav}}

Grand Master of the Templar Order: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:51, 6 July 2024

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