Philippe du Plessis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Philippe du Plessis
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Coat of arms of Philippe du Plessis
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| 13th Grand Master of the Knights Templar | |
| In office 1201–1208 |
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| Preceded by | Gilbert Horal |
| Succeeded by | Guillaume de Chartres |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1165 |
| Died | 12 November 1209 |
| Nationality | French |
Philippe du Plessis (born 1165 – died 12 November 1209) was a very important leader of the Knights Templar. He was the 13th person to hold the title of Grand Master. This was the highest position in the Templar Order.
Philippe was born in a strong castle called Plessis-Macé. This castle was in a region of France called Anjou.
Contents
Joining the Knights Templar
In 1189, Philippe du Plessis joined the Third Crusade. This was a big military journey to the Holy Land. He started as a regular knight. During this time, he learned about the Order of the Temple. This was a powerful group of warrior monks. They were known for their bravery and their white cloaks with a red cross.
Becoming Grand Master
After the death of the previous Grand Master, Gilbert Horal, Philippe du Plessis was chosen to lead the Templars. He became the Grand Master in 1201. This was a huge responsibility. He had to guide the entire order.
Leading the Knights
During his time as Grand Master, Philippe worked to keep peace. He helped make sure a treaty between Saladin and King Richard I of England stayed strong. Saladin was a famous Muslim leader. King Richard was a powerful Christian king.
Peace Efforts
In 1208, the peace treaty needed to be renewed. Philippe suggested that other knightly orders should also make peace offers. These orders included the Teutonic Order and the Hospitallers. They were all important groups in the Holy Land. He suggested they talk with Malek-Adel, who was Saladin's brother.
However, not everyone agreed with this idea. Pope Innocent III was a very powerful religious leader. He did not like the idea of this peace agreement.
Challenges and Relations
There were not many big battles during Philippe's time. The Fourth Crusade was supposed to help the Holy Land. But it never actually reached there. This meant the Templars did not get the help they needed.
Philippe also faced problems with the King of Armenia. The Templars had a stronghold called Gastein. The King of Armenia did not want the Templars there. At first, the Templars were forced to leave Armenia. But the Pope stepped in to help solve the problem.
Relations between the Templars and the Hospitallers were often difficult. Even though they were both Christian knightly orders, they sometimes had disagreements.
Templar Growth in Europe
Despite these challenges, the Knights Templar grew very strong in Europe. During Philippe's leadership, the Order of the Temple reached its largest size and power in Europe. They had many lands and castles.
Philippe du Plessis's name was last mentioned in records in 1209. He died that year.
