Robert IV of Sablé facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert IV de Sablé
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The coat of arms of Robert de Sablé
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| 11th Grand Master of the Knights Templar | |
| In office 1191–1193 |
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| Preceded by | Gérard de Ridefort |
| Succeeded by | Gilbert Horal |
| English Counselor | |
| In office 1190–1193 |
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| Monarch | Richard I of England |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1150 Sablé, Anjou, France |
| Died | 23 September 1193 (aged 42–43) Arsuf, Palestine |
| Cause of death | Killed in action |
| Spouse | Clemence de Mayenne |
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| Parents |
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| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of England Knights Templar |
| Battles/wars |
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Robert IV de Sablé was an important knight and leader who lived from about 1150 to 1193. He was the Lord of Sablé, a place in France. From 1191 to 1192, he became the eleventh Grand Master of the Knights Templar. This was a powerful group of warrior monks. He was also the Lord of Cyprus for a short time. People knew him as a brave leader of the Templars.
Contents
Robert Sablé's Early Life
Robert Sablé came from a respected military family in Anjou, France. He was an important noble who served the King. He inherited his lands in the River Sarthe valley around the 1160s. Robert married Clemence de Mayenne. His daughter, Marguerite de Sablé, later took over his lands in Anjou. She married William des Roches, who was also a knight in the Third Crusade. Robert Sablé passed away in the Holy Land on September 23, 1193.
Supporting a Young King
In 1173, Robert Sablé supported Henry the Young King. Henry was the son of King Henry II and was supposed to become king of England. Henry the Young King rebelled against his father in a conflict known as the Revolt of 1173-1174. Even though the rebellion failed, Robert Sablé remained in good standing with the kings. Later, King Richard I helped him become the Grand Master of the Templars. In 1190, Robert gave money to French monasteries to make up for his past actions.
Adventures in the Third Crusade
Robert Sablé played a big part in the Third Crusade. This was a major military journey to the Holy Land.
Leading the Fleet to Lisbon
In 1190, Robert was chosen to lead part of King Richard I's crusader fleet. This fleet sailed from Dartmouth, England. A storm scattered the ships in the Bay of Biscay. They arrived at different times in Lisbon, Portugal. One group of crusaders helped the Portuguese king, Sancho I, fight off an attack. Another group caused trouble for local people in Lisbon. Robert arrived and had to promise to control his forces while in Portugal.
Victories in the Holy Land
Robert Sablé's time as Grand Master was short but successful. Before he became Grand Master, he led King Richard I's navy. They sailed from England to the Mediterranean Sea. Along the way, they helped in the Reconquista, which was a series of battles in Spain.
When they reached the Holy Land, King Richard and the Templar knights worked together. They won many battles. They laid siege to the city of Acre, which soon fell. In August 1191, they also took back many castles and cities along the coast. These places had been lost before.
The Battle of Arsuf
Their biggest victory was the Battle of Arsuf on September 7, 1191. The Muslim forces, led by Saladin, seemed very strong. The crusaders needed a big win. The Knights Hospitaller joined the fight. Many knights from Robert's home regions of Anjou, Maine, and Brittany also helped.
They met Saladin's troops on a dry plain. The crusaders broke through Saladin's lines. Many of Saladin's soldiers were killed, and the rest had to retreat. This was a very important victory for the crusaders.
Cyprus and the Templars
In late 1191, King Richard I sold the island of Cyprus to the Templars. He sold it for 25,000 pieces of silver. Richard had taken the island from Isaac Comnenus of Cyprus earlier. The Templars, however, did not keep Cyprus for long. Robert Sablé was Lord of Cyprus for two years. He then gave or sold the island to Guy de Lusignan, who was the King of Jerusalem but had lost his kingdom.
The Knights Hospitaller later built strong bases on other islands like Rhodes and Malta. Robert Sablé did not manage to do the same with Cyprus. However, he did set up an important Templar base in Saint-Jean d'Acre. This base stayed active for almost a century.
Becoming Grand Master
When the previous Grand Master, Gerard de Ridefort, died, Robert Sablé was not even a member of the Templar Order. However, the senior knights did not want their leaders fighting on the front lines anymore. Gerard de Ridefort had been captured and beheaded, which was the final reason for this change.
The Templars waited over a year to choose a new Grand Master. They wanted to change the rules about how Grand Masters served. During this time, Robert Sablé joined the Templar Order. He became a Templar knight just in time to be considered for the top job. When he was chosen as Grand Master, he had been a Templar knight for less than a year. He passed away in 1193.
See also
In Spanish: Robert IV de Sablé para niños
