Odo de Pins (1212 – 24 March 1296), also known as Eudes de Pin or Odon de Pins, was the twenty-third Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, serving from 1294 until his death in 1296, succeeding Jean de Villiers. [1] [2] He moved the headquarters of the Order to Limasso in modern-day Cyprus. Upon his death, he was succeeded by Guillaume de Villaret. [3]
Odo de Pins was appointed Draper of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem on 7 October 1273. On 28 December 1287, he was appointed Marshal of the Order. He was elected to the magistracy of Grand Master between the end of 1293 and before 30 September 1294, when he presided over his first General Chapter as Grand Master in Limassol. [3]
As early as 1295, de Pins faced an internal crisis in the Order which was led by Boniface de Calamandrana, Grand Commander of Overseas and Guillaume de Villaret, then Prior of Saint-Gilles. These dignitaries addressed Pope Boniface VIII on 12 August 1295 in order to obtain a reform of the governance of the Order. They wanted the creation of a permanent council composed of seven "definitors" (one representative of each language - not yet officially created and numbering six, not seven - and the Grand Master) who were to assist the Grand Master, control his actions and share with him the main decisions. The pope did not follow up on their proposal, but on 12 August 1295 he sent de Pins a letter of warning which committed the Grand Master to change "his previous errors and to defend the interests of the Order from now on." [3]
It is unknown what the pope and the dignitaries of the Order reproached de Pins for, his piety, one of his characteristics which made him neglect the affairs of the Order, or his authoritarianism which upset the habits, this remains a question in the absence of documents. As de Pins did not take into account Boniface's admonitions, the latter summoned him to appear before the pontifical court. He was about to set out, but he died on 17 March 1296 in Limassol. He was succeeded as Grand Master by Guillaume de Villaret. [3]
Roger de Moulins was the eighth Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller from 1177 until his death in 1187. He succeeded Jobert of Syria. His successors were two interim masters, William Borrel and then Armengol de Aspa, before the permanent Grand Master Garnier of Nablus was selected in 1190.
Jobert of Syria was the seventh Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, in Syria from 1172 to his death, which is thought to have occurred in 1177. He was succeeded by Roger de Moulins.
Guillaume de Villaret, was the twenty-fourth Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, a position he held from 1296 until 1305, succeeding Odon de Pins. He was succeeded by his nephew, Foulques de Villaret, whose career he had done much to advance.
Gilbert of Assailly was the fifth Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, serving from 1162 or 1163 to 1170, when he was deposed. As Grand Master, he succeeded Auger de Balben. Nevertheless, most sources list him as the fifth, rather than fourth, Grand Master and this biography continues that tradition, with the exception being Delaville Le Roulx' work. He was succeeded by Gastone de Murols. Gilbert encouraged Amalric of Jerusalem in his unsuccessful invasion of Egypt, leaving the Order in debt and causing the reexamination of its military role.
Jean de Villiers was the twenty-second grand master of the Knights Hospitaller, serving from 1285 until 1293. He was elected Grand Master after the death of Nicolas Lorgne. De Villiers was Prior of France beginning in 1282 and he remained in France to deal with existing problems of the Order. Jacques de Taxi became Grand Master ad interim, perhaps through 27 June 1286, while awaiting the arrival of the newly elected Grand Master in the Holy Land. De Villiers was present at the Siege of Acre in 1291, but escaped just before the city fell to the Mamluks. He was succeeded by Odon de Pins.
Auger de Balben was the third Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, holding the office from 1160 until his death. He succeeded Raymond du Puy. Many references list an Arnaud de Comps as Balben's successor, which some believe to be incorrect. His successor was Gilbert of Assailly.
Fernando Afonso of Portugal was the twelfth Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, serving between 1202–1206. He was the oldest son of Afonso Henriques, the first king of the Kingdom of Portugal. Fernando would never inherit the crown as he was born out of wedlock. He formally succeeded the interim Grand Master Pierre de Mirmande installed after the death of Geoffroy de Donjon. He resigned in 1206 and was succeeded by Geoffroy le Rat.
Hugues de Revel was an English knight who became the twentieth Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, serving from 1258 to 1277 as the successor to Guillaume de Chateauneuf. He was succeeded by Nicolas Lorgne.
Geoffroy de Donjon, also known as or Geoffroy de Duisson, was the eleventhth Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller serving from 1193 through his death in 1202. He succeeded Garnier de Nablus who died in August 1192.
Pierre de Mirmande was a French nobleman of the Order of Saint-John of Jerusalem from the end of the 12th century to the beginning of the 13th century. He served as interim Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller after the death of Geoffroy de Donjon in 1202. He was replaced by Fernando Afonso of Portugal who became Grand Master in 1202.
Pierre de Vieille-Brioude, or Vieille-Bride, was a nobleman from Auvergne who was the eighteenth Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller between 1240 and 1242, succeeding Bertrand de Comps. He was succeeded by Guillaume de Chateauneuf.
Guillaume de Chateauneuf was the nineteenth Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, serving first from 1242–1244 as the successor to Pierre de Vieille-Brioude. He was captured during the Battle of La Forbie in 1244, held hostage in Egypt and ransomed through the Sixth Crusade. During his captivity, his position was filled on an interim basis by Jean de Ronay. De Ronay died in 1250, and de Chateauneuf was released shortly thereafter. He was succeeded by Hugues de Revel.
Bertrand de Thessy, also known as Bertrand of Thercy, was the fifteenth Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, serving between 1228 and 1230 or 1231. He succeeded Guérin de Montaigu upon his death on 1 March 1228. Thessy was either from France or Italy, most likely the former. He was succeeded by Guérin Lebrun.
Guérin Lebrun was the sixteenth Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, serving between 1228 and 1231. He succeeded Bertrand de Thessy in 1230 or 1231. As he was Prior of France, he was likely from France and is generally referred to by the single name of Guérin. He was succeeded by Bertrand de Comps.
Bertrand de Comps was the seventeenth Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller from 1236 until his death after 1239. He succeeded Guérin Lebrun as Grand Master, and was succeeded by Pierre de Vieille-Brioude.
Gastone de Murols was the sixth Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller from 1170 until his death in 1172. He succeeded Gilbert of Aissailly as Grand Master and was succeeded by Jobert of Syria.
Jean de Ronay was knight of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem who was appointed Grand Commander of the Knights Hospitaller by the Grand Master Guillaume de Chateauneuf in 1243 or 1244. He served as interim Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller from 1244 to 1250 during the captivity of de Chateauneuf. He died in battle during the Seventh Crusade.
William Borrel was acting Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, ad interim, from 1 May 1187 until his death at the Battle of Hattin in 1187. He became custodian of the Hospitallers after the Grand Master Roger de Moulins was killed in the Battle of Cresson on 1 May 1187.
Geoffroy le Rat was the thirteenth Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, serving between 1206–1207. He succeeded the Grand Master Fernando Afonso after his resignation in 1206, and was succeeded by Guérin de Montaigu.
Jacques de Taxi was ad interim Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, serving in 1285 and was the successor to Nicolas Lorgne. De Taxi was appointed as acting leader of the Order prior to the arrival of Jean de Villiers in the Holy Land.