Death of Hugues de Payns

Hugues de Payens was born in Château de Payns (region that gave him his name), in the Champagne region of France. A man of middle nobility, he was one of the founders of the Knights Templar and its first Grand Master. As Master of the Order of the Temple, he traveled extensively throughout Europe, encouraging new knights to join and encouraging nobles to make donations of land, goods, and money.

In 1136, Hugues de Payens died in Palestine, aged 66, of natural causes. He was succeeded by Robert de Craon, a noble Frankish knight, born in Burgundy.