Who was the first Templar?

Answer 1

Who is the first Templar?

Is it St. Bernard who was instrumental in developing the rule of the order and sending two of the original knights to Jerusalem? Could Abbot Gondemar and Rossal be considered among the first? Is it Hugues de Payens who becomes its first Master? What about Goddeffroi de St. Omer? or the other seven knights?

It is safe to say that Hugues de Payens may be considered the first "official" Templar as he was the first Master of the order when recognized by the Pope. But who was the "first" Templar is a bit more subjective.

1117: St. Bernard joins Abbot Gondemar and Rossal (who become two of the original nine Templar Knights) whom he had sent for June 1113, in order to protect the "Great Secret."

The order developed from a small military band formed in Jerusalem in 1118 by two French Knights, Hugues de Payensand Goddeffroi de St. Omer.

All told nine noble gentlemen formed a holy brotherhood in arms, and entered into a solemn compact to aid one another in clearing the highways, and in protecting the pilgrims through the passes and defiles of the mountains, to the Holy City.

In 1118 Baldwin II, King of Jerusalem, granted them a place of habitation within the sacred enclosure on the temple Mount.

1127 (1st Sunday in Advent): Saint Bernard ordains Hugo of Payens as first Grand Master of the Templar Order.

In 1128, they received rules and regulations for their governance from the Pope, which had been expressly arranged for them by St. Bernard.

Read more at the links below.

Answer 2

The first Templar was Hugh de Payens, a French knight who co-founded the Order of the Knights Templar in 1119 along with Bernard of Clairvaux. The Templars were originally established to protect Christian pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land.